NHS Mess or Success?

[Dr Fogg]

NHS Mess or Success?

Beloved by the people, the NHS
Heralded by most a resounding success
Free care for all, be they rich or poor
Judges and Bishops or the girl next door.

Doctors, consultants, nurses and porters
Caring for all, our sons and our daughters
Delivering babies. Ten thousand a week
Be they Christian, Muslims, Hindu or Seek.

District nurses helping at home
They come to you, just pick up the phone
Top class surgeons admired world wide
Available to ALL, their skills they provide.

An ambulance service second to none
They reach you in minutes when all’s said and done
No talk of insurance or ways you can pay
Ten thousand call outs, every day.

Dealing with death and delivering babies
Coping with addicts and people with rabies
Fighting pandemics, diseases and pain
Delivering care to the sick and the lame.

Twenty four seven, every day
Never been known to turn you away
Just the very best care with little delay
Based on your need, not ability to PAY.


Is it a success, why hell YES
Sixty million Brits love the NHS
We look overseas and just see a mess
Thank you Aneuran Bevan God bless..

The National Health Service was established against fierce opposition from the medical profession and vested interests in 1948. Mainly pushed through parliament by Aneurin Bevan a Labour politician. A war torn and impoverished Britain had serious health problems amongst the poor, elderly and unfortunate. Bevan cleverly silenced the opposition by promising them the ability to opt out of the system, join it wholeheartedly or work privately part time. Britain does have private medicine, but the outstanding quality of the NHS means the vast majority of people use the NHS. Our right wing (Conservative party) have tried to privatise the NHS in parts but always meet such opposition from all the people that they now accept the NHS is here to stay.
Let me dispel a few myths based entirely on my own experiences of living under a health service that began the year I was born. If I wish to visit my Doctor, if I phone before 9am I get an appointment same day or if it’s non urgent the next day. The NHS do charge a small fee per item for prescription medications currently about £7, however the list of those who don’t have to pay anything is vast, I don’t pay because I am diabetic, those over 60 years of age don’t pay, unemployed, pregnant and many others don’t pay. If you require a lot of medication you can opt for an annual one off charge of £100 to cover all medications. I have had two successful hip replacements and more recently an angiogram and subsequently and angioplasty. The angiogram was performed two days after I had chest pains and the angioplasty 4 days later.


Dr.Fogg

_{Copyright ©2009. HW Harborne}

[Artemis]

Foggy darlling I just exalted you for this over a t'other site .... quite the genius ... those doctors and nurses would love you for this, poor downtroden abuse lot ... we should be gratedful, we are extremely lucky to have the NHS ... I've heard some of the horror stories coming out of the US of A and other countries who don't have the treatment we have. I have moaned myself in the past, guess I'm just a spoiled brat cos I sure appreciate them now ....

Kxxxxxhugs

[Max]

Doc, thank you very much for posting this. As much as I'd love to, I won't go on a political rant here on how much I would like to see NHS in the United States. Nonetheless, I salute you for stating your views here, and you deliver your message thoroughly and powerfully in this poem.

-Max

[carousal]

As a Brit I agree 100% with sentiments expressed so honestly in your poem Dr. and it is extremely well written in excellent rhyme too, which is well worthy of an exalt.
I note there is discussion in America on some form of a Nat. health service being introduced over there. However I don’t think that it is right to voice our views on how that should be decided, it’s an issue for our friends to decide upon. We would be very angry if another country told us how we should run our nation.

[Dr Fogg]

Carri. I wouldnt presume to do that and we dont want this to become a debate here. |But i wrote this piece out of anger that some vested interests in America are trying to win their argument by shamelessley telling lies and half truths about the NHS. I owe my life and my childrens lives to the dedicated work they do.

[carousal]

Then that alters my position, if indeed our nations NHS is being attacked then you have every right to defend it and I will join you.

Let me explain my position, for example: I feel very strongly on the issue of firearms. As an ex soldier I wouldn’t trust the ordinary civilian to be armed with anything more lethal than a peashooter. However though I may object strongly with the ordinary Americans right to bare arms, it really is an issue for them alone. In fact it’s none of my business.

[NewMan™]

As an American, I really think one part of this issue is being missed by all those debating the issue.. If we can't pay for our health-care now, all that happens is they still give it too us, send us home and keep sending us the bill till either #1 - the write us off as too poor to pay or #2- we move and they give up trying to track us down.

Health-care is NOT denied anyone in a life or death situation. That is because if it is, and something happens.. then the doctors and hospitals get sued by the families. That is why health-care cost so much here in the USA, all the lawsuits. So Doctors have to be rich in order to pay them out.

Yes, I believe the NHS is a better system. Then again, I'm not a lawyer or a doctor or even a politician who stands to loose money on such a system.

I'm really not one to take a cause like this, as I personally avoid going to hospitals because of experiences in them when I was younger, however in the end I have to say it doesn't matter what sort of system we have as long as it does it's job.

~ Daniel

[Dr Fogg]

But did you enjoy the poem Dan?

[NewMan™]

ooh yes, the rhymes were great (as is normal for you) and it was very easy to read. You know, I think it takes a talent to say in rhyme more than most people can say in prose.

NHS sorta reminds me of the salvation army you know, willing to help out anyone regardless who they are or how much money they have.

D.

[Dr Fogg]

Daniel said,

"NHS sorta reminds me of the salvation army you know, willing to help out anyone regardless who they are or how much money they have."

The difference is the NHS doesnt make you listen to them singing all the bloody time.

[Artemis]

ROFL Foggy ...... you're SUCH a riot ....... and anyway the bloody NHS isn't free ...Those who work pay so much out of their wages each week or month (well I used to). However there are a lot of spongers, me being one of them right now .... but I intent to change that when I'm qualified .....I worked for 20 years too ...

(Why am I justifying myself lol) Me xx

[NewMan™]

Aug 26, 2009 2:31:13 GMT -5 Dr Fogg said:

Daniel said,

"NHS sorta reminds me of the salvation army you know, willing to help out anyone regardless who they are or how much money they have."

The difference is the NHS doesn't make you listen to them singing all the bloody time.

gee Foggy, you didn't catch the latest NHS memo, did you? They have decided that singing is one great way to help with the healing process. It's not all bad, however, that fat lady who loves to stick your arm with the big syringe, she is singing bass alto and her voice is pretty good. Honest, I hear she may be the next one of "Britain's Got Talent".

[Dr Fogg]

Daniel I had her when I had a replacement hip, I was a little worried that she could pick me up with ease and im no featherweight, she also had a hint of a 5 o'clock shadow which was even more disturbing.