The I cant believe it’s not politics thread.

[RoboFox]

55 minutes ago, urban.spaceman said:

"Make sure you choose a musician of high moral standing to get across our point"

 

"How about Gary Glitter?"

 

"Perfect"

 

 

 

 

Surely not... It can't be, can it?  

 

Some agency video editor just quit in style. 

 

Fvcking toe-curling though. "Look at him, he dunks his biscuits in his tea! He really is a man of the people"

 

Getting high on his own supply a bit here is Rishi. Embarrassing.

 

 

[ozleicester]

The "Shell not paying tax" is surely missing the point.

They are making RECORD profits at a time when much of society is struggling to even turn the heating on.

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, urban.spaceman said:

"Make sure you choose a musician of high moral standing to get across our point"

 

"How about Gary Glitter?"

 

"Perfect"

 

 

you can have all the spin in the world but you can't account for ignorance amongst your media team. 

[Greg2607]

3 hours ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Combination of factors. Perceived underfunding is part of it, but it's how that funding is spent which is key. Only last week I read the NHS is currently budgeting for 90 billion pounds worth of negligence claims. If that is correct that is not governments fault.

One of the current traumas is the bed blocking by elderly patients who can't be discharged due to a lack of care provision. Why, one big factor is that around 40k care staff left last year because they didn't want to be forced into mandatory covid vaccinations.

 

Anecdotally, I have tried this week to make an appointment to see my GP. I was told there weren't any face to face appointments with her available within the next 30 days, but I could have a phone appointment with another doctor next week. In the next breath when asking about an aspect of my blood test result, the person on the phone said that "my doctor wasn't in today which was a surprise because I thought she was coming in to do some covid jabs". Wtaf. GP's prioritising covid jabs over patients who want to be seen. Is it because they get paid extra I wonder?! 

So I'm afraid I am a bit cynical of how the NHS is run and I make no apologies. That said things have worsened in the last few years that much is clear.

Ultimately, GP surgeries are private entities that sell their services to the NHS.  So yes, if they get paid more to do a certain activity, they are likely to prioritise that activity as long as they can evidence that they are still offering General appointments as well. 

 

Market Forces really.  But you love them anyway.  

 

[BenTheFox]

I'm all for pay increases that are at least in line with inflation, but does anyone else think that the demand of £15 an hour for cleaners is, putting it politely, a tad ambitious? 

 

[Foxdiamond]

18 minutes ago, BenTheFox said:

I'm all for pay increases that are at least in line with inflation, but does anyone else think that the demand of £15 an hour for cleaners is, putting it politely, a tad ambitious? 

 

Aim high and negotiate from there.

[FoyleFox]

2 hours ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Rishi has just rowed back on his plan to fine ‘dna’s’ £10. Who if anyone here would favour a fee to see your GP, say a tenner or even just £5. After all you pay for opticians under 60 years of age and for dental care. 

We shouldn't be paying a fee to see our GP, no objection to fining those who fail to attend appointments. That isn't practical, though. No hope of retrieving that payment - the inconsiderate @$%@kers that fail to attend won't pay.

 

1 hour ago, ealingfox said:

One thing I would suggest is raising the requisite age for senior discounts as times have changed, the population is much older and people live longer. Many of them start at 60 which is simply not old age anymore.

Free prescriptions start at 60, this should be inline with the state pension. That was proposed a while ago, but then shelved.

 

Although, I've only just adjusted to the shock of £10 for a prescription - free for everyone in NI (that's wrong too).

[BenTheFox]

14 minutes ago, Foxdiamond said:

Aim high and negotiate from there.

I understand the tactic, but at what point does it lose credibility? 

 

I also acknowledge that the idea is to punch up not down, but I'm not on as much as £15 an hour and my job requires university education. 

Edited 28 October 2022 by BenTheFox

[Foxdiamond]

1 minute ago, BenTheFox said:

I understand the tactic, but at what point does it lose credibility? 

When you want what the boss gets

[kenny]

1 hour ago, Foxdiamond said:

Aim high and negotiate from there.

Time to roll out the Eufy.

[kenny]

4 hours ago, Robo61 said:

Be interesated to see the link so that we are able to see all the countries,  I note this doesn't show Germany.

 

In any case a much better metric is spend as a pecentage of GDP as that better reflects the underlying costs,  and here we fall below the EU average and significantly below our nearest comparitiors Germany and France.

 

https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/rankings/health_spending_as_percent_of_gdp/Europe/

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD

 

You could be correct about GDP. Though we should be paying the same for drugs and equipment as the rest of Europe and we underpay our medical staff. So you would think that the actual cost of care should be similar to France, Germany and Spain.

 

Certainly not enough different to be struggling the way we are.

 

[ealingfox]

1 hour ago, FoyleFox said:

We shouldn't be paying a fee to see our GP, no objection to fining those who fail to attend appointments. That isn't practical, though. No hope of retrieving that payment - the inconsiderate @$%@kers that fail to attend won't pay.

 

Free prescriptions start at 60, this should be inline with the state pension. That was proposed a while ago, but then shelved.

 

Although, I've only just adjusted to the shock of £10 for a prescription - free for everyone in NI (that's wrong too).

 

Exactly, that's now far too early and should be put up to at least 65. The example that came to my kind was the 60+ Oyster - free travel on basically all TfL services the day you turn 60, it must cost TfL a scandalous amount.

[Foxdiamond]

59 minutes ago, ealingfox said:

 

Exactly, that's now far too early and should be put up to at least 65. The example that came to my kind was the 60+ Oyster - free travel on basically all TfL services the day you turn 60, it must cost TfL a scandalous amount.

A number of health issues are more common over 60. Londoners get free travel at 60. Bus passes are 60 in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Not sure about Wales. Rest of England outside London have to wait till female retirement age which is currently 66

[Parafox]

8 hours ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Combination of factors. Perceived underfunding is part of it, but it's how that funding is spent which is key. Only last week I read the NHS is currently budgeting for 90 billion pounds worth of negligence claims. If that is correct that is not governments fault.

One of the current traumas is the bed blocking by elderly patients who can't be discharged due to a lack of care provision. Why, one big factor is that around 40k care staff left last year because they didn't want to be forced into mandatory covid vaccinations.

 

Anecdotally, I have tried this week to make an appointment to see my GP. I was told there weren't any face to face appointments with her available within the next 30 days, but I could have a phone appointment with another doctor next week. In the next breath when asking about an aspect of my blood test result, the person on the phone said that "my doctor wasn't in today which was a surprise because I thought she was coming in to do some covid jabs". Wtaf. GP's prioritising covid jabs over patients who want to be seen. Is it because they get paid extra I wonder?! 

So I'm afraid I am a bit cynical of how the NHS is run and I make no apologies. That said things have worsened in the last few years that much is clear.

The fact that social care funding has effectively been stripped to the bone, that's a bigger factor. There's always been high turnover of staff in the social care sector. These dedicated people get paid slightly above minimum wage and they give as much time to their clients as they can, often working beyond their scheduled hours to make sure the people they care for are safe and secure. I won't deny some left due to covid vaccinations but far more leave for better paid jobs and aren't replaced because, ironically, covid exposed just how poorly carers are treated by their employers, in both the private and public care sectors.

[Parafox]

9 hours ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Combination of factors. Perceived underfunding is part of it, but it's how that funding is spent which is key. Only last week I read the NHS is currently budgeting for 90 billion pounds worth of negligence claims. If that is correct that is not governments fault.

One of the current traumas is the bed blocking by elderly patients who can't be discharged due to a lack of care provision. Why, one big factor is that around 40k care staff left last year because they didn't want to be forced into mandatory covid vaccinations.

 

Anecdotally, I have tried this week to make an appointment to see my GP. I was told there weren't any face to face appointments with her available within the next 30 days, but I could have a phone appointment with another doctor next week. In the next breath when asking about an aspect of my blood test result, the person on the phone said that "my doctor wasn't in today which was a surprise because I thought she was coming in to do some covid jabs". Wtaf. GP's prioritising covid jabs over patients who want to be seen. Is it because they get paid extra I wonder?! 

So I'm afraid I am a bit cynical of how the NHS is run and I make no apologies. That said things have worsened in the last few years that much is clear.

 

5 hours ago, CosbehFox said:

Jeremy Hunt’s legacy 

Absolutely Hunt's fault. The same for the mess the education system has become when he was the minister for education. A complete shambles created by a politician who has no understanding of the thing he is charge of. I can imagine he promised his grandees that he will reduce spending on the services by making untested and unrealistic cuts in funding. And guess what, he did.

Career politician with little grasp on the reality in which the vast majority of us live.

I dread to think of the mess he's going to make as chancellor. 

[Foxdiamond]

40 minutes ago, Parafox said:

The fact that social care funding has effectively been stripped to the bone, that's a bigger factor. There's always been high turnover of staff in the social care sector. These dedicated people get paid slightly above minimum wage and they give as much time to their clients as they can, often working beyond their scheduled hours to make sure the people they care for are safe and secure. I won't deny some left due to covid vaccinations but far more leave for better paid jobs and aren't replaced because, ironically, covid exposed just how poorly carers are treated by their employers, in both the private and public care sectors.

Great post. Social care must be brought to the forefront of govenment attention. Far too long down the list of priorities  

[Parafox]

24 minutes ago, Foxdiamond said:

Great post. Social care must be brought to the forefront of govenment attention. Far too long down the list of priorities  

Thanks.

And making social care a more important part of our health care system would in turn, resolve so many critical issues around the NHS and ambulance services in terms of waiting times in A&E and ambulance delays.

I have never understood why social care has been such a low priority. It's crucial to the support of the NHS but has always been the poor relation.

[fox_up_north]

It's almost as if all our services need to be joined up, if they're to reflect society and run smoothly. 

 

A holistic approach is needed. Take one incident and then look at all the factors that went into it. 

[Dunge]

Unfortunately, I can’t see social care being a priority any time soon. What with economic turmoil, war in Ukraine, energy prices and climate change, it’ll be struggling to break the top 5.

[ozleicester]

10 hours ago, BenTheFox said:

I'm all for pay increases that are at least in line with inflation, but does anyone else think that the demand of £15 an hour for cleaners is, putting it politely, a tad ambitious? 

 

why?

[ozleicester]

9 hours ago, BenTheFox said:

I understand the tactic, but at what point does it lose credibility? 

 

I also acknowledge that the idea is to punch up not down, but I'm not on as much as £15 an hour and my job requires university education. 

perhaps you should be paid more?

[st albans fox]

4 hours ago, ozleicester said:

why?

It’s an interesting question that challenges the pre conceived stuff we just accept. There are some jobs which have always been considered ‘min wage’ roles. Cleaning is one of those.  If you raise those role’s salary, you are effectively raising the min wage. The argument has always been that others will demand more to maintain a differential from those ‘min wage’ jobs.  I guess it’s not so far removed from the original min wage argument which was proved to be pretty much erroneous. 
 

if there is to be no deflation post this period of inflation, then I guess it definitely needs to be addressed. If prices will drop back to where they were a year ago, then there is an argument that it’s not necessary. The time to make these ‘radical’ changes is actually when the economy is doing well because there is no issue with affordability to business. this is not just about cleaners. 

[Salisbury Fox]

11 hours ago, Parafox said:

 

Absolutely Hunt's fault. The same for the mess the education system has become when he was the minister for education. A complete shambles created by a politician who has no understanding of the thing he is charge of. I can imagine he promised his grandees that he will reduce spending on the services by making untested and unrealistic cuts in funding. And guess what, he did.

Career politician with little grasp on the reality in which the vast majority of us live.

I dread to think of the mess he's going to make as chancellor. 

I don’t think Hunt was ever education minister was he?

[blabyboy]

3 hours ago, Salisbury Fox said:

I don’t think Hunt was ever education minister was he?

Nope. https://www.jeremyhunt.org/about-jeremy

[Parafox]

21 minutes ago, blabyboy said:

Nope. https://www.jeremyhunt.org/about-jeremy

I stand corrected.

Edited 29 October 2022 by Parafox