In the UK there was a book by George Monbiot a long time ago, in 2000. 'Captive State' explained the private funding initiatives, that is, in one example, selling hospitals in city centres to be converted by private businesses and borrowing money to build replacements outside the town centre, tying up NHS funding with rent dues for the next seemingly endless amount of years and making patients travel further.
Well now, it seems that a close elderly relative of mine has a problem with her leg and cannot walk. She had to get a taxi to the Doctor and the hospital.
Either she gets herself to the Doctor or calls an ambulance, which costs £500, it seems. What would happen if she could not pay for a taxi and was alone without a friend to drive her?
What to do? Her Doctor had actually suggested she go to A & E for an x-ray to try to find out the cause of the problem because apparently the old x-ray centre has been sold for development and the nearest new x-ray unit is on the outside of the city perhaps 16 miles away instead of 2.
Recently I received an email from a young Doctor who works in a major A & E unit about the difficulty in meeting their waiting targets. He said that everyone is responsible especially mentioning weekend binge drinking. A hospital bed is £280 he said.
Of course yoga is a form or preventative care, to bring in a healthy body and mind that takes a lot of effort.
But wouldn't it be worth having a minibus for people who need help getting to the Doctor? When does a welfare state stop being one, what is the definition? What services have to be unavailable before it is offically finished?
~Please sign the Save our NHS petition
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