[MD] Down the road of mediocrity

[Ant McWatt]

[Platt originally commented:]

>For a projection of where liberals in the U.S. are leading us, take a look
>at the following description of the socialist paradise in Great Briton [by 
>Theodore Dalrymple] :
>
>http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_1_oh_to_be.html

[Ant McWatt stated March 25th:]

What matters to the MOQ pragmatist is the general outlook that _works best 
in practice_ and, judging from Thatcher's legacy (where during the 1980s and 
1990s, centralisation from London increased and unnecessary bureaucracy 
spiralled out-of-control within the NHS, civil service and education 
sectors), it is conservatism that falls shortest in this regard.

[Platt replied March 28th:]

That the system of National Health Service is less than desirable for the 
U.S.
is evidenced by the many weaknesses of the system, not only those described 
in
the previously referenced article by Dalrymple, but by this latest 
admittance
of failure described on the Telegraph. co. uk website.

[Ant comments]

Platt,

I was sorry to see in your replies to my last e-mail about Dalrymple’s 
conservative propaganda that you avoided my point that Margaret Thatcher (a 
hard-line conservative _not_ a socialist) was the primary harbinger of a 
great amount of unnecessary bureaucracy and related expense in British 
government over the last 25 years and, moreover, appear to think that there 
is no problem that most of these "bureaucratic" ideas that the Thatcher 
orientated governments imposed on the British public came from business 
“gurus” of the American right.

You then quoted an unreferenced (!) Telegraph article which yet again shows 
that the use of internal markets of primary care trusts within the NHS 
(which, to remind you, were introduced by Thatcher) are an important factor 
in the loss of quality in the system.  A genuine Labour party would have 
removed this conservative aberration from the system years ago.  Even still, 
having the NHS is far better for the majority of UK citizens than the 
relatively expensive insurance based system in the US (where it is easier 
for the unlucky, uneducated and poor to be excluded from high quality 
healthcare).

Best wishes,

Anthony


The unreferenced Telegraph article quoted by Platt noted:

"A new Government drive to cut NHS waiting lists by asking hospitals to 
carry
out operations in the evenings and at weekends came under fire from doctors' 
leaders
yesterday.

"Tony Blair promised that cutting waiting times to a maximum of 18 weeks - 
from
first seeing a GP to the operating theatre - would be part of his political 
legacy.

"Tony Blair visiting King's College Hospital, Doctors attack Blair's waiting
list pledge.

"He said that in two years the average wait could be as low as seven to 
eight
weeks, which would effectively mean "an end to waiting as we know it" in the 
NHS in England.  Doctors and Opposition politicians said many hospitals 
already facing a cash crisis could not afford to run operating theatres 
"round the clock".

"James Johnson, the chairman of the British Medical Association, said many 
parts
of the NHS were "broke".

"If primary care trusts have run out of money, they cannot buy a lot more
operations.

"This and the lack of staff have already prevented extended working from
happening in many parts of the NHS."

"Mr Johnson said there had been no adequate planning for surgery to be 
conducted
over extended hours. Health professionals trained at great expense were 
going
overseas to find work, while nurses are being hit by the lack of NHS jobs.

"Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat health spokesman, said the Prime Minister 
was
"living in cloud cuckoo land" as hospitals deep in deficit were already 
cutting jobs
and services - and slowing patient referrals, extending hospital waiting 
times
rather than reducing them.

"Andy Burnham, the health minister, said some hospital trusts were preparing 
to
extend operating times, with theatres and clinics open from early morning 
until
late in the evenings and at weekends."

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