What is happening to our NHS should worry us all
THREE cheers for Brenda Armitage for her remarks about the creeping privatisation of our NHS ("Sign petition to stop this scheme destroying the NHS", Derby Telegraph, January 30).
She is quite right to say the Government does not have a mandate to privatise our health service but, worse than this, was "Call-Me-Dave's" broken promise. Before the general election, he assured the electorate that the Tories would not make any big changes to the NHS. This "reorganisation", as they prefer to call it, is costing billions and the Tories will pay heavily at the next election. The LibDems are already toast.
What is happening to our NHS should give us all cause to worry. Please sign the 38 degrees on-line petition.
Jill Horobin
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7 Comments
by wilfredF1
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 3:08PM
“SarahL123 I am very well aware how a PFI works and this thread concerns the PFI in the NHS. The first hospital to be built was in 2000 and the funding was arranged in 1997. If you know of a hospital that was built before 2000 or the funding was arranged before 1997 then please let me know.
At present many hospitals are struggling to pay the high payments of PFI.
It is a big problem and the blame rests with the Labour party who should have realised what was going to happen.”
by SarahL123
Friday, February 22 2013, 11:40PM
“LOL - a PFI isn't like a personal loan...you don't just go out and buy your hospital the day the loan is approved !!
I take it Labour are to blame for the schools, MOD contracts etc signed off between 1992 and 1997?”
by wilfredF1
Thursday, February 21 2013, 5:15PM
“Sarah123 The first PFI Hospital was Darent Valley Dartford Kent. It opened the year 2000. This is of course after the 1997 election which I believe was won by Labour.”
by SarahL123
Thursday, February 21 2013, 4:20PM
“I think you will find the first PFIs were signed off 5 years before you claim, under the Tories, and widely condemned by Labour. Of course when Labour got in they continued with them, rather than halting the scheme.
As I said - they are all as bad as each other, and apologies are due all round!”
by wilfredF1
Thursday, February 21 2013, 1:34PM
“Sarah123 what happened in Stafford Hospital was under Labours watch. Also PFI may have been John Majors idea but the Labour party used it big time and were quite happy to do so. It is a little late to complain about Privatisation in the NHS when it was already started by the Labour Party and my point is where were all these anti-privatisation people when PFI schemes were being rolled out. Only 80% of the NHS funding is now available due to the massive amounts now being paid to PFI schemes. No schemes were started before 1997 so the blame lies all with the Labour Party.”
by SarahL123
Wednesday, February 20 2013, 5:15PM
“I think you will find PFIs were a conservative brainchild (John Major!), subsequently adopted by Tony Blair's 'New' labour (ie Tories in disguise) and now still being signed of by George Osborne (despite his assurances he intended to review the situation with a view to stopping them completely).
I would suggest apologies all round may be due - don't just blame one party, they have all had a hand in this!”
by wilfredF1
Monday, February 11 2013, 3:52PM
“This is a ill timed letter when takes into account what has been happening in Stafford. Alan Johnson of Labour has already apologised for the events that unfolded during his period as Health Secretary. The Hospital had been given targets and was made a flagship one whilst patients were making complaints. Thanks to David Cameron the sorry situation has been giving a proper airing and hopefully with the changes proposed it will never happen again.
PFI is also taking about 20% of the NHS budget so overall Labour should offer apologies big time about their running of the NHS. I will not hold my breath.”