Do these think tanks live in the real world?
What about the *cost* of collecting £20 per visit - and the bureaucracy
needed to make sure that the money was devoted to shoring up hospitals?
Maybe they should look at this comparison of the UK and US systems from
the patient point of view by an American resident in the UK
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/07/14/ten-things-you-might-not-know-abo
ut-socialized-medicine/
Goes over 2 lines so
http://tinylink.com/?oKbK5Ib9LE
Mary
In message <[log in to unmask]>, Chris Salter
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Hello GP-UK-at-JISCMAIL.AC.UK,
>
>FYI: BBC News | Call for £20 charge to see doctor.
>Page last updated at 23:00 GMT, Saturday, 18 July 2009 00:00 UK.
>
>Opening paragraphs:
>
>Patients should be charged £20 to see a GP in a bid to limit demands
>placed on the health service, a centre-right think-tank says.
>
>The Social Market Foundation said forcing people to pay a fee for an
>appointment could help the NHS cope in the tight financial times
>ahead.
>
>The group said it would not breach the values of the NHS as charges
>already applied to dentistry and prescriptions
>
>But both the government and doctors said they were against such a
>move.
>
>The think-tank said the NHS was facing a tough couple of years.
>
>End Quote
>
>Full text see
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8156279.stm
>
>
--
Mary Hawking
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