Re: Digest Number 3863

[Guest guest]



Thanks, , for an objective comment on the UK NHS system.

All too often, opinions on this side of the pond are predicated by political

'theology' rather than facts.

If one's belief that the U.S. health care system is the 'best in the world' based

on fundamental ideology rather than available facts, there is no way to ever

have a reasonable discussion on how to improve health care for all our citizens.

The Best to You and Yours!

Jon in Nevada

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From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of MetcalfSent: Friday, March 02, 2012 7:14 PMTo: Prostate Cancer Support e-groupSubject: Discussion on NHS vs USA medical facilitiesI am willing as ever to have a factual discussion on this, for a limitedperiod.So up to 2400 (12 midnight GMT Sunday) My take is that there is no perfect system. Those who can afford it in theUSA can demand the highest level of treatment, but the unemployed or lowpaid with no insurance strugle to pay for basic drugs. In the UK we don'thave this, the NHS provides to both king and pauper. True it is paid for bytaxes, generally the rich pay more than the poor (general statementsimplifying a really complex tax system - so don't hit me with detail).In the UK we have NHS which as far as I am concerned isn't far behind theUSA as far as progress is concerned. Eg We have the cancer drug fund andthis allows use of Abiraterone now at least up to 2014, time to make thepoint to messers Cameron, Clegg and Osbourne.Admittedly it has taken some urologists time to catch up but generallythings are much better than when I was diagnosed in 1996.In the UK you can opt for private treatment either via insurance or directpayment BUT for emergencies the expertise is in the NHS and not the privatehospitals. I suppose the point should be how can we continue to improve our systems toprovide consistently modern treatment to all who need it. Each country has its challenges!

[Guest guest]

Jon, You are correct. So often I hear justification about US system being the best, based on a single example of less than ideal care elsewhere. I know of many examples of less than ideal care here in the US. I don’t talk about them often but they happen more often than I would like. We have some real very big problems with our healthcare system and I we do not start talking about them soon they will only be getting worse. I am sure that in Great Britain there are problems that they are attempting to address also. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of ccnvw@...Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2012 1:53 PMTo: ProstateCancerSupportSubject: Re: Digest Number 3863  Thanks, , for an objective comment on the UK NHS system.All too often, opinions on this side of the pond are predicated by political 'theology' rather than facts. If one's belief that the U.S. health care system is the 'best in the world' based on fundamental ideology rather than available facts, there is no way to ever have a reasonable discussion on how to improve health care for all our citizens. The Best to You and Yours!Jon in Nevada ----------------------------------------------------From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of MetcalfSent: Friday, March 02, 2012 7:14 PMTo: Prostate Cancer Support e-groupSubject: Discussion on NHS vs USA medical facilitiesI am willing as ever to have a factual discussion on this, for a limitedperiod.So up to 2400 (12 midnight GMT Sunday) My take is that there is no perfect system. Those who can afford it in theUSA can demand the highest level of treatment, but the unemployed or lowpaid with no insurance strugle to pay for basic drugs. In the UK we don'thave this, the NHS provides to both king and pauper. True it is paid for bytaxes, generally the rich pay more than the poor (general statementsimplifying a really complex tax system - so don't hit me with detail).In the UK we have NHS which as far as I am concerned isn't far behind theUSA as far as progress is concerned. Eg We have the cancer drug fund andthis allows use of Abiraterone now at least up to 2014, time to make thepoint to messers Cameron, Clegg and Osbourne.Admittedly it has taken some urologists time to catch up but generallythings are much better than when I was diagnosed in 1996.In the UK you can opt for private treatment either via insurance or directpayment BUT for emergencies the expertise is in the NHS and not the privatehospitals. I suppose the point should be how can we continue to improve our systems toprovide consistently modern treatment to all who need it. Each country has its challenges!