*Warning: This blog will contain profanity, a lot of profanity. Seriously Offensive Language. but nowhere near as offensive as the attitudes of the government and the so-called ‘Elites’*
“Having a free NHS makes Brits too lazy to look after themselves” These are the words of Sam Patel, Director of one of the UK’s leading pharmacy chains, and these words are making me
SO FUCKING ANGRY
He said this at an event organised by a strategy consultant firm, and are in response to a survey released last week which said people are dissatisfied with the current state of the NHS. His strategy would have people have people ‘taking better care of themselves,’ not through Diet and Exercise, but with Vitamin and Supplement pills, which, coincidentally, his shops sell. At a large Mark-up.
What makes me
SO FUCKING ANGRY
is that these are the people who have the ear of Government. Another director of same pharmacy chain was at a meeting in Downing St to discuss the Covid related NHS backlog. That should be a discussion for doctors, nurses, hospital staff and support workers, GPs, researchers, Lab techs, and yes, Pharmacists; people who know how things works because they DO THE WORK. Instead, it was politicians and business leaders. People who, if they ever had any practical, hands on knowledge of the healthcare system have long since forgotten it. People who can so easily afford Private Healthcare that they don’t see the need for a public option.
The Tories, over the last 12 years, have slowly and carefully been executing their plan to execute the NHS. Underfunding, of course. Instituting new policies that put more staff and money into Admin instead of practical care. Imposing new contracts on doctors that forced them into longer hours without overtime pay. Repeated below cost of living wage increases, which means NHS pay is effectively 20% less than it was 10 years ago. Cutting staff numbers, increasing the pressure on everyone remaining. To make up the shortfall, hospitals have to use agency (temp) staff, who don’t know the hospital and who cost the NHS more money, leaving less for patient care, increasing backlogs and waiting times, leading to growing dissatisfaction with the NHS. The Tories run the NHS into the ground and blame the NHS for it. It’s like the Abusive husband blaming the wife for making him hit her.
And don’t get me started on the Brexit Fiasco. BoJo the Clown touring the country in a bus emblazoned with the words “We send the EU £350 million a week; let’s fund our NHS instead.” First, the £350 million was a lie, it was about half that, and that was money we would have spent in tariffs and taxes anyway, the price of doing business. Second, even if there were any savings, they never planned to give one red cent of it to the NHS, at least, not while Tory MPs had duck ponds to build and pools to heat.
SO FUCKING ANGRY
Rishi Sunak had a strange moment a few months ago, when he was asked if he was registered with an NHS Doctor. He dodged the question and didn’t answer until a few days later. I’m sure he used the time to register with the NHS. I don’t know why he bothered. He’s a ridiculously rich man, no one would care if he went Private. The UK has had a hybrid Public/Private system for a long time. Money lets you skip the queue, it’s the way of the world, I accept that. And if you can afford it, great, leave the NHS to the rest of us.
The Tory aim is to Privatise the NHS. Everyone will have to buy health insurance. Thanks to Tory Policies, our current Cost-of-Living crisis, which is really a Cost-of-greed crisis, means people are having to choose whether to Heat Or Eat. Parents are skipping meals to feed their children. Pensioners are riding buses to keep warm. Libraries, Museums and Art Galleries have been designated ‘Warm Banks.’ And now these rich cunts want to make us pay for healthcare.
And really, it’s the elitist, patronising, Dickensian tone that makes me
SO FUCKING ANGRY
It’s the assumption that people are poor because they don’t work hard, rather than the whole system being skewed against them. It’s the assumption that people get sick because of poor lifestyle choices, ignoring the conditions that have nothing to do with lifestyle, like cancer, or genetic conditions, or getting hit by a car. It’s rich people assuming they know better, know more. They give their worthless advice freely, but won’t part with the tiniest portion of their money, which might actually make a difference.
And the politicians go along with it. They tell people to put foil on the radiator, eat for 30p per meal, get a second job to improve the situation, but go deaf, dumb and blind at the mention of an energy price cap or a wealth tax. And they wonder that the electorate are
SO FUCKING ANGRY
So, I am sorry about my use of offensive language, but what is really offensive here; My Language, or the way the rich and powerful are looking for ways to put the screws to us even more.
If you enjoyed, or at least agreed with this rant, check out my book So That Happened, by Sheila Power. Available on Amazon in paperback and digital format.
So That Happened 