UK Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday announced that there would be big, fundamental changes in his nation’s public health care system. Currently highly expensive and terribly ineffective at meeting the country’s overall needs, the system itself has been the target of many past administrations, though very little has been accomplished in many years. Cameron claimed in his speech that the changes would eliminate the red tape that is so infuriating to his constituents, as well as improving treatment. Those opposing the move note that the new reforms will simply cause problems and perhaps even move to some form of privatization of the National Health Service.
Cameron’s plan includes wresting control of the system from bureaucrats and putting it instead in the hands of family practitioners as well as allowing private organizations to bid for contracts within the system. Cameron announced in his speech to remove "topdown, command-and-control bureaucracy and targets" and noted that "pretending that there is some easy option of sticking with the status quo and hoping that a little bit of extra money will smooth over the challenges is a complete fiction."
While there was not indication whatsoever that Cameron wishes to privatize health insurance, which Brits take for granted, others are wary. Still, Cameron noted that his goal was to keep health insurance firmly entrenched within government, noting that "a free NHS at the point of use, for everybody [is] part of Britain, part of Britishness." It is, indeed, a big difference from what is seen in the U.S., but with NHS acting as the largest employer in the country, it is no wonder that it is clung to with tenacity.
Cameron’s plan includes wresting control of the system from bureaucrats and putting it instead in the hands of family practitioners as well as allowing private organizations to bid for contracts within the system. Cameron announced in his speech to remove "topdown, command-and-control bureaucracy and targets" and noted that "pretending that there is some easy option of sticking with the status quo and hoping that a little bit of extra money will smooth over the challenges is a complete fiction."
While there was not indication whatsoever that Cameron wishes to privatize health insurance, which Brits take for granted, others are wary. Still, Cameron noted that his goal was to keep health insurance firmly entrenched within government, noting that "a free NHS at the point of use, for everybody [is] part of Britain, part of Britishness." It is, indeed, a big difference from what is seen in the U.S., but with NHS acting as the largest employer in the country, it is no wonder that it is clung to with tenacity.
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