It barely needs saying, but 'removing every trace of privatisation from the NHS' is utterly batshit, for multiple reasons
First, there's the obvious point that the NHS buys a LOT of stuff from private contractors. Medicines, scanning machines, paper, printers, etc etc etc. But presumably that isn't what we're talking about here.
Maybe we're talking about private medical contractors? In which case congratulations - you've just abolished GPs.
Or are we talking about private companies actually providing services within the NHS? Does this include the contractors who do the catering, or truck in clean bedsheets every day, or clean the floors?
You could bring all of those services in-house. But the reason they've been outsourced in the first place was because it saved the health service money that could be spent on patients.
Or are we narrowing the definition down to the actual provision of medical services by private entities?
In which case, why is it monstrously unethical for the NHS to outsource certain scans or basic treatments to other entities who will do them more cheaply, thereby saving the NHS money? Or to use private providers to fill capacity gaps, or cope with excess demand?
In other words, as long as services remain free at the point of use, and commissioning them is still done by the NHS, why shouldn't we try to get the best quality service for patients at the lowest possible cost?
As @ChristianJMay points out, private contractors commissioned by the NHS carried out 500,000 elective surgeries on its behalf last year, with higher approval ratings than in-house treatments.
@ChristianJMay But even that is completely academic, because as Christian also points out, @TheKingsFund says that the privatisation epidemic just isn't happening.
@ChristianJMay @TheKingsFund As it says, 'there is no evidence of a significant increase in the share of spending on private providers or widespread privatisation of NHS services - even if a very broad definition of private care spending is used.'
@ChristianJMay @TheKingsFund In conclusion - the NHS is not being privatised. And to object to the use of external contractors/providers purely on grounds of ideology, if it meant better care at cheaper prices, is lunacy.
Sorry - missed out the link to that @ChristianJMay piece. It’s here - highly recommended. cityam.com/labours-shamef…
