Today's UK Telegraph reports that the National Health Service is undergoing its biggest change since it began sixty years ago.
According to the article:
"The plan, contained in a white paper to be published next week, is designed to place key decisions about how patients are cared for in the hands of doctors who know them. Tens of thousands of administrative jobs in the health service will be lost as a result.
"At present, funds are given by the Government to primary care trusts, which pay for patients from their area to be treated in hospital.
"Under these plans, GPs -- who are currently not responsible for paying for hospital referrals -- would receive the money instead and pay the hospitals directly.
"The change will be compulsory."
The change puts between £60-£80 billion back in the hands of the family GP's who actually know the patients.
The article further states:
"Responsibility will be handed to GPs working in local groups, who will commission services or provide them by working in rotas through co-ops. Mr Lansley believes that if GPs are responsible for their own budgets and have to commission out-of-hours care, most will decide to go back to offering weekend and evening cover themselves or in local groups.
"The loss of jobs, which The Daily Telegraph has been told will run into tens of thousands, is also likely to lead to outcry from public sector trade unions. Ministers are already braced for industrial action over plans for severe cuts in the Whitehall workforce."
Isn't it interesting that as the United Kingdom realizes how much money is wasted in the 'civil service' level of its healthcare, that we in America are about to establish that 'civil service' level in our healthcare.
Another reason for REPEAL AND REPLACE!!!!
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