soccermom

There was fire in the sky in the early evening of November 20, 2008, as a massive meteorite streaked across the Canadian Prairies. The sky lit up as far north as the Territories, and as far East and West as British Columbia and Manitoba respectively. As we are near the latter part of the year, the days inevitably are getting shorter, so it is already quite dark by 530PM when the meteorite screeched across the sky. As a result, residents of Medicine Hat were amazed to see how it apparently seemed like it was midday time from the flame-engulfed ball of space rock. It is speculated that the meteorite fell somewhere in central Alberta. Search parties are expected to begin this weekend to try and claim pieces of the rock. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/200...or.html?ref=rss

So, a nine year old walks into a brothel ...dragging a dead frog behind him. He goes up to the owner as says "I'd like a girl please" So the owner looks at him and says "You're a bit young, aren't you?" So the boy takes out his wallet, whips out £200 and gives it to her "Ok" She says, "I'll see what I can do" "Theres only one thing" the young lad says, "She must have active herpes." "But all my girls are clean!" proclaims the Brothel keeper! So the young lad takes out his wallet again and whips out another £200. The Brothel keeper takes it, and disappears up the stairs. A short time later, she tells the lad his girl is waiting for him up in room 7, and that she has active herpes. So the young lad walks along, dragging the dead frog, goes up the stairs, bumping the frogs head on every step as he climbs up. A little while passes, and he comes back down, still with frog in hand, banging the head off every single step. He’s walking out the door when the Brothel keeper stops him: "Excuse me little fella, but I have to ask. Why in heavens name did you come into my brothel, asking for a girl with active herpes, dragging a dead frog behind you?" The lad sighs: "Well, now that I've shagged her, I've got it. Now I'll go home and shag my babysitter , and she'll get it. Then when my Mum and Dad come back, my Dad will drive the babysitter home, shag her on the way , and he'll get it. Then tonight my Dad will shag my Mum, and she'll get it . Then tomorrow morning, when my Dad goes to work, my Mum will shag the milkman , and he'll get it......... .....and HE's the f**ker that killed my frog"

Have you ever considered taking up drinking?

Christs sake children! Are you really still arguing about this????!!! Agree to disagree and move on, lmao. You two are very entertaining!!

I agree with those who've trodden on the beatles. They were in the right place at the right time providing a much needed feel good factor for the masses. Apart from that, their music and lyrics......... ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Just how shite. Bollocks to that "they don't make songs like they used to..." crap of my parents generation.

I think it's brilliant. That's what this thread is all about though. In that case I feel the need to cancel our date for saturday :D

Back on track, this is the main thrust of the thread. As soccermom said, it would be great if the NHS didnt waste so much money (but does it? it had a £1.7bn surplus this year). The issue is all about getting the balance right between equity (fairness, social justice, equal access to treatment for all) and efficiency. It needs to be a public and private system. One that works very well is the Singapore system. http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/01/14...th-care-system/ That's big bonus achieving!! but I fully agree, I don't see why anyone should have a problem with a top up system. Pay private if you can afford it, more and more NHS hospitals have private wards offering numerous services. Like wise if you want to pay for meds, whats the issue here? They should be happy not condemning the prospect, less for them to shell out it gives some people a hope, and if it works it will improve the hospitals morbidity and mortality rates!! Ofc the drug companes will see this as a good way to make a quick buck praying on the foolhardy and desperate. It takes medics to be honest with these people about their situation but ultimately their decision to purchase is theirs alone. Fortunately, drug companies are not allowed to communicate directly with patients in the EU. There are risks in this though, the top-up thing needs to be carefully regulated. Fully agree, sad to say tho that the system will produce more chiefs with bigger wigwams! It'll never be perfect, you just have to keep doing your best as a professional, and stay the right side of the bureaucracy.

Back on track, this is the main thrust of the thread. As soccermom said, it would be great if the NHS didnt waste so much money (but does it? it had a £1.7bn surplus this year). The issue is all about getting the balance right between equity (fairness, social justice, equal access to treatment for all) and efficiency. It needs to be a public and private system. One that works very well is the Singapore system. http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/01/14...th-care-system/ That's big bonus achieving!! but I fully agree, I don't see why anyone should have a problem with a top up system. Pay private if you can afford it, more and more NHS hospitals have private wards offering numerous services. Like wise if you want to pay for meds, whats the issue here? They should be happy not condemning the prospect, less for them to shell out it gives some people a hope, and if it works it will improve the hospitals morbidity and mortality rates!! Ofc the drug companes will see this as a good way to make a quick buck praying on the foolhardy and desperate. It takes medics to be honest with these people about their situation but ultimately their decision to purchase is theirs alone.

A happy medium is needed. We need balance throughout the system. It'll never happen, the right thing never does. Just another of lifes lessons. Viva la revolution!!!!

Good post argued passionately, not sure I agree though. You seem to be advocating trained clinicians should be used as managers, I would have thought this was actually a huge waste or resources if anything. Like it or not, its vital that a huge organisation like the NHS (the second largest in the world iirc, after the Indian railways) has effective management. I've also heard that the NHS has a very lean management structure compared with an equivalent private-sector company, it'd be interesting to see if anyone has any figures that might back this up or disprove it. I don't think we can go back to a bygone age when only a handful of treatments was available though. As for the implication that managers don't care about people as much as clinicians, well, I think that's a bit insulting. I also work for the Department of Health although I'm not a clinician or a manager. I am, however, a user of the NHS and I value it greatly, I'm sure the vast majority of people do, managers included. Well said and I hear and understand your statements, but I work up close with these 'caring' managers on a daily basis and all they are interested in are the latest government targets. I'm not suggesting that we go back to the 60's and offer less of a service, On the contrary I'm suggesting we offer more of a service, trained clinicians and senior nurses do alot of their managers work loads now and forfeit the praise. What I am suggesting is the system needs a major overhaul. The right people put in charge of the right specialities. People who understand that area specifically instead of those coming forward to place they have no knowlegde of cutting staff ratios, witholding budget so they come in under and gaining thair bonus for saving that trust money, whilst depriving staff and patients of needed facilities and equipment. Ofc not all managers fall under this umbrella but i'm saddened to say many of them do, they take these positions and hold on to them just long enough to improve their CV and often leave a mess of what was originally a well run fully funtioning department in their wake. I am not anti-change, you can not be in this modern day NHS, it wouldn't work, we have new abilities and technologies developing everyday, we need to use these opportunities to learn and improve our practice not stifle professional development as a managerial exercise to gain individuals advancement. There is so much history, pride and potential in our system, it seems a shame to watch it fall into the hands of those who abuse it and work purely for self gain. I am no angel, I go to work for money, everyone does, but working in health is a vocation, you see people born and you see them die, you need to care in the NHS. Thats the whole point of it.

All the Presidents Men! I thought it would be great, entertaining and educational, perhaps even thrilling It turned out to be just wank

Privatising the NHS sounds like an all round simple solution, where those of us who can afford it buy insurance and get preferential treatment and those who can't would frequent 'free' clinics that are abused and run by unethical, undertrained and unregulated like many of those in the US. Being someone who works in the health service, I believe a more simple solution would be to stop paying managers of managers of managers of accountants. We have one of the best, fairest (to a point, excluding much publicised postcode lotterys, which on occasion have been misquoted and misrepresented in the media) accessible, proven healthcare systems in the world. We need to replace these bonus gaining, money orientated statisticians with good honest doctors and nurses. Those who know what the patient needs and when, those who know how to run a hospital ward/theatre/clinic/department at its best, effectively and for the purpose of treating those in need of healthcare, with training I'm sure they would be able to remain within their budget, Well they did in the 'olden' days of head consultants and matrons. Why can these proven methods not be brought into the 21st century? The role of matrons today is that of pen pushing, infection control obsessed related hitlers who can't remember how to bedbath a patient. Hands on is what the health service needs, not buzz words, fads and media campaigns. It needs people who care about people, not people who care about their bonuses and are put into place because they went to school with the chairman or are known to be good 'yes' men. Well thats just my opinion anyway. I am officially off my soap box now!

before I got to this point it was my thoughts exactly !! Great minds darlin'

Have to agree wit Meenzer on that one, he's gonna be the most targeted president in US history, if they manage to get him, shits gonna really hit, they'll ent up with Marshall Law and troops on the streets!! I give it a year before we see his story on the big screen! I'm wondering who'll play Obama and who'll play McCain My moneys on Will Smith and Bruce Willis Fk knows who'll land Palins part!