The Prime Minister uses a west London clinic that charges £250 for a half-hour appointment - and offers them at evenings and weekends, the Guardian revealed.
The surgery, which has not been named, also offers e-mail and phone consultations for £150, home visits for £400 to £500, and prescriptions for £80.
Why do you think that every paper has covered the story?
Because they've nothing better to write about. As you said, unless you're living in Cloud Cuckooland, you know someone of Rishi's wealth is going to use private healthcare if he wants to get seen quicker.
25p should probably have been 2.5p as a % of his wealth, though a lot of Rishi's wealth, is from his wife's family.
Or maybe because of the below.
Perhaps the most damning thing about this story, though, is the detail in the Guardian‘s report of what Sunak’s private West London clinic actually offers. It promises evening or weekend appointments, true, but the real selling point is the guarantee that patients with urgent health concerns will be seen “on the day”, for the low, low price of £250 per half hour.
When the last Labour government left office in 2010, that was a level of service that we all expected, and if it wasn’t always honoured neither did it feel implausibly out of reach. Evening and weekend services were discussed, too, although the GP workforce not unreasonably pointed out that, if we wanted longer hours, the government would have to pay for them.
Now, though, waiting times run into weeks, rather than days, and if you want to be seen within hours your only option is to make like the Prime Minister and stump up the cash. The big problem for Sunak is not that he’s paying for healthcare. The problem is that 12 years of Tory government have made it necessary.
Rishi's Family wealth is £730 million so £250 to him is just under 1/3,000,000 of his wealth
1/3,000,000 of 302,500 is around 10p .....so between 2.5p and 25p
......and if you take the fact that there are 2.36 people in the average household, then £250 to Rishi equates to around 4.5p for the Average Person (apologies for using the term Common Man)
Hope this goes someway to satisfying your interest DAVE
25p should probably have been 2.5p as a % of his wealth, though a lot of Rishi's wealth, is from his wife's family.
How do you get to 2.5p then?
Keep moving the decimal point to the left starting from £250.00 to show how that charge for him relates to how much the relevant value is to the 'Common Man'
I don't know how to put a post of yours from another thread onto this thread, but yesterday morning on the Brexit Blues thread, you posted the front page from three newspapers, the i, Daily Mail and Daily Express which all had a similar Headline, saying the same thing..... and there's a lot more examples of this on your BREXIT thread.
It doesn't quite rival Paul @misterpj for length, but it gets close.
Firstly, what you are referring to was one post. Secondly, I dont think the three of them could have similar headlines saying the same thing. They have to be one or the other. They are either similar, or the same.
One of them said, Tory MPs warn Sunak over "Swiss" deal with EU. The second, Dont betray us on Brexit. The third, Fury at "absurd idea" to go soft on Brexit.
I posted another two in one post yesterday, that were also the same, One said, Starmer, UK must wean itself off migrant labour. The other, Sunak warned over "fantasy" Brexit plan.
Of course they are all the same. Why dont you start a couple of threads, and see how popular they are, instead of just moaning about other peoples.
I could only find one to post today. I expect you will think it is similar to all the others, and says the same thing. It said. Nigel Farage issues comeback threat as 'Brexit betrayal' risks 'obliterating' Rishi Sunak
Rishi's Family wealth is £730 million so £250 to him is just under 1/3,000,000 of his wealth
1/3,000,000 of 302,500 is around 10p .....so between 2.5p and 25p
......and if you take the fact that there are 2.36 people in the average household, then £250 to Rishi equates to around 4.5p for the Average Person (apologies for using the term Common Man)
Hope this goes someway to satisfying your interest DAVE
I am bored with this now.
You have gone from 25p, to 2.5p. You have now quadrupled the 2.5p to 10p. I am at a loss as to why you may think that any of these figures may have any relevance.
I think the point is that as Rishi Sunaks own net worth is around £200 million, he will find paying £250 for a GP appointment easily affordable. Whereas a family with average income probably wont.
I am not sure why you think that median average wealth is relevant, unless you think that people are prepared to use equity from their home to pay for GP appointments.
Politicians are usually reluctant to answer questions where they know that giving a truthful answer, will put them under pressure. I think that this is the case here.
The Spectator made the valid point that the PM is being forced to pay for a service that we could all expect under the last Labour Government.
ps I cant wait to read the numerous exciting, and entertaining threads that you intend to start. I expect you will be cracking on with them later today.
I go private these days. Its privatisation via the back door, which may well be a deliberate approach by the government. In theory, it takes pressure and cost away from the NHS. That said if demand for private increases, so does the migration of staff away from the NHS. It's really never been more important for the state to invest in education and training.
FWIW, I have no problem with thr PM using private GPs, dentists or schools. On the former, better that than a PM waiting 4-6 months to get checked out for a health problem.
I go private these days. Its privatisation via the back door, which may well be a deliberate approach by the government. In theory, it takes pressure and cost away from the NHS. That said if demand for private increases, so does the migration of staff away from the NHS. It's really never been more important for the state to invest in education and training.
FWIW, I have no problem with thr PM using private GPs, dentists or schools. On the former, better that than a PM waiting 4-6 months to get checked out for a health problem.
Largely agree with that. For some peculiar reason, there's a lot of social-media dislike towards wealthy people, but why is that? Good luck to them, I say. And if the PM uses private healthcare, that's cool too.
I go private these days. Its privatisation via the back door, which may well be a deliberate approach by the government. In theory, it takes pressure and cost away from the NHS. That said if demand for private increases, so does the migration of staff away from the NHS. It's really never been more important for the state to invest in education and training.
FWIW, I have no problem with thr PM using private GPs, dentists or schools. On the former, better that than a PM waiting 4-6 months to get checked out for a health problem.
I have no problem with the PM using private GPs. Can't see him (or his Butler) mashing the redial button at 08:30 or queueing in the Surgery, like the rest of us.
Privatisation by the back door? It happens. But I want to concentrate on the privatisation by the front door, first.
1. £9 for a prescription. Even if the medicine costs 50 pence. 2. If you can find an NHS Dentist, charge for Band 3 treatment is £282.80 3. £25 for an eye test 4. Wigs. Up to £293.20. Cancer patients are not exempt 5. Travel to/from NHS facilities 6. Parking charges at NHS facilities 7. Hospices are only partially funded by the NHS 8. Whole range of treatments excised-from bridges to sports rehabilitation
I go private these days. Its privatisation via the back door, which may well be a deliberate approach by the government. In theory, it takes pressure and cost away from the NHS. That said if demand for private increases, so does the migration of staff away from the NHS. It's really never been more important for the state to invest in education and training.
FWIW, I have no problem with thr PM using private GPs, dentists or schools. On the former, better that than a PM waiting 4-6 months to get checked out for a health problem.
Largely agree with that. For some peculiar reason, there's a lot of social-media dislike towards wealthy people, but why is that? Good luck to them, I say. And if the PM uses private healthcare, that's cool too.
Wealthy people ( in the main) don’t pay the % of their income in taxes like Jo / Joanne Bloggs. When the prime minister has ( or had) non domicile on the Uk , and his wife paying little or no tax it kinda grates.
I go private these days. Its privatisation via the back door, which may well be a deliberate approach by the government. In theory, it takes pressure and cost away from the NHS. That said if demand for private increases, so does the migration of staff away from the NHS. It's really never been more important for the state to invest in education and training.
FWIW, I have no problem with thr PM using private GPs, dentists or schools. On the former, better that than a PM waiting 4-6 months to get checked out for a health problem.
Largely agree with that. For some peculiar reason, there's a lot of social-media dislike towards wealthy people, but why is that? Good luck to them, I say. And if the PM uses private healthcare, that's cool too.
I am a "good luck to them" person, and dont begrudge anyone the rewards of their success. Well nearly anyone, I could make Trump an exception to that.
However I do agree with the point that those that are now forced to go private, are doing so, merely to get the service that we could all expect under the last Labour Government. Twelve years of the Tories must have created a huge demand for private healthcare.
I go private these days. Its privatisation via the back door, which may well be a deliberate approach by the government. In theory, it takes pressure and cost away from the NHS. That said if demand for private increases, so does the migration of staff away from the NHS. It's really never been more important for the state to invest in education and training.
FWIW, I have no problem with thr PM using private GPs, dentists or schools. On the former, better that than a PM waiting 4-6 months to get checked out for a health problem.
Largely agree with that. For some peculiar reason, there's a lot of social-media dislike towards wealthy people, but why is that? Good luck to them, I say. And if the PM uses private healthcare, that's cool too.
Why do you think he refused to answer the question then? If he thought it was ok, why wouldnt he?
GPs will be named and shamed over failure to see patients face to face
GPs failing to see patients face to face will be named and shamed for the first time, amid concerns that poor access to family doctors is fuelling a growing A&E crisis.
On Thursday, the NHS will publish data on every GP surgery in England, showing how long people have to wait for an appointment and the proportion occurring in person.
There is massive variation between practices, and the data is expected to reveal the surgeries where the majority of appointments are “remote”.
Across the country, roughly two-thirds of appointments take place in person, compared with eight in 10 before the pandemic.
The news comes as hospitals are under unprecedented pressure, with health chiefs set to launch a national campaign urging the public to avoid A&E as much as possible this winter.
The drive will urge people to turn to the NHS 111 website as their first port of call.
Health chiefs said that A&E departments have never before been under so much strain, with a record 2.17 million attendances last month. Regulators warned that health services became “gridlocked”, with struggles to access GP care “exacerbating the high pressure on urgent and emergency care services”.
Ministers have pledged to improve access to GPs, saying that everyone should be able to get an appointment within two weeks.
However, one in five patients are currently waiting longer and one in 10 faces a wait in excess of three weeks.
Comments
Perhaps the most damning thing about this story, though, is the detail in the Guardian‘s report of what Sunak’s private West London clinic actually offers. It promises evening or weekend appointments, true, but the real selling point is the guarantee that patients with urgent health concerns will be seen “on the day”, for the low, low price of £250 per half hour.
When the last Labour government left office in 2010, that was a level of service that we all expected, and if it wasn’t always honoured neither did it feel implausibly out of reach. Evening and weekend services were discussed, too, although the GP workforce not unreasonably pointed out that, if we wanted longer hours, the government would have to pay for them.
Now, though, waiting times run into weeks, rather than days, and if you want to be seen within hours your only option is to make like the Prime Minister and stump up the cash. The big problem for Sunak is not that he’s paying for healthcare. The problem is that 12 years of Tory government have made it necessary.
https://www.newstatesman.com/quickfire/2022/11/rishi-sunak-problem-paying-healthcare
You are deluded if thats what you think.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/bulletins/totalwealthingreatbritain/april2018tomarch2020
Rishi's Family wealth is £730 million so £250 to him is just under 1/3,000,000 of his wealth
1/3,000,000 of 302,500 is around 10p .....so between 2.5p and 25p
......and if you take the fact that there are 2.36 people in the average household, then £250 to Rishi equates to around 4.5p for the Average Person (apologies for using the term Common Man)
Hope this goes someway to satisfying your interest DAVE
I don't know how to put a post of yours from another thread onto this thread, but yesterday morning on the Brexit Blues thread, you posted the front page from three newspapers, the i, Daily Mail and Daily Express which all had a similar Headline, saying the same thing..... and there's a lot more examples of this on your BREXIT thread.
It doesn't quite rival Paul @misterpj for length, but it gets close.
Firstly, what you are referring to was one post.
Secondly, I dont think the three of them could have similar headlines saying the same thing. They have to be one or the other. They are either similar, or the same.
One of them said,
Tory MPs warn Sunak over "Swiss" deal with EU.
The second,
Dont betray us on Brexit.
The third,
Fury at "absurd idea" to go soft on Brexit.
I posted another two in one post yesterday, that were also the same,
One said,
Starmer, UK must wean itself off migrant labour.
The other,
Sunak warned over "fantasy" Brexit plan.
Of course they are all the same.
Why dont you start a couple of threads, and see how popular they are, instead of just moaning about other peoples.
I could only find one to post today.
I expect you will think it is similar to all the others, and says the same thing.
It said.
Nigel Farage issues comeback threat as 'Brexit betrayal' risks 'obliterating' Rishi Sunak
You have gone from 25p, to 2.5p.
You have now quadrupled the 2.5p to 10p.
I am at a loss as to why you may think that any of these figures may have any relevance.
I think the point is that as Rishi Sunaks own net worth is around £200 million, he will find paying £250 for a GP appointment easily affordable.
Whereas a family with average income probably wont.
I am not sure why you think that median average wealth is relevant, unless you think that people are prepared to use equity from their home to pay for GP appointments.
Politicians are usually reluctant to answer questions where they know that giving a truthful answer, will put them under pressure.
I think that this is the case here.
The Spectator made the valid point that the PM is being forced to pay for a service that we could all expect under the last Labour Government.
ps I cant wait to read the numerous exciting, and entertaining threads that you intend to start.
I expect you will be cracking on with them later today.
FWIW, I have no problem with thr PM using private GPs, dentists or schools. On the former, better that than a PM waiting 4-6 months to get checked out for a health problem.
Largely agree with that. For some peculiar reason, there's a lot of social-media dislike towards wealthy people, but why is that? Good luck to them, I say. And if the PM uses private healthcare, that's cool too.
Privatisation by the back door? It happens. But I want to concentrate on the privatisation by the front door, first.
1. £9 for a prescription. Even if the medicine costs 50 pence.
2. If you can find an NHS Dentist, charge for Band 3 treatment is £282.80
3. £25 for an eye test
4. Wigs. Up to £293.20. Cancer patients are not exempt
5. Travel to/from NHS facilities
6. Parking charges at NHS facilities
7. Hospices are only partially funded by the NHS
8. Whole range of treatments excised-from bridges to sports rehabilitation
When the prime minister has ( or had) non domicile on the Uk , and his wife paying little or no tax it kinda grates.
Well nearly anyone, I could make Trump an exception to that.
However I do agree with the point that those that are now forced to go private, are doing so, merely to get the service that we could all expect under the last Labour Government.
Twelve years of the Tories must have created a huge demand for private healthcare.
If he thought it was ok, why wouldnt he?
GPs will be named and shamed over failure to see patients face to face
GPs failing to see patients face to face will be named and shamed for the first time, amid concerns that poor access to family doctors is fuelling a growing A&E crisis.On Thursday, the NHS will publish data on every GP surgery in England, showing how long people have to wait for an appointment and the proportion occurring in person.
There is massive variation between practices, and the data is expected to reveal the surgeries where the majority of appointments are “remote”.
Across the country, roughly two-thirds of appointments take place in person, compared with eight in 10 before the pandemic.
The news comes as hospitals are under unprecedented pressure, with health chiefs set to launch a national campaign urging the public to avoid A&E as much as possible this winter.
The drive will urge people to turn to the NHS 111 website as their first port of call.
Health chiefs said that A&E departments have never before been under so much strain, with a record 2.17 million attendances last month. Regulators warned that health services became “gridlocked”, with struggles to access GP care “exacerbating the high pressure on urgent and emergency care services”.
Ministers have pledged to improve access to GPs, saying that everyone should be able to get an appointment within two weeks.
However, one in five patients are currently waiting longer and one in 10 faces a wait in excess of three weeks.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/gps-named-shamed-over-failure-000000572.html