How The Government Can Save Money And Improve The Public Sector

Where I work in the NHS there is lots of talk of job cuts, service cuts, patient safety. I was talking to a friend and we were discussing ways in which the government could save money and actually be innovative in the process. Thes were the ideas I came up with:

The NHS - I think the best way to tackle this for me is to split it up 50/50 ownership. 50% Public Sector and 50% Private. I think things like cosmetic surgery should be paid for privately and not in anyway be funded by the taxpayer. Things like Orthodontics, Abortions, Cosmetic surgery should not be carried out in Public Hospitals. I think Paediatric, Elderly, Mental Health, Cancer and AIDS treatments suffer massively because funding is never available to allow innovative treatments to be funded. The UK has very poor survival rate for cancer and I think a lot of it is due to the treatments available.

For Private hospitals, I don't think they should follow NICE Guidelines as they are the basic in human care and sometimes certain illness's and conditions need more than 'basic' treatment and a split of the funding could help innovation in treatment evolve at long last.

Obesity/Alcohol/Smoking related illness's is a difficult grey area. Some argue lifestyle choice, others will argue they pay their taxes and NI. I think they need to be treated in a Public Hospital if I am honest. Let's be honest yes we know they kill and yes we know that they harm you health, but doesn't mobile phones cause brain cancer? To me it I think that because of the value of tax generated by these area's as well as the tax people are born with to pay, more than for me entitles them to treatment without the cost of a penny.

Councils - This is a massive minefield of an area. Social Services failing. Sanitation Services not doing enough. Schools delapertated. Housing Services. What an area to tackle. This for me is an area that offer taxpayers much relief.

Social Services - What a vast and complicated area. Children still living in poverty and being mistreated. The Elderly not receiving the support and care required. What can be done? Yes we could invest in more Care Workers and Social Workers. Is that the way forward? In many ways yes. I think the law needs to change again though. Too much control is in Childrens hands. What is to stop children for making 'false' claims of abuse? I think for me do away with children rewards from the government and allow parents to be parents again. The message needs to get into schools that parenthood is a privilage and a great responsibility, not a scheme to get into council housing. Kids does not = house and benefits.

Sanitation - This for me should be privatised and yes I hear the groans that we have to pay, but I would reduce council tax as a result. A private firm being responsible for waste collection and recycling could offer rebate schemes or discount schemes to families and people up and down the country should they recycle more. Something that government fails to get right.

Education - This is such a tabboo subject. For me it requires some common sense for users. Schools should allow teachers greater control over how they teach and also over discipline and basic culture. I am sick of reading about people being denied the opportunity to wear burkha's and other religious garments. Schools have uniform policies and this is a value to the school. Not upholding this sends out a message of rebellion to kids and sends a message of equality. If religious groups have problem, then tough. This our country and we are not changing values for anyone. You have time away from school and work to practice your religion.

I wouldn't change tution fees for College or University. If the subject you are studying does not feature core elements such as English, Science or Maths why should the tax payer fund someone doing an Art degree to which they will not obtain a job in that area for? University is a privilage for the talented and not for people looking to dive out of getting a job.

Housing Services - For me at the top of any list is the Elderly, British families on low income and the disabled. If your Black/African Single or Family entering the country, you can wait. If your White/Albanian Single or Family entering the country, you can wait. If your British White Single, you can wait. I think the Housing Services is arse backwards and people that pay into the system should not be denied the right to accomodation if it is available. If families or individuals who are occupying council houses are at an age and an earning level, there is no reason why they cannot go and buy in the private sector. How do we find these people? Easy a yearly survey which will be double checked to prevent fraud.

Benefits - Yes they should be available to those on low income and disabled. I know I might hear some groans from single parents and low earners, but hey years ago people didn't have hand outs and got by. People shouldn't budget to include hand outs before receiving them.

What are your thoughts?

legendkillar wrote:
I think the Housing Services is arse backwards ....What are your thoughts?

Just wondering: who or what is Esra?

They should stop trying to run public services like businesses. Welfare, health, justice and education are essential public services, not business intended to create profit. Sadly, we've come too far to reverse the Thatcherist politics, but that's why our public services are in the mess they're in. There's too much emphasis on targets and quantity rather than quality of the services provided. I agree that some areas can be privatised and open to competition but not all of it.