Years ago I read Morton Thompson's fascinating "The Cry and the Covenant," a fictional account of real-life Hungarian doctor Ignac Semmelweis, the man who pioneered the concept of disease control through cleanliness.

If you read that book, you shake your head at the 19th century doctors who refused to wash their hands between patients. And then you read the above about the NHS and shake your head even more, wondering how people can be so stupid.

Remember when we were told that to get good people you have to pay more?It wasnt a fact.We just got highly paid stupid people that are far removed from their decisions.

Maybe they should hire private contractors and cut the staff to 20% of its original size. The private contractor has to be connected to a member of the ruling administration.

I don't believe this story, the press almost never gets the details right. Whenever I've been personally involved with a news story I am always disappointed with the accuracy. I'm sure this is no different.
When I was a new young nurse we changed all the linen on every bed, every day. Over the years as the expense became an issue the rules changed and linen was only replaced on an as needed basis. It's still that way.
Not changing linen between bed occupants is just not happening, it's not that crazy in Britain yet.

I'm with RN71.. not that bad..yet.

If you dont believe the Daily Mail from England,why would you believe the Toronto Star?

If you use both ends of that wooden tongue depressor you can save even more. I'm sure they are already recycling hospital food...

My mother is in a Montreal Hospital with esophageal cancer. The feeding tube into her stomach plugged. The doctors spent two weeks arguing about who was responsible to replace it. Enter the hospital with cancer and die of starvation. Free health care.

Coming to a socialist hospital near you soon.

Plain fact is:

We can spend an infinate amount of money on health care, and we would still get sick and die (at least at present).

Therefore, health care must be rationed because we do not have an infinate amount of money.

It can be rationed by cost, or by queue. I personally think that cost is the way to go as , clearly from Canadian experience, people can jump the queue.

...when I worked at the Hyatt in Vancouver during my college days, we'd flip the table cloths over and sweep the crumbs and whatnot under the tables in an effort to be quicker in getting the convention rooms ready for the next meeting.

We called it 'French service'.

That was one thing, but in a hospital? Remends me of some cheaper motel/hotels I stay in when I'm on the road, I always pull the covers off all the way to make sure it wasn't done to me.

Something about going around, coming around...

;-)

Watching your neighbour suffer is a Canadian value.