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Want Private Health Care? Work for Britain's NHS

By Doug Bandow on 10.20.09 @ 9:20AM

There are moments beyond parody.  Such as when Britain's National Health System defended providing private care for NHS employees.  You see, private care is, er, better.  Reports the Times of London:

The health department defended the practice and said sending doctors, nurses and other key staff for private treatment helped to get them back to work.

"If trusts want to get their staff back to work more quickly they can't jump NHS waiting lists, so going private is an option," said the spokesman.

"There is evidence that early intervention in tackling sickness absence enables staff to return to work more quickly.

"Other benefits include: reducing the risk of chronic illness that could result in ill health retirement, cost-saving on temporary staff and having a positive impact on staff health and wellbeing and, in turn, patient satisfaction."

Let's see.  If private care without waiting lists gets people back to work sooner, and reduces the risk of chronic illness, then why shouldn't everyone get private care?  Surely there is a good reason for imposing substandard care on most of the nation!

(Hat-tip to Don Surber.)