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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.)

View all comments (5) | Leave a comment

Sam| 10.20.09 @ 11:59AM

Uhh why is this news? Everyone knows private care with regards to quality of care is better than the government. The debate is about efficiency, cost, and what will be covered since insurance companies are not angels out to cure us.

L. Steven Beene II| 10.20.09 @ 12:04PM

This is freaking rich. They are DOCTORS and NURSES working in NHS HOSPITALS, and to get better care .... they go to private clinics.

Wow, just freaking wow.

seamus| 10.20.09 @ 12:04PM

Sam,

Quality trumps cost on all accounts. When you're sick efficiency comes with the best treatment. Actually, it's in the insurance companies best interest to get you well. What kind of logic are you employing?

SoCon| 10.20.09 @ 2:35PM

Elites always take care of themselves, regardless of country.

james| 10.21.09 @ 12:08PM

Your readers must lap this, anti-NHS, stuff up. The NHS has 1 million employees. There is no way the private sector could cover all these employees. I suggest this is, as usual, a fact that has been twisted until it meets the point that the writer of the article wnats to make!!!

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More Blog Posts by Doug Bandow

http://spectator.org/blog/2009/10/20/want-private-health-care-work

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