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How will TPP change NHS and other healtcare systems in EU?

Posted , 8 users are following.

nick67069
nick67069

In case you are wondering why am I posting this here... medical cost  ,including PMR treatment will go up substentially if allowed to be privatized and we should do our best to now allow it...

Major leak from Brussels reveals NHS will be ‘KILLED OFF’ if Britain remains in the EU...

" Hundreds of papers from the secretive trade talks between the US and EU have been released online. They appear to confirm fears that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership talks between Brussels and Washington will, when ratified, lead to the health service being privatised or dismantled. The documents, obtained by Greenpeace Netherlands, include a US proposal to have a committee with representatives from Washington and Brussels to meet each year “to review state-owned enterprises and monopolies” which would include the NHS."..

 google "Major leak from Brussels reveals NHS will be ‘KILLED OFF’ if Britain remains in the EU" for more details

2 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

  • EileenH
    EileenH nick67069

    Posted

    That is not entirely true - apart from the fact that there is substantial support from several other countries to have exemptions for state-run healthcare services, the UK is not alone in having concerns about TTIP and there are several points on which the EU and the USA appear to have got stuck. Mercifully.

    But don't be misled - listen to what the "out" camp are saying: "we can negotiate with the US to have all these lovely trade agreements too, just the same only better".

    Possibly, possibly not - but what is certain is that the EU as a whole will have a LOT more clout to resist the desires of the US in that context than the UK as an isolated and very small force. There are other items that are of concern such as the erosion of the safety standards and protective legislation - where the EU are way ahead of the USA - as well as GMO products which a very large proportion of the population in mainland Europe are very mcu against.

    And anyway - why do you think the current government put JH into post as Health Secretary? He has written a book about privatisation of healthcare and is doing a fairly good job of continuing the dismantling of the current service which is the first stage of privatisation. Of course he doesn't expect to have a further career in politics - he's eyeing up a very well paid job in private healthcare.

    • nick67069
      nick67069 EileenH

      Posted

      unfortunatelly it is not US government vsa EU governments... the whole agreement is written by big corporations for their own benefit. Never underestimate their power. Cost of healtchare in US is at least 2 times of average cost in any other developed country. The difference is mostly profit, which goes to corporations. The problem is that companies in EU may have very simmilar views and would put preasure within EU for "free market" and privatization. Don't know if you were following battle and discussion in USA about "Obamacare"? What public wanted and what they actually got was completely different.
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga nick67069

      Posted

      In Canada we've been resisting pressure to create private health services.  It's really tough because once something is set up, if Canada wants to stop it, they get challenged under terms of these horrible "free" trade agreements.  Years ago the evil and well known company which feeds bovine growth hormone to cows in the US wanted to start doing the same to Canadian cattle.  This was stopped but, if I remember correctly, the Canadian goverment had to pay something in the order of tens of millions of $$s as "compensation" to the company for loss of potential profit.  
    • EileenH
      EileenH nick67069

      Posted

      And what I'm saying is that there is a great deal of opposition to TTIP within the whole of Europe, both from the public and politicians. It has nothing to do with whether the UK is in or out of the EU which is the way you have presented it and which, in the next couple of months, is the crucial factor.

      The best protection for the UK would be to remain in the EU - however, the rag you took the headline from is the Express and they would never represent that view in a million years. I shudder if I ever click on it to investigate their comments.

      If the UK referendum decides to leave the EU then my future - like that of a couple of millions others - is totally up in the air. At present I live, as I am entitled to do, in Italy with healthcare covered from the UK as I have a state pension. If the UK opts out - I may have to go back to the UK, and as it is, to a broken healthcare service. My husband is entitled to care here as he gets an Italian pension too, I don't know if I will get any. He is also entitled under the German system and his entitlement there covers me too. It is far too complicated!

    • nick67069
      nick67069 EileenH

      Posted

      You are correct, TTIP is more then just about healthcare ... I hope UK does not leave EU. Currently they have pretty sweet deal being part of EU and haveing their  own currency ( much better independence control of economic destiny)... Back to TTIP..

      I know some questioned the publishing paper and it's credibility ( which unfortunately at the time I was not familiar with). I have done some research and found that the news is actually published at ttip-leaks dot org  from Holland. I have just watched 10 min interview at "The Real News Network" ( independent news network from US and very reputable ) with title "Greenpeace Leaks Secret Pro-Corporate Trade Agreement", which you can see on youtube ( search for the title).

      The gist of  the interview is about secrecy TTIP is done, and the main concern is impact on process of how regulations are developed. US has terrible system that allows lobbyist from industry to basically write regulations and then hand it over to legislators for pushing it thru congress.  If TTIP is passed, same system would be implemented in EU, allowing US companies to write EU regulations and thus lower the standards for food safety, environment,  healthcare and pretty much everything...

      Similar negotiations are going on on the other side of the globe between US and Asia ( TPP)  which is why I made mistake in the title.  Japan is currently discussing it in the parliament and you can see on TV that 80-90% of the text is blanked out, and yet they want representatives to vote on it.

    • EileenH
      EileenH nick67069

      Posted

      Oh yes - we have had action groups working to uncover the appalling demands and this "leak" is very useful to all of them. These are things that were suspected and which many Europeans are very concerned about. However, this morning one Middle Eastern newspaper has a headline that TTIP is now unlikely to go through. I just hope they are right.

      I have registered for my postal vote for June's referendum - but I am dependent on the papers arriving. We are still entitled to vote in UK elections but last year the ballot papers arrived in Italy on Tuesday and had to be in Durham in northern England by Thursday evening 10pm - an impossibility except by paying for a courier!

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga nick67069

      Posted

      Canada is part of all this too, of course, and citizens equally appalled by the secrecy.  Somewhat related point - last night I saw a program about the super rich in the UK, next week they'll be talking about the global super rich.  Two interesting (for me) takeaways.  Trickle down theory actually turned out to be trickle up.  And forget about income taxing the wealthy.  Just tax the wealth. 
  • ptolemy
    ptolemy nick67069

    Posted

    I think I would take that article with a pinch of salt, after all it was in the Daily Express! The paper that has told us there are cures for dementia and arthritis and that we are all going to be destroyed by El Nino. 
  • lodgerUK_NE
    lodgerUK_NE nick67069

    Posted

    Never mind TTIP we have a bigger problem right on our doorstep.

    The NHS has turned up trumps once again on a Bank Holiday and who was there  Junior Doctors.

    The 111 service was brilliant and the GP who eventually spoke to me, sent all the details to the A&E at our local hospital, so when my 86 year old cousin arrrived - no waiting although  it was not as busy as usual.

    Upshot is my Cousin  has now been prescribed the tablets that the eye hopsital gave her in late March and Cream. We have to watch out in case any redness develops in the eye ball and if so, back to A&E pronto.

    Now, this is why the Junior Doctors are fighting.

    No pharmacy open at the hospital for outpatients (it is only staffed for in patients on Sat, Sun and Bank Holidays). So that meant a trip to Sainsbury's for the items or any other company that operates a seven day week service.

    If the Junior Doctors cannot make this government see sense and leave it as is, till they can get all the auxiliary services operating 7 seven days 24 hours.

    The result is that by spreading them more thinly - over the 7 days.

    During the 5 days when all the axuiliary services are open. They will not be able to do as many elective operations as now - ergo longer waiting times for surgery.

    They cannot do elective surgery at weekends, no ancillary available.

    Yes, we need a 24 hour service, I worked for well over 25 years as a GPO telephonist, yes it was a 24 hour service, 365 days of the year.

    It was a 48 hour week, a rota system, but it worked. Miners worked 50 weeks of the year - 24 hour days - shift work. (2 weeks closed down and pit ponies brought to the seurface). Loads of other people worked 7 day weeks, 365 years of the day, policemen, fireman et al.

    Times have changed and for the better, but without the correct number of trained personnel available, it just cannot be done.

    Privatisation is not the answer - that just means those who can afford it will be well looked after, those who can't will go to the wall.

    I am an ancient brit, but can remember my Mother telling me what happened before the introduction of the NHS. 6d per week for the GP.

    This did not cover the hospital. When Mam had my brother she was in hospital for 3 months. The cost was 1 shilling per week - the Matron gave my Mam all those shillings back when she was discharged as my Baby brother was quite ill and needed more medicine. That Matron was a compassiontate person. My Brother is now 76 and has a grandson.

    We do live in a better world, but we have to hang on to the NHS somehow.

    I know some people (no not pensioners ) but young people with families who cannot afford the prescription charges. I despair.

    Rant over - sorry but I just had to let fly. 

    Dont' worry about TTIP whether we are in or out of Europe we will be privatised if we don't do something about it.

    Mind we stand a better chance of keeping it, by staying in.

     

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga lodgerUK_NE

      Posted

      One of the enlightening things about Where's the Midwife is the glimpse into how amazing the NHS could be (I know it wasn't perfect) in its early days.  Trouble happens when people forget why we have certain services and programs.  We are reverting to Dickensian times.   
    • paul45653
      paul45653 lodgerUK_NE

      Posted

      As an American I am very uninformed about the problems you face with the future of your health care. I would be very angry if my government played a part in privatising it. My wife is British and very proud of the service she gets when on trips home to London. Thank yoy for a very good description of the situation.

      Paul

    • lodgerUK_NE
      lodgerUK_NE paul45653

      Posted

      Paul

      It is not only your Government it is ours and most other democratic ones who have  been hi-jacked, clinically and coldly by big business  - global corporations.

      It has been done insidiously, slowly and we all get sucked in without realising what the outcome will be.

      Goverments are short term employment - they face elections every so many years  - corporations are long term.

      It is clever, but then Feudal Barons were clever - we have to try to control it. 

      We are currently facing another daunting prospect of trying once again to rein them in, we know it is wrong, but putting it right - that is one hell of a struggle.

      I won't live long enough to see it, but one day - a light bulb moment will come along and eyes will be opened wide and another step forward will be taken.

      I forgot that this is a place to come for support when faced with PMR and GCA and needing help.  I should not have posted it - I can only hope that someone coming new to this site - realises that it is unusual for a subject like this to be discussed here.

       

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga lodgerUK_NE

      Posted

      Lodger, it's not entirely irrelevant as there's great concern about the future of our universal healthcare programs in the UK, Europe and Canada, and no doubt in Australia and New Zealand as well.  Considering how hard it already is for many people to access the care they need I believe we need to be made aware of any threats.
    • nick67069
      nick67069 Anhaga

      Posted

      this is exactly why I posted it here. I have lived in Europe, Canada, USA and Japan and have seen the difference in social services, infrastructure, healthcare and education. It would be a tragedy if US model is implemented worldwide. It is the most undemocratic and inhumane and cruel system of all, unless you are part of 1% upper class.
  • Emis_Moderator
    Emis_Moderator nick67069

    Posted

    I have moved this discussion to the Chatroom group as that is what it is there for, ie general discussions not directly related to the condition group(s) (PMR in this case).

    Note: any user who has already posted will now be a member of the Chatroom group so if you do not want to receive emails from this group about new discussions you will need to click Leave group here:

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/browse/chatroom-3315

    or via your Groups page https://patient.info/forums/me/groups.

    Regards,

    Alan

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