O/T. The Government's handling of Covid

[swaledale]

Oh yes, in case you didn't know, most if not all GP and Dentist surgeries are privately owned, whereas the state schools that have been ordered back are, unsurprisingly, state owned. So how do you make a private business go to work as normal if they prefer to adopt different operational procedures? Maybe remove NHS funding? That's gonna work and help the process.

And before you say it, no, that doesn't give you the excuse for advocating school closures. Schools maybe a contact environment but teachers don't have to look into pupils' mouths or stick their fingers up pupils' arses. Oh hang on, strike that latter point..... it's part of the syllabus for the Catholic RE teachers isn't it?

And whose idea was that? A Tory governments perhaps?

Actually seeing as the NHS has contracts with both GP's and dentists to provide a service all they would have to do is enforce the contract. I understand that the NHS has stumped up the cash for the PPE required, I note that private dentists are charging their patient's about £35 a pop for the use of PPE!

[Andy_Faber]

Probably after some Dremel dentistry tuition from you.

...or GCSE maths. My dentist has never let me down but she looks 15 at a push

[Geoff Parkstone]

And whose idea was that? A Tory governments perhaps?

Actually seeing as the NHS has contracts with both GP's and dentists to provide a service all they would have to do is enforce the contract. I understand that the NHS has stumped up the cash for the PPE required, I note that private dentists are charging their patient's about £35 a pop for the use of PPE!

Actually I've no idea which government dreamed up the system where the doctors were private and the NHS public. It may have always been thus since Bevin?

As for enforcing the contract, they could do that, but it would probably result in a standoff/strike/work to rule/whatever, and thus result in nothing getting done anyway. A "strike" during wave 2 of covid would not be an altogether satisfactory outcome

[swaledale]

Actually I've no idea which government dreamed up the system where the doctors were private and the NHS public. It may have always been thus since Bevin?

As for enforcing the contract, they could do that, but it would probably result in a standoff/strike/work to rule/whatever, and thus result in nothing getting done anyway. A "strike" during wave 2 of covid would not be an altogether satisfactory outcome

It was the Tory's, Lansley's health & Social care Act 2012 part of a disastrous reform of the NHS which introduced the ability for privately owned companies to operate as GP's. Not all GP's chose this option of course so there are still traditional GP practices.


So Dr's would go ons trike during an pandemic and risk their reputation and their lucrative contracts if the government enforced the contract? Mm doubt most could afford that, they can't all **** off and go private!

[swaledale]

here we go again, another example of Johnson not having a strategy, other than to react blindly to whatever doom monger is whispering in his ear at the time!

I see the teacher unions are moaning that schools should be shut to! A fine profession clearly dedicated to the future of the children they teach!

[AdiSalisbury]

...but teachers don't have to look into pupils' mouths or stick their fingers up pupils' arses.

Dunno mate, thankfully my teachers didn't fancy me, but did have some interesting instances in our all boys school.

Shame you northerners can't wash your hands, spoiled my golf for a month.

[Oldtimeram]

Schools and universities should close. That's where the virus is spreading

[ramAnag]

Schools and universities should close. That's where the virus is spreading

Secondary schools certainly, can only agree OTR. Universities should never have returned imo.
Just weird how things have worsened so much since September and no one accepts the connection.

[swaledale]

Really schools? Why is the increase in cases noticeably regionalized then?

[Andy_Faber]

The 'Heat Map' shown by HMG yesterday certainly seems to indicate that there isn't a a significant increase in ****/early 20 age groups and that there IS an increase in Northern territories, driven by older generations. The age ranges are too wide to totally isolate school age and uni age folk unfortunately

https://assets.publishing.service.go...tober_2020.pdf