Comments on: The NHS at 60 – a service for patients or for profit? http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2008/07/07/the-nhs-at-60-%e2%80%93-a-service-for-patients-or-for-profit/ News, features and comment from Britain's left-wing magazine Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:48:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: David Hickson http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2008/07/07/the-nhs-at-60-%e2%80%93-a-service-for-patients-or-for-profit/comment-page-1/#comment-3627 David Hickson Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:53:58 +0000 http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2008/07/07/the-nhs-at-60-%e2%80%93-a-service-for-patients-or-for-profit/#comment-3627 The principle of "free at the point of need" is already undermined, albeit to a modest degree, by use of revenue sharing telephone numbers to part-fund NHS services using money from patients. Revenue sharing 0844 and 0845 telephone numbers provide either income or a subsidy on telecomms costs to NHS providers out of excess call charges paid by patients. The government has engaged in an "evidence gathering exercise", but has failed to act. More info on the website. Contact via nhs.patient@ntlworld.com. The principle of “free at the point of need” is already undermined, albeit to a modest degree, by use of revenue sharing telephone numbers to part-fund NHS services using money from patients.

Revenue sharing 0844 and 0845 telephone numbers provide either income or a subsidy on telecomms costs to NHS providers out of excess call charges paid by patients.

The government has engaged in an “evidence gathering exercise”, but has failed to act.

More info on the website. Contact via nhs.patient@ntlworld.com.

]]>