They are all at it
Well, what do you know, they are all at it!
As I said, political editors ought to talk to their health desk counterparts. After all, they have a different take on the whole idea. He even adds his thoughts on the reasons why.
The Times / Doctors.net poll reveals that while few doctors are openly contemplating a move to the private sector, almost half of respondents said they were planning early retirement or taking up positions outside Britain. Just over a third said they expected to work for the NHS until normal retirement age.
The poll, carried out by doctors.net, Britain’s busiest medical website, shows a profession disillusioned with central control, angered by the growth of bureaucracy, and deeply sceptical of initiatives such as the £20 billion IT system. Even more worrying for Labour, more than two fifths of the 3,092 doctors who responded are young, having graduated since 2000.
More than half of respondents (56 per cent) said that there had been no improvement in the NHS since 2002, when the Government increased funding. Only 27 per cent thought there had been.
Almost three quarters (72 per cent) did not believe that the extra money had been well spent, while 11 per cent said that it had. Similar views were held on the quality of care: 72 per cent said that there had been no improvement; 15 per cent said that there had been.
So thats alright then. Chalk up one for clinical engagement.