Dental treatment

[marlinspike]

In the times letters today someone wrote their vet had charged £46 pounds for eye drops, inside was a note that the eye drops were suitable for adults and children over 6 years old. A similar product was available from the chemist for £6.

I can confirm this. The ones prescribed for our pet were the same as are given to humans. To be fair, they 'only' charged around £12, plus appointment fee. The bottle is of course tiny. As it turned into an ongoing eye thing I got them to give me a repeat prescription (cost £20) and I ordered 5 bottles online for a fiver each.

Big mark up all round, but yes vet prices need urgent investigation. My animal charity worker mate tells me that the yearly jabs at the vet cost around £2/3 for the actual product

 

[ukracer]

Vets are being investigated for over charging and monopolies as it turns out 60% of them are owned massive corporations....
They need the same doing for dentists.
Grabbers the lot of them!

And they call it capitalism...I call it greed and price gouging.

 

[ajlelectronics]

And they call it capitalism...I call it greed and price gouging.

But if it were not capitalism, you would not have any choice of provider and would have to accept the price and lack of service or go without. Remember the likes of the GPO in the 70s?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

and price gouging.

Which is marginally preferable to tooth gouging.

 

[Seadog]

But if it were not capitalism, you would not have any choice of provider and would have to accept the price and lack of service or go without. Remember the likes of the GPO in the 70s?

But behind that you still had the rich sucking money from the system.

 

[ukracer]

But if it were not capitalism, you would not have any choice of provider and would have to accept the price and lack of service or go without. Remember the likes of the GPO in the 70s?

But you would. Its the corporate capitalism and greed that is the problem.

Vets are a classic example. Buying up profitable businesses and once enough have been harvested they wack the prices up. In vets cases every 6 months.

"Short-termism seems to be a defining feature of contemporary capitalism. Studies have shown that public firms return most of their profits to shareholders in the form of dividends and share buybacks, leaving little for long-term investment in productive capacities and employees."

 

[julianf]

When a company is nationalised, it becomes like the civil service or the NHS. Far from becoming cheaper, the costs would run away because there is no competion. You pay the rate demanded and put up with the poor service or go without.

Amazingly I thought some would see the irony in this quote, given that half the thread is people complaining about privatized dentistry costs and the lack of NHS services.

Instead, I'm getting "likes" and "heart" emojis!

Again, the discussion here is on the spiralling coats and constant inability of the private sector to provide for people's healthcare... I mean people's real life experiences are being discussed in the context of the privatisation of dentistry.

And I'm getting "heart" emojis for my quote?


Maybe time to forget about what you think is your idealistic socioeconomic model and look at the reality of the situation not actually working?

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Studies have shown that public firms return most of their profits to shareholders in the form of dividends and share buybacks,

I'm glad they do as that's what will be funding my private sector pension!

 

[ukracer]

I'm glad they do as that's what will be funding my private sector pension!

With which you won't be able to buy anything with as prices have outstripped the value of your pension.
Plus the NI reductions won't assist when drawing your pension as you don't pay them.

 

[ukracer]

When a company is nationalised, it becomes like the civil service or the NHS. Far from becoming cheaper, the costs would run away because there is no competion. You pay the rate demanded and put up with the poor service or go without.

Plus the reason the NHS dentistry is so limited is the dentists can ramp the prices up after they leave the NHS. Obviously competition is not keeping prices down to anywhere near NHS prices. Its not just dentistry.
Food distribution is the same. More large conglomerates have been hoovering up the smaller concerns and the prices just keep going up and up.
Add to that the downsizing of the product whilst increasing prices you can see the scale of the problem

 

[ukracer]

I'm glad they do as that's what will be funding my private sector pension!

I think you are either missing the point. Just funding share holders and fleecing customers whilst not investing in the business everything IS going to fail.

 

[Colin Barron]

But if it were not capitalism, you would not have any choice of provider and would have to accept the price and lack of service or go without. Remember the likes of the GPO in the 70s?

If vets were government run with the same high prices it would operate at a loss and at a cost to the tax payer.

 

[Colin Barron]

Plus the reason the NHS dentistry is so limited is the dentists can ramp the prices up after they leave the NHS. Obviously competition is not keeping prices down to anywhere near NHS prices. Its not just dentistry.
Food distribution is the same. More large conglomerates have been hoovering up the smaller concerns and the prices just keep going up and up.
Add to that the downsizing of the product whilst increasing prices you can see the scale of the problem

The basic cost of 6 monthly check and clean are not that different, i do wonder if its more to do with management overhead of the service.
I went for a colonoscopy last Saturday at a local NHS hospital and it was a first class treatment. Five years ago i was sent to the local private hospital and that was also a first class treatment, with what looked like a similar number of patients processed, The main difference was the NHS had more receptionist staff and support nurses who in turn would probably need more managers.

 

[ukracer]

The basic cost of 6 monthly check and clean are not that different, i do wonder if its more to do with management overhead of the service.
I went for a colonoscopy last Saturday at a local NHS hospital and it was a first class treatment. Five years ago i was sent to the local private hospital and that was also a first class treatment, with what looked like a similar number of patients processed, The main difference was the NHS had more receptionist staff and support nurses who in turn would probably need more managers.

Now that's interesting. My wife is sent to spire hospitals for hip injections and there are always loads of Nurses and receptionists around. I am guessing we actually see what we want to see.

 

[ukracer]

If vets were government run with the same high prices it would operate at a loss and at a cost to the tax payer.

No one suggested vets should be government run but what proof do you have?

 

[ajlelectronics]

No one suggested vets should be government run but what proof do you have?

History dear boy, history.

 

[ukracer]

Lol. But things change over time.
I am.guessing you don't mean the history of the miners strike. PLUS
The nasty party has got even more nasty.

But sadly I can't supply the proof on here so I will I will bow out gracefully.

Have a good weekend both.

 

[ajlelectronics]

The old Conservative party has got even more left.

Fixed that for you.

 

[ukracer]

Fixed that for you.

Hey I never wrote that...or even thought it.
I will get banned....

 

[ajlelectronics]

Hey I never wrote that...or even thought it.
I will get banned....

Just my little joke... " The nasty party has got even more nasty."