On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:48:25 +0100, Roderick Stewart
 wrote:

>In article , J G Miller wrote:
>> > On the other hand... the more people who choose private services, the
>> > shorter the queues for the public service.
>> And where do you think the private services would be getting the extra
>> doctors from to treat those patients?

Why is that question being asked when it concerns the NHS but almost
nowhere else. Doctors are not slaves. The law will only permit very
limited restrictions over an employee who moves on from one employer
to another, they are allowed over a limited geographical area and a
limited time.

It is normal to move from one employer to another.

>> 
>> They would be poaching them from the public service, thereby
>> causing the public service to be further diminished.
>
>Why wouldn't it just mean more jobs for doctors?

The amount of sickness to treat would remain the same if the
population didn't change.

The private patients would ensure they got treated properly or they'd
vote with their feet

>Why would a few extra 
>doctors setting up private practices cause the NHS to reduce its staffing 
>levels?

The NHS could either reduce it's staffing levels or use the reduced
patient throughput to improve the quality of it's service. If it's
Q.O.S. was deficient hopefully they would bring it up to acceptable
levels before they reduced their staffing to save money. Since the NHS
gets our money whether we're sick or not and whether there's a bed in
a hospital  for us when we need it or not that's what should happen.  

Derek