Peoples Republic of South Devon

Kolo flash

This news stumbled across our desk from Kolo

“We’re playing at The Hub again this Friday. One of the support bands for the Lorraine gig (www.myspace.com/lorrainemusic) pulled out and we’re opening now. Our set will be at about 8:15…would be great if you could make it along!”

So do like the band say and get down there! Are they as good as what we said, or what? Post your comments here. . .
Posted by Cptn

September 8th, 2006

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Healthy approach

Ever get the feeling that the death rattle of the NHS is fast approaching (despite or because of the money being spent on it)? We at the People’s Republic of South Devon are keen to keep the (at least) idea of the health service alive. So we asked Martin Rathfelder, director of the Socialist Health Association, for a few words to kick-start the debate. Read it and comment and get your friends to read it and comment and get them to get (you know the drill) - that is, if you haven’t run caterwauling to the hills already.

‘Establishing a free National Health Service was one of the great triumphs of the 1944 Labour government. Relieving people from the fear of illness was an immensely civilising move. Sixty years later expectations and costs have risen. But many people seem to think that because the services of the NHS are largely free to them that cost is not important and every sort of treatment care should be made available without thought of the cost.

‘Spending money on health care is not really a very efficient method of improving the health of the population. It is obviously much better to stop people from getting ill in the first place. We spend a lot of money on drugs to relieve the symptoms of heart disease. We don’t spend nearly as much on measures, such as changes to transport policy and diet, which would prevent people from getting heart disease. Most of the money spent on your health care will be spent in the last 6 months of your life, and much of it will not do a lot of good.

But how can we get a sensible discussion about the way forward?

Posted by Martin Rathfelder

September 8th, 2006

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