Tarlac: Medics Up In Arms Over Withheld Phil Health Fees

[Arthur Little]

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/721396/...hilhealth-fees ... and, at the same time, reflect on why those of us who are British, have every reason, once again, to thank our lucky stars for our [as yet] - FREE at the point of delivery - National Health Service.

[Doc Alan]

It seems unlikely the illegal withholding of healthcare workers’ professional fees from PhilHealth is confined to Tarlac Provincial Hospital. Unsurprisingly the Department of Health Secretary has so far not responded to TPH doctors.


• There doesn’t appear to be enough doctors in the Philippines ( 80,000 members of the Philippines Medical Association, compared to around 275,000 doctors on the UK GMC list of " Registered Medical Practitioners " ). At least 2/3 Filipino health care professionals work in the private sector.


• We should indeed count the NHS among our blessings in the UK – although it’s not without problems. Of course health is important, but not the only consideration when comparing countries .


• UK population is about 2/3 of that in the Philippines ( 65 million / 104 million ). UK GDP is estimated around £ 1.8 billion, 10 times that of the Philippines. The UK spends over 9%, and Philippines 4.5%, of GDP on health. " Out-of –pocket " expenditure on health in the UK is about a tenth of total health spending, compared to about 60% in the Philippines. General government expenditure on health in the UK is over 80%, compared to about a third in the Philippines.


• Overall life expectancy UK at least 81 - 12 years longer than Philippines. 1 in 3 people in the UK can expect to live to 100 ; half diagnosed with cancers live over 10 years ; 1/5 UK adults are overweight and another 1/5 smoke ( increasing risks of many illnesses ) ; at least 850,000 in the UK have dementia.


• In the Philippines there is unfair and inequitable access to healthcare leaving the poor behind. Problems include low overall government spending on health ; high " out-of-pocket " spending ; high numbers of maternal and newborn deaths ; high fertility rates among the poorest Filipinas ; and the continuing challenge of communicable diseases like TB, dengue, HIV/AIDS - despite 2/3 illnesses now being " non-communicable " ( like heart disease and cancers ). Philippines Medical Association claims 2/3 Filipinos die without seeing a healthcare worker.




• A well-functioning healthcare system should provide equitable access to quality healthcare regardless of capacity to pay, and protect against financial consequences of ill health. In the UK, that means universal healthcare ( or at least treatments " NICE " deems effective and value for money ), to a standard that’s safe and effective, and keeping to the budget.


• We need tough and well – informed health service leaders, preferably healthcare workers. The English Health Secretary doesn’t understand the NHS and has alienated doctors and other healthcare workers. He doesn’t acknowledge we already have a 24/7 NHS ; has accused consultants of " opting out " when they don’t ; refused decent pay rises for nurses ; and presided for too long over hospitals run according to financial not clinical needs. Jeremy Corbyn might do better, given a chance, and wearing his " ballot-proof " vest !

[cheekee]

It seems unlikely the illegal withholding of healthcare workers’ professional fees from PhilHealth is confined to Tarlac Provincial Hospital. Unsurprisingly the Department of Health Secretary has so far not responded to TPH doctors.


• There doesn’t appear to be enough doctors in the Philippines ( 80,000 members of the Philippines Medical Association, compared to around 275,000 doctors on the UK GMC list of " Registered Medical Practitioners " ). At least 2/3 Filipino health care professionals work in the private sector.


• We should indeed count the NHS among our blessings in the UK – although it’s not without problems. Of course health is important, but not the only consideration when comparing countries .


• UK population is about 2/3 of that in the Philippines ( 65 million / 104 million ). UK GDP is estimated around £ 1.8 billion, 10 times that of the Philippines. The UK spends over 9%, and Philippines 4.5%, of GDP on health. " Out-of –pocket " expenditure on health in the UK is about a tenth of total health spending, compared to about 60% in the Philippines. General government expenditure on health in the UK is over 80%, compared to about a third in the Philippines.


• Overall life expectancy UK at least 81 - 12 years longer than Philippines. 1 in 3 people in the UK can expect to live to 100 ; half diagnosed with cancers live over 10 years ; 1/5 UK adults are overweight and another 1/5 smoke ( increasing risks of many illnesses ) ; at least 850,000 in the UK have dementia.


• In the Philippines there is unfair and inequitable access to healthcare leaving the poor behind. Problems include low overall government spending on health ; high " out-of-pocket " spending ; high numbers of maternal and newborn deaths ; high fertility rates among the poorest Filipinas ; and the continuing challenge of communicable diseases like TB, dengue, HIV/AIDS - despite 2/3 illnesses now being " non-communicable " ( like heart disease and cancers ). Philippines Medical Association claims 2/3 Filipinos die without seeing a healthcare worker.




• A well-functioning healthcare system should provide equitable access to quality healthcare regardless of capacity to pay, and protect against financial consequences of ill health. In the UK, that means universal healthcare ( or at least treatments " NICE " deems effective and value for money ), to a standard that’s safe and effective, and keeping to the budget.


• We need tough and well – informed health service leaders, preferably healthcare workers. The English Health Secretary doesn’t understand the NHS and has alienated doctors and other healthcare workers. He doesn’t acknowledge we already have a 24/7 NHS ; has accused consultants of " opting out " when they don’t ; refused decent pay rises for nurses ; and presided for too long over hospitals run according to financial not clinical needs. Jeremy Corbyn might do better, given a chance, and wearing his " ballot-proof " vest !

Good points Doc Alan.

In October there is a new ruling from monitor that all trusts can only spend a limited budget on agency nurses.

With most trusts very understaffed already and the alienation of nurses by continuing pay restraints and worse working conditions, it will be interesting to see how this goes.

With staff already working to their maximum, tiredness and apathy set in and sickness rates go up. Then staff have to be moved from one area to another for safety which staff resent when it keeps happening. That increases stress and therefore sickness.

[Doc Alan]

Thank you Philip !


" Monitor " and " Trust Development Authority " have published these new rules in response to a growing demand for nurses due to increasing seven day access for patients to hospital and GP services ; more nurses leaving the profession and limits to supply of nurses from UK training and other sources such as the Philippines.


Both Monitor and Trust Development Authority are " executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department of Health ". No wonder that few clinical staff are prepared to take on jobs such as directors of nursing and medicine – when the jobs themselves are so tough and the culture of fear and blame so prevalent … added to the challenge of understanding what the various authorities, agencies and quangos actually do !


A cap on the rate paid to agency workers might control costs – but as you say, only worsening morale and not addressing the reasons for needing agency staff in the first place


We should indeed count our blessings that we still have a UK NHS with dedicated healthcare workers such as Cheekee, and surely be concerned about improving health in the Philippines.

[Doc Alan]

I hope my response in post #2 was of interest, and thank you Arthur for raising the topic

Members were too polite to comment, or perhaps didn't notice, that this paragraph SHOULD have read as follows :-


• UK population is about 2/3 of that in the Philippines ( 65 million / 104 million ). UK GDP is estimated around £ 1,800 billion * ( NOT £ 1.8 billion ) , 10 times that of the Philippines. The UK spends over 9%, and Philippines 4.5%, of GDP on health. " Out-of –pocket " expenditure on health in the UK is about a tenth of total health spending, compared to about 60% in the Philippines. General government expenditure on health in the UK is over 80%, compared to about a third in the Philippines.

[Michael Parnham]

It seems unlikely the illegal withholding of healthcare workers’ professional fees from PhilHealth is confined to Tarlac Provincial Hospital. Unsurprisingly the Department of Health Secretary has so far not responded to TPH doctors.


• There doesn’t appear to be enough doctors in the Philippines ( 80,000 members of the Philippines Medical Association, compared to around 275,000 doctors on the UK GMC list of " Registered Medical Practitioners " ). At least 2/3 Filipino health care professionals work in the private sector.


• We should indeed count the NHS among our blessings in the UK – although it’s not without problems. Of course health is important, but not the only consideration when comparing countries .


• UK population is about 2/3 of that in the Philippines ( 65 million / 104 million ). UK GDP is estimated around £ 1.8 billion, 10 times that of the Philippines. The UK spends over 9%, and Philippines 4.5%, of GDP on health. " Out-of –pocket " expenditure on health in the UK is about a tenth of total health spending, compared to about 60% in the Philippines. General government expenditure on health in the UK is over 80%, compared to about a third in the Philippines.


• Overall life expectancy UK at least 81 - 12 years longer than Philippines. 1 in 3 people in the UK can expect to live to 100 ; half diagnosed with cancers live over 10 years ; 1/5 UK adults are overweight and another 1/5 smoke ( increasing risks of many illnesses ) ; at least 850,000 in the UK have dementia.


• In the Philippines there is unfair and inequitable access to healthcare leaving the poor behind. Problems include low overall government spending on health ; high " out-of-pocket " spending ; high numbers of maternal and newborn deaths ; high fertility rates among the poorest Filipinas ; and the continuing challenge of communicable diseases like TB, dengue, HIV/AIDS - despite 2/3 illnesses now being " non-communicable " ( like heart disease and cancers ). Philippines Medical Association claims 2/3 Filipinos die without seeing a healthcare worker.




• A well-functioning healthcare system should provide equitable access to quality healthcare regardless of capacity to pay, and protect against financial consequences of ill health. In the UK, that means universal healthcare ( or at least treatments " NICE " deems effective and value for money ), to a standard that’s safe and effective, and keeping to the budget.


• We need tough and well – informed health service leaders, preferably healthcare workers. The English Health Secretary doesn’t understand the NHS and has alienated doctors and other healthcare workers. He doesn’t acknowledge we already have a 24/7 NHS ; has accused consultants of " opting out " when they don’t ; refused decent pay rises for nurses ; and presided for too long over hospitals run according to financial not clinical needs. Jeremy Corbyn might do better, given a chance, and wearing his " ballot-proof " vest !

Another great post with a hive of information yet again, Thank you Alan!