In other news: water is wet. I think we all knew that Charles wouldn’t have to go through the same pains us common British folk do in regards to accessing healthcare. But nonetheless I think it’s important to continue to highlight these ever growing class divisions in the UK, such as those between people who can afford private healthcare and people who have to rely on our public services. People in positions of authority and power in our country do not understand the struggles of everyday British people.
My TL;DR:
Charles is already receiving expert care for his cancer within days of diagnosis. His speedy treatment should draw fresh attention to the long cancer treatment waiting times that most British people experience with the NHS.
The proportion of patients in England waiting less than 62 days from an urgent suspected cancer referral or consultant upgrade to their first definitive treatment for cancer is 65.2%.
Amid growing frustration at NHS waiting lists, record numbers of people are paying for private healthcare. Nearly 300,000 people in the UK have paid for chemotherapy in the last five years.
Survival rates for cancer in the UK lag behind those of other European countries for nine out of 10 of the most common types of the disease.
Researchers said cancer waiting times across the country were among the worst on record, too many cancers were diagnosed at a late stage, and access to treatment was unequal.
Buckingham Palace has not specified whether the king is receiving private healthcare or being treated on the National Health Service.
Just to add to this, there’s been quite a lot of public services which have been privatised in the UK by the Conservative party, for example water (1989), railways (1994 - 1997) and more recently the Royal Mail (2014). All of these services are in absolutely terrible states today, privatisation didn’t make them better. And yet it seems we are not learning from history and continue to vote in the Conservatives anyway. I do really worry about the future of the NHS.
Prioritization of public infrastructure never works anywhere ever.
Who on earth thought it would be a good idea to try and make money out of the post office in the 21st century was clearly an idiot. Mostly all they deliver is letters from my bank telling me that I’ve already paid the credit card bill via direct debit. It doesn’t really need to happen, but it does anyway.