THE NEW PARTY - Private Health Insurance for All

From: The New Party
Published: Fri Apr 29 2005


The New Party proposes to give everyone in the country private medical insurance to tackle waiting lists and relieve the pressure on the National Health Service. At present it costs £3,300 per taxpayer or £1,400 per head to run the NHS, although comprehensive medical insurance can be provided for less than £500 per person.

The New Party has also today (Friday) submitted a petition to this effect to the Scottish Parliament.


New Party spokesman Dr Nigel Knight comments:
"It is time to face up to the reality that the NHS is not coping and taxpayers could get a much better standard of healthcare by opening up the choice of provider. Not only would this scheme provide swift relief to tens of thousands of people, it would free up the NHS to concentrate on what it does best and provide a major boost for its hard pressed staff.

State funded personal insurance policies would pay for medical treatment in the private sector, in the NHS or even overseas. Insurance companies would have to organise suitable treatment on time and within budget and high quality treatment can often be delivered faster and cheaper in other countries.

The New Party proposal would ensure that personal healthcare policies were given to everyone irrespective of their present health.
The New Party has proposed a range of measures to improve the social and financial circumstances of individuals as well as the national economy.
ENDS:
The New Party
Grown up Politics for Grown up People

Notes for editors:
1. Hospital waiting lists in January 2005, excluding outpatient waiting lists, were 861,900 in England, 114,000 in Scotland and 67,406 in Wales according to official figures.
2. Official figures do not take into account the amount of time it takes to get onto the waiting list.
3. The National Audit Office estimates that infections such as MRSA kill 5,000 people each year and are estimated to cost the NHS £1 billion annually.
4. a number of firms now offer operations in the EU (see, for example: http://www.european.careassist.co.uk/) and beyond (see: http://travel.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,7445,1214027,00.html )
5. A petition in support of this proposal will be submitted to the Scottish Parliament. This will be handed over on 29 April at 1:00 pm in the Scottish Parliament's Lawn Gallery by New Party Scottish spokesman David McFarlane. Press packs will be available and there will be an opportunity for photographs and/or interviews
6. Additional information is available on The New Party website at: http://www.newparty.co.uk/campaign2005/petition7info.pdf
7. The New Party has been formed to give the people of the UK a progressive alternative to the existing parties.
8. The Labour & Conservative parties have now held exclusive power for over 80 years
9. The New Party is using the 2005 General Election process as a platform to present its policies and will announce three major policies each week over the election period
10. The New Party has the endorsement of Sir John Harvey-Jones
(see: http://www.newparty.co.uk/viewpolicydocument.asp?iportdocid=380)
11. You can sign up to receive New Party *Email Alerts* on the New Party website.


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