Ed Miliband launched Labour’s election campaign with a promise to cap the amount of profit a private contractor can make from NHS contracts. Under the proposal private firms would be limited to profit margins of 5% on all contracts above £500,000. Proponents argue that the plan will stop the NHS’s "drive to privatisation." Opponents argue that limiting private contractor’s profits will make it harder for the NHS to keep up with rising demand for care.
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@93GJ3ZC3yrs3Y
Yes, and private firms should not exceed any more than 20%
Yes, privatisation should be terminated.
@8SZJS6S4yrs4Y
Conservatives hage the perfect solution
@8RMGJQB4yrs4Y
No, Make it proportionate to the average profits.
@8RGZWNR4yrs4Y
We should no longer have an NHS we need something else
@8RFHMGL4yrs4Y
No, but privatise the NHS
@9SBTMJP6mos6MO
Yes, but make these private firms more nationalised and demand them to give higher by 5% salaries to get professionals to the forefront of these firms, helping reimburse the NHS.
@9RT5H6HConservative7mos7MO
Profit should be capped, but not at 5% - that seems a little too close to the wire for them to operate. It is no use to the NHS if their contractors go bankrupt.
@9QP7FCZ8mos8MO
Good idea but 5% profir cap is too low. It should be set at a maximum of 5% over the UK avg stock market price for TTM, (trailing 12 months)
@9QMMD3P8mos8MO
Yes but raise profit margins more in line with other supply chain opportunities. 5% seems to restrictive
@9QHF7BWConservative8mos8MO
NHS needs to be overhauled, it is broken and demand outweighs need. The bureaucracy structure is a heavy weight.
@9QD2HSZ8mos8MO
NHS needs part privatisation and part payment system ie Income earners category: Upto £80 free nhs service Upto £100 pay 20% Upto £150k pay 30% And so on
@9Q8WHBN8mos8MO
Open book accounting. After a small return say 5%, profit above is split, between the provider and a rebate to government.
@9Q7MP7J8mos8MO
Yes, depending on the state of the NHS. If the NHS needs the funding then it should be reimbursed. However, we shouldn't diminish the quality of private healthcare
@9Q7BWRY8mos8MO
I would rather limit privatisation of the NHS but limiting profit margins could lead to contractors refusing to do business with the NHS which could have a negative impact.
@9PZHF978mos8MO
The NHS should be able to utilise private companies as long as they can provide a better cheaper alternative.
@9PWBNRS8mos8MO
Reasonable profit should be determined in the contract and fixed. If the company makes more, they should pay money back, while if they make less through no fault of their own, the government should pay more.
@9PSDQ9B8mos8MO
No, but they should have to be open about margins earned and the penalties for any reduction in quality of outcomes should be severe enough to disincentivise forms from cutting quality to maximise profit.
@9P6LYBDConservative8mos8MO
Yes, firms working on behalf of the NHS shouldn't be making a profit, if they weren't doing NHS work and only medical insurance work they would be making a loss, they can profit from private customers and do the NHS work at cost.
@9P2H4XLWomen's Equality8mos8MO
Yes - but the definition of profit needs to be very clear. It is easy to make a contract look like no profit was made.
@9N2L7B29mos9MO
Yes but I think 5% is too low - there needs to be a profit margin to incentivise reinvestment, innovation and long term R& D
@9N2BXWZ9mos9MO
Private contractors should not see the publicly funded NHS as a “Cash cow’ and reduce its available funding by excessive profiteering
@9MWQ884 9mos9MO
No but there needs to be a stronger commercial understanding of how to write and implement effective contracts for design and build where there will be more than one designed or contractor involved
@9MV4FB59mos9MO
No, however there needs to be a reasonable gain/share agreement in place - this will vary by sector and services performed.
@9M37DBL10mos10MO
5% profit is not enough to keep a good private firm running the NHS properly. If privatised the cap for profit share should be higher such as 10-15%. This can then be invested back into the NHS.
@9M34JPG10mos10MO
This can affect those small companies making a little profit. It should be attached to companies making a profit over a certain amount.
@9LXWZW5Conservative10mos10MO
No; private firms are separate from the NHS and should not need to be subject to the financial decisions it makes. Also, if they find a way to make a lot of money legitimately, why should they not be allowed to keep it (after it is taxed)?
@9JF77321yr1Y
No, but increase profits margins while maintaining to keep the uk as the cheapest healthcare system in the world
@9J3L3H2Conservative 1yr1Y
Yes, but only if it exceeds a rate of 10% of the contract, and the company has other sources of income (i.e. If the company receives more than 60% of it's income from NHS contracts they should be exempt
I think we should move to privatized healthcare and it should be mandatory for everyone in the uk to have healthcare insurance
@9D9R8FL2yrs2Y
The percentage hurdle should be set to what profit is needed to achieve a RoE/RoI that is commensuarate in the industry.
@9D4J7922yrs2Y
No but increase 5% to 15%.
No, but profit margins for all contracts into the Public sector contracts should be regulated
@9P9ZYRB8mos8MO
No, but the next renegotiation of the contract should reflect the better performance so that the benefits are shared with the NHS going forward.
Profit over a specified limit should be reinvested in improving patient care and services to support this
@9L879JS11mos11MO
why? the NHS doesn't make profits anyway it could if it was a Private subscription sercvice as everyone paying maybe 10 a month or maybe groups 30 for familys 2 adults up to 3 children. children under 18 get reduced rates.
@9KX9JHL11mos11MO
No, if privatisation exists within the NHS, then it needs to be good and companies need an incentive otherwise why would they bother?
@9KVNRQY11mos11MO
Yes, except certain health services will have an exception; those of which are mostly where people go to.
@9KH5D8K12mos12MO
We should ensure that the contract NHS has with private companies, such as pharmaceutical companies within specified profit margins, to pharmaceutical companies.
@9P2C7TR8mos8MO
No, we should invest in and improve the NHS so that we don't have to rely on private medical care and those than can afford it can pay whatever the rate is
@8JSPHMC4yrs4Y
Companies should be thoroughly investigated to prevent unnecessary price inflation. If the cost is significantly cheaper than their competitors while providing equal value, then it is harmful to disincentivize them from developing better methods by limiting their potential profits.
@9BTJW4S2yrs2Y
No, and privatize the NHS.
@9BR54VJ2yrs2Y
this shouldn't be how we treat healthcare, they should get enough money either way
@9BNH34DLiberal Democrat2yrs2Y
Yes but only higher profit margin
@9BMVX7T2yrs2Y
I think the threshold should be 10%
Whatever delivers the best care free of charge and at at the lowest cost to the tax payer.
@9BJ3NVP2yrs2Y
Yes but only if the expected profit exceeds the estimated by 8-10%. If this is the case these firms should reimburse 2%, if the NHS is in dire need of assistance then I could agree on this percentage being increased temporarily depending on the seriousness of the situation
@9B4QR3M2yrs2Y
Yes but the NHS should be 100% Nationalised, and they should be made to turn over 100% of their profit since they started the contract.
@96Q59YL2yrs2Y
Yes, but the cap will have to increase in the future due to there being higher demand for care
@96LRMRZConservative2yrs2Y
There should be profit share triggers in contracts.
@968G7H62yrs2Y
the profit should exceed 10 percent
@962VZL82yrs2Y
Yes. They should also be reviewed annually and should they fail to meet targets, they lose contracts and have to return services to the NHS.
@93BYM6KLibertarian3yrs3Y
No it depends on type of product. Basic commodity products should be less. More complex up to 12% else you will not encourage people to develop good products
@8Z5KP5Z3yrs3Y
No, but they should have penalties in contracts for non-delivery at agreed costs and times.
@8Z5C3QY3yrs3Y
Any private companies should send 50% of any profit to the NHS, only allowing them enough for half-profit & enough supplies to stay running.
@8YGGHN73yrs3Y
Outsourcing firms yes, production equipment and supply firms no.
@8Y2HFCK3yrs3Y
Allow a franchise system in smaller and less important areas, where excess profits over an agreed threshold are returned to the Government.
@8XT95FL3yrs3Y
No, but I would rather eliminate any privatisation from the NHS but supply will often have to come from other companies who need to make a profit to reinvest. Would be better if their was a nationalised chemical industry supply the NHS.
@8XKP9VR3yrs3Y
There should be a cap but work still needs to remain attractive to contractors so the cap should be considered
@8XKL8F63yrs3Y
I'd rather minimise privatisation of the NHS. I recognise that private initiative may have some uses sometimes. I'd say the percentage should be not fixed for all but relative to the size of the contract, ie. a lower percentage (1-2%) on very large contracts, a higher percentage (10-20%) on small contracts where the contractor has given more eg. in the case of bearing high R&D costs at their own expense into pioneering treatments or equipment.
@8WC7HBD3yrs3Y
The shouldn’t be making profit
The question will be debated, asked and voted on via Liquid Democracy.
@8SNPYSB4yrs4Y
The state should be abolished and this should be up to the communes.
@8SMMGPL4yrs4Y
Putting these measures in place exposes the NHS to risks of people manipulating the system. The contracts should be managed better in the first place.
@8SKQWFP4yrs4Y
Private firms should not be providing NHS services for profit. They should only have not for profit involvement in public healthcare in emergencies (eg COVID pandemic) where NHS capacity might be overwhelmed.
@8SKLDCQ4yrs4Y
Yes but only if the private service has no value to patients and doesn't help with the reducing the strain on the NHS
@8SJDQTR4yrs4Y
No, healthcare should be not-for-profit.
Their contracts should be audited to ensure supernatural profits are not being realised.
@8SBC56FLiberal Democrat4yrs4Y
i don't understand the question
@8S55XZZ4yrs4Y
Yes, but only if profit exceeds 15%
@8S2PHTJ4yrs4Y
No, all privatisation of healthcare services should be abolished or run so all profits go back into the NHS
@8RHDNCB4yrs4Y
Only over 25% so as to not decrease profit incentive
@8R927ZW4yrs4Y
Only if they exceed a 15% profit
@8QCKKDS4yrs4Y
Yes If they default to the NHS for complications
@8Q86Y3V4yrs4Y
Yes, but if they exceed 15-20% profit on contracts.
@8Q7CH8P4yrs4Y
No, the NHS shouldn't exist; it should all be privatized.
@8Q63LT94yrs4Y
Companies are entitled to make a reasonable profit.
@8Q269R74yrs4Y
Yes, but only when government has provided funding that lead to the creation of the item being purchased.
@8PN42W34yrs4Y
Improve the current system
@8PLDZTBConservative4yrs4Y
No, as private firms must have a profit incentive.
@8M962K34yrs4Y
Private firms in health care shouldn't exist. All health care should be nationalised and funded well.
@8M6FXQF4yrs4Y
No, but they should reimburse the NHS at a higher different percentage level.
@8KMP8GR4yrs4Y
Yes, but not contribute back a huge amount
@8KJS9694yrs4Y
Yes they should reimburse extra healthcare costs for certain groups of patients
@8KJQT474yrs4Y
No, increase the amount to 10% to still encourage competition and improve performance of these services.
@8F6ZF8K4yrs4Y
@9BTX993Conservative2yrs2Y
Yes but raise the cap to 8%, with minimum contract threshold of £750,000
@9BRFBGX2yrs2Y
No, but there should be incentives to reinvest profits into R&D.
@9BR4J8C2yrs2Y
Yes, but perhaps with a higher percentage rate
There should be no profit from NHS contracts for the private sector.
@9BNHTZF2yrs2Y
it should be conditional to other contract conditions and depend on level of service involved
@9BKBRMW2yrs2Y
should be more than 5% maybe 15%
@9BH8G9VLiberal Democrat2yrs2Y
It depends on how contracts are written. This could be abused to purposefully under shoot contracts resulting in denial of quality care to those in need.
@9BFXQQF2yrs2Y
No so NHS uses it for higher wages stuff
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