David,
Do you think £500,000,000 for Podiatry Care Assistants to cut nails would be provided by Conservatives if they get the opportunity?
An
assumption on my part?
You have already ruled Podiatrists out elsewhere haven't you!
You could be right not to expect Podiatrists to cut nails under the present Policy' in the NHS.
Throwing money at perceived problems is what lead to the problem now. Demand will always outstrip supply ... the debate should be about realistic and fair means to ration services and how to adjust expectations.
(ie Health Economics 101)
Not a perceived problem Craig, but a very real one, affecting not only many patients but podiatrists as well. It is not solved by rationing services, but by identifying what care is needed and who should be responsible for funding and providing it.
You are quite correct insomuch as throwing money at a defective system only compounds the problems; ergo - fix the system!
Your breaking a thou shalt not norm!
You can ration anything you like in the NHS.
but you must not say it.
That possibly is why targets are so popular,
a form of rationing is it, isn't it, by the back door?
As Mark says above,
"Not a perceived problem Craig,
but a real one,"
I'm about to dash out the door to prove it, and I don't work for the NHS. depending on how you look at it?