Bollocks to Brexit

[JohnToo]

Too much soul searching about the EU's faults and strengths for me - particularly as the UK forfeited its influence to change them many years ago by its appalling anti-EU stance (just look at the boorish behaviour and rhetoric of Hannan and Farage as MEPs). The simple question is this - would we be better off in or out? My strong view is 'in'. Without a strong economy and close friends the UK has no influence, no money to end austerity and looks very vulnerable. As that great philosopher Joni Mitchell once sang 'you don't know what you've got till it's gone'. Well, we are about to find out.

Mildly disagree - or perhaps “yes but that’s not enough”. In the second referendum, we tried to tell people that leaving would be bad for us and we’d be better off staying. And they voted leave. If there is a third referendum, I think (among other things) we need to present a more positive, principled vision of why the EU is a Good Thing despite its flaws.

[Greg]

Issue.

Politicians say Issss-you.

People say Ishoo

As you were.

[Rocky]

I'm sure you've all seen this from Andy Serkis on Youtube.....but here it is just in case it passed you by

[Rutabaga]

I think crowdfunding should be used to hire Paul Whitehouse to use his hoodie yoof 'IT'S BRILLIANT!' Fast Show persona to list the EU's virtues, and then more crowdfunding to show the result during every ad break on TV and before every cinema screening. Unsubtle, so it might just work.

[Regulator]

He should have used a spellchecker...

[Greg]

Reasons to love Brian Cox #487213

https://twitter.com/ProfBrianCox/status ... 5810138112

[LowlifeDes]

Reasons to love Brian Cox #487213

https://twitter.com/ProfBrianCox/status ... 5810138112

Now I have a Jacobs Cream Cracker image to live with. Thanks for that.

[Regulator]

Now I have a Jacobs Cream Cracker image to live with. Thanks for that.

I thought a digestive was the biscuit of choice for such entertainments...

[Joan]

You start with a digestive, but end up with Jacob's (shudder) creamed cracker.

[Regulator]

Interesting article in the HSJ today:

The prices of certain generic drugs are “seeing another surge” which could have a significant impact on the finances of NHS commissioners, a pharmacy body has warned.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, which represents community pharmacies, has also said Brexit could “trigger further price increases” which could impact patient safety.

In a letter to the health and social care committee, it said: “Following major shortages in the generics market in 2017, the number of concessions being granted each month has slowly decreased (53 in April 2018 as compared to 109 in November 2017).

“However, we are now seeing another surge in the number of generics unavailable to purchase at drug tariff price… [In November] the number of price concessions jumped up to 72 and the number in December 2018 is likely to be higher.”

Generic drugs are generally bought through nationally set tariff prices. But pharmacies can apply for price concessions that enable them to temporarily pay more when the drugs are in short supply.

Clinical commissioning groups may be particularly worried about the rising number of concessions, as last year’s generic price increases resulted in a bill of around £315m.

NHS England reimbursed some, but not all, of the costs to CCGs. Many CCGs received no rebate at all.

Following an intervention by the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and NHS Improvement said in planning guidance for 2018-19 that “CCGs should assume that the current high level of discretionary prices for generic drugs in short supply will not persist in 2018-19”.

The PSNC also said in its letter: “The current system for setting price concessions could be at risk in the immediate post-Brexit era. The generics market is particularly vulnerable to actual or perceived drug shortages which would trigger price increases.”

The PSNC blamed the current shortages on a combination of factors including Brexit planning and stockpiling.

It said: “Any further disruption to the supply of medicines to the UK following Brexit, for example if delays at border crossings disrupt the flow of medicines from Europe, could create a real risk of further medicines shortages, or perceived shortages (which can be just as problematic, in pricing terms).”

The letter also warned price increases could “potentially impact on patient safety and care”, because the uncertainty of when and by how much pharmacies would be reimbursed for buying drugs could force some to “go out of business”.

The committee called for legal changes so that it could legally ration patient’s prescriptions.

It said this would allow pharmacists to “refuse” to give patients their prescriptions if they are seeking several months’ worth at once or already have enough medicines left from their previous prescriptions.

Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock announced last week that he intends for pharmacists to be given the power to dispense an alternative drug to the one prescribed without referring the patient back to their GP.

[Sonic Budgie]

Talking of health, John Redwood said on Newsnight last night that people wouldn't die as a result of a no deal Brexit and that Matt Hancock was wrong.

[Greg]

Talking of health, John Redwood said on Newsnight last night that people wouldn't die as a result of a no deal Brexit and that Matt Hancock was wrong.

That's easy for him to say, he's already dead.

[Sonic Budgie]

That's easy for him to say, he's already dead.

Hell of a singer though;

Has to be dragged up when Redwood gets a shout out, surely?

[Regulator]

Talking of health, John Redwood said on Newsnight last night that people wouldn't die as a result of a no deal Brexit and that Matt Hancock was wrong.

Redwood has about as much credibility and insight on such matters as Reiver...

[Joan]

Scum



Edit: wow, the Guardian thread about the Brexit vote has nearly 30,000 comments