Friday 28 August 2015

Identifying the right problem

It was interesting to read today that Wales apparently has a grand total of 12,000 millionaires.  As I understand it, these are the wicked people whose prediliection for taking time out of their busy schedules to visit their doctors to obtain prescriptions for free paracetamol, according to the Tories, is bankrupting the Welsh NHS. 

I found myself wondering just how much paracetamol such a small number of people must each be popping in order to arrive at such a horrendous situation.  A packet of 16 pills costs around 20p, so if each of them gets a packet once a week all year round, the total cost of the tablets would be a massive £120,000.  To be close to bankrupting the whole NHS, I dread to think how many tablets they must each be swallowing.  

Perhaps the real problem which the Tories keep highlighting is a widespread addiction to painkillers amongst the very richest people in Wales.

2 comments:

Karen said...

12,000 millionaires, the majority of which are holed up in sizeable properties in attractive locations but living off benefits. Plaid and Labour voters me thinks.

Assets and income are entirely different. Clarity brings understanding.

As for the pill popping, its the costs associated with prescribing and dispensing which bankrupts just as much as the cost of the actual products.

Now you can see why people choose to vote Tory.

John Dixon said...

"12,000 millionaires, the majority of which are holed up in sizeable properties in attractive locations but living off benefits." Do you have any evidence at all for such a wild assertion, let alone for the conclusion as to how they vote?

"Now you can see why people choose to vote Tory." No, I can't. the technical phrase here is 'non-sequitur', I believe.