It wasn't socialism in the Alder Hey Hospital case. Socialism kept the baby alive for the length of time it was. The parents could never have afforded the cost of the intensive neonatal cot that kept him alive, expecially not for that length of time.
The issue is more on the libertarian authoritarian axis. In the UK the state often thinks it knows best i.e. not being able to take children out of school during term time even though you may be taking them somewhere where they may benefit educationally e.g. viewing ancient Greece/ Rome etc. It's often called the Nanny State by right wing leaning tabloid newspapers but there is an element of truth in it. UK politics doesn't really have the libertarian element in it and when it does it tends to be associated with the right wing. We don't have a main stream left wing but libertarian party.
In several recent high profile cases the NHS has said to parents that they cannot treat their children privately. In the case of Alfie it was costing the state a lot of money and blocking an intensive care resource that is scarce. It was actually in the tax payers' interests to let Alfie be "treated" elsewhere. I very much doubt he would have survived and I think the Doctor's opinion on survival was correct but I believe that his parents had the right to take him elsewhere. I don't believe they had the right to keep him on in Alder Hey indefinitely being paid for by the UK taxpayer.
A horrible situation for everyone involved and I hope the family find peace and get another chance at being parents.
(Score: 2) by bootsy on Wednesday May 16 2018, @08:49AM
It wasn't socialism in the Alder Hey Hospital case. Socialism kept the baby alive for the length of time it was. The parents could never have afforded the cost of the intensive neonatal cot that kept him alive, expecially not for that length of time.
The issue is more on the libertarian authoritarian axis. In the UK the state often thinks it knows best i.e. not being able to take children out of school during term time even though you may be taking them somewhere where they may benefit educationally e.g. viewing ancient Greece/ Rome etc. It's often called the Nanny State by right wing leaning tabloid newspapers but there is an element of truth in it. UK politics doesn't really have the libertarian element in it and when it does it tends to be associated with the right wing. We don't have a main stream left wing but libertarian party.
In several recent high profile cases the NHS has said to parents that they cannot treat their children privately. In the case of Alfie it was costing the state a lot of money and blocking an intensive care resource that is scarce. It was actually in the tax payers' interests to let Alfie be "treated" elsewhere. I very much doubt he would have survived and I think the Doctor's opinion on survival was correct but I believe that his parents had the right to take him elsewhere. I don't believe they had the right to keep him on in Alder Hey indefinitely being paid for by the UK taxpayer.
A horrible situation for everyone involved and I hope the family find peace and get another chance at being parents.