Peter Kenyon

Private health insurance: reflections on junk mail from Aviva

Private health insurance junk mail, it could have been from any of the providers. But this one from Aviva happened to catch my eye this weekend. Just as the fate of the National Health Service (NHS) hangs in the balance, a siren call goes out - as I suppose it does regularly - from those in the business of exploiting our understandable preoccupations with our health and wellbeing.

It prompted me to ask on Twitter, 

Time for #Labour campaigning responses to Private Health Insurance 'junk mail'?

I don't want or expect any retweets (RT). But I hope that our policymakers and NHS providers will wake up to the extent to which the electorate is bombarded with messages such as those in this corrosive item of junk mail. Just look at the headings:

You deserve private medical treatment.

Did you know it's available at the BMI The Harbour Hospital?

No, ifs. You deserve it, and it's available locally.

That's good news, isn't it?

In just a few words, we'd like to show you how you can benefit from fast treatment, excellent care and comfortable surroundings.

Well I have no wish to find myself questioning the good name of either the insurer or the provider. But the words used to reinforce that last message above could IMHO have been used to describe the local NHS hospital service if the reforms under the last Labour government had been continued.

The invitation goes on:

Even greater cover, that fits you - and your pocket

What was it that recent international study said about the National Health Service?

Then the coup de grace:

We've enhanced our extensive cancer cover

I don't know about you. But I had a health scare in my nether regions just before Christmas. I was seen by my GP the same day, refered for a scan, given an appointment at Barts' the next day and, I'm happy to say, given the all clear on the spot after a thorough examination.

But the message to the electorate from the private health insurers is completely different. It questions the speed, competences and 'hotel' provisions of NHS hospitals and their staff. In government, Labour, to the best of my knowledge, was aware of the impact of this type of advertising on public perceptions, but failed to develop a comprehensive approach to reducing, if not eliminating the need for private sector provision. As part of our Save the NHS strategy, I'd like to see our campaigning including challenges to these insidious appeals to our fears about our wellbeing. Whenever I have a chance I talk up my experiences of the NHS, which are generally genuinely good. If they are not, I know who to complain to, and it is never the person sitting next to me on the bus or in the pub.

The private sector can never compete successfully with a genuinely National Health Service. That is why the current Tory government is trying to break it up.

As they say on Twitter :

#DroptheBill

 

 

Bank fraud squad ring to check a certain payment: Labour Party subs

Just a quick update on the joys of renewing my Labour Party membership. Ring! Ring! Good morning, Mr Kenyon. Tracey here from the HSBC Fraud department. Would you mind answering a few security questions, then we can get going......

Admittedly, there was a payment in Euros in the list from one of my favourite High Speed rail companies, iDTGV offering Paris - Bordeaux -  tix for as low as 19 Euros each way. 

But in the list of recent payments, I couldn't help laughing, was my £21.50 unwaged rate subscription renewal to the Labour Party. Yes, I confessed wearily to Tracey, that's one I'll own up to. To its credit within hours, the Labour Party MemberCentre database now acknowledges that I am paid up.

Whatever insults are being hurled at bankers, I'm most grateful that in this instance due diligence was exercised on my behalf. 

Why I joined Labour: the other side of the coin

I have just renewed my Labour Party membership online. It has taken the Labour Party's systems three months to catch up with my decision to cancel my direct debit. As my avid reader(s) know, I have a thing about accountability. Budgets and management accounts are essential in any organisation for all elected management committee/board members however it is incorporated. I could have resigned in the light of my experiences during my two-year term on the Labour Party's national executive committee (NEC). Instead I have chosen to stay and fight the cause of democratic socialism from inside.

My latest opportunity for gesture politics was to cancel my DD. Eventually a flag appeared on my Membersnet personal details inviting me to renew. An invitation I readily accepted, as having passed my 65th birthday I am entitled to pay at the reduced unwaged rate. It is a pity that the tables for membership rates have not been updated in line with current Conference agreed rates. But where there is a will there's a way. I just ticked 'Other' and manually inserted the current unwaged rate.

Then I was offered an opportunity to tell why I have joined the Labour Party. No warm words from me. So don't expect to see the following entry on the Labour home page. Rather crossly, I stated:

Been a member since 1978. Cancelled DD as do not trust Party with my money. One term on the NEC was sufficient. Having reached retirement age have reduced my membership status to unwaged.

There was no Print Page option so I cannot prove I have 'renewed'.  I will just have to keep a careful watch on my Credit Card account payments. 

As for the 'saving' on my membership, that will be going to my local branch to fund our next local election campaign. Here I have the satisfaction of knowing that the Treasurer has already produced the accounts for 2011, and they were presented to the branch last month, subject to audit. Audited accounts are expected to be available at the next branch meeting tomorrow.