Scottish Referendum & registration/NHS

GrumpyRN, NP · Sep 8, 2014

"Do you guys think that those who were registered under the NMC will retain registration for Scotland if this passes?"

Now there's a good question.

The answer is, nobody knows.

The NMC is a UK wide body but my qualification was earned in Scotland and is a Scottish one. RGN (Registered General Nurse) in Scotland and SRN (State Registered Nurse) in England.

These qualifications have been superseded by the RN qualification and of course there are now university qualifications BN, BSc, BN Hons, BSc Hons.

Scottish Universities and English universities are different and confer different (although equivalent) qualifications.

There are other considerations, will we still have the Royal College of Nursing? Will our doctors still be able to be members of their Royal Colleges?

As the old Chinese insult has it, I hope you live in interesting times - these are certainly "interesting" times.

babyNP., APRN · Sep 8, 2014

May I ask what your personal opinion is on the referendum? I have two good friends on the opposite sides of the debate and they both insist that their opinion of yes/no will be better for NHS Scotland. However, they don't work in health care. I would love to hear your thoughts if you're willing.

GrumpyRN, NP · Sep 8, 2014

May I ask what your personal opinion is on the referendum? I have two good friends on the opposite sides of the debate and they both insist that their opinion of yes/no will be better for NHS Scotland. However, they don't work in health care. I would love to hear your thoughts if you're willing.

Ah now, there's a thing....... :nailbiting:

The problem is both sides have good points to recommend.

My personal opinion, for what it is worth; I think Scotland could do well as an independent nation. We could grow and we would have the confidence to create many things. As a nation Scotland has historically punched well above it's weight. Almost every English speaking nation in the world has a Scot somewhere in it's background who was decisive in it's victories. US had John Paul Jones and others, even Star Trek had Scotty.

From an NHS point of view it is difficult to decide, health care is devolved to the Scottish government so the NHS in England is different to the NHS in Scotland. We have followed a cooperative pathway while the English have introduced competition. The English system is (or will be) open to private providers while the Scottish system will remain publicly funded.

We as a nation do not want private health care. We like the idea of fairness and looking after the weak or the sick or the disadvantaged. Yes even the jakies and the ne'er-do-wells.

Yes this is socialism but remember, socialism DOES NOT equal communism - a distinction which sometimes escapes Americans

However, after stating all this, I personally do not want to leave the UK. I think we are better together. I would welcome a NO vote but I'm not sure I would fear a YES vote.

I'm fairly sure this does not answer your question but it is really not that simple.

GrumpyRN, NP · Sep 9, 2014

Yes this is socialism but remember, socialism DOES NOT equal communism - a distinction which sometimes escapes Americans

Sorry, should have written SOME Americans. I was unselfconsciously stereotyping.

GrumpyRN, NP · Sep 9, 2014

Sorry, should have written SOME Americans. I was unselfconsciously stereotyping.

Was this moderated? I wanted to write unconsciously, not unselfconsciously. May have been spell-checker.

babyNP., APRN · Sep 9, 2014

No worries :) My DH (from northern England) is a socialist and is fond of saying that Jesus was a communist. Not in an ironical fashion, but in a true Christian sense.

I remember when I got my NMC license and took the overseas class, I had to do a bunch of assignments looking up various documents with the NHS. One of them was a document outlining the ideals of the NHS and I remember one line that made me tear up and went something like, "It is a universal right for everyone to have access to healthcare, despite the ability to pay." Europe definitely has it more right than we do.

In any case, I'll be following the referendum very closely. I think it would be a terrible blow to the UK in terms of the Labour Party and progressive politics, but I also think that it cannot be the reason to say no in a country's potential journey to independence.

GrumpyRN, NP · Sep 11, 2014

"It is a universal right for everyone to have access to healthcare, despite the ability to pay." Europe definitely has it more right than we do.

We don't understand how it could be any other way.

babyNP., APRN · Sep 18, 2014

here they go!!! I'm on the west coast currently and will definitely be watching the results as they come in. I think it's supposed to be announced by 0600 Scotland time, which is only 2200 my time.