Clegg, patients should be able to top up their healthcare

It's a common sense statement that only a Liberal could make as it requires an open admission that the NHS cannot provide healthcare for everyone in it's present form.

The NHS has been such a treasured National institution that has had great pride in providing free healthcare for everyone, it's the very essence of what it set out to be.  Unfortunately the reality is the demands of the public have only risen year on year, creating an equation that doesn't balance.  The concern for the two main political parties is that it may be political suicide to come out an announce that the NHS must in some way partially become private.

Become partially private is exactly what Mr Clegg is suggesting.  It does appear the only rational solution once you accept that using the NHS resources as it is, there isn't enough to go around.  The governments concern is that it does begin to create a two tier system which could polarize over time.

Healthcare sales jobs would become a different ball game, with the new prospect of in some way appealing to a private market for some drugs and perhaps an NHS market for others, raising the prospect of class specific treatments!

On the plus side for the government, if this became a legitimate action, it may begin to free up drugs budget as the wealthy opt for private treatments thereby not using up NHS resources.  This debate is only just starting.