And yet, last February I made a film for Channel 4's Dispatches that highlighted this problem. After the programme was shown I sent the minister a petition signed by 4000 people asking him to do something about the issue. I did not receive even the courtesy of a reply from Mr Lansley. And yet, today, the minister claims he wants to encourage whistleblowers and to stop patients being starved when in the care of the NHS. Incredible.
Only now that the minister's position is threatened is he willing to do anything. It's shameful behaviour.
Good afternoon ETM! Long time no speak.
ReplyDeleteSuggest that a timely reminder should be sent to said Minister, along with copies to all major newspapers who care to jump on the bandwagon!
Hope all is well with the leg and you and yours.
Best wishes, Cats' Mother
Apparently his underlings protect him from such information? Re-send the petition and a copy of the episode. Or deliver it personally. Make an appointment maybe to speak with him personally. Of course I don't know how far away his office is from you so that could be difficult to do if time & $ prevent the travel. Letter to the editor outlining what you have done?
ReplyDeleteKeep it up...maybe something will be done. Eventually. Like when one of those in charge are affected.
I'd deliver it whilst being pushed in a hospital bed…
ReplyDeleteShiester, shiester and shiester incorporated.
ReplyDeleteWould anyone trust ANY politician of any 'hue' to resolve this mess?
Dr Colin Key
If you care about nursing care in the NHS, then sign.
ReplyDeletehttp://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/19157
UKnurse I Have signed the Epetition, to support the nurse ratio of 1:4.
ReplyDeleteYour passion for vocation, your initiative and compassion are the best elixir a nurse can bring to a patient.
I WILL do my best to pass it on over the coming weeks and months.
I think a minimum of 100,000 signatories are needed for consideration for debate. If it is passed on enough and properly, it can and WILL easily exceed this. As this will definitely sooner or later effect us all one way or another. So PLEASE everyone sign - it is an easy and small way of making a huge difference.
Bless you UKnurse.
LdV
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Thank you LdV, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm really interested to know why we can't have that nursing ratio. If New Zealand can afford it then so should we? What are the real reasons? Are we wasting a lot of the health budget or is it being spent on hi-tech toys for doctors to play with/ The discrepancy is too big to be explained away by money.
ReplyDeleteTrue. And all the cash that would be saved by reducing complications (pressure sores, dehydration, malnutrition, chest infections etc etc...litigation...) would pay for the increase in nursing numbers. It works in other countries. As a nation we have got to demand this! Spread the word!
ReplyDeleteI HOPE all is well with you Mr TM. And tucking into those Sunday dinners. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteI just had a look at the epetition count, UKnurse. And every sign is great, but i think it's going to need some professional input for public attention. Or one of us here will have split the atom before 100,000 signs are gained. With many many millions of us in the UK, it is a relatively small number. And very feasible with the right help. So that's the easy part. The difficulty will come after that. As a democracy as we know it, it has two faces. The one we see and the one we don't.
However i firmly believe that public awareness of positive intention is tenfold more powerful than its negative counterpart, cynicism.
As a population i think we need to find better and more organized ways of working together en masse. Then we would realize just how powerful we are as a collective.
With the bewitching hours at Samhain - Halloween approaching. I've got a few house calls of my own to make! ;) LovingtheLight.
LdV
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Dear UKnurse, I forgot to mention in the above post. If you have considered contacting 38degrees.org.uk - they can help with epetition. At the very least via twitter, facebook and blog. I don't think they have any political party affiliations. They help to campaign for change via public support and opinion.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought...
Best wishes
LdV
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As long as the government continues to spend its money on unsustainable, overpriced and underused military schemes, the NHS will suffer.
ReplyDeleteIt's not merely an internal issue. Under certain governments, it is the NHS which pays for the follies of other departments.
ePetition signed. I hope it actually has some effect.
Dear Mark &Co., *Some belated New Year Cheer! Lots of us wishing you a healthy and joyous 2012 - May Strength and Good Fortune light your path ahead!*
ReplyDelete;)LV
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Just wanted to add an 'update'. I was recently in hospital to have my appendix out. The food was indescribably bad - worse than when I was in hospital last, giving birth, a quarter of a century ago. Brand new hospital, built by PFI, catering courtesy of the construction company which funded it! Fortunately, mine was keyhole so I was in and out very quickly and fasting most of the time. But really - it's hard to imagine how anyone can get better on that slop, most of which gets sent back. I was by no means the only one complaining. A national disgrace.
ReplyDeleteThe NHS has more than enough money to pay for decent food, it just chooses to squander my (and your) money on incompetent management, useless technologies, and immoral treatments such as IVF. Other departments are starved to feed the bloated parasite which my family calls the National Fiddle. The Gods of the Copybook Headings are on their way!
ReplyDeleteHi there Mark,
ReplyDeleteI hope you are well.
Iam not sure if you are taking postings any longer here.
I wrote a one off blog titled: Linda V - Twelve Hours in the Nhs. Please Google: LindaV3.blogspot.com
Please take a look, and thank you if you decide to post this comment here.
Good Wishes, Linda (LdV)
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This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete