On Tuesday I posed the question AM I GLAD MY MUM DIED? As they say, the Lord moves in mysterious ways and we should listen to what he says. I had my question answered in no uncertain terms yesterday by Ms Sarah Palin, wannabe US vice presidential candidate and Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan.
Both in their own way spouted completely dishonest, ill informed and ignorant rubbish about the NHS. Ms Palin's agenda is pretty obvious, but Mr Hannan? We can but speculate. Given his own party leader had not too long ago waxed lyrical about the fantastic treatment the NHS gave his disabled son, we can add heartlessness to the list as well. It seems Mr Hannan writes a blog for the Telegraph. It must enhance their reputation no end having someone as in touch with the feelings of modern Britain writing for them. If I were Cameron, I'd sack Hannan. He's an embarrassment. Statements like his and actions like Mike Freer's in Barnet with Sheltered housing wardens are the reasons I could never vote Conservative.
So what's it got to do with the death of my mum. Well, I wish she was here to discuss this with. She was born in 1925 and remembered Great Britain before the NHS. She benefitted from it in many ways, not least with treatment for Cancer, Pneumonia, Strokes, Ulcers, Childbirth, Osteoperosis, to name but a few of the serious ailments. She also remembered being treated for Diptheria in the pre NHS 1930's. She was a passionate advocate and she'd have had plenty to say about this. When people complained about the NHS she'd defend it to the death. Bad food - great it keeps out the malingers, waiting lists - if it ain't urgent you could afford to wait. Despite being very wealthy, she stated that if she'd been a Yank, she'd be uninsurable and probably be skint, if not dead. As for Palin's comments about not treating people over 70. She had an operation on the NHS aged 82, six months before she died, to fix a degenerated vertebrae.
She would probably have just passed Sarah Palin's comments of as "a stupid American". As for Hannan, she'd have been on to me to write a blog like this. She'd have demanded I print it off in large print and then tell me I'd been far too nice.
I wish my mum had survived with her health intact until the blogging age. She'd have loved it and she'd have put Palin & Hannan right in no uncertain terms, from her lifetime of experience of the real world. I miss her.
4 comments:
Rog
I have not yet read Daniel Hannan’s speech, so can’t comment on what he said, but most of the time he talks complete sense. The problem is that politicians on the right are too afraid to criticise the NHS because those on the left will use it as a stick to beat them. “The nasty Tories want to close the NHS” is their usual cry.
The reality is that the NHS, as an institution, is bloated, wasteful and hugely inefficient. Nobody doubts the dedication of the doctors, nurses and other front line workers, but under this Government, billions has been poured into the ‘system’ for little or no benefit to patients and taxpayers.
Tens of thousands of managers have been employed in pointless and worthless non jobs. Billions have been spent on a computer system which doesn’t work. The public are not stupid – they know that the NHS does not deliver the quality services that they are paying for. There is little doubt that with a simplified management structure, and less bureaucracy, better patient services could be delivered at a much lower cost.
If any country wanted to build a new public health service from scratch, I can’t believe that they would seriously consider importing the NHS model in its current form.
David,
If you were sensible and you were starting today, youd nick the best bits from everyones systems.
The NHS isn't perfect but it's far superior to the US system for the vast majority of people and those that it doesn't work for can afford private cover.
Hannan was just trying to score brownie points with the American right wing.
By the way my brother in law is a doctor in America and was a director of a large healthcare corporation. I've spent many a long night discussing the relative merits of both systems and I can assure you that 80% of the time, ours works better than the US.
The other 20% is where an intelligent government would design a better system based on our mistakes
Hi Rog
I am loathe to slag off the NHS as I do think we are SO lucky to have such a healthcare system in this country.
But I also have to agree with Don't Call Me Dave in many respects, as I recognise that at some (but not all, I hope) hospitals public money is wasted mercilessly and without thought.
For the last 8 years I worked at an NHS hospital, the Royal Free in Hampstead, until the consistent passive-aggressive bullying by my last manager caused my breakdown early on this year and forced me out. Sadly this bullying incident is not unusual at the Royal Free. During my 8-year stint I worked as a long-term temp covering several posts, both long and short. I moved from four posts because I wouldn't put up with the office bullying. I moved from two others because I couldn't stand working with bone-idle managers who appeared to take the attitude that they only have to pitch up every day, don't actually do any work at all, but get paid anyway.
The last CEO at the Royal Free signed off a multi-million pound computer system that does not work. Common sense says that you test it first!!
The previous CEO ran the Trust into the ground, leaving it in an incredible amount of debt, yet got patted on the back and had a ward named after him when he finally had the decency to leave!
There are too many small managers, all desperate for some power, and driven by ego. Further up the ladder there are too many fat cats being over-paid to make appallingly nonsensical decisions that merely flush public money down the toilet.
I'm so glad I'm out of there and I would never go back, although I am now looking for work (for anybody reading who might have a part-time job for me!)
Having said all of this, and rather paradoxically, I do fully support the NHS, and am so grateful that we have a National Health System in this country. It's just been badly managed and abused over recent years, to the detriment of us all.
Nonetheless, I would rather what we have, however flawed, to the US system any day.
Scarlett,
Workplace bullying is truly awful. I once had the misfortune to work for someone who was completely vile. She used the unexpected death of my father to stick a few knives in. I'm a pretty robust character, but her timing was impeccable and it really got to me.
I decided to move job and made it abundantly clear why. I guess I was lucky that I had an easy escape route. What I really find offensive is that in most firms seniority gives opportunity for such people to thrive.
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