Interesting PFI petition on the government's petition website.
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Show the cost to the taxpayer of PFI projects"
Only 108 signatures... compared to the million people worried about their cars??? Health service sustainability or being able to drive as much as you want for a few more years until climate change and peak oil stops them - people need to think about their priorities!
Stuart
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Financial recovery by reducing paper clip consumption
Don't get me wrong, I am all for reducing consumption whereever possible but to expect to keep a hospital solvent through not buying pens is a bit much. Staff obviously will have to buy their own or get them from drug reps. Neither is very satisfactory.
Wouldn't it be good if we gave enough money to our NHS so that it could run?
Stuart
Wouldn't it be good if we gave enough money to our NHS so that it could run?
Stuart
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Hillingdon PCT is sold off
It had to happen sooner or later. Hewitt has promised it and now Hillingdon PCT is delivering.
Anthony Sumara, Hillingdon PCT's interim chief executive is putting a proposal to the Trust's board that most of the PCT's function is sold off to the private sector, including control of the £258 million budget.
From the FT: "The move, which is likely to provoke bitter opposition from the health service unions, would see the private sector taking over not just the provision of community services but the assessment, planning, contracting, procurement and performance management of £258m a year's worth of health care for its local population."
The PCT will remain accountable for its spending (and over spending) though... In management school, I was taught that accountability should go hand in hand with responsibility. Clearly I was taught badly.
This move will hand the purchase and planning function to a private company that has shareholder's interests as its top priority. The company will be accountable to these shareholders, not the public and patients in Hillingdon. Is this what we want?
Stuart
Anthony Sumara, Hillingdon PCT's interim chief executive is putting a proposal to the Trust's board that most of the PCT's function is sold off to the private sector, including control of the £258 million budget.
From the FT: "The move, which is likely to provoke bitter opposition from the health service unions, would see the private sector taking over not just the provision of community services but the assessment, planning, contracting, procurement and performance management of £258m a year's worth of health care for its local population."
The PCT will remain accountable for its spending (and over spending) though... In management school, I was taught that accountability should go hand in hand with responsibility. Clearly I was taught badly.
This move will hand the purchase and planning function to a private company that has shareholder's interests as its top priority. The company will be accountable to these shareholders, not the public and patients in Hillingdon. Is this what we want?
Stuart
Pollution and CHD
From the BBC: "Researchers studied 66,000 women in and around 36 US cities, finding pollution levels varied between four to nearly 20 micrograms per cubic metre. The University of Washington team said each 10 microgram rise was matched by a 76% rise in the chances of dying from heart disease or stroke."
No surprise there. Remember the EU study: around 40,000 deaths p.a. attributable in the UK to PM10 (mostly from cars).
Of course the worse place is to sit in your car in a traffic jam.
Stuart
No surprise there. Remember the EU study: around 40,000 deaths p.a. attributable in the UK to PM10 (mostly from cars).
Of course the worse place is to sit in your car in a traffic jam.
Stuart
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