From a US site:
1. The bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to keep up with the Joneses. 2. An epidemic of stress, overwork, waste and indebtedness caused by dogged pursuit of the American Dream. 3. An unsustainable addiction to economic growth.
New book out in the UK Allfuenza by Oliver James.
Affluenza: n. a contagious middle class virus causing depression, anxiety, addiction and ennui. (Oliver James, 2007)
Looks like a good read...
Stuart
Sunday, January 28, 2007
The political economy of health care - A clinical perspective by Julian Tudor Hart
I've just finished this excellent book, The political economy of health care - A clinical perspective by Julian Tudor Hart. This book has to be a 'must read' for anyone passionate about the NHS.
Tudor Hart sets out the historical context of the NHS working through the formation of local schemes to provide health care and through into the development of the NHS. His attack on commercialisation in health care is warrented and perceptive.
He provides a focus of the creative side of health care, how the NHS creates health gain for people through developing professionals rather than developing commercial applications. He talks too of solidarity, 'all for each and each for all', of how we must not consider ourselves so rich that we cannot afford to look after the poor. See "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need"
Stunning book, albeit a little heavy in places. I had to read it in bite sized chunks!
Stuart
Tudor Hart sets out the historical context of the NHS working through the formation of local schemes to provide health care and through into the development of the NHS. His attack on commercialisation in health care is warrented and perceptive.
He provides a focus of the creative side of health care, how the NHS creates health gain for people through developing professionals rather than developing commercial applications. He talks too of solidarity, 'all for each and each for all', of how we must not consider ourselves so rich that we cannot afford to look after the poor. See "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need"
Stunning book, albeit a little heavy in places. I had to read it in bite sized chunks!
Stuart
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Cars and health
Two reports this week about the effects of traffic on health here and here. While the Times suggests that the suggestion that damage to cyclist's lungs from traffic fumes is as bad as smoking may be overstated, it is clear that there is a growing consensus about the toxic effects of our addiction to cars.
When coupled to the obesity epidemic and the report that the childhood obesity targets set by the govt are not going to be met we have to question why we love the car so much.
Stuart
When coupled to the obesity epidemic and the report that the childhood obesity targets set by the govt are not going to be met we have to question why we love the car so much.
Stuart
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Profit - Loss
PFIs will make £23 billion in profits over the next 30 years for the private companies that now own our hospital buildings. That's £766 million per year profit from taxpayers money.
The NHS was in deficit by £512 million last year.
I'm no economist, but...
Rather than paying over the odds to lease our hospitals from these private companies wouldn't it be preferrable to use our money for health care?
Stuart
The NHS was in deficit by £512 million last year.
I'm no economist, but...
Rather than paying over the odds to lease our hospitals from these private companies wouldn't it be preferrable to use our money for health care?
Stuart
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Sir Gerry and the NHS
Sir Gerry Robinson's comments on the work with the NHS for the BBC can be summarised:
1. The NHS should not be treated like a normal business
2. The government should not interfere with it
To the first point - absolutely! The NHS has changed from a service to a business over the past 17 years with the fastest moves to becoming a business happening in the past 7 years. This is fundementally wrong. The NHS should primarily be about provision of services to vulnerable (ill) people when they need it - people that society as a whole has a duty to look after. The NHS can learn a thing or two from the business world, but it should not model itself on them.
To the second point - yes and no. The NHS has to be accountable to the public. Currently ministers are campaigning against changes in the NHS - so who is accountable and to whom are they accountable? The NHS should be accountable to local people through local government. This change would be rocky for a few years, but in the longer term people would smooth out with an increased sense of control and responsibility by residents for the NHS.
Stuart
1. The NHS should not be treated like a normal business
2. The government should not interfere with it
To the first point - absolutely! The NHS has changed from a service to a business over the past 17 years with the fastest moves to becoming a business happening in the past 7 years. This is fundementally wrong. The NHS should primarily be about provision of services to vulnerable (ill) people when they need it - people that society as a whole has a duty to look after. The NHS can learn a thing or two from the business world, but it should not model itself on them.
To the second point - yes and no. The NHS has to be accountable to the public. Currently ministers are campaigning against changes in the NHS - so who is accountable and to whom are they accountable? The NHS should be accountable to local people through local government. This change would be rocky for a few years, but in the longer term people would smooth out with an increased sense of control and responsibility by residents for the NHS.
Stuart
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Early Day Motion
The Early Day Motion below has been submitted by Timothy Farron (a Lib Dem). It would seem that trying to get our MPs to sign up to this would be a good idea. Use www.writetothem.com as one of the best methods of lobbying them.
Subject: Early Day Motion (ICATS)House of Commons - Early Day Motions
Date tabled: 14 December 2006
510 - INDEPENDENT SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE NHS
Tim Farron
That this House notes Department of Health plans to hand clinical assessment treatment and support (CATS) services in Cumbria and Lancashire for general surgery, ear nose and throat, gynaecology, urology, orthapaedics and rheumatology to an independent sector provider; further notes that some elective surgery is also to be handed to independent sector providers in Cumbria and Lancashire; expresses grave concern that the private companies Netcare and Capio have been identified as preferred bidders for these services without any consultation with NHS staff or the public; is concerned that the proposed handing over of 70 per cent. of referrals to independent-sector run CATS service centres will lead to huge reductions in income for NHS trusts, leading to job losses, financial destabilisation and possible hospital closures; opposes the handing over of further NHS funds to profit-making independent companies; fears that the increased transfer of services to the independent sector will lead to the cherry-picking of the most lucrative NHS services, leaving the NHS only with those services that are not profitable; is not aware of evidence to suggest that the transfer of NHS services to the independent sector constitutes equivalent value for money or medical safety to providing services inside the NHS; and calls upon the Government to suspend plans to introduce additional independent sector involvement in the NHS until a full appraisal of the costs and benefits of this strategy to date has been undertaken.
Subject: Early Day Motion (ICATS)House of Commons - Early Day Motions
Date tabled: 14 December 2006
510 - INDEPENDENT SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE NHS
Tim Farron
That this House notes Department of Health plans to hand clinical assessment treatment and support (CATS) services in Cumbria and Lancashire for general surgery, ear nose and throat, gynaecology, urology, orthapaedics and rheumatology to an independent sector provider; further notes that some elective surgery is also to be handed to independent sector providers in Cumbria and Lancashire; expresses grave concern that the private companies Netcare and Capio have been identified as preferred bidders for these services without any consultation with NHS staff or the public; is concerned that the proposed handing over of 70 per cent. of referrals to independent-sector run CATS service centres will lead to huge reductions in income for NHS trusts, leading to job losses, financial destabilisation and possible hospital closures; opposes the handing over of further NHS funds to profit-making independent companies; fears that the increased transfer of services to the independent sector will lead to the cherry-picking of the most lucrative NHS services, leaving the NHS only with those services that are not profitable; is not aware of evidence to suggest that the transfer of NHS services to the independent sector constitutes equivalent value for money or medical safety to providing services inside the NHS; and calls upon the Government to suspend plans to introduce additional independent sector involvement in the NHS until a full appraisal of the costs and benefits of this strategy to date has been undertaken.
Early Day Motion
The Early Day Motion below has been submitted by Timothy Farron (a Lib Dem). It would seem that trying to get our MPs to sign up to this would be a good idea. Use www.writetothem.com as one of the best methods of lobbying them.
Subject: Early Day Motion (ICATS)House of Commons - Early Day Motions
Date tabled: 14 December 2006
510 - INDEPENDENT SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE NHS
Tim Farron
That this House notes Department of Health plans to hand clinical assessment treatment and support (CATS) services in Cumbria and Lancashire for general surgery, ear nose and throat, gynaecology, urology, orthapaedics and rheumatology to an independent sector provider; further notes that some elective surgery is also to be handed to independent sector providers in Cumbria and Lancashire; expresses grave concern that the private companies Netcare and Capio have been identified as preferred bidders for these services without any consultation with NHS staff or the public; is concerned that the proposed handing over of 70 per cent. of referrals to independent-sector run CATS service centres will lead to huge reductions in income for NHS trusts, leading to job losses, financial destabilisation and possible hospital closures; opposes the handing over of further NHS funds to profit-making independent companies; fears that the increased transfer of services to the independent sector will lead to the cherry-picking of the most lucrative NHS services, leaving the NHS only with those services that are not profitable; is not aware of evidence to suggest that the transfer of NHS services to the independent sector constitutes equivalent value for money or medical safety to providing services inside the NHS; and calls upon the Government to suspend plans to introduce additional independent sector involvement in the NHS until a full appraisal of the costs and benefits of this strategy to date has been undertaken.
Subject: Early Day Motion (ICATS)House of Commons - Early Day Motions
Date tabled: 14 December 2006
510 - INDEPENDENT SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE NHS
Tim Farron
That this House notes Department of Health plans to hand clinical assessment treatment and support (CATS) services in Cumbria and Lancashire for general surgery, ear nose and throat, gynaecology, urology, orthapaedics and rheumatology to an independent sector provider; further notes that some elective surgery is also to be handed to independent sector providers in Cumbria and Lancashire; expresses grave concern that the private companies Netcare and Capio have been identified as preferred bidders for these services without any consultation with NHS staff or the public; is concerned that the proposed handing over of 70 per cent. of referrals to independent-sector run CATS service centres will lead to huge reductions in income for NHS trusts, leading to job losses, financial destabilisation and possible hospital closures; opposes the handing over of further NHS funds to profit-making independent companies; fears that the increased transfer of services to the independent sector will lead to the cherry-picking of the most lucrative NHS services, leaving the NHS only with those services that are not profitable; is not aware of evidence to suggest that the transfer of NHS services to the independent sector constitutes equivalent value for money or medical safety to providing services inside the NHS; and calls upon the Government to suspend plans to introduce additional independent sector involvement in the NHS until a full appraisal of the costs and benefits of this strategy to date has been undertaken.
Early Day Motion
The Early Day Motion below has been submitted by Timothy Farron (a Lib Dem). It would seem that trying to get our MPs to sign up to this would be a good idea. Use www.writetothem.com as one of the best methods of lobbying them.
Subject: Early Day Motion (ICATS)House of Commons - Early Day Motions
Date tabled: 14 December 2006
510 - INDEPENDENT SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE NHS
Tim Farron
That this House notes Department of Health plans to hand clinical assessment treatment and support (CATS) services in Cumbria and Lancashire for general surgery, ear nose and throat, gynaecology, urology, orthapaedics and rheumatology to an independent sector provider; further notes that some elective surgery is also to be handed to independent sector providers in Cumbria and Lancashire; expresses grave concern that the private companies Netcare and Capio have been identified as preferred bidders for these services without any consultation with NHS staff or the public; is concerned that the proposed handing over of 70 per cent. of referrals to independent-sector run CATS service centres will lead to huge reductions in income for NHS trusts, leading to job losses, financial destabilisation and possible hospital closures; opposes the handing over of further NHS funds to profit-making independent companies; fears that the increased transfer of services to the independent sector will lead to the cherry-picking of the most lucrative NHS services, leaving the NHS only with those services that are not profitable; is not aware of evidence to suggest that the transfer of NHS services to the independent sector constitutes equivalent value for money or medical safety to providing services inside the NHS; and calls upon the Government to suspend plans to introduce additional independent sector involvement in the NHS until a full appraisal of the costs and benefits of this strategy to date has been undertaken.
Subject: Early Day Motion (ICATS)House of Commons - Early Day Motions
Date tabled: 14 December 2006
510 - INDEPENDENT SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE NHS
Tim Farron
That this House notes Department of Health plans to hand clinical assessment treatment and support (CATS) services in Cumbria and Lancashire for general surgery, ear nose and throat, gynaecology, urology, orthapaedics and rheumatology to an independent sector provider; further notes that some elective surgery is also to be handed to independent sector providers in Cumbria and Lancashire; expresses grave concern that the private companies Netcare and Capio have been identified as preferred bidders for these services without any consultation with NHS staff or the public; is concerned that the proposed handing over of 70 per cent. of referrals to independent-sector run CATS service centres will lead to huge reductions in income for NHS trusts, leading to job losses, financial destabilisation and possible hospital closures; opposes the handing over of further NHS funds to profit-making independent companies; fears that the increased transfer of services to the independent sector will lead to the cherry-picking of the most lucrative NHS services, leaving the NHS only with those services that are not profitable; is not aware of evidence to suggest that the transfer of NHS services to the independent sector constitutes equivalent value for money or medical safety to providing services inside the NHS; and calls upon the Government to suspend plans to introduce additional independent sector involvement in the NHS until a full appraisal of the costs and benefits of this strategy to date has been undertaken.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Short termism
Short-termism has thrown the NHS into chaos. Patricia Hewitt's absolute
insistance on getting the NHS to break-even has decimated funds destined
for training for the last two years. The lack of focus upon anything
other than the 31st March each year is disasterous for an organisation
that requires long term strategic planning to ensure staff capacity and
capability.
The phenomenal waste that Labour have introduced into the NHS, with
Private Finance Initiative, management consultants and private health
providers, is beginning to bite. The NHS finances are in an appalling
state and are now jeopardising the future intergrity of the service.
insistance on getting the NHS to break-even has decimated funds destined
for training for the last two years. The lack of focus upon anything
other than the 31st March each year is disasterous for an organisation
that requires long term strategic planning to ensure staff capacity and
capability.
The phenomenal waste that Labour have introduced into the NHS, with
Private Finance Initiative, management consultants and private health
providers, is beginning to bite. The NHS finances are in an appalling
state and are now jeopardising the future intergrity of the service.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Choice - why choose?
So the Department of Health has removed the research, that shows that patients don't want to chose their hospital / consultant, from their website - according to the Guardian. If I become I'll and need to see a consultant I will expect my GP to tell me which consultant would be appropriate and closest. I do not want a choice, I want the best doctor for the job and I want the doctor to be close by.
Stuart
Stuart
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