Andrew Lansley's promise to "listen" to health professionals over his plans to reform the NHS was last night branded a sham after it emerged that he had turned down an invitation to attend the nurses' annual conference.
Cue OUTRAGE! at the ‘insult’ of sending a junior minister…
"Members will be hugely disappointed that Andrew Lansley is not going to appear," said Bernell Bussue, the RCN's London region director. "I know there is deep dissatisfaction about the plans as well as the cuts that are taking place.
"We are professionals and if he came he would be listened to with respect…"
Oh, really? Are you sure about that?
If Mr Lansley does backtrack and attend, officials will be keen to avoid any chance of him being heckled by delegates who are already furious at cutbacks across the NHS. In 2006 the then Health Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, was heckled and booed when she warned nurses of much smaller job cut.
Doesn’t sound like it, does it?
Why does "investment" in the NHS revolve solely around money? The NHS budget has increased 300% and in return we have less. Less beds, less wards, less hospitals, less service.
ReplyDeleteInvesting in better (not more) management, better process, better procedures, better staff would provide a better outcome.
More money is not the solution, it is in fact one of the main problems.
Maybe the thing to do is to go back to the structure that started the whole NHS.
ReplyDeleteRemove all the layers of 'management' and their costs. After all, it would appear the more management there is the greater the super bugs in the hospitals.
"Why does "investment" in the NHS revolve solely around money?"
ReplyDeleteBecause everything else in our society does?
"Maybe the thing to do is to go back to the structure that started the whole NHS. "
Or go back to its original goals?