The boss of the Southampton hospital at the centre of the Ashya King controversy has spoken for the first time about…How awfully sorry they are? How guilty they feel about the extra stress they put this family through? How ‘lessons will be learned’ and it’ll never happen again?
… how her staff were hounded with abuse as the plight of the youngster hit international headlines.Oh dear, really? So sad.
Wait, wait, it’s around here somewhere…
Ah! There it is!
Fiona Dalton, chief executive of the trust that runs Southampton General Hospital, told how “irate members of the public” confronted medics “aggressively” while they were bombarded with hate emails.
She went on to describe her “surprise” at the media storm the story caused and how medics from the paediatric oncology team were confronted with personal abuse from strangers.Makes a nice change for them, I suppose, from dishing it out to desperate parents…
“I cannot imagine having to face the reality of your child being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
“But I do know that in this dreadful situation, I would want the support and care of this brilliant clinical team.”Yeah, right up to the point at which you disagreed with them and they threatened to take your child away.
She also praised staff for their efforts in what she called a “very intense few days” and thanked them for pulling together to ensure the thousands of patients being treated at the hospital were cared for.Otherwise known as ‘doing the job they are paid to do’.
I grew up and trained in a country where hospitals competed for doctors and doctors for patients and they did this by being competent, trustworthy and in touch with patient needs because if they didn't they wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage. NHS? Envy of the world, huh? Only in a socialist wet dream where the ill have to throw themselves on the tender mercies of godlike authority figures whose job security and income is assured.
ReplyDeleteOh I am so fucking sick of this 'lessons will be learned' crap trotted out over and over again, 'aggressive' becoming interchangeable with 'assertive', the way they speak in this patronising low monotone and tell you you're 'raising your voice' if it goes above that. No, THIS IS RAISING MY FUCKING VOICE AND I'M DOING IT BECAUSE YOU ARE SO. FUCKING. STUPID! Jesus, 'lessons will be learned'? Like fuck they will.
ReplyDeleteP.S That violin isn't nearly big enough.
"NHS? Envy of the world, huh? Only in a socialist wet dream where the ill have to throw themselves on the tender mercies of godlike authority figures whose job security and income is assured."
ReplyDeleteSpot on!
"... the way they speak in this patronising low monotone and tell you you're 'raising your voice' if it goes above that."
'Handling Aggrieved Relatives 101' seems to be a growth training industry in public sector work... :/