I’ll fight to save our NHS
I’d like to thank everyone at Rotherham General Hospital, in particular on Ward B5 and SAU, for excellent care and support during my recent operation and two week stay.
Their dedication was second to none ranging from the porters, nursing staff to doctors and surgeons in the MDT team.
They were rushed off their feet but their care shone through to all patients while keeping everyone’s spirits up with their good humour.
Nothing was too much trouble and typified why we must all work to defend our NH that is freely available to all regardless of age, class, background or postcode lottery.
The Government should pull back from their reckless and corrosive health plans that will only undermine the strength of our NHS and allow opportunist privateers to get more of a foothold.
Their botched health care proposals are causing chaos and insecurity to those working within our NHS. That will cause irreparable damage to the patient care, probable huge job losses, cancelled operations and longer waiting lists.
As Unison rightly said, the public does not trust the Government with the NHS; its ‘Frankenstein bill’ will see the end of the service as we know it. I fully support Unison, Unite and the Royal Colleges of Nursing, midwives, GPs and other professional bodies who are united against the NHS Bill.
It’s time to stop putting our NHS, staff and the public at risk and drop this madcap plan.
I will continue my fight alongside the public and the trade union and Labour movement to help to safeguard our NHS and the jobs of all those working in this fine service.
Ged Dempsey, Printworker
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 30 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
seenitall
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:36 PMI have just spent a couple of hours in a couple of waiting rooms at one of our local hospitals. I watched, almost in amazement, as medical staff members, passed through the waiting rooms and down the corridors in droves ,each, seemingly,carrying medical records...or a mug of tea .I left after my appointment...I was on time the doctor wasn't....with a small forest of paperwork., chitties and other assorted pieces of a bureacracy which surely could be improved by a touch of old fashioned work study.
Sir Taxedalot
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:00 AM#18 Topodp I did take one complaint to the Health OmbudsmanCommission but it was a predictable waste of time. It was 18 months before they even looked at it because they are so swamped by complaints. All they did was ask the surgeon what went wrong. The surgeon lied and the Ombudsman accepted it. You see the NHS is run by doctors for doctors. Even the people who investigate for the Ombudsman are doctors. When things go wrong they investigate themselves and unsurprisingly they find that they haven't done anything wrong. They have this bizarre ruling that if a doctor does what all doctors do it can't be wrong. They also have get out clauses that say that they can ignore clinical guidelines if, in the opinion of the doctor, they aren't in the best interest of the patient. so when they ignore guidelines and it all goes wrong they can claim they acted in the best interests of the patient. I have not wasted my time on further complaints which isn't good for other patients but the NHS is a massive bureaucracy with lots of expensive lawyers to make sure complaints never get taken seriously.
Juneab
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:51 AMSo which part of Geds letter dont you agree with ?
Topodp
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 10:44 PMSome but not all, btw thanks for your apology .
Juneab
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 10:06 PMSo do you agree with Ged or not Topodp ?
Topodp
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 09:59 PMThe NHS certainly needs to change but how is the question. Juneab your post no16 accused me of being a cowardly parasite, with no interest in the hard working and professional individuals in the NHS. You accused me of " clinging on to those good people in order to pursue your own extreme and dubious political ambitions". You stated that " when you've had your fill of publicity for your cause - as in the past these people will be left out to hang and dry while you once again indulge in your political chameleon act". You also said that "the proof, six months since you were supporting the occupy movement, before that it was the students and before that you were telling people to vote Liberal to keep out the Conservatives". I think you will find that I have never stated any of the above, those "facts" are from your imagination. As far as the Health bill goes there are too many people with very real and very financially motivated vested interests trying to push it through. The NHS is by no means perfect, however people commenting on how poor they perceive it to be does not help. Reducing staff whilst trying to improve productivity will not help. The major problem with the NHS from my point of view is simply constant change, with no revaluation period, we as staff chase our tails just trying to keep up. Just to touch on the medical negligence issue I wonder how many PIP breast implants the NHS will have to remove through the negligence of the private sector clinics who implanted the cheapest possible product and now plead poverty when it has gone sour.
Juneab
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 09:00 PMNothing wrong with my facts Topodp - unless you now agree with the new health bill.
Topodp
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 08:47 PM@ Juneab I think you should read your post no16 and then reflect on what you accused me of being and then read my posts and in effect check YOUR facts before commenting
Juneab
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 08:43 PMAnd your point is Topodp ?
Topodp
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 07:39 PM@ Juneab "Check your facts before commenting" touche and ditto.
Juneab
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 04:19 PMTopodp - Sir T dosnt need to provide proof - its in this weeks paper. " Last year, more than 8,500 clinical negligence claims were received by the NHS, an increase of more than 30 per cent on 200910. Officials admit that the £15.7 billion compensation bill could be an underestimate if the NHS loses more cases than predicted." Check your facts before commenting Topodp.
seenitall
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 02:43 PM#17...absolutely correct but that doesn't mean to say the NHS cannot be improved or that the at times , mind numbing, bureacracy and empire building within the organisation shouldn't be challenged.
Topodp
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 01:11 AM@ Juneab, I am one of those hard working and professional individuals working in the Health Service, I resent the fact that according to Taxedalot, others may not be as hard working and professional as I am. If Taxedalot has proof of failings he should address it with the authorities, if he has the strength of his convictions then he shouldn't fear the libel laws and name those individuals here. As for the occupy movement I couldn't care tuppence, I have no political ambitions and I have never encouraged anyone to waste a vote on the Liberals. I do live in the real world I see healthcare being rationed by stealth ie Cataract surgery, Joint replacement Surgery ect. Finally as for being a cowardly parasite, I am already risking my job by merely commenting on healthcare issues.
Halfway Lad
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 05:54 PMI cannot let some of the comments - Sit Taxtalot - in particular go unanswered. Over a good number of years my wife has suffered major heart and cancer issues. During this time she has had nothing but the very best of care from the Sheffield and Chesterfield hospitals The doctors, surgeons, nurses and everyone from the top to the cleaners have done their jobs with dedication and expertise. Expertise which no private provider would offer and no insurance backed system would take my wife on at any price. I think Sir Taxedalot would sing a very different song if he was in my wifes position. The NHS for all it's problems is still an excellent and invaluable service to be protected at all costs.
Juneab
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 03:52 PMTopodp - as with your fellow left wing comrade Ged you have absolutely no interest whatsoever in the hardworking and professional individuals in the NHS. You both are parasites cowardly clinging on to those good people in order to pursue your own extreme and dubious political ambitions. And when you've had your fill of publicity for your cause - as in the past these people will be left out to hang and dry while you once again indulge in your political chameleon act. And the proof, six months since you were supporting the occupy movement, before that it was the students and before that you were telling people to vote Liberal to keep out the Conservatives . Start living in the real world Topodp - the NHS has to change or it will die. No doubt you would both be there at the Funeral demonstrating that something should have been done.
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