Letter: Fears for the future of the NHS
Thursday 13th October 2011, 6:00AM BST.
Letter: The latest news that the Royal Shrewsbury NHS Trust is to close 57 medical beds which will include at least one ward, by the end of November, will come as no surprise to those of us who have watched helplessly as this coalition government has dismantled the NHS, brick by brick, bed by bed, nurse by nurse and midwife by midwife.
No doubt the trust will issue the usual press release claiming these bed closures will not affect patient care, a statement that has become tarnished with overuse.
As winter approaches, this devastating news will be of critical concern to local GPs, Shropdoc and the emergency services, who already experience difficulties getting patients admitted.
Andrew Lansley’s controversial health reforms will reach the House of Lords this week – last chance saloon of unelected law makers – with the future of the NHS firmly in their hands.
Peter Sayles
Trefonen
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The letter writer seems concerned about unelected law makers, I share his concern, at the last election we did not give a mandate to this government of for its polices, the Coalition agreement was cooked up behind closed doors after the election.
However I do so wish that people would look at the real reasons for changes to our national services rather than blaming this government’s polices. It does not matter who is in power Labour, Conservative or any combination with the LibDems the results will be the same.
We are a member of the EU and it is EU rules that dictate what is happening to our “National” services, the single market and EU competition rules are forcing the NHS down the privatisation route. It cannot remain a Nationally based service when we can go abroad for treatment and ask our NHS to pay or when others who have not paid into the system can use the services here. The EU is not interested in a “National” service and for as long as we remain in we much accept the consequences.
This continual refusal to take notice of the EU influence does two things:
First: it reinforces the tribal political myth where Labour blame Conservatives, Conservatives blame Labour and LibDems blame both.
Second: and much more importantly it does not even begin to get to the root of the problem. As it is a false argument which says changing the government party will change the outcome when it will not.
If we are to blame our governments for anything it should be for giving away their authority to act independently in the first place and for allowing EU rules to dictate that our national services should be destroyed.
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Maybe there would be enough money for the beds if your assembly wasnt wasting it all on free prescriptions and subsidised degrees in Welsh language and history?
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Andy, Welsh language and history is not a waste.
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I beg to differ…
The only job where either course would give any value is the non jobs in the self serving assembly and nationalistic public sector.
Welsh is a dead language, with no future but that which is being artifically created and maintained through the waste of tax payers cash by the welsh assembly – English cash, I may add.
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Usual blurb of socialist dictum , they’ve spent all the money again!It was wasted on fire brigade hq’s , the vetting and barring service ,ofsted, schools for the future the welfare state supporting eu nationals , burgeoning public sector employees with excessive salaries, not least two wars before we even consider bank bail outs and national deficits . Just one pm ever actually cut public spending on the nhs and its was Thatcher who was left to pick up his mess !
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‘burgeoning public sector employees with excessive salaries’
Where, specifically? Typical Daily Mail regurgitated nonsense.
As for the NHS – have you forgotten what waiting lists were like under the last lot of Tories? Did you not notice how much that improved under the last government?
Open your eyes!
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Exactly which is why one of Majors greatest achievements was his competition agenda , schools tables and the citizens charter . It was his intervention publicly disclosing the information of these public services that brings the public services to account .He did this to promote better service ,something that we have all benefited from. Waiting lists where notably improved as were standards because of this . The fact is these accountability measures strategically reformed a failing NHS which is a true credit of conservatism . Its notable that current figures for waiting time appear to be rising despite real term maintenance which in my view defines the still existing restrictive working practice and poor bloated management structures within the NHS. All this began in 1992 and took 4 yrs to bear fruit something unfortunately the Daily Mail never gave Major credit for . Wonder why?
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I write as someone who currently has a loved one in the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital undergoing treatment and care from staff that are in main are doing their jobs extremely well, I feel sure to the very best of their ability.
Their endeavours are clearly being hindered by the fact that the Trust is short of money, if it is not the money, then the administrators have much to answer.
Lifts that do work, on the face of it not a major issue, until you consider that last week they had just one lift for visitors, patients, and staff moving equipment and patients between the various departments, the rest were out of action.
The staff shortages become apparent when you understand that bed bound patients have to often wait up to 30 mins before anyone responds to the alarm, they do not have sufficient time to assist patients with feeding, so we have sick people at risk of becoming worse through lack of nutrition or dehydrated because they cannot reach their drink.
I feel indebted to some of the staff and doctors, but it has to be said some of them would be better employed in other industries, because caring does not come naturally to them, is it training, overwork, or just not bothered, I wish I knew.
My advice to all is, if you have anyone in this hospital, feel sure they will, be given good treatment, but just keep your eye on the ball to ensure they get good care.
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