Thursday 31 January 2013
Second Letter to Papers in 2 Days re NHS
Sent to: Independent, Guardian, Scotsman & Glasgow Herald 31.01.13
Dear Editor,
In the light of the fast-approaching demise of the NHS, why hasn't the Tory/LibDem Government admitted where they have spent, or plan to spend, the £500 million remaining in Treasury coffers, which I understand was clawed back from last year's NHS budget for England? Apparently, from the original £900 million they allowed £400 million to be "rolled over" into the budget for this year. However there seems to be a mystery concerning the remainder and my MP for one, hasn't answered my question about it.
Scots seem generally unperturbed by the Governments' ideological wrecking of the NHS because NHSiS is devolved; but ramifications of decisions made in Westminster are bound to be detrimental to our most precious Service throughout the UK.
We should be incandescent and shouting from the rooftops!
Yours sincerely,
Patricia M Farrington MBE
Wednesday 30 January 2013
Letter to Press 30.01.13 Re NHS Concerns
To be forwarded to as many newspapers as I can find addresses for....
Over the last few months I have become increasingly concerned about issues I am hearing from staff working in the declining NHS. Nurses are losing their jobs at unprecedented rates and wards are so understaffed that those working on them miss many of their breaks for food, drink and toilet visits. They are under huge amounts of stress because they are unable, under these conditions, adequately to care for their patients, try as they will. During the last week or so I have been particularly worried about staff who feel their impassioned requests for help from managers are being constantly ignored. Because of this feeling of inadequacy they show signs of depression. Generally staff are unwilling to complain because jobs are scarce and they cannot afford to be labelled whistle blowers or troublemakers.
Of course, I realise that this Tory Government (and I include the collaborationist LibDems) are proceeding with ideological plans to privatise the most treasured asset we have in the UK, with unprecedented haste, regardless of consequences to the citizens who need and use this amazing service; and I despise them all for it. They are obviously prepared to run the NHS down so much that it will not be able to cope, at the risk of patients' treatments and of their lives; so that they can say only private providers can save the hospitals and other NHS services on which we rely. Private providers must care first about profits...it goes with the definition. This leaves taxpayers shovelling our taxes into their greedy pockets whilst they cut pay and conditions for those "lucky" to be working for them.
I live in Scotland, NHSiS is a devolved part of the Government in Edinburgh; why am I concerning myself about Englandshire?
I worked in this amazing organisation for 40 years both in England and Scotland as a radiographer / ultrasonographer. Family members have done much the same and are still involved in front line jobs. Nurses and other professionals are losing jobs in Scotland too and the whole insidious business seems corrupt. Private providers of NHS services stand to make enormous amounts of money from our taxes and this will go directly into the coffers of share holders, many of whom are politicians. Some are front bench ministers who promoted this desecration. This has to be at least immoral and at worst illegal.
Many healthcare professionals are complaining, joining marches and signing petitions but these are hardly ever reported by the media....especially the BBC which is supposed to be a well-respected public service organisation. WHY? The government is riding roughshod over the wishes of the citizens of the UK and are virtually unchecked. HOW has this been allowed to happen? We should be incandescent with rage and shouting the sorry truth from the rooftops with loudhailers.
I am frustrated and very angry. I can understand how NHS workers would want to strike or commit civil disobedience because they are angry and frustrated just like me. However they are very unlikely to do anything which would put the safety and well being of the patients at risk...and the government are relying on this to achieve their aims as quickly as possible because they must be aware that people will not vote for these greedy, arrogant MPs in 2015. However by that time irreversible damage will surely have been done.
We should be ashamed of what is happening in our name; and not only in the NHS.
I know that politicians like Andy Burnham MP and his team are working 24/7 to try to minimise the damage being caused. Also the NHA Party was instigated to promote and publicise the terrible predicament we find ourselves in.
Over the last few months I have become increasingly concerned about issues I am hearing from staff working in the declining NHS. Nurses are losing their jobs at unprecedented rates and wards are so understaffed that those working on them miss many of their breaks for food, drink and toilet visits. They are under huge amounts of stress because they are unable, under these conditions, adequately to care for their patients, try as they will. During the last week or so I have been particularly worried about staff who feel their impassioned requests for help from managers are being constantly ignored. Because of this feeling of inadequacy they show signs of depression. Generally staff are unwilling to complain because jobs are scarce and they cannot afford to be labelled whistle blowers or troublemakers.
Of course, I realise that this Tory Government (and I include the collaborationist LibDems) are proceeding with ideological plans to privatise the most treasured asset we have in the UK, with unprecedented haste, regardless of consequences to the citizens who need and use this amazing service; and I despise them all for it. They are obviously prepared to run the NHS down so much that it will not be able to cope, at the risk of patients' treatments and of their lives; so that they can say only private providers can save the hospitals and other NHS services on which we rely. Private providers must care first about profits...it goes with the definition. This leaves taxpayers shovelling our taxes into their greedy pockets whilst they cut pay and conditions for those "lucky" to be working for them.
I live in Scotland, NHSiS is a devolved part of the Government in Edinburgh; why am I concerning myself about Englandshire?
I worked in this amazing organisation for 40 years both in England and Scotland as a radiographer / ultrasonographer. Family members have done much the same and are still involved in front line jobs. Nurses and other professionals are losing jobs in Scotland too and the whole insidious business seems corrupt. Private providers of NHS services stand to make enormous amounts of money from our taxes and this will go directly into the coffers of share holders, many of whom are politicians. Some are front bench ministers who promoted this desecration. This has to be at least immoral and at worst illegal.
Many healthcare professionals are complaining, joining marches and signing petitions but these are hardly ever reported by the media....especially the BBC which is supposed to be a well-respected public service organisation. WHY? The government is riding roughshod over the wishes of the citizens of the UK and are virtually unchecked. HOW has this been allowed to happen? We should be incandescent with rage and shouting the sorry truth from the rooftops with loudhailers.
I am frustrated and very angry. I can understand how NHS workers would want to strike or commit civil disobedience because they are angry and frustrated just like me. However they are very unlikely to do anything which would put the safety and well being of the patients at risk...and the government are relying on this to achieve their aims as quickly as possible because they must be aware that people will not vote for these greedy, arrogant MPs in 2015. However by that time irreversible damage will surely have been done.
We should be ashamed of what is happening in our name; and not only in the NHS.
I know that politicians like Andy Burnham MP and his team are working 24/7 to try to minimise the damage being caused. Also the NHA Party was instigated to promote and publicise the terrible predicament we find ourselves in.
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