NHS complaints system

So the dear old health select committee say the NHS complaints system in England is failing patients and needs in their humble opinion an overhaul in order to ensure justice and fairness.


The Department of Health bless them ,says new plans will make the NHS more accountable and the ombudsman's office insisted it can review cases that merit it, but does not seam to clarify what the criteria for this is ? yet it points out that its only relatively recently that NHS patients in England have been able to take their complaints direct to the Health Ombudsman pre April 2009, any complaints not settled locally between the parties involved were reviewed by the Health Care Commission and referred up to the ombudsman if deemed necessary.

So are we about to see a new openness over NHS complaints ? time will tell !

Meeting human needs

Meeting human needs

This article from The Philosophy Magazine is in my humble opinion well worth a read

NHS PLAN MARK TWO !

So Mr Cameron in his infinite wisdom is backing wholesale changes to NHS plans in England.

Interesting move , did he ever really want the mark one plan to begin with ? I will not bore you with the details BUT I have a feeling that very soon we will see the return of the old Regional Health Authority system re-vamped re-branded but basically the same old beast .

Attitudes to Mental Illness 2011 survey -My Thoughts

The following are my brief thoughts on the NHS survey" Attitudes to Mental Illness 2011 ", which has been published today :

I note that some of the key attitudes to Mental Health would appear to have improved but that we as a society still have a section that still holds strong prejudices re metal health illnesses

Its gratifying to see that over 70% of people surveyed believe that mental illness is an illness like any other however the figure of one in six people believing that one of the main causes of mental illness is a lack of will-power/self-discipline is alarming to me

Its obvious that we still have a log way to go to remove the stigma .

The question " Is the Social care and health industry on the 'brink of collapse'

The question " Is the Social care and health industry on the 'brink of collapse'

Well according to a report by the public-sector union Unison published today it is .

This all steams from the Southern Cross debacle

Unison said that Southern Cross other companies in the sector have financial difficulties, and that if they went under, taxpayers would have to pick up the bill , yet the DOH (The Department of Health ) denies that financial issues had undermined the long standing care system.

Four Seasons, was also in trouble according to the Unison report and they use the phrase "the two providers were clinging on by their fingernails".

Four Seasons chief executive Dr Pete Calveley said the company was in "a robust financial position and is certainly not in any difficulties" and a quick look at the figures to tend to confirm Dr Calveley view

I personally think its high time people stopped using care and social health as a political football and as a cheap way of scoring points , in the end its the SERVICE USERS/CARERS that suffer NO ONE ELSE !!

So come on Unions , HMG , private companies less gas bagging and some firm robust co operative action to ensure long term stability in health and social care .

Strengthened safeguards for adults in care

So "Vulnerable adults in care in England " are to be given more protection from abuse, HMG has said.

The news comes after the revelations in the BBC Panorama investigation showed staff at a privately run hospital mistreating adults with learning disabilities.


The BBC state that “Details of "safeguarding" boards like to those for vulnerable children are to be published within a fortnight.”

Now this to me has all the classic signs of a knee jerk reaction aimed solely at taking away the political pressure or am I being to cynical ?

I think the simple answer is strong , robust laws with harsh penalties for people who abuse others along with training and adequate pay scales to attract the right type of person into this highly stressful sphere of employment , I doubt I my own mind that the private sector is equipped to supply the service that we expect .

Response to the attack on DLA

May I point you to this excellent blog posting :

http://www.latentexistence.me.uk/response-to-the-attack-on-dla-in-todays-papers/

"I speak it as it is" a great blog

Please find a few minutes to visit the following blog

https://ispeakitasitis.wordpress.com

Its by a charming young lady , Mz Susan Capps-Jenner and well worth reading

DWP claims reach 3.2 million

So the latest figures released from Department for Work and Pension show that the numbers claiming the Disability Living Allowance have reached now 3.2 million compared to some 2.2 million 10 years ago.

It would appear the biggest increases are in medical areas which are notoriously difficult to diagnose ( how convenient for HMG you might well say ? ), raising questions no doubt to be asked by the tabloid press ,about how genuine the illnesses and syndromes are for which taxpayer-funded benefits are being paid.

Are we seeing a raise in benefit abuse or just better diagnose ? I leave you to decide .

SWINDON’S mental health service provider fined

SWINDON’S mental health service provider -Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust has been fined more than a quarter of a million pounds for missing numerous targets and breaking rules .

The Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWT), which runs three mental health centres in Swindon, was penalised by £285,000, for falling short on waiting times for diagnosis and treatment.