09.19.06
Politics and lies
In Hungary there have been riots because a government minister has admitting telling lies about the state of the economy during an election campaign. This has led to a storming of the state controlled TV station, who have obviously been the vehicle for spreading the information the government wants given to the population. This has led me to wonder, if this kind of thing goes on here, after all, ministers and opposition MPs are seen on the TV daily giving information as if fact. At the same time the news channel portray the message in the way they see fit.
Today’s message is about the potential closure of accident and emergency departments which is leading on the BBC news headlines. What does this actually mean? What happens if someone hears this part and not the rest of the story which clarifies the information given? What does the sell off of NHS Logistics to DHL have to do with this story, because it is mentioned as such?
The way the NHS is being reorganised concentrates on moving services from the acute providers out into the community. Already a number of diagnostic treatment centres are springing up, these are perhaps more suitable places for people to go to be assessed and diagnosed and receive much of their treatment, and if this stops people going to their local A&E this can only be a good thing. More nurses and paramedics are developing the skills to assess patients with potentially serious illness within their homes so that the correct decisions can be made about treatment and referral to the most appropriate service whether GP, acute services, outpatients, community nursing. To do this kind of thing though there needs to be something of a culture change. We as members of the public will need to know how to access services, we will need to know what the most appropriate service for us is and we will need to be able to get it.
Our PCT is currently working with the ambulance and paramedic service to support the work of community nurses in reacting to and treating patients and also in directing referrals to the most appropriate place. This work is already helping to treat patients who might have gone into hospital at home, and ultimately to save money; public money at that. These stories are not and will not be heard on the BBC news, they are not glamorous or shocking enough. They don’t catch peoples attention. Am I alone in being suspicious about lies and politics in the UK too?
anon said,
September 19, 2006 at 3:34 pm
If shutting a&e departments is going to be like shutting the asylums I think there is plenty of reason to jump up and down. In the area I live in 1994 when the asylum was open there were 900 beds. 12 years later we are down to 32 beds. Seeing as the population has increased and care in the community hasn’t significantly improved I would argue this could, once again, be the start of a snowball.
Julie said,
September 19, 2006 at 5:38 pm
Not sure this is actually a like for like comparison as I am of the opinion that a lot more work is going into this than went into the closure of the psychiatric hospitals in the early 1980s. It would be nice if you didn’t remain anonymous too!
nursesean said,
September 20, 2006 at 8:50 pm
I’m loving your blog! It gives me new perspective on topics I’ve heard over and over again
I feel silly asking, but what does NHS stand for? It’s not something I’m familiar with.
Julie said,
September 20, 2006 at 10:30 pm
National Health Service, perhaps I should put up a glossary of terms.
Thanks for calling by, and for linking me
NHS Manager said,
September 21, 2006 at 9:25 pm
I can’t link this to the problems associated with care in the community either.
Last year 17m people went to A&E, the year before it was 2m less and the year bfore that a further 1m less. So, either people are having more injuries/getting sicker or people are using these services because they are easy to access. That doesn’t mean that they need A&E, and there is evidence that a HUGE number of people don’t.
So, put something else in place and save money by closing something which is OTT for the needs of the population…?
Julie said,
September 21, 2006 at 9:54 pm
That is my thought. A few months ago I had cause to sit in A&E for an hour or 2 as a patient. I needed an xray, and it would have been great to get that done at a local enhanced surgery. Most of the people around me were there because it was easier than seeing their GP and must mean that the staff cannot concentrate on those patients who really need treating.