Motorists, Equity & Unity Party
Opinion Column Archives
No. 30 The Problems & Solution to our ailing National Health Service
There was, at one time, a system whereby the Student and Pupil nurses spent some time in classes and some time on the wards (apprenticeship ?). The powers that be decided that it would be preferable to give the instruction University status and that trainees should not be used for staffing the wards. (i.e. work in tandem with Staff Nurses, without taking any individual responsibility for tasks)
This has inevitably led to the slow drain on resources and, instead of the abundance of students on the wards recourse has had to be made for the use of Agency Nurses to fill the gap in staffing. The fact that employment of Agency Nurses increases costs is really irrelevant. Had we not gone down the road of separating tuition from ward duties the situation would not have arisen.
The reduction in hours of hospital doctors cannot be challenged since it is patently obvious that mistakes could easily be made through extreme tiredness when dealing with patients, particularly emergency admissions where wrong diagnosis could be made.
The increased cost of drugs can be limited to some extent by the use of generic substitutes but, inevitably the choices are limited in this regard.
The nursing position can be reversed, and the original training method with induction courses combined with working on the wards and day release/education blocks would offer an instant panacea, not only for the cost of staffing the wards, but also the reduction in pressure upon staff nurses that are increasingly being stretched, sometimes having to help out on neighbouring wards because of staff shortages. This situation cannot be allowed to continue. The sooner that the Health Trusts and nursing representatives accept the present arrangements as untenable the sooner we can stop the rot, i.e. the reduction of Accident & Emergency Services, Maternity services et al.
The one thing we don’t need in the UK is an American style health care system which discriminates between rich and poor. To see the problems that are being created under the present Labour government makes one wonder how Tony Blair ever became leader of a socialist party !
This has inevitably led to the slow drain on resources and, instead of the abundance of students on the wards recourse has had to be made for the use of Agency Nurses to fill the gap in staffing. The fact that employment of Agency Nurses increases costs is really irrelevant. Had we not gone down the road of separating tuition from ward duties the situation would not have arisen.
The reduction in hours of hospital doctors cannot be challenged since it is patently obvious that mistakes could easily be made through extreme tiredness when dealing with patients, particularly emergency admissions where wrong diagnosis could be made.
The increased cost of drugs can be limited to some extent by the use of generic substitutes but, inevitably the choices are limited in this regard.
The nursing position can be reversed, and the original training method with induction courses combined with working on the wards and day release/education blocks would offer an instant panacea, not only for the cost of staffing the wards, but also the reduction in pressure upon staff nurses that are increasingly being stretched, sometimes having to help out on neighbouring wards because of staff shortages. This situation cannot be allowed to continue. The sooner that the Health Trusts and nursing representatives accept the present arrangements as untenable the sooner we can stop the rot, i.e. the reduction of Accident & Emergency Services, Maternity services et al.
The one thing we don’t need in the UK is an American style health care system which discriminates between rich and poor. To see the problems that are being created under the present Labour government makes one wonder how Tony Blair ever became leader of a socialist party !
Peter Sayers, secretary M.E. & U. Party (retired RMN)
Wednesday, 7th February 2007
Wednesday, 7th February 2007
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