I stand by my comments-this is a debating list after all. Regarding
Steve Meeks comments, I did not name individuals. I can't stand for
election as I don't hold a consultant post yet (currently
researching), but having voted people in I like to keep an eye on what
they are up to-thats life. I agree that the current leadership is
excellent and has in the past responded well to media items but my
criticism was aimed at the response to this particular document-that's
all. When all the media dust has settled, the report is still there
(and will be used as evidence by managers) and I do not agree that it
backs us up sufficiently-it is full of raising queries about how we
are doing things ( e.g thrombolysis) without fully acknowledging the
problems we face and I think that it is unfair and selective. To all
on the list, please read the report in detail and see what you think.
I do not think that I am unreasonable in suggesting that a strong
rebuttal of some of the audit commission's conclusions (particularly
over lack of cubicles/space not being a major problem) would have been
helpful-even on the press release. The audit commission keeps a close
eye on A&E services and will no doubt be visiting again soon.

Finally, I do believe that all aspects of emergency care (from
treatment to politics) are suitable for debate on the list especially
given the wide audience and that there should be no sacred cows-there
have been some excellent debates as a result of this. I'm pleased
that others have put up their views and enlightened us on what I said
even if they didn't agree. Moving on to shoulder reduction...

Francis Andrews







--------------- reply ----------------
> I have discussed with John Heyworth comments on recent list
discussions and
> have agreed that his views should be posted. I think it is helpful.
By the
> way I would like to add that last Wednesday on the day the Audit
Commission
> report was announced I ran into John in Oxford where he was meeting
with
> regional A&E consultants. As many of you are aware he has been
travelling
> around the country collecting the opinions of A&E consultants so
that the
> specialty can be best represented by member's opinions.
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
------
> ----------
>
> One of the certainties of office is being a target for criticism,
perhaps
> not entirely justified on this occasion, although I understand
colleagues'
> concerns.
>
> The media function in an interesting and unpredictable way. Just a
few
> weeks ago, the Association and specialty achieved an extremely high
profile
> regarding trolley waits.
>
> In advance of the release of the Audit Commission report, a brief
press
> release was prepared indicating that I would be available for
interview to
> present the specialty view. I was subsequently contacted by BBC
News,
> Newsnight and Channel 4, amongst others.
>
> Following initial discussions, however, two clear facts emerged.
>
> i. Without exception, the news organisations were interested in
visiting
> departments in London, the area identified in the report as being
the most
> problematic.
>
> ii. The media perception was that the report was critical of
hospital
> management and the Government in particular, rather than Emergency
> Departments per se.
>
> I think the Audit Commission report should be kept in perspective.
Overall,
> it supported independently our case that there are significant
problems in
> our departments which are multi-factorial in nature and need to be
urgently
> addressed. Interestingly, it may not have been an entire coincidence
that
> the Audit Commission report was released on the same day as the
Government
> publication "Reforming Emergency Care" which contains many promising
> recommendations to support the development of our specialty.
>
> The launch of the Reforming Emergency Care document was relatively
low key
> and, indeed, the representatives of the media with whom I spoke were
not
> aware of its existence! If colleagues have not yet had an
opportunity to
> review the document, it should be available at the DoH website -
> www.doh.gov.uk/capacityplanning. The next step is for the specialty
to be
> actively involved with the central Emergency Care Implementation
Group.
>
> acad-ae-med is a valuable forum for comment and debate. If and when
issues
> arise of concern to colleagues, then I am always available by e-mail
or
> phone (023 8079 4121) to discuss the Association position. This
should
> ensure that discussion at acad-ae-med is informed and constructive.
>
> Best wishes.
>
> John Heyworth
> President BAEM
>
>
>
>
> Dr John Ryan
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Andrew G Hobart <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, October 26, 2001 03:20
> Subject: Re: audit commission report
>
>
> > Re Media Response
> >
> > It's all a question of timing.
> > The media get an embargoed copy of reports like this the day
before - or
> > at least an embargoed press release or briefing.
> > They go to press that night or run it during the day depending on
the
> > timing of the embargo.
> > To be in time to be picked up by the media any comments from BAEM/
FAEM
> > need to be out while the journalists are writing their pieces not
in
> > response to them.
> >
> > I checked the BAEM website for press releases severl times during
the day
> > yesterday and as far as I could tell the press release only went
up late
> > in the evening by which time the story had run and was effectively
over.
> >
> > The BBC quoted Peter Hawker from the BMA not because he knows
anything
> > about A&E but because the BMA had a press release out before
lunchtime
> > yesterday.
> >
> > Later in the day several TV news programs ran pieces including
interviews
> > with A&E Consultants. I saw Annie Maginnis and someone from one
the of
> > the many London Hospitals with Middlesex in its title. Both came
accross
> > very well and helped our cause.
> >
> > But like Francis I would have liked to see John Heyworth or Ian
Anderson
> > being interviewed and rebutting the suggestion that it is all our
fault
> > because we have 10% more doctors than a few years ago and still
waits are
> > longer.
> >
> > My suggestions -
> >
> > Next time there is something big related to A&E don't write the
press
> > release by committee. Look at how the BMA constructs its press
releases.
> > Use the same format - it works. Get the press secretary to write
it and
> > the president to clear it. If they make a cock-up we can vote
them out
> > but in the meantime they must have the authority to act alone.
> >
> > Learn to cold call the key media people.
> > That means ring BBC health correspondents, ITN, Channel 4 etc.
Ring the
> > Health correspondents of the Broadsheets.
> >
> > These people know their stuff and they like to be phoned by people
with
> > something to say. A quote from a BAEM or FAEM spokesman is likely
to be
> > used if they git it in time.
> >
> > Francis says that "it was left to the opposition spokesman on
health to
> > fight our corner". The politicians are briefed by those who bother
to
> > contact them. Both Liam Fox and Evan Harris are receptive to
detailed
> > technical background information.
> > When did BAEM last meet with either?
> >
> > Andrew Hobart
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Francis Andrews wrote:
> >
> > > The list seems to have ben silent regarding the publication of
the
> > > latest audit commission report on A&E so here goes.
> > >
> > > Yet again, there seems to have been an absence of anyone
'influential'
> > > from the A&E world defending our speciality in the media against
some
> > > of the inaccuracies of the audit commission report. I listened
to BBC
> > > radio 4 on the morning of the report publication and it was left
to
> > > the opposition spokesman on health to fight our corner and state
that
> > > departments were under pressure because there just simply are
not
> > > enough beds in the rest of the hospital, which jams up
departments. In
> > > other news bulletins on the TV and on the web, I didn't see any
one
> > > from BAEM or a senior (A&E, not gen. medicine) consultant etc
being
> > > interviewed. The Andrew Foster from the audit commission told
radio 4
> > > that really, it was poor 'micro' management that was at fault, I
think
> > > implying the departments themselves-this is echoed throughout in
the
> > > report. Buried away in the report is the odd admission that
actually
> > > if all the cubicles in A&E are full, then it is very diifficult
to
> > > assess new patients. The report feels that this is only a
problem
> > > occaisionally-more like everyday in most departments surely.
> > >
> > > The press statement on the BAEM website is watery and I think
that yet
> > > again, a major opportunity to publicly fight our corner from
within
> > > the speciality has been lost. Those in infuence within the
speciality
> > > must have known that this report was coming out and a vigorous
and
> > > very public defence should have been mounted. If this wasn't
thought
> > > to be necessary given the report's highly critical main
findings, then
> > > perhaps the report is right and we as a speciality just cannot
get our
> > > act together, whether thrombolysing the right patients or
organising
> > > staffing. Any one else feel mounting despair out there?
> > >
> > > Francis Andrews FFAEM
> > > Liverpool
> >
> >
>
Francis Andrews FFAEM
Lecturer in Intensive Care Medicine
Department of Medicine
University of Liverpool
Daulby St
L693GA