With respect to public consultation, we have tried to put the problem of our
MIU in a small hospital 18 miles from the base DGH to the local health forum.
The Problem:
MIU staffed by a solo NP after 5pm.
Medical admissions to wards without lab back-up and no anaesthesia on site.
Monthly problems with airway failure on the wards and MIU.
Because of medical admissions, Ambulances delivering medically sick patients
to the MIU with slow medical back-up from the wards.
Several Coroners reports about the lack of back up in MIU and a CHI report saying
it is unsafe plus several reports to the Governance Commitee re risks from yours
truly.
Result: Under no circumstances will the MIU be closed at night and we wont pay
more.
Added problem: having trouble retaining NP's who feel unsupported and underprotected
at night and now a shortage of applicants! And who can blame them?
It seems no one can shroud wave as well as local politicians!
Andy Volans
The government could improve every level of hospital medicine, not by
>> increasing
>> NHS funding, but by increasing the level of funding for Rest Homes, Nursing
>> Homes, Home Help etc, but I guess it's just not as sexy.
>
>In reference to this and the Maryland experiment mentioned, does anyone know
>what the votes in Oregon were when they tried similar medical spending
>referenda?
>
>My impression is that as the public demands a more direct voice on how
>government acts (heath spending, MMR vaccination etc), then there will be a
>learning curve for the public.
>
>They will initially make a lot of stereotypical 'mistakes' such putting more
>money into A&E and less into care homes, or offering triple vaccines instead
>of MMR. It will take them a while to realise these choices don't work, if
>they learn this at all. It will also be a learning curve to realise that
>the 'safety harness' of paternalism has been removed, and that if they
>choose to increase mortality rates with their choices, no-one will
>physically stop them.
>
>The public is perhaps a bit like the Opposition in Parliament. They can say
>what feels good because they don't have to suffer the consequences of
>actually doing the things they are saying.
>
>Do people think:
>(1) that the public should be able to decided on such issues?
>(2) that things will initially get worse or better, when the public have a
>greater say?
>(3) that the public will develop better risk/causality assessment skills if
>they are actually making the decisions?
>
>
>
>Robbie Coull
>
>email: [log in to unmask] website: http://www.coull.net
>
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