--- Rocky <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >
Danny, Danny, Danny!!!!
> Time for the Prozac, me old mate.
> BUT
> I agree with you about the politicians.  The era you
> correctly identify as
> the start of most of our problems was in the 1980's
> and we all know who was
> PM then - Margaret Thatcher - the woman who,
> single-handedly, changed our
> society for ever and for the worse.  She brought in
> the blame culture as
> well as the "it's not my fault" culture, the "I'm
> all right" culture and the
> I don't give a damn about anyone else but me"
> culture.  She was the one who
> brought in Lord Sainsbury and who encouraged the
> spread of private medicine
> while, at the same time, taking 3% "efficiency
> savings" per annum from every
> good hospital in the country.  During her time,
> spending on managers in the
> Health Service went from £200 million to £2 billion
> per annum and the amount
> spent on useless IT increased by an even bigger
> factor.  So, you're right
> about them (and Milburn is little better, if any). 
> They are a bunch of
> self-seeking arseholes -  sorry, that's an insult;
> arseholes are, after all,
> useful things!!
> But it would be unfair to lump everyone else into
> the same pot.  There are
> people out there doing their best to improve things
> and there are still
> consultants (yes, and even some managers) knocking
> their pans in to try and
> help us docs make life and death better for our
> patients.  We must not blame
> them all for the fact that it will take at least 20
> years of proper funding
> and sensible planning to undo all the bad that's
> happened in the last twenty
> years.  The trouble is that there's not much sign of
> sensible planning yet.
> Anyway, keep the old chin up: have a Merry Christmas
> and a very Happy New
> Year.  Five years to go (for me)
> Cheers,
> 
> Rocky.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Danny McGeehan" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 8:52 AM
> Subject: Re: Trick or treat
> 
> 
> > You have hit the nail on the head Rowley.  I am
> outspoken but consistent
> in my views.  I have a loathing of politicians but
> even more than them I
> can't stand the sycophants in medicine and even our
> speciality who suck up
> to them.
> >
> > The NHS was a good institution until the
> Politicians got involved.  Up
> until about 15 years ago it was sacrosanct, and
> people left it alone and it
> was strictly apolitical.  It ran smoothly and
> efficiently.  The nurses,
> ambulance service and docs just got on and did the
> job.  I can't recollect
> any major problems.
> >
> > All the major cock ups are due to massive change
> and reforms.  Dr Shipman
> got away with it so long because of the GP fund
> holder status and the
> reorganisation.  Ideal for him one man band and
> strictly unaccountable.
> >
> > Bristol, Opt out, short of money so they clobber
> the Surgeons and the
> Medical Director.
> >
> > Now it is in the political agenda the
> administrators (not management,
> managers should only be in supermarkets and not
> hospitals) has expanded
> expotentially.
> >
> > When you get to my age you have seen them all come
> and go.  Every time
> there is a change of the regime they change their
> so-called advisors czars
> call them what you will.
> >
> > I can only say that since this lot have come in
> there are more papaer
> shufflers and form fillers.  Modern hospital
> administrators only stay in
> post for 2 to 3 years, make no decisions.  Make
> enough money to buy the BMW
> and then move on.  Strictly controlled by central
> govt and can't say boo to
> a mouse.
> >
> > So can we get back to the fact that the important
> people on this list are
> health care professionals.  We are the vital members
> of the system.  Not the
> Politicians who come and go and get where they are
> by sycophancy and
> crawling and creeping and unfortunately a few
> members of our profession are
> trying to emulate them.
> >
> > Best wishes and a happy Xmas
> >
> > Danny McGeehan
> >
> > Management is  essential to make any organisation
work. It requires talent, skill and hard work. My
part-time experience in the military has shown me the
best and the quite good. The most important art in
management is getting the 'operatives' to serve the
purposes of the organisation.

We do this with our juniors and are well aware how
much energy and diplomacy is required.

I have seen senior NHS managers charm and persuade
colleagues into paroxysms of activity. These are a
minority. Others however take the same approach to
adversity as did Adolph in 1945, ordering others
-"stand fast, no retreat, no surrender". That's
effectively the limit of what they do. Hitler at least
could paint.

As our hospitals and our activities get more complex
the need for managers gets greater not less. What we
see is an army of NHS civil servants bearing the title
of 'manager'. Some of them deserve it (especially here
of course).

Yours sycophantically,

Alan

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