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the NHS

Just reading about a doctor who raised concerns over the standard of care in the clinic that was part responsible for the death of baby p. This case brings tears to my eyes the more I read about it, I try not to, but when I see it mentioned in the paper I can't help but read it.

This doctor had raised concerns about the standard of care at the clinic that failed to spot he had a broken back and sent him home. How can you fail to spot a broken back?

She was suspended for raising the concerns. This was before peter was dismissed as a crying baby, poor kid, no doubt in agony. How can the NHS not accept some blame and feel compliant after so many mistakes have been identified?
Scum killed him and NHS protected incompetents allowed him to die.

The NHS is broke.

Rant over RIP Peter Connelly.

Comments

  • Very distressing.

    When I worked at the BMA 10 years ago, there was an arrangement where staff were protected from vindictive management over this type of thing.

    I think it was called the whistleblowers charter, or something like that. This was to protect staff, fwhatever happened to that!

    Until there is a open reporting system of this type of abuse and incompetence, wether it be in the NHS, armed forces or police nothing is really going to change.

    Organisations will in many cases act on a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, and in the case of the vunerable the crime is indefensable.

    You almost shudder at what is covered up, hidden, 'bought off' in most instututions.

    I have always taken the view that until you know what is wrong, you really cannot put right the situation occuring again, and those in public service owe a duty to society to speak up.

    Of course easier said than done when you livelyhood is in danger.

    Feel very sorry for all the hard working doctors and nurses and staff of the NHS whose job is made even more difficult as a result of this type of tragic situation.

    Those covering it up are as guilty as the vile individuals carrying out the act.
  • When I say the NHS is broke, I mean they are morally bankrupt. They spend more than any other part of govt but god forbid that anyone within should question their sainted status. Something is not right and they need external review.
  • Totally agree Ken, my sister works for a child protection org in new cross and can't believe the abuse that is brushed under the carpet. Why is this allowed to happen. As you say, her job would be at risk if she raised her concerns. What about the poor defenceless kids, shouldnt they be the first priority rather than a social worker or clinicians career.

    Time the NHS was made publicly accountable. No more cover ups. Every time I look at the little tykes face where he reaches for the camera I get angry that he was allowed to be murdered.
  • Totally agree Ken, my sister works for a child protection org in new cross and can't believe the abuse that is brushed under the carpet. Why is this allowed to happen. As you say, her job would be at risk if she raised her concerns. What about the poor defenceless kids, shouldnt they be the first priority rather than a social worker or clinicians career.

    Time the NHS was made publicly accountable. No more cover ups. Every time I look at the little tykes face where he reaches for the camera I get angry that he was allowed to be murdered.
  • although i think i understand your sentiments and i echo parts of them..


    the NHS is not morally bankrupt it just has defective parts of it like the rest of society


    As a whole the NHS is a wonderful thing that does more good than bad for millions of us daily,

    the real tragedy in the case is that a child had to die to highlight deficencies throughout the social system from parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, neighbours, social services, medical practioners all failed this poor defenseless child and so many should hang their heads in shame.

    anyone who tried to cover up such things should be arrested and jailed those responsible should be looking at a longer prison term, the close family will have to look in the mirror and face their own demons.
  • Thanks NLA, conveys my feelings much better than my angry state could.

    As much as America gets wrong, one thing it gets right is the law around culpability or cause of death. They send people to jail for long sentences for both industrial and medical negligence, we don't. Why do we allow failing doctors and clinics to carry on regardless of what has happened, without any regard for their negligence.
  • edited September 2010
    If I make a mistake in my job, the worst that happens is I say sorry, clear my throat and sing again! When I read about witch hunts (some justified, some not) I feel lucky that I'm not an overworked doctor, nurse or social worker who is expected to be perfect in a health service which is enormous, complex, underfunded and quite wonderful!
  • The whole sickening case of Baby P is just too distressing to contemplate, but it does raise serious questions yet again. In my whole life of working within the health service, I have seen brilliance, dedication and enormous amounts of hard work. But it has always been marred by a very small number of incompetent and dangerous doctors that the NHS has no effective mechanism to deal with. In general, the incompetent doctors are simply and quietly moved on so that the trouble occurs on someone elses patch. When even the NHS won't employ them, they move to Harley Street. Hospital operating theatre staff knew all about a certain surgeon - Mr. Rodney Ledward. He boasted of being the fastest gynaecologist in the South East, the anaesthestists knew he was bungling operations and killing people but somehow he was allowed to continue. Doctors don't like causing trouble for other doctors and nursing staff are scared of getting into trouble. You learn very early on that if you stir things up then you are finished. What is needed, and has always been needed, is a separate national department where staff can safely report problems that they have witnessed and feel safe from comebacks from their employer. Mr. Rodney Ledward would have been flagged up very much earlier. There is the view that lowly nursing staff are not fit to pass judgement on a doctor and this notion continues to this day. Yet it is the nursing staff who see how all the doctors conduct themselves and they are very much aware when they see shortcomings. I hope it may yet change, but I'm not holding my breath.
  • Some very valid points stilladdicted, I do remember the Nurse who was sacked for working on the Panorama programme talking about violence to old people and poor conditions in hospital.

    Not sure she is even a nurse now, she went undercover and they expossed terrible treatment to elderly patients.

    Instead of seeing this as poor management, bad work paractice, and assault, you get the nonsense that she breaked 'patient practice' rules.......

    As I stated before, you need an independent body that policies organistions like the NHS, Police, and such organisations. No good having a gentlemen's club of self regulation, just look at the banking/financial industry to see how there rules screwed up.

    As the Panorama programme last night claimed there are many people working in the NHS earning a very good salary, but most are not!.

    If you do not have a transparent, regulated profession, you get Harold Shipman, and the doctor above. Not sure that the GMC is the most robust organisation to do this as well.Most cases seem to be dealt with on very complex legal arguments.
    Rule one must be did the person act in the best interests of the patient, and deliver, efficient, long term relief to the patient. They also need to discuss with the patient or next of kin, the diagnosis where possible, and the alternative's. so the patient is informed.
  • as in anything the actions of a few cause problems for so many
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  • [quote][cite]Posted By: Steve Dowman[/cite]Thanks NLA, conveys my feelings much better than my angry state could.

    As much as America gets wrong, one thing it gets right is the law around culpability or cause of death. They send people to jail for long sentences for both industrial and medical negligence, we don't. Why do we allow failing doctors and clinics to carry on regardless of what has happened, without any regard for their negligence.[/quote]

    The problems is s**t always flows downwards.

    I know of stories where Ambulance crews have seen a patient, and taken them to Hospital where the patient has been seen by a doctor and then sent home.

    Several days later, the patient dies.

    Who is blamed? Yeap the Ambulance crew who gets sacked even though they did the correct thing and taken them to Hospital. The Doctor always gets away with it because its an old boy network. If you can pass the buck, then do it!
  • Having a very close family member needing more or less constant care it has opened my eyes to what a fantastic and thankless job many of the carers do. Really humbling, when you think about it.

    Yes the popular press will try and whip up a bit of a witch hunt, and yes - obviously errors get made and some people are incompetent. But on the whole I think more of the share of the blame for the problems in the NHS sits with the public that use it than the people working it or the various governments that are trying to organise it.

    Every time I go to my surgery or A and E (very rarely) there's a host of timewasters dicking around. More time wasters = less time for proper patients = stress + mistakes.

    Then there's the sue-ers. People who take an action for financial gain. Yes if you suffer a loss that money can fix then it goes without saying that you should be more than adequately compensated for it, but people trying to get money for tragedy are working against the good of all. On an obvious level, you take a pound out the system and it's not being used on care. But the real effect is far more deep. Care patterns are being changed and made less efficient and effective because everyone is pissing around trying to make sure that they don't get sued rather than concentrating on the job. Management time that could be better spent improving systems is spent fighting litigation.

    Really boils my piss.
  • [quote][cite]Posted By: Mortimerician[/cite]
    Every time I go to my surgery or A and E (very rarely) there's a host of timewasters dicking around. More time wasters = less time for proper patients = stress + mistakes.
    [/quote]

    Now that the target of being seen within 4 hours is being done away with, you should see fewer timewasters in Hospitals.

    Many people who go to A&E only go because they know they will be seen quicker than at the GP surgery. Once they know they might have to wait 8 or 9 hours they won't be so keen to hang around!
  • Excellent post Morts. My wife works in Social Services and it is often a similar story there - they're often understaffed and overloaded with cases - sopme massively deserving and in need, others basically on the make for anything they can get in the way of public funded assistance. These people only exacerbate problems with too much work for too few staff, but are also often the ones who are best clued up up on the system and know exactly what they might be able to get and shout loudest for it. Many of the most deserving and needy cases my wife has encountered are the ones that have struggled by for years, almost totally oblivious that there may be any sort of government assistance available to them - be it financial or personal. These people can often prove to be massively grateful for just tiniest intervention, such as 1 weeks resbite care to allow a disabled person's carer (usually wife/husband/brother/mother etc) to have a small rest from what is otherwise a 24/7 job. The aforementioned type though will just belly ache whatever care/support they get because they always think they have it tougher than anyone else and are owed something by the rest of us.
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