UK (lack of) health care

Having been admitted to hospital for something potentially extremely serious the patient found themself discharged with a bottle of opioids and a letter to their GP saying that the patient needs an MRI scan but they (the hospital) can't afford to do it?

The GP practice is unwilling to send their patient for a scan, the reason being (I assume) purely financial in that the less they spend on referrals means more money in the pot for them to share and puts them in line for an additional bonus in the shape of incentive payments for reducing the practice's referral rates. All part of yet another NHS 'cost reduction' programme which puts patient health in danger.

The General Medical Council's (GMC) says that doctors must not accept any 'inducement, gift or hospitality' that influences or affects the way a doctor treats or refers patients and yet surely what we have in the case above is exactly that?

As a dog collar one of the most important parts of my role (up there with making Jesus known) is the pastoral care of those around me and this means that I am commissioned and commanded to 'fight the good fight' against each and every foe before me in whatever legal and morally correct form is appropriate to bring about what is right and good.

I'd be grateful for experiences (be careful regarding libel and the like) and other things which might inform and aid me in the strife before me.

I'd be grateful for prayer for the person this sad tale relates to and for her family and for wisdom for me as I seek to make a difference and be an agent for good.

Thanks

SaveSave

Welfare State and the impotent

I'm currently struggling with (that means 'for') someone who having been hospitalised for over six week now finds themselves in the situation where benefits have ceased and every day means that they are clocking up debt because certain things will not be paid.

Now this is not (as some kind and cheery soul implied) 'another one of the long-term scroungers' but an honest person who through a combination of things (none of them of their own making) find themselves in a position where work is never really going to be an option. The biggest area of concern probably resides in the 'spare room' tax area and this is the last coin in the paper boat of life that sinks it!

Today I have been hearing about the 'two year' rule, that piece of thinking that is designed to give people who have been out of the workplace for two years or more some experience, getting them to do 'community service'. The first problem is that for most 'community service' is what is doled out (excuse the unintended pun) to those who have fallen foul of the law; for community service is a punishment. Thus it would seem that the answer to the question: 'What's in a name?' has to be (as ever) lots!

I will have to admit that I'm confused by the 'No to work' position as it appeared weak and unfocussed but I am also confused by the, 'They should be sent out to sweep the streets for nothing or pick up leave,' brigade - for it sounds good but what of those who are employed to clean streets and manage our parklands, wouldn't that merely make them unemployed too?

The quick, or vote-winning, response is rarely either and, according to the National Audit Office (NAO), the new 'Universal Credit' does no one any credit and costs the taxpayer dearly. Whilst I applaud the harmonising of information systems such that there is but one, as a former IT person I can see this is a route fraught with difficulties and one that is destined to be what my Mum used to refer to as a 'lazy man's load' (meaning you work hard to ensure that there's little to do at some stage - problem is the easy part is rarely ever reached).

Being in an estate church / urban priority area I see many who are struggling more than they used to. Some are in debt because benefits that were payed directly to the right body are now paid to the claimant who has to pass them on - and some are poor at managing their finances to the extent that they don't have it to pass on because of other needs (food, children's clothing and the like). These are not the people the Daily Fascist and other rags would have us believe spend it all on booze, fags and drugs but are merely decent and honest people who for a multitude of reasons (circumstance, education, health and folly) are struggling. Jobs are difficult to come by and skill sets are changing (would you like to make that a large?) and we are struggling to maintain our welfare state and the health service, education and so many other areas we (especially the middle class we) assume are doing the job.

So a plea:

Please find out what's happening where you live and make sure that you and those you know are engaged and understanding the realities, the needs and the excesses that are occurring across the board. I don't care about party politics but I do care that people are afforded the respect and the support that is right and properly theirs through our social, health and welfare system.

Please look to see how you can become engaged in supporting those who have needs through drop-ins, FoodBank, mental health care, old age clubs and the like.

Where you see a need - meet it.

Where you see a wrong - right it.

Where you see poor practice and wrong policies - campaign and act against them.

And pray - for prayer is effective and vitally important

And as you do, remember that prayer without works is impotent and not what, or who, we are called to be.

Aren't you Vicars supposed to just do religion?

That was yesterday's challenging question!

As we discussed the issue of Syria and the options open to this government as part of a proper response this little gem appeared. Dialogue continued and another question appeared, this one asking, 'Why we had to do anything at all?' And that question, for me at least, answered the first question rather nicely.

You see the reality is that we are not supposed to just 'do' religion but are called to live out our faith and turn it into something that not only changes us but those around us and beyond. In my big black book I find many passages that inform and enable; many bits that challenge me to change who or what I am and to get down and not only make a difference but 'be' the difference!

In chapter two of the book of James (vv.14-17) we find this:
'What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?
Can such faith save them?
Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.'

The idea that we Vicars are just 'supposed to do religion' is as ludicrous as having the view that a chef's calling is 'just cooking' or an artist's role is 'daubing'! There's no point creating culinary delights if no one eats them, and in the eating engages with others and builds relationships and is changed. Art done and locked away is dead art - for it is in the seeing and being touched by it, the being moved and changed by it, that the real value of the art is made real.

Religion is a sterile, limited and dreadful thing: It serves only to condemn sinners for breaking regulations, rules and restrictions that no one could keep on their own, or in their own strength. It puts on services and nods at God but goes no further. It offers much as a philosophy or set of beliefs but like culinary delights uneaten or or art unseen, the potential only becomes realised when it is taken into ourselves and allowed to change us.

My role is to open the eyes and hearts of others to the possibilities that God makes available and to help those who can see it make that real. This is part of what we are seeing in fine detail at the moment with Syria but it was there in the needs of the mentally ill, the long-term sick, the jobless, the homeless, the (far too many) NEETs*, the addicted and many other categories of concern that exist in our communities and outside our own doors.

The needs are great and yet in a society which sets the standards that enable the police to police by consent we have the opportunity to define and maintain what is to be considered 'right'. In a society that was once the envy of the world with its National Health Service, welfare system and Legal Aid, we have to realise that we get what we permit the governments (National, County and local) to give us.

But where there are needs, religion that is faith acts to meet them.

Where there are wrongs, religion that is faith seeks to right them.

 Where there is sorrow, pain and death, religion seeks to bring love, comfort and healing.

Just do religion? How very dare they suggest that - I deal in change not decay (what about you?)


*Not in Education, Employment or Training - the 16-18 year olds who are merely 'lost'!

But one bungler destroys much good.

Today as I read the passages set for the daily office's morning prayer I was challenged by some words from Ecclesiastes chapter nine:

'Wisdom is better than weapons of war,  but one bungler destroys much good.'

Ironically I turned on the radio to hear that the Secretary of State for Education was making an(other?) 'embarrassing turnaround' over his plans for a British baccalaureate. It seems that once again the man with his hands on the future of our children's education (and therefore it follows, their futures) has once again been a bit of a bungler.

No sooner had this news passed that we turned to a report on a Mid-Staffordshire NHS trust by Robert Francis QC. The report explained how nurses were being investigated and how some would find their careers ended - and having read the abstracts I sure this is right) and yet throughout the report not one person pointed the finger of guilt at those who managed the place and surely set the condition by which patients and their families were so sorely treated. It seems that at the root of the problem is a multitude of bunglers - and despite the NHS featuring large in the Olympic celebrations as a jewel in the crown of our nation - many bunglers are destroying that which is good!

When I worked in industry we used to refer to people being promoted to the level of their incompetence - the greater the bungler the higher they went until they were placed somewhere where their incompetence was minimised (and conversely their salaries maximised).

Reading complaints of the Staffs debacle it appears that many of those running our hospitals, rather than be censured, have been rewarded - how on earth can this be justified or defended?

The ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory is to be found in many places and sectors - the politician and NHS executives whilst being the creme de la creme of bungling are not isolated places - so when you see bunglers - bin them!

And of course this goes for Church too - let's hope the new ABC is up for the task as we seek to bring an orthodox, effective and inclusive church to the fore - A church that will criticise those who abuse the system (Well done for the banking comments Boss!), who oppress the poor, who seek to legitimise injustice and to reward the bunglers.

Pax

£1m on Abortion Clinic checks

I see shadow health secretary, Andy Burnham, is accusing health secretary, Andrew Lansley, of 'acting 'disproportionaely'' after the BBC put a freedom of information request revealed a cost of some £1m and a 'distraction' from its normal duties (and therefore a potential failing of required targets and challenge to funding) for the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Mr Burnham appears to be claiming that this was little more than a cynical attempt on Lansley's part to garner some sort of positive press after such a tough time with his NHS reforms and labels his action against abortion clinics as 'disproportionate'.

Now call me naive but when a minister is approached with information that some (or many) of the abortion clinics were failing to observe the law regarding their services then I would hope that the minister involved would take steps to evaluate and remedy this. Lansley has apparently done the right thing and it is surely made more right by the fact that breaches were found.

Mind you, not trying to be mean-spirited here but who was surprised to find that doctors were 'pre-signing' the paperwork required for approval of an abortion (a blank cheque against in vitro life) and that women were procuring abortion on the grounds of its sex. Next thing you know we'll find some have abortions to ensure that they can maintain financial lifestyles or even go on holiday!!

So, in my book it Lansley 1 - Burnham 0

Of course we have to see what the GMC does about any breaches in practice by the doctors who have been reported to them. I'd suggest that those of you out there who are pro-life don't hold their breaths.

And for those who are pro-choice, it's just an inconvenience that it has been made public I guess.

And the road to the cross is tainted by the legacy of David Steel (the Church of Scotland who advised him) and his 1967 Act. So how many less 'damaged' and 'non-viable' babies are there I wonder (rhetorical - answer is 'none' as the majority of the Act's legacy appears to be all about finance, social engineering and post-coital contraception.

A sad reflection upon our society and its values methinks.

Pax

Breast Implants, Pakistan, Iran and Education

Midweek communion over it is time to start writing stuff and getting services sorted and as I do the news starts to descend into April the First mode again.

We have the Harley Medical Group in the form of Chairman Mel Braham saying that they wouldn't be removing or replacing any of the c. 14,000 breast implants without charging for the privilege. Mel takes what he probably considers a high moral stand and which I consider to be highly imoral as he witters on about the responsibility being with those who approved them (MHRA, NICE & NHS then I assume) and that they have no liability.

So the good old taxpayer will be footing the bill to remove the faulty products! Mind you if I understood the news item correctly the NHS won't be fitting new implants because they don't do cosmetic surgery (well not that sort!) not even if Harley provided the replacements. I would imaging the best course of action would be to resolve the problem and then remove all and any licence from those companies who took the cash and ignored their own liability and the customer services indicative that these faulty implants provide.

For some time now part of my answer to why is Britain involved in Afghanistan has included an area that stated that once we weren't involved in the region the potential for Pakistan ceasing to be the nation state that it is would diminish greatly. Seems that alongside those who have sought to bring about the fracturing of the nation by terrorism and other nefarious means from within and without we now have the presence of the Pakistani forces to consider as well The 'Memogate' saga and the apparently split loyalties of those in Pakistan's political and military life are also conspiring to make the continuation of a secure and stable nation state of Pakistan something of a diminishing hope!

Moving on the news of the murder of Iranian nuclear expert, Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, who worked at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, by means of a magnetic explosive device which a passing motorcyclist fitted to the man's vehicle. I don't know what's more bizarre, the fact that this wasn't the first of the nuclear experts to be killed or that the authorities felt that whilst it looked like Mossad it could equally have be laid at the CIA's door. This statement came without any hint of surprise or comment. It was just one of those, "That's how it is!' statements. Still, only a short trip from Iraq to Iran if someone is really stupid enough to pick up the gauntlet!

And as the news wound down we find Education Minister, Michael Gove, being all surprised that ICT is a waste of time, money and effort and have him telling us how these boring and pointless lessons will be replaced by something more effective and attractive. My question is where's he going to find the money. AHA, he's not - our kids are going to be taught by Microsoft and Google!

What is going on today? Perhaps God is trying to get us praying (or satan is hoping we'll despair and give up?)

PAx