Monday, July 12, 2010

Franchise......

Under the Lansley plans this should be dead and buried by now.....it is a project that has NOT been signed off, so is dead in water under the Laansley announcements in May 2010.

I guess they have to let due process take it's course and the 3 provider to 1 provider choice has been postponed from September 2010 to February 2011......
This means that it WILL not start from April 2011 but I would think that by then the last bidder will have withdrawn from the process....
The SHA dies from 31 March 2012, so if any Franchise is put into place to begin 1st April 2012 (due to delays) then WHO will police this..... No One.......

The best way forward is to scrap the process NOW, and when the SHA/PCT are sorted any balance can pay off the Historic debt that was induced by these 2 bodies in the 1st place......what goes around....comes around....
PCT's....... You Die Today



The SHA's are dead, Now (Thankfully) the PCT's die from today......

I can see the idea of a GP link with local hospital's and surgeons, but can the GP's cope with commisioning?.....

I guess that they will need to employ some commissioning admin folks from the PCT's when they are made redundant, but what if they cant cope........ I can see the PRIVATE heathcare providers "offering" commissioning services and choosing their own private hospitals and medical units to perform proceedures and ignore local NHS hospitals.....which is corupt.....

The "NEW" idea....not really....back to old health board days and use local hospitals, should work.....The Market has NO place in UK healthcare...

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Thanks

Well I have been campaigning since 2006 and now is the time to say goodbye.....

I have Saved Hinchingbrooke from closing, with the help of colleagues and also YOU the public.
What we need to make sure is the we KEEP this Jewel in the Crown ....the only way is to use YOUR choice as a patient and go there for treatment.....Plus keep speaking out even at GP level.....

I am now taking a back seat.....my work is done.....You CAN all have a say and make people accountable.....go out there and do it.....

Goodbye All & will take a rest from Campaigning......for good....

Mike

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Mr Lansley Says...

IT IS ALL HERE.......
Mr Lansley Says......

Of course, the NHS has to make changes as opportunities arise and new technologies and medicines emerge. But we cannot have change for change's sake.

Some of these closures, or reconfigurations, of local services are based on disputed or flawed evidence, and do not pay due attention to clinical opinion. Some have lacked real public engagement beyond a cursory consultation. Most do not reflect the choices that patients or GPs would make if they were in control.

Unfortunately, I cannot re-open previously concluded processes nor halt those that have passed the point of no return, with contracts signed or building work started. But the majority of cases are ongoing and we have an opportunity for a new approach.

As of today, I am calling a halt to the current process. I have asked Sir David Nicholson, the chief executive of the NHS, to inform the service of this immediately and to signal a complete change to the way we deal with these issues. This moratorium will provide a chance to reset every proposal, to reconsider every decision and to ensure that in each case they are consistent with the following key criteria.

First, there must be clarity about the clinical evidence base underpinning the proposals. Second, they must have the support of the GP commissioners involved. Third, they must genuinely promote choice for their patients. Fourth, the process must have genuinely engaged the public, patients and local authorities.

This will not merely be another tick-box exercise – it will be a tough test, which every proposal must pass if it is to proceed.

WE SAY>>>>> TELL THE SHA TO END THE PROCESS AT THIS WEEKS STAKEHOLDER PANEL>>>>

TIME TO PUT THIS PRIVATISATION PROCESS TO BED>>>>
IT HAS NOT BEEN SIGNED>>>> IT HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY CONSULTED WITH THE PUBLIC>>>>
AND IT IS NOT CLINICALLY BASED>>>

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Leaflets

Mr Salt the Independent candidate is looking for help with leaflet delivery - if you can help in St Neots or St Ives area feel free to phone me 07984 413839
Hustings

Well it's the Hunts Post hustings tomorrow and how it has all changed....

It is not a Tory rally to put down Labour and Lib Dems as originally planned, poor ticket take up has led for the organisers to invite the other candidates along.

Perhaps now we will get a proper debate and also get the answers we need about the Privatisation of Hinchingbrooke and where the Candidates stand, before you vote.

The doorstep visits have highlighted the Peoples disgust and outrage at the process to Privatise Hinchingbrooke and the NHS , they are disgusted at Labour for instigating it under their watch and the Tories as it is their Policy too.

Please try and go to the Hustings tomorrow.....

Tuesday, April 13, 2010



We say Thanks.... We WILL run the hospital..... AND kick out the Private Sector...We will put the current management in charge and go forth and run Hinchingbrooke for Huntingdonshire... Bring It On

Monday, April 12, 2010

Labour Manifesto

Today, Labour set the Manifesto today on health......

the points in it are

ON HEALTH

* Patients in England guaranteed to get results of cancer tests within a
week
* Maximum 18-week wait for treatment after initial GP consultation or private treatment will be offered
* Routine health checks for those aged 40 to 74, aimed at preventing heart
attacks and strokes
* National Care Service to ensure free care in the home for those with
thegreatest needs and a cap on the costs of residential care
* Every hospital to become a foundation trust, with more freedom to run its
own affairs


SO MR BROWN...... STOP THE PRIVATISATION OF HINCHINGBROOKE, WRITE OFF THE GOVERNEMENT INDUCED DEBT AND SET HINCHINGBROOKE FREE TO BECOME A FOUNDATION TRUST AND DO IT NOW.....
Why is the Hospital not mentioned?

I note from the former M.P, now Conservative Party Candidate for Huntingdonshire his website....he asks

As you go to the polling booth on 6th May, I ask that you consider the last 13 years and ask yourself the following questions:

* Are my family’s savings, pensions and jobs more secure?
* Are we as internationally respected and do we support our armed forces?
* Have our civil liberties improved?
* Am I less likely to be the victim of violent crime?
* Have we got a good deal in Europe, signing up to Lisbon with no referendum?
* Are our borders more secure and immigration controlled?
* Is our economy stronger and more competitive?

If you believe, as I do, the answer to these questions is no – there is only one political party that can reverse our nation’s slide towards failure, the Conservative Party.


So where in the above 7 questions does it refer to Hinchingbrooke Hospital or the NHS...It doesn't
One of the questions should be "Do You Want Hinchingbrooke Privatised?" ...but that is not there.... I wonder Why.... probably because Privatising the NHS is Tory Health Policy...

Vote Wisely......
Who do I vote For

Good question, who do you vote for.....

For me, the Hospital is under the threat of Privatisation, yes Privatisation it is no matter what the candidates say to you..... A Franchise is a means for an entrepreneur to make money by using a successful business model....

So lets look at the candidates......and consider that the "franchise" idea came from a Labour government, Bevan must be turning in his grave.... The Tories health policy is to "open up the NHS to other providers" ...again Privatisation of the NHS.... Lib Dems have not committed themselves yet to an answer.... Greens,the Loony Party are agreeing that it should be public as does Jonathan Salt. In fact, the A14, Guided Bus and Pathfinder house were the Election issues....until Jonathan Salt came along to support the Hospital and our campaign to keep it public.
Nick Clegg like Jonathan Salt, calls for the Strategic Health Authorities to be scrapped and needless to say we agaree and should that happen then the Privatisation, by this unelected Quango , of Hinchingbrooke would stop....

So, Who do you vote for..... Well if you want Hinchingbrooke to stay in public hands.... Not Labour or Conservatives.... If you want to keep it public..... vote for any of the others.... if you think the parties are corrupt..... Vote Independent.... BUT whatever you do..... Vote... a Vote not cast is a wasted Vote
Guided Busway

The Truth behind the bus way and what a waste of Tax payers money it is......

And it still Isn't running yet

They were obviously hoping that it would be there or almost there before the local and General Elections - for whatever reason, other than incompetence the Tory Councilors must be disappointed that their work on the doorstep is going to be very difficult this time.

I have delivered leaflets for the Lib Dems and I am also working with the Independent candidate at the General Election as Save Hinchingbrooke is A-Political and not affiliated to any party.
I was with Mr Salt, Independent on Saturday and he was in Huntingdon town centre.
In the main he got a good reception but there were many people who were NOT going to VOTE..... the main reason..... The Expenses and no Trust in the Tories locally and to top that the old "Tories always get in here" argument. Needless to say I always urge people to vote..... the ONLY wasted vote is one that is not cast.

Guided Bus Article

Report To County Council

make your own minds up whether the Council are incompetent and should, now £40m in the red because of the guided bus.....should ,like Hinchingbrooke, be put out for Franchise.....?

Friday, April 09, 2010

Election issue

a month ago I was speaking to Keep Our NHS Public and they said that Hinchingbrooke should become a General Election issue..... I agreed but was a little unsure how we could achieve it.
I was called up by Jonathan Salt to discuss the Save Hinchingbrooke Campaign and he was interested as to how the historic debt came about

We discussed at length and he agreed also that the Hospital should be an election issue too.
Since then Jonathan has chosen to run for the Huntingdon seat and I have agreed to work with him on this journey.
The Campaign is still strong and we are having an awareness day on the 24th April 2010 so that the People of Huntingdon know the TRUTH about the Privatisation, I say privatisation as our local M.P see's fit that this is played down, however it is the truth. Now Conservative policy is to open up the NHS to outsiders...or rather Privatise it all, so the conservatives buddies can put their noses in the NHS trough to cherry pick the goodies.
Interestingly, Nick Clegg of the Lib Dems has the same view as Jonathan Salt.... Scrap the Strategic Health Authorities.... unelected bureaucrats....a Quango and waste of Tax PAyers cash and meddling with the likes of Hinchingbrooke...... lets start making savings NOW...... Scrap the SHA & Stop the Hinchingbrooke Privatisation.

Wednesday, April 07, 2010



I wonder how many feel the same?
Lobby Your MP

To stop the Privatisation of Hinchingbrooke and the NHS all from your seat

Here is the Lobby Form

Fill in the form
Opinions

We all have our opinions and we will all have the chance to use that opinion to vote in the upcoming election.
Now before you vote consider what candidates say......

Mr Salt is campaigning against the Privatisation of Hinchngbrooke end of, clear and concise, yet Mr Djanogly, the sitting MP, is saying that he “simply did not buy” the union view that this would lead to the privatisation of the hospital.
Now we all know from debates in the house that Mr Djanogly was confronted by a member claiming that "The hon. Gentleman clearly has a jaundiced view of trade unions."
This probably is why Mr Djanogly is playing down the issue of Privatisation, lets face it the staff at Hinchingbrooke might be NHS staff under the Privatisation plans yet they WILL be working for the PRIVATE sector.

SO what part of this process is not PRIVATISATION?..... none of it
And with Conservative Health Policy gunning to Privatise the NHS as a whole the election is about your health care.... Free or do you want a service that is destroyed for profit, like the Gas/Electric/Trains/Buses/Cleaning in Hospitals.....
If these are the answer

See the link to open the document, this will inform you of how the bidders to Privatise Hinchingbrooke are NOT fit for purpose

Here is the Document that tells all you needs to know

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Circle Health

Circle Health claims to be a different type of company, and has been proclaimed as basing itself on the “John Lewis” model of “partnership”, with 2,000 clinicians. But half of the company is owned by big financial institutions, and this is the source of the funding for a planned network of 30 new hospitals at a cost of almost £1 billion (Times Online).
Its brand new £30m showpiece hospital in Bath, lavishly spacious, designed by Lord Foster ‘s team and feted by the media for its innovative design, has just 28 beds – less than 10% of the capacity of a very different hospital in Hinchingbrooke, and of course has no facilities for emergencies or for patients with complex medical or surgical needs. And while Circle’s boss Ali Parsa, an investment banker, talks a good talk, there is no evidence that his company – accustomed to the generous budgets and relaxed, stress-free environment of private medicine – is capable of managing anything on the scale of an NHS general hospital.
Their website also confirms that Circle has no real grasp or experience of a busy and pressurised hospital environment. The company is aiming to open”surgical clinics and GP centres” where its surgeons can perform consultations and procedures that do not have to happen in a hospital setting in specialities such as dermatology, ophthalmology, ENT and plastic surgery. This, claims Circle, “drives down the price of healthcare by avoiding the unnecessary infrastructure of a hospital”. In addition, Circle says it will offer “services such as diagnostics, chronic disease management and post-operative homecare” through a mobile infrastructure and in peoples' homes. Again no evidence of appropriate experience in running a large and complex hospital.
Nor does Circle’s track record with NHS care inspire any confidence: in 2007 Circle Health took over Nations Healthcare, a company running three “independent sector treatment centres” with NHS contracts (Eccleshill in Bradford, Burton and Nottingham). Nations had been the company in charge of Eccleshill when a patient, Dr John Hubley, died after surgery because the centre did not keep any emergency supplies of blood on site. The scandal was exposed on BBC’s Panorama, and the coroner said at the inquest on Dr Hubley that he would most probably have survived if his operation had been carried out at Bradford Royal Infirmary, describing the centre’s policies as “Mickey Mouse”.
The takeover by Circle may have changed the management structure, but it has not substantially increased the performance of the treatment centres, which have delivered well short of the level of treatment stipulated in their £324m worth of NHS contracts. According to the latest official figures (April 2009) the Nottingham Treatment Centre was running at just 72% of contract, Burton at 76% and Eccleshill at 87%, leaving Nations 25% below contracted activity – equivalent to £82m of taxpayers’ money for treatment not delivered.
But at the end of last year, the local paper reported that Circle’s Barlborough Treatment Centre had delivered just £41,000 worth of operations in exchange for guaranteed payments of £791,000 in 2009, and had delivered just £4m of work for a £9m contract, to expire this year. (Nottingham Evening Post November 13).
Ramsay Health Care

Ramsay is Australia’s largest private healthcare provider. It is part of the NHS Partners Network group of private health providers that challenged the procurement process at NHS Great Yarmouth & Waveney (along with Acevo).
Ramsay operates nine “Independent Sector Treatment Centres”, and is the fourth largest provider of private hospitals in England, having bought 22 small hospitals from Capio UK for £193m in 2007.
Ramsay’s managing director Pat Grier told the Guardian that his group had been attracted to Britain because of “significant growth upside due to the shift towards outsourcing NHS services to the private sector” (Guardian 28 October 2007).
More recently the company has been reported in Healthcare Europa as bragging over the way in which it has increased profit margins in the UK hospitals it took over from Capio, with Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) increased from 20% to more than 25% in the first year and again to over 30% in year two. (http://www.healthcareeuropa.com/articles/20100322)
Ramsay’s ISTCs may be generating guaranteed profits for the company, but the latest official figures show that they are delivering as little as 66% of contracted activity in one unit, with five out of nine delivering less than 80%. Of the total of £244m it is being paid for contracts, Ramsay’s ISTCs are being paid almost £56m for operations that are not delivered.
In Southampton the Ramsay-operated ISTC has been so unpopular that GPs have been directed to over-ride the principle of “patient choice” and refer elective patients only to the ISTC where services were running well below contracted levels, and not to the local University hospital where most patients had chosen to have their treatment (BMA News Review October 10 2009).
The Truth Behind the companies involved in the Privatisation of Hinchingbrooke

Serco

Serco is a large multinational corporation, employing 40,000 staff and turning over more than £2 billion. It appears to be even less appropriate as a potential management of a complex and busy general hospital than the other two shortlisted firms since it has no experience at all of any kind of hospital management.
Its own website claims that Serco employs just 300 “doctors and nurses” – a tiny fraction of the Hinchingbrooke Hospital workforce – in “a range of primary and community settings”. These turn out to be “'Out of Hours' Care, healthcare in prisons, nursing support as well as many major new health initiatives such as the Department of Health's programme to evaluate telehealth.” So the company itself effectively admits to having no experience of managing clinical services in a major hospital.
Instead it is best known as a services company that runs the Docklands Light Railway, operates speed cameras, electronically tags young offenders, and has contracts with the Ministry of Defence, Home Office and Department of Transport.
Its most prominent involvement in the NHS includes its involvement as a partner in various Private Finance Initiative consortia, some of which have been “successful” in completing new hospitals (Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital and Scotland’s Wishaw General Hospital) while one other (Leicestershire) has ended in an expensive failure, with the project cancelled as a result of spiralling and unaffordable costs, and Serco joining with its partners to sue for compensation.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

An NHS Burning and in Chaos

Although the rhetoric of ‘choice’ implies patients having a greater variety of health care options from which to choose, the reality is that patients and communities are experiencing a range of closures, cut-backs and disruptions to their local services

This reveals an NHS in a state of shambles and disorder. No one can argue that the
various assaults upon the NHS are the result of patients’ choices or the culling of inefficient services (as claimed by the prophets of market competition). They are the result of a transition from an NHS based on rational, needs-based health planning towards a health service that will increasingly be run by private
companies and guided by a capricious and unforgiving market. Centrally imposed demands to meet government targets prior to the last elections have also aided and abetted the disastrous organisational reforms to the NHS.


The Secretary of State for Health is quick to blame financial deficits on individual hospital trusts and PCTs.
But a proper analysis of the deficits and their widespread nature clearly points to problems inherent in the government’s own reforms.

The crisis in the NHS, reflected only in part by the list of closures, cut-backs and disruptions, appears to be veering out of control, and is in danger of bringing the NHS to a point of collapse. It is not inconceivable that this is the desired aim of government policy – the more avid supporters of marketisation feel that a proper market will only be established when the NHS disappears.
Profits Before Patients

Under John Major.s Conservative government in 1996-97, after 18 years of Tory rule, the NHS was spending just £200 million a year on buying in treatment from private hospitals and clinics.
By 2007, if the Labour government.s current proposals are carried through, this will have increased tenfold.

New private hospitals and treatment centres are being built, with more planned, and in some cases existing NHS facilities - built with taxpayers. money, or expensively funded through the Private Finance Initiative at the expense of the NHS - are to be handed over to private sector operators as part of the new arrangements.

Private sector preference

The government plan to funnel new money preferentially into the private sector rather that adopt the cheaper and easier policy of expanding NHS provision, has led to a dramatic expansion of commercial medicine. The private health care sector in the UK has always been a relatively small and marginal operation, feeding off historic NHS waiting lists, poaching NHS staff, shunning emergencies and complex cases, and focusing exclusively on acute (short stay) services: but until recently it was running with only around half of the beds occupied in its (generally very small) hospitals. Now a massive increase in the numbers of NHS patients being
treated in private beds means that the traditional paying patients will only represent just over half of the caseload in private beds, with as many as 45% paid for by the NHS.
This is effectively a huge cash subsidy to enable the expansion of a private sector which will inevitably draw on the same pool of human and financial resources as the NHS, but divert a percentage of those resources from patient care to pay dividends to their shareholders.

To foster an expansion of private care to enable it to develop a sustainable market., ministers have set out to bring in commercial health care companies from around the world, and also offered private hospitals very generous contracts, paying up to 40% above the prevailing costs within the NHS, lavish subsidies towards start-up costs for new private hospitals, and guaranteed payment even for those private providers who treat fewer patients than planned.

Far from delivering new and expanded services and capacity the private sector is
increasingly competing to capture existing NHS caseload, diverting vital funds from
NHS to the commercial sector.
What exactly is Serco?

Serco is one of a new breed of company that could be termed a ‘public sector corporation’ as approximately 98% of its turnover and revenue are derived from contracts outsourced by public bodies. These projects include operating speed cameras, electronically tagging offenders and running the Manchester Metrolink. Serco has governmental links at the highest level.ii It is involved in controversial PFIschemes, and has PFI, PPP and joint venture contracts with the MoD, Home Office and Department of Transport. It even runs airports in Iraq for the US and has counter-terrorist contracts including detecting radiological substances coming into the UK. Serco’s revenue in 2005 was £2.26bn, up 38% from the previous year, with profit before tax up 28.5%.
Political Debate

There is to be a Political debate in Huntingdon during the General Election Campaign, yet only 3 of the candidates have been invited, not a democracy then?

The shameful thing is, that when the organiser was challenged by one of the other uninvited candidates, he was told in no uncertain terms that it was "a private event" although it is ticket only and the telephone was slammed down on him....

It seems to confirm that the publication that is "organising" this charade is being run so it indicates that they are indeed supporting or even maybe bank rolling the sitting M.P.
In the last few years we have heard very little from the said M.P but of course he will come out of the woodwork now it is time to get re elected.

With having a local publication inviting the M.P to a debate that clearly will be weighted in the M.P's favour and only having Lib Dem and Labour candidates to debate with, clearly it is nothing more than a rallying call to the party faithful and nothing more.
It is a shameful attempt to prevent other candidates in being recognised by the electorate and in all honesty, being that one issue to be debated is the Hospital, None of the 3 candidates are supporting our campaign.
I find it also a damning indictment that this debate subjects are just the subjects that the Independent Candidate is campaigning on. They must be concerned that the Independent Candidate will take votes away

Shameful and outrageous actions and there must be some very scared people out there if they cannot campaign cleanly so the voters can make an informed choice, not a co erced choice
The Time is Near

I think the time is near, where we will be on a countdown to a General Election.
We will all need to search our souls this time we vote.
There is NO clear water between Labour and the Tories, they are one and the same.
Tory health policy, no matter what they say to your face and how they claim to be the party of the NHS, they are clearly not
While Mr Cameron was in the UK, smiling and telling voters what they wanted to hear, the author of Thatcherism was doing his usual in the USA.
What he was doing was giving the U.S based companies notice that the Tories were going to give away Public Services to the highest bidder...or Rather Sell off the NHS.
I quote
"We will implement a very systematic and powerful change agenda where hospitals compete for patients, schools compete for pupils, welfare providers compete for results in getting people out of welfare and into work." and they also offers a powerful advocacy of introducing transformational free-market principles into Britain's public sector.

PRIVATISATION.......TO YOUR NHS....NOT JUST HINCHINGBROOKE BUT THE NHS
CAN YOU AFFORD HEALTHCARE?....
VOTE FOR FREE HEALTHCARE OR VOTE FOR TORY PRIVATISATION...YOUR CHOICE

REMEMBER.....THATCHERISM IS STILL ALIVE...IT NEEDS ENDING FOR GOOD

Friday, March 19, 2010

What's in a Title


Quite a lot in fact and some titles can be misleading.
If you listen to Radio 5 overnight you will hear a slot where Dr Karl answers listeners questions, Dr Karl is an Australian Scientist mainly Physics and in conversation he referrers to callers as "Dr" in fun.

On a more serious note, the main lead who is in fact the Commercial Director at the Strategic Health Authority or in lay terms ......the person that is charged with the task of PRIVATISING THE NHS IN EAST ANGLIA uses the title of Dr too.
Now Dr Stephen Dunn is a Doctor in the finance sector BUT NOT a Doctor of Medicine......

This obviously is MISLEADING and MAKING IT ACCEPTABLE to believe that as his title is DR then what he says is right, when in fact and like the majority of the MP's on the stakeholder panel DO NOT have the interests of Hinchingbrooke and the people of Huntingdonshire and the surrounding are, in mind

This obviously indicate that the influence of the Conservative state of Cambridgeshire has now leached and poisoned further into the local infrastructure than should be allowed.

MR DUNN, appears to be following the Conservative parties Health Policy which clearly states "Opening up the NHS to new independent and voluntary sector providers" which in lay terms is PRIVATISING THE NHS and Hinchingbrooke is the 1st one of this dangerous experiment, an experiment with OUR MONEY, OUR HEALTH AND WE HAVE NO SAY
THEY ARE HOLDING PUBLIC MEETINGS AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY MATTER, THIS SATISFIES THE NEED TO CONSULT WITH THE PUBLIC, BUT NOT THE PUBLIC WHO ARE REALLY AFFECTED BY THE OUTCOME OF THE PRIVATISATION OF HINCHINGBROOKE.

THE PROCESS STINKS....IT IS NOT TRANSPARENT....IF IT WAS THEN THE PUBLIC MEETINGS WOULD BE HELD IN EVERY MARKET TOWN AND EVERY 2 WEEKS.......AND MORE IMPORTANTLY

MR DUNN WOULD NOT BE USING THE TITLE OF DR TO COERCE THE PEOPLE OF HUNTINGDONSHIRE INTO ACCEPTING THE PRIVATISATION OF HINCHINGBROOKE........

We need to go a new way........The only way is to choose the right person to vote for in the General Election and there is ONLY one who cares about local issues.
This man is JONATHAN SALT..... a Local man, Like myself and one who cares and is prepared to fight for MORE FUNDING FOR POLICE/FIRE/EDUCATION/HEALTH & LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE - putting right what the Tories took from us in the 1980's with their swingeing cuts.....Lets be honest the Local Tory MP's have done nothing to raise this issue to fight the Labour party in the 13 years that Labour have been in power........
Let us stop the 30 YEARS OF NEGLECT - the Tories started Broken Britain, Greedy Britain, Selfish Britain & Labour carried it on, even though they pledged to return to values of old......they made new laws to combat behaviours yet did nothing to return family values and integrity.......

Vote wisely...... Vote for Independent....Vote for Jonathan Salt

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Hospitals 'should axe thousands more beds'

is what I read this morning........
A think tank....no doubt being paid outrageous sums of money claim "Reform says the NHS's focus should move away from hospital treatment as more people suffer from conditions, such as diabetes, which can be treated at home.

It says a quarter of beds could be axed to fund more personalised treatment.

The government said local health chiefs could decide, while the British Medical Association said cuts made for purely financial reasons would be "immoral".

The hospital bed count has been falling for decades, but Reforms's call represents a more rapid programme than has been seen in recent years.

There were just under 300,000 beds in 1987, but by last year that had fallen to 160,000 as advances in treatment have meant patients do not need to spend as long in hospital."

SO THAT OUTLOOK IS OKAY IN PRINCIPAL...... BUT...... BEFORE YOU CUT HOSPITAL BEDS YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THERE IS ENOUGH SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY.
IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE THIS IS NOT THE CASE AND UNDER THE CURRENT FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS NOTHING WILL CHANGE.
EVEN IF YOU HAVE CLUSTERS OF G.P'S TO "POLICE" REFERRALS TO HOSPITALS, WHERE WILL YOU SEND THOSE WHO NEED TREATMENT?..... YOU WONT BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE DOES NOT EXIST. WE WERE TOLD IN 2006/07 THAT OPTION 2 WOULD PROVIDE CARE IN THE COMMUNITY -- AS WE SAID ---- IT DIDN'T --- SURPRISE SURPRISE....
IT APPEARS THAT IT WAS CLEARLY A SYSTEM OF SOUND BITES TO "ENCOURAGE" PATIENTS - THE TAXPAYER - NOT TO BOTHER USING THE NHS AND TO USE YOUR PHARMACIST INSTEAD.....YET THE GOVERNMENT HAVE GIVEN A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT NHS TREATMENT IS A RIGHT AND YOU WILL BE SEEN BY A GP AND IF REQUIRED YOU WILL BE TREATED WITHIN 18 WEEKS.....

THIS WILL NOT CHANGE, IF THE CONSERVATIVES SHOULD GET INTO POWER THEN THE NHS IS DOOMED, THEY HAVE PLEDGED TO
"Opening up the NHS to new independent and voluntary sector providers"

WHICH MEANS THEIR USUAL ETHOS OF PRIVATISATION ---IN OTHER WORDS A GIFT FOR THEIR CHUMS AND DONORS.....
BEFORE YOU VOTE CONSIDER THIS...... IF YOUR NHS OR PARTS OF YOUR NHS ARE PRIVATISED....WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE AFTER 10/20 YEARS?....
TO GET THE ANSWER.....LOOK AT THE ROADS,RAILS,WATER.ELECTRIC/GAS....WHAT KIND OF SERVICE DO YOU GET FROM THEM NOW.... VERY POOR...IF YOU CAN GET ANYWHERE,CHEAPLY AND WHEN YOU WANT TO AT THE PRICE YOU CAN AFFORD...
THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE NHS IF THE TORIES GET THEIR WAY....STOP THEM FROM RUINING YOUR HEALTH CARE......
THEIR 1ST ATTEMPT WAS CONTRACT CLEANING....THEN WE GOT SUPER BUGS DUE TO SHORTCUTS & LACK OF CLEANING MATERIALS, SO THAT SHAREHOLDER CAN BE PAID BONUSES....THE REAL SCANDAL IS.....THAT THE RECENT DEEP CLEAN OF HOSPITALS WAS PAID FOR BY US....WHY WASN'T THE BILL FOR THIS SHARED AMONGST THE CLEANING CONTRACTORS THAT CLEARLY HAD NOT DONE THE JOB PROPERLY FOR MANY YEARS?...
IN SCOTLAND THEY HAVE TAKEN CLEANING BACK IN HOUSE AND THEIR HOSPITALS ARE NOW CLEAN, THOROUGHLY CLEAN....
THE NHS IS THE POOR COUSIN, IT GETS THE RAW DEAL AND IS USED FOR EXPERIMENTATION.
CAR PARKING IS FREE IN WALES AND SCOTLAND....WHY NOT ENGLAND TOO....PRESCRIPTIONS ARE FREE IN SCOTLAND AND WALES- WHY NOT ENGLAND...?

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Serco

This company is in the running as possible Franchisee to run Hinchingbrooke
This company have run Yarlswood Detention Centre since 2007, they cannot run that properly so what mess would they make of Hinchingbrooke

In April 2009, the Children's Commissioner for England published a report which stated that children held in the detention centre are denied urgent medical treatment, handled violently and left at risk of serious harm. The report details how children are transported in caged vans and watched by opposite sex staff as they dress.

A demonstration organised by Detainee Solidarity London Network was held on 12th February 2010 outside the Serco office in Holborn, London where a number of supporters and activists gathered to protest against the detention of women at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre.
The peaceful demonstration was staged in response to the treatment of women in detention at Yarl’s Wood who began a hunger strike on 5th February in protest against their prolonged detention.

The Testimony Project was represented at the protest, joining individual protestors and other organisations showing solidarity with Yarl’s Wood’s women. Among the organisations represented were No Borders London, SOAS and King’s College Detainee Support Groups, Feminist Fightback and Worker’s Liberty.

An activist from No Borders London commented on how important it is for detainees resisting on the inside to know that people are resisting in solidarity with them on the outside.

According to Feminist Fightback and the Campaign against Immigration Control, the hunger strike was called off on Tuesday, 9th February in the afternoon when officers broke up the strike and arrested four women who were the supposed leaders of the movement. These women have not yet been returned to Yarl’s Wood.

Outside the offices of Serco, the private company that manages Yarl’s Wood on behalf of the UKBA, supporters spoke of the conditions that the women on strike had been subject to. Some were trapped in a corridor for long hours without amenities whilst others were trapped outside in the snow. Women also say they were verbally and physically assaulted, racially abused and denied medical assistance.

Is this what we want for our Family members and fellow citizens......?

No if course we don't- Yet the Serco managers have allowed this to happen

If we don't oppose this proposal then we could have this at Hinchingbrooke

Stop the Privatisation of Hinchingbrooke and the NHS.......

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Cambridge congestion charge plans on hold
Another Cambridgeshire mess up......

Plans for a congestion charge in Cambridge have been put on hold after the government announced it was scrapping a scheme set up to fund it.

Cambridgeshire County Council had bid for £500m from the government's Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) to pay for congestion-cutting projects.

AND........ With £40m overspend on the guided bus, this puts the Hinchingbrooke historic debt into perspective......
The Process to Franchise/Outsource or whatever they want to call it....should stop new.
Mr Cameron says Reform......he means Privatise.... He says Co-operatives of Public Sector staff ca run some services.....he means Privatise....
The last 2 Tory Governments Privatised Public bodies.....you now pay more for worse services.....Your Gas/Electric/Trains/Buses/Water/Telephones to name a few have all suffered the fate of Privatisation......
So should they now Privatise Cambridgeshire County Council?....But then they wouldn't would they....They are a Tory Council......
Double Standards again......

Sunday, February 28, 2010

The £8000 Tory Elderly Care Scheme

“People can for £8,000 or thereabouts as a single premium at retirement meet the future costs of their residential care .”
Andrew Lansley, Shadow Health Secretary, BBC Today, 12 February 2010

Under their plans, anyone opting to pay £8,000 upfront when they reach retirement age would in exchange be guaranteed free residential care, if they need it later.

The Conservatives say the scheme would pay for itself and require no public cash, no matter how many, or how few, people take it up.

They’ve worked it out like this: on average, one in five people needs residential care costing £25,000 annually for a two-year period at the end of their lives.

According to the Tories, five people need to pay into the scheme to cover the cost of one person claiming on it.

It sounds simple in theory – but unfortunately experts we spoke to thought it just wouldn’t work in practice.

First, there’s the problem of take-up. For the sums to add up, and to get the economies of scale, you need a lot of people to pay the optional £8,000. For example, more women than men end up needing residential care, so if too few men paid into the scheme, that could leave a funding black hole.

But as we found earlier this week, if insurance of this kind is voluntary not compulsory, many people don’t bother taking it out.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


But Would You Trust This......... Remember The Last Time The Tories Encouraged
A "Get Rich Quick" Insurance Scheme..... Well Endowment Mortgages......
YES.... Mis-Sold Many and their mates got fat on it and very wealthy

And Will They Pay Out..... Well they will find a way of NOT to.....
Mr Cameron is only 2 point ahead if Mr Brown as I write this.......let us hope now that the next Government is Hung.....so the parties have to work together in a common
consensus and get rid of stupid NHS schemes, Data Collection and get realistic.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Why Are We Here?.............

£40 million in perspective...................

The reason used by the Commercial Director or by layman's terms.....the Outsourcing Manager to Privatise the NHS for East Anglia, was that because Hinchingbrooke was labeled as a "failing" hospital due to it's £40m deficit, nothing more. We know they hospital is highly rated by the Care Quality Commission and is one of the countries Top 40 hospitals....
Now, what they don't say is how that deficit came to be, well it was due to the Government changes in policy and the boundaries of the Strategic Heath Authorities and the Primary Care Trusts. In basic terms, Hinchingbrooke was promised activity by nearby PCT's to commission work for the hospital so they decided to manage this promised work then they would build a Treatment Centre, via the preferred at the time, PFI model.
In essence the Trust accrued this Historic deficit and in reality there is NO WAY that this will ever be repaid, whoever manages the Trust. With the 3.5% reduction in the tariff each trust receives as of 1st April 2010, then ALL trust will have to make savings on that basis alone........yet alone the 3rd year of the NHS staff pay agreement to fund too.
ALL Local NHS Trusts are looking at savings as I write this, none of them are immune, so how will a profit making organisation make a profit for their shareholders?....... they wont..... Unless there are swinging cuts to services.
But the SHA claim that Hinchingbrooke's assets will remain in the NHS, the Staff will remain in the NHS, the A&E will be open and so will Maternity and Cancer services........so why would you want to privatise the management of Hinchingbrooke....... well it's a political pawn....nothing more and a dangerous move.

In 2006 we marched through the town to Save the Hospital, I said at the time even if we keep the Trust open then something else will emerge from the shadows.
We had a PCT consultation from where the ill fated and unworkable Option 2 emerged. Yes we were right once again......it has failed miserably.
Where is the Care In The Community that Dr Denis Cox promised us.....No where, the elderly are now back in Hinchinbrooke and we have reverted back to pre 2006 times again....Well done Hinchingbrooke....again

The PCT need to get real....very real..... they have split up their operation to have a Commissioning arm and a Provider arm....and it still doesn't work.....they have several operating bases.....WHY...there should be one central county base....in or around Huntingdon......cut staff in a big way too, this will reduce their debt too.
The main issue locally is that we get a lower allowance per person than in other areas, in fact it is half what other areas get, so in an expanding area we are short of funding before we even turn a light on........
The PCT claimed that too many people were being referred to Hospitals, now their latest plan is to have clusters of GP's who will be given capped funding and they would "police" who will be referred to which Hospital (this goes against Patient Choice) and therefore how many will NOT be referred as the money is tight?....
But where is the community care that was promised......no where..... still as it was......
Why is the Oak Tree Centre......yes the one where some minor surgical procedures would be done in the primary care setting........ having the treatment rooms used for offices?...... Only Dr Cox and his PCT colleagues can answer that...... and how will they make savings....?

So Back to £40m........... it is not such a big deal........

THE GUIDED BUS (WHICH IS STILL NOT OPEN FOR BUSINESS) .......

IS NOW £40M OVERSPENT.....

SO DO WE NOW PRIVATISE LOCAL GOVERNMENT?........ on the basis of Hinchingbrooke then we should...............

COME ON ........STOP THIS EXERCISE TO PRIVATISE HINCHINGBROOKE NOW.......

KEEP MARK MILLAR AT THE HELM....

WRITE OFF THE £40M DEBT.....

RETHINK LOCAL SERVICES FOR LOCAL PEOPLE......

LOBBY GOVERNMENT FOR THE CORRECT FUNDING LEVELS......

KEEP YOUR HOSPITAL AND NHS.........PUBLIC......

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Thank You

We are having to say goodbye shortly to the Saviour of Hinchingbrooke Hospital

Mark Millar , as his contract is coming to an end, which is a crying shame

This is a pity during the process to PRIVATISE Hinchingbrooke, as that is what it is is, contrary to what
Dr Stephen Dunn claims.
We must Thank Mr Millar for his vision and leadership, since the previous interim Chief Executive was sent
in to close Hinchingbrooke for good

I still think there is time to keep Mr Millar at Hinchingbrooke and the SHA need to be told that we want
him to remain at the Helm and the Private deal is dead........
Pathology Services is next..........

Now the SHA want to have a Pathology model for the East Of England.....yep you got it........ Another Privatisation exercise....... the rub with this is that the interim Chief Executive of Hinchingbrooke had a hand
in the review of services......what will it mean.....probably not much at the Hospitals, but you will find
a big central lab somewhere for the G.P and non essential work......How many samples and results will be
messed up then..... I would think the Horse Lab at Newmarket will be having another punt at this one like
they did in 2007..... shame on you EOE SHA and shame on you the Department Of Health
It will be interesting times.....as out friends in Cambridge have been empire building......but will the
empire strike back?...... depends how much cash they have

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Addenbrookes Pull Out..........

Well that is one less bidder for the Franchise......... Now we need the others to follow suit

We will be ramping up the Campaign against the Privatisation of Hinchingbrooke from 22/02/10
We say privatisation as this is what it will be, although the Assets and Staff will remain in the NHS
BUT and the big BUT is how will savings be made to make a profit for the Private companies......

Well it will be Selling off the Support Services..... Porters, Catering, Radiology, Pathology and Pharmacy
....and it goes on........... just to try an save cash..... but it won't, it will cost more
AND
the effect of a service like Pathology goes deeper than Hinchingbrooke............
It will reflect on the community as a whole....Hinchingbrooke process the Majority of the GP
blood samples locally on an agreed service level and most bloods are complete within 24hrs of
being taken by your GP, this will no doubt suffer as a consequence

Join us to make this a General Election Issue.............

Not just locally But Nationally too..........
It is a chance for you to challenge your MP and the candidates for their seats..........
Ask them where they stand, where their convictions are.....the shadow health minister
accepted a £21,000 donation from Care UK one of the interested parties.........
Do you think that is the right thing to do?.........

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Let's Hit The Streets Again...........

Lets us tell them we want OUR Hospital IN the NHS not Run for profit..............


Your Health, Your Money, Your Say............

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Mr Lansley and the £21,000 donation

Save Hinchingbrooke Campaign heard of this yesterday and read the article in the Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1243579/Andrew-Lansley-embroiled-cash-influence-row-accepting-21-000-donation-Care-UK-chairman-John-Nash.html


Needless to say, we are very concerned by this news.........and it needs to be put into context.....

The latest plan from the SHA is as you all know......to try and get another party, either an NHS Trust
or more preferable to the SHA a PRIVATE HEALTHCARE COMPANY with links to the USA or
Canada, to manage the hospital. There have been some issues and it has been decided that the Staff,
Buildings and capital will remain in the NHS, only the management will change, however there are still
issues with this as any new management could still outsource departments to one of their other
companies under a Retainment Of Employment model.
Now Mr Lansley is a member of the Stakeholder Panel along with 39 others, we were not invited to
be members, I wonder why?.
The Stakeholder Panel began their work last October 2009 and the usual introductions and aims were
shared. Now Mr Lansley accepted a £21,000 donation in November 2009, this was from Care UK.
The Stakeholder group have let the Expressions of Interest advertisement be placed and expressions have
now been tabled by 6 organisations, one NHS Trust and 5 Private health companies all mainly based in
the USA and Canada (surprise surprise). One of these was.....Care UK.......
With Care UK making a donation to a member of the Stakeholder panel, we at Save Hinchingbrooke are now calling for the Chair and the SHA to STOP THE PROCESS NOW.....
If the SHA is determined to press on with the process then we suggest that Mr Lansley resigns from the panel forthwith and Care UK withdraw their expression of interest. There should also be a full review of how the stakeholder panel was made up and any expressions of interests fully declared.


This does prove, before any general election has taken place that the Conservative party are going to
press ahead and break up the NHS for their friends and business..........
Just like they did for finance/buses/rail etc in the 80's/90's ...
look what happened to those industries.....we are suffering today....service is worse and pockets are lined

Leave the NHS alone.........KEEP IT PUBLIC
Its been a while.........

Since I have posted and that is because not much has occurred at Hinchingbrooke Hospital,
other than the re opening of the wards to the rear of the hospital.
Yes these are the wards that were threatened under the PCT's great Option 2.....where
care was going to be provided in the community........clearly...as we said
IT DOESN'T WORK.......IT WONT WORK.....WITHOUT INVESTMENT
hence why there is a need to provide facilities for the elderly in hospitals or locally
funded public care homes.
The Stakeholder panel have met and expressions of interest in taking on the management of the
hospital and as you all know, Save Hinchingbrooke Campaign, oppose this stupid format.
This is only a means for the East Of England Strategic Health Authority to see if the private
sector is a means to assist the NHS and to give Dr Dunn's position sone credibility in the mean time
The end game, should another management team be chosen, will be that they will make money and
the historic debt will never be paid off.......AND the SHA will then write off the debt, claiming that
they have tried to but matters have not worked out as planned.......and ruin the Hospital as a consequence

The PCT have exhumed their Option 2 ideas again, suggesting that Care In The Community is the way forward
Dr Cox was used as the "face of NHS Cambridgeshire" in December suggesting that it is a radical plan that will
assist NHS Cambridgeshire to reduce it's historic debt and also added that to many of us were still using
hospitals..........Well Dr Cox and NHS Cambridgeshire....savings are closer to home....
NHS Cambridgeshire should centralise their Administration base in Huntingdon rather than having sseveral
local offices with duplicated staff. Localised community services could be run out of GP surgeries among other
things Option 2 doesn't and will never work in the format that was proposed in 2006 and again in 2009