Friday, April 13, 2007

Thought of the Week


Thought of the week has to be dedicated to NHS staff, who continue to suffer from the unresolved problems regarding doctor specialist training and the lowest level of morale ever reported since the NHS began. Patricia Hewitt is coming under increasing pressure to U-turn over her decision to ‘full steam ahead’ with modernising medical careers. Perhaps it’s worth remembering that to steer any ship the captain must be an inspirational leader, and has to be able to harness the power of other people. As Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” Doctors of today want to continue to learn the great crafts and science of their specialties.

It should never be forgotten that human capital is the most important element to be respected by any leader, ensuring that everyone is involved in goal setting, development processes and direction of travel. As Grover Cleveland said “The ship of Democracy, which has weathered all storms, may sink through the mutiny of those aboard.”

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Her U turn can not come fast enough. Sarah

James Higham said...

Patricia Hewitt is coming under increasing pressure to U-turn over her decision to ‘full steam ahead’ with modernising medical careers.

Or will she be gauche enough to repeat: "The lady's not for turning"?

Dr Michelle Tempest said...

Sarah - your comments are appreciated.
Thanks James for the comment - she can try and say this, but this problem is not going to disappear. The case is in the hands of employment lawyers, and may have more results than 'cash for honours'.
Michelle

Anonymous said...

Patricia Hewitt may change her mind. GL

David Anthony said...

I like the Antoine de Saint-Exupery quote. Unfortunately, it didn't do him much good though. I've learnt in my time that it's no good to simply dream of the open waves, that leads to lustful wandering ... better to imagine the land beyond the seas.

jumpinginpuddles said...

wouldnt ahve the faintest who you are talking about but we hope she u turns for you as long as its not her arse in your face that is!

simon said...

Well Michelle,

i was going to search for something profound.. but instead, I just simply agree with what you have written.

Dr Michelle Tempest said...

Thanks GL, David, Jumping in Puddles and Simon for joining in with 'thought of the week'.
Michelle

QUASAR9 said...

Hi Michelle, so many issues
so many misconceptions.

The NHS is a dynosaur which needs to be modernised, usually means that doctors and conservatives want to 'privatise' GP surgeries and hospitals.

But of course we still want the £90 billion from the NHS, and the freedom to refuse treatment when it is needed to patients who cannot pay.

We want a privatised health system, but we deplore that the government cannot provide places for 6000 or is 12 or 18000 junior doctors.

Talk about having your cake and wanting to eat it. Michelle if the doctors are as 'altruistic' as you'd like to think, I repeat ...

Instead of giving GPs a 30% pay rise and reducing their hours
We could have employed an extra 18,000 doctors - doctors to care for patients needs.

All we ever hear about is what doctors need, what researchers need, what foundation hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry (and their shareholders need) NEVER do we hear what patients need.

Me thinks, we have built the ships, we have crewed the ships, but I personally still wouldn't want to be a passenger (or crew) on where the ship is heading, nor where the skippers are trying to steer it -

The measure of a health service should be the reduction in ailments that afflict the population, the current measure seems to be the more ailments the better, and to reduce waiting lists, we simply don't add patients who need treatment onto the waiting list.

It is the BMA and doctors caused the waiting list (Mea Culpa) - not governments, and until the BMA and doctors recognise that, then it is clear except to the dumb and blind that the BMA and doctors are trying to misdirect the 'focus' like in some illusionists trick with mirrors and light.

Proof that money is not the issue, is that the budget of the NHS has gone from £45 billion to £90 billion, and doctors are still crying out or begging for more.

Why don't we pay doctors double, and not spend anymore on the nhs, just refuse to recognise anyone who cannot pay - needs treatment.

Then we'' have doctors earning double, working on a go slow, treating the half of the population who can pay (or whose jobs include private health insurance) and we'll pretend the rest don't exist.

It worked for dentists & dentistry!

Anonymous said...

Love your quotes..

QUASAR9 said...

Michelle wrote at Elle's
"As for your comments about the PCT, then this is exactly the kind of idea raised in the localism chapter of the book I edited ‘The Future of the NHS’, the chapter written by Dan Hannan MEP and Tim Kevan. Unfortunately the one thing that is here to stay is that healthcare needs to be paid for."

QUASAR9 said...

Michelle,
How does that help those who cannot pay
And who has made it that way

Who is making it that way other than those like you who believe it's the only way to go.

That is the real disease in the nhs
If a £90 billion NHS that is £1500 per man woman & child cannot provide for the nation's health needs - privatising health care, just means those who can pay get treatment or surgery
and those who cannot pay DON'T