Monday, June 18, 2012

And this week's special interest is

Health, the subject that left-wing politicians, believe to be their own, on the basis I suppose that the creation of national health service, is and was Labours best and least flawed inventions unlike much of the welfare state.

Seeing a notice from, the latest campaign group, "Save our Health Service" courtesy of Christine Tongue (local film maker), promoting a demonstration outside the Broadstairs Health Clinic against Concordia Health Limited , I thought I'd make inquires, being naive, I naturally assumed that this would be one of those vaguely left of centre groups, apparently not, all are welcome.

Just to underline the non political nature of the event, I understand that local hero Cllr Ian Driver will, most likely be at the forefront, of tomorrow's action, as we all know Cllr Driver has yet to commit to any political group, for more than a few months since being elected to TDC most recently joining forces with ex Tory Cllr Worrow.

Still coming to the object of protest, this apparently revolves around, the fact that since Concordia Health Limited took over the practice, doctors have resigned, and no full time replacements have yet established themselves, from my limited experience, this seems little worse than the standard health care.

I rarely visit my surgery however they must be at the cutting edge of health care, since my doctor has been replaced with a word processor, which every few months, commands me to a consultation with a blood pressure machine, in the waiting room and if your thinking it lacks the human touch, no worries because generally the receptionist rejects the machines printout, insisting I have another go, sometimes insisting on a third.

Take a look at the Press release for details


SAVE OUR HEALTH SERVICE


11 Grosvenor Road
Broadstairs
KENT CT10 2BT
inmeds@yahoo.co.uk


PRESS RELEASE
JUNE 2012


PROTEST CALLED AGAINST BROADSTAIRS HEALTH CRISIS

Angry patients are planning a protest outside Broadstairs Health Centre at 2pm tomorrow, Tuesday June 19.

The protest comes after it was revealed that the centre currently has no full time GPs to serve over 7,000 patients.

The protest has been called by Save Our Health Service, a new campaigning group, which has been formed to safeguard health services in Thanet.

Local film-maker, Christine Tongue, who is a patient with the practice, says the protest comes following the centre’s takeover by Concordia Health Ltd, a private company who own a string of practices in London and one in Dover.

“Two popular GPs left following the coming of Concordia. But Concordia assured us that the level of care would not be affected and that in fact the level of service would be improved.

“Now we discover we have no full time GPs and the practice manager has resigned. And there are ongoing difficulties in making appointments.

“We’ve been told that two new GPs have been appointed but are working out their notice in other practices. But the two GPs which Concordia previously recruited both left within months of joining the practice. Who’s to say these new GPs won’t leave very soon, too?

“There is something very wrong going on with Concordia and we need explanations about what’s happening there.

The Save Our Health Service group claims the problems with Concordia isn’t just an issue for its current patients, but for Thanet as a whole. Christine said: “The government’s new legislation means that it’s likely that companies like Concordia will become more and more involved with the provision of health services in Thanet. It’s important we confront these sorts of problems now or face much bigger problems in the future.”

Christine added: “Anyone who’s worried about our health service is welcome to join us at the protest at 2pm on Tuesday.” 

More information from Christine Tongue on 01843 604 253.


PS I see on tonight's news that the Thanet Conservative group have taken the tough stance of punishing Cllr Gregory by suspending him for six months after offensive comments left on Cllr Worrows phone,  its a pity Labour didn't do the same to Cllr Mike Harrison for comments made about womem and  Cllr Driver, who, I think should take a principled stand and refuse to work with Labour, unlikley as it might be.




20 comments:

  1. I think the instigators of this demo are mainly motivated by anarchy on the one hand, whilst Ian Driver is all about bandwagons and publicity. The leaflet tries to make out that the problems at the Broadway Practice are brought about by national policies, totally ignoring the fact that many patients have already transferred to the Mocketts Wood or Montefiore practices where everything is working normally. Perhaps they are in a different country?

    The Red House mob live for protest, whether it be against the Broadstairs community centre or world capitalism. Driver evidently lives to get his name in the paper.

    Probably the only people to take any notice of this disturbance or be inconvenienced by it, will be the unfortunate staff still trying to work in the centre and the poor patients trying to get to it.

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    1. Motivated by anarchy? What ARE you talking about?

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    2. Already explained in the content of my comment, Yogi. I said they exist to protest against everything and everyone.

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  2. Clearly there is a problem at this surgery with no continunity of GP's so I dont see what anarchy has to do with it. A public protest will let Concordia know that its not good enough and the publicity will be a warning to other surgeries that are thinking of getting into bed with the company.

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  3. This can t be allowed to go on -
    "Since the beginning of 2010, I have now seen 20 different doctors - most of them locums with no knowledge of or interest in me. Poor quality care has been the norm. At the beginning of 2012, new "permanent" doctors were appointed and my care at the practice improved dramatically as I had a single GP dealing with me and my condition stopped deteriorating. Now all those doctors have left and I am unwilling to subject myself again to a random selection of others passing through."

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  4. Gregory should have been sacked as should Harrison.
    But..alas...dinosaurs still rule Planet Thanet

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  5. Good these problems at the NHS are being raised. Same with QEQM having services cut back.

    And agree Harrison and Gregory should be sacked. If the local party club won't do it then a petition to national HQ might. Thanet is seen as a liability and a failure in need of reform.

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    1. Yes, it is good that these problems are being raised, but we can ignore the local rabble rousers, This has already progressed via MPs through to the minister so what the usual tree huggers hope to achieve by standing around with banners is beyond me. I do appreciate, however, that they enjoy their little demos. Just a shame it is not raining cats and dogs to make it look like real sacrifice..

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    2. I would love to think there was an anarchist conspiracy in the heart of Thanet but alas, I fear it is paranoid fantasy.

      How mean spirited to wish a soaking for protesters.
      Let's hope you will not benefit from any changes made as a result of the their efforts.

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    3. Yogi, I wont be holding my breath on any changes resulting from their efforts, but am much more hopeful on my own of writing to my MP and the PCT. Not a great believer in public protests and don't recall them doing much for CND. We still have a nuclear deterrent.

      Oh, I was not so much being mean spirited as wishing a bit of martyrdom on them by braving adverse elements. Even more effective as a PR exercise if a few got carted away in ambulances with hypothermia.

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    4. If you think the NHS has our best interests at heart, think again.

      Inventor Harry Oldfield presented the NHS with a gizmo to detect cancers at a much, much earlier stage than their radiation scanners can.

      Harry's gizmo costs a fraction of and is more portable than the dangerous radiation scanners currently in use, (exposure to radiation will actually trigger cancer in carriers of the sv40 virus - which most of us received in our polio vaccination.)

      One would have thought the NHS would have welcomed Harry and his cost cutting, efficiency boosting gizmo with open arms, right?

      Wrong.

      Here is Harry giving a very interesting lecture that the British 'government' would rather you didn't see:

      http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0291FD02395FCA64

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  6. They will have a nice afternoon out Tom Cllr Driver may even get on the news (I bet he has called them) he must be feeling in the shadows now Cllr Worrow has been on the BBC. I hope the TIG press officer manages to keep up.

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  7. It was a really good turnout of people all concerned about what's happening to healthcare in Thanet. I wouldn't call them a rabble - most had sticks, one was in a wheelchair and one in a pushchair! And no-one hugged a tree.....
    Christine

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    Replies
    1. Wot nobody, Christine, I'm disappointed, surely you're not trying to telling us that the usual suspects were not available, to protest.

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    2. Never realised that a stick or wheelchair was some kind of badge of respectability. Strangely enough, I just thought they were aids to mobility. Mind you, badges seem quite popular in Thanet of late with a certain councillor wearing his sexuality as one.

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    3. and of course certain councillors breaking the law and being issued with police cautions for illegal actions. Wake up you fool

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    4. Nice to hear from you again, John. Since when did two wrongs make a right and are we public now fools as well as pigs?

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  8. Film on Youtube tomorrow.
    Christine

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    Replies
    1. Christine, I shall not sleep tonight the excitement is too much!

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  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

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