The NHS needs a Fairy Godmother to put the Patient in the Centre of Health Care

Blog 14

Finger on the Pulse: Max Pemberton, Sadly the NHS means business

Max Pemberton works in chils psychiatry 

By Max Pemberton 23 May 2011

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/8526344/Finger-on-the-Pulse-Max-Pemberton.html

Summary

The NHS managers are often blamed for wasting money and doing nothing. This is unfair since the government has not done anything to help to cut in management. Recent research has proved more managers are necessary. Although the author of this article disagrees with the genuine sentiments he finds the tasks managers have been given frightening. They now have the final say in clinical decisions, even thought they have no relevant background. So, the people who are responsible for meeting targets are making life-and-death decisions about patient’s welfare. He claims it is not the manager’s fault, but only if the organization is around the patient paper work can be cut down.

Opinion

The NHS Cinderella has still not given a fitting sandal by the government. I think it is very discouraging for people to work for the NHS. The managers are walloped by almost anyone. The medical staff is often frustrated and it seems no one really cares. There is never enough money or staff to take care of everyone. The people who have to care about meeting the targets are now also making decisions that should be made by doctors. Even if the managers have a relevant background, one cannot ask them to make choices about the patient’s welfare if they have to worry about meeting the financial goals at the same time.

Middle class school children pay the price for new allocation policy

Blog 13
Schools win right to turn away middle class children

By Graeme Paton, Education Editor 27 May 2011, The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/8540055/Schools-win-right-to-turn-away-middle-class-children.html#disqus_thread

Summary

Debatable alterations in the rules schools use to allocate places might be disastrous for middle class children. The rules have been introduced to try to close the disparity between rich and poor. One of the rules is meant to get more children from very low-income families into the better schools. Allowing the schools to select pupils based on the family income will do this. Schools can do this in favour of children who are entitled to free school lunches. Unfortunately this new allocation regime is arguable, because it has a negative side effect for middle class children. For those children there might not be a place anymore on those schools, because they don’t bring enough money in for the benefit of the poorer children.

Opinion

The government has the aspiration to be fair on all children and to give them equal rights. Accessibility to good education is probably one of the most important starting points to get more equal changes for everyone in society. Although this rule seems to give the less advantaged children an opportunity to get better education, it won’t work if other children, the middle class in this case, are duped. I think the intention is good, but Britain really needs a completely different system if they want equal access to good schools for everyone and not just a few new rules.