A Third World Health Service?

Until recently I, like most other people, had never heard of MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus). Many people are carriers of the staphylococcus aureus organism which is harmless unless it gets under the skin when it can be very damaging. In the past Methicillin was used as an antibiotic to treat patients infected with the organism but eventually the organism became resistant to it, hence MRSA.

Yesterday for the very first time I heard of clostridium difficile as this bacterium was linked to 90 deaths at the Kent and Sussex Hospital, Pembury Hospital and Maidstone Hospital all run by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

Both of these result from poor hygiene standards for which I believe there to be no excuse. However the root of the problem is much deeper than this. I know that the majority of those working in the health service are conscientious and hard-working. I also know that the government knows this and I also know that they take advantage of the good nature of those in the health service, particularly the support staff, those nursing and in administration, who feel they are helping their fellow man and accept they are paid poorly for doing so. But the tide is turning and the workers are fed up with being used and abused by those at the top, morale is at rock bottom and standards are falling. All of this is as a result of the government playing political games with the NHS. They want to give the impression that by pumping in loads of money all is well. The money isn’t going to those who prop the system up however, it’s going to the fat cat managers and consultants. The Labour government are so focussed on targets, which in themselves are not a bad thing, but they are forgetting that they are dealing with peoples lives. Reach the target, get the funding and then see if the patient and staff can fit into this nice cosy process.

It’s not working! The NHS is being forced to meet targets or suffer financial penalty. Consequently wages are kept low. Cleaning contracts are offered to those who can do the job cheaply and this means minimum wages for the mainly immigrant cleaners who are frankly, not up to the job. Nurses are rushed off their feet and replaced by those from abroad to save money. Patients are treated like commodities and are turned around as quickly as possible so the bed can be used by the next poor soul and some are left on trolleys until beds become available.

If I sound bitter that’s because I am. This Labour government led firstly by the slippery, smarmy, Tony Blair and now by that fish-faced, insincere fool, Gordon Brown are leading this once great nation of ours to become a laughing stock. The NHS that was created to serve the general public is just another pawn in their political game and the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats do virtually nothing to prevent this. Make no mistake we are heading for Third World status.

What’s needed is a radical shake-up, not only of the political system as it stands but also the NHS and every other organisation the government is intent on destroying.

I am not even going to mention who I think the only political party is that has the guts and the commitment to do such a task as there IS only one that actually believes in restoring this country to the Great Britain it once was.