NHS Improvements? Where?

The Times | NHS survey says improvements are only patchy

DIRTY hospitals and a lack of information about medical treatments are among patients’ top concerns about the NHS, according to an authoritative survey.

They are also worried about a lack of involvement in decisions about medication and other NHS care.

The service has improved, in some cases markedly, says the report from the Picker Institute Europe, but only in areas directly targeted by the Department of Health.

In other areas the service has languished or even become worse, according to the views of nearly a million patients who have contributed to surveys conducted since 1998. Angela Coulter, chief executive of the charity, said: “The most disappointing thing is that all the rhetoric about creating patient-centred care hasn’t led to improvements across the board.

A standard New Labour trick is... Repeat something often enough and people will begin to believe it is true.

I don't doubt that Labour have poured a substantial (and ever increasing) amount of tax payers cash into the NHS, but the reality is that the level and quality of service has not risen at the same rate. At best it has stayed the same, at worse it is in decline.

Doctors fill in for nurses at crisis hotline
Costs soar at hospital

I found out at the weekend that the Luton & Dunstable Health Authority has vacancies for over 450 nurses, so the acute nursing shortage problem is not going away in a hurry.

A short while ago I posted this story to highlight the disastrous way that healthcare is being handled in the town I was born. By way of an update, please follow this link, which will give the following rather worrying statistics:

Figures published last month revealed that for Inverclyde, perinatal deaths, the combined rate of stillbirths (including deaths during labour) and deaths during the first week of life, rose from 6.3 per cent for 1000 deliveries in 2002, to 13.1 in 2003 to 18.7 in 2004.

That is almost a 1 in 5 stillbirth rate. All this since the maternity services were moved to Paisley. Over 16 miles away!

From the same paper we have the following story: A front line view on the fight against MRSA:

Outraged hospital staff have lifted the lid on the slipping standard of cleanliness that is leaving patients vulnerable to hospital-based infections such as the superbug MRSA. Domestic employees were so concerned they called a crisis meeting to take on bosses over the problems that include a shortage of staff and a shortage of disinfectant.

They reacted with fury at recent reports by hospital management that extra resources are being ploughed in and £1.6 million is being spent to fight superbug MRSA. One IRH domestic staff member said: "I am doing the job of three or four people in four hours.

"Obviously it means the hospital isn't getting clean. We definitely need more staff.

"I have worked here for three years and it has definitely got worse, before we at least had proper disinfectant."

The very same hospital wanted to close the A&E department and move it to Paisley, but were forced into a U turn.

So whilst everything is warm and cuddly in New Labour Land, in the real world, things are just a touch different.