Golden age for nurses seems to have ended
5:16pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in Your Say
Golden age for nurses seems to have ended
I retired from nursing in 1995 but like all true nurses have always followed developments in the profession via publications, radio, TV, newspapers and via colleagues and friends, who have been exposed to the service in some way or other.
I am saddened to read and hear of the disgraceful treatment of many of our patients from not isolated trusts and places.
Then I find that these happenings come to light, not from the nursing profession, but from relatives of patients, friends of patients, local and national newspapers and patients themselves. I then ask myself, what are the leaders in the profession doing and saying?
Why haven’t they flagged up issues before we get the disgraceful stories that we do? Where are our leaders, who tend to make their comments and wring their hands after the event? Where are the ward managers, the people at the pulse of the system who should be jumping up and down in anger?
Why is it that following these events, it is the Government that organises inquiries and commissions to seek the causes and remedies, as opposed to the senior management who get considerable salaries to oversee the function of the profession?
Not too long ago, I read that one trust was paying nurses to smile at patients. Professional publications always depict cosy contact between a nurse and patient where there appears to be care, empathy and general support taking place, when in fact it seems in reality to be health care support workers who are carrying out this role, a role being carried out by the less trained personnel.
Nurses might well be doing other more “academic” and “vital work” and disregarding, in my view, their elemental role in being an advocate for their patients and to be seen as such.
What is going on?
Why is it so rare to find the senior people in the caring profession very rarely point out the deficiencies and totally inadequate care being given in some trusts? One waits in anticipation as to what ghastly situation might arrive next, flagged up by relatives or friends. My view is that when academia came into the nursing world, the care aspect began to decline.
The old SRN was replaced by the RGN, concentrating on brain rather than heart. How are the human qualities of student nurses assessed before they are accepted for academic training?
How did the educators approach this vital requirement for any future nurse? A lack of this could account for some of these dreadful situations.
I retired in 1995 after working in cardiac and medical areas and there were always some problems, but a lack of care and connection to patients was never part of them. I do feel we worked through a golden age, which was complimented by the SEN and staff nurses, who performed many of the duties now performed by health care assistants.
The changes, in my view, have been detrimental to patient care and the nursing profession.
J McDonald Carshalton Road Swindon
No Eton my words
At the time of the credit crunch in 2007, when Alistair Darling said that Britain’s economy was in a better state than most other economies, it was true.
Nobel Prize economist Paul Kruger said Britain is still perceived to be solvent by financial markets, giving it room to pursue a strategy of jobs first, deficits later, and if you go back to 2004, Digby Jones, the head of the CBI, said in Swindon Britain has the best economy in the world. Gordon Brown deserves the credit for the best economic years of your life. Where are you going now?
Britain entered the crisis in 2007 with net public debt below 36 per cent, as a percentage of GDP, well below the figure of 43.7 per cent at the time of the 1997 elections. Before the election in 2010, it was 53 per cent, well below our competitors in the G7, except Canada. The ratings agency, Moody’s, said the British economy was resilient. George Osborne said it was on the edge of bankruptcy, which was dangerous spin!
In the last few months of 2009, public sector investment was 20 per cent higher than before the recession, GDP was rising, which encouraged investment.
When Osborne put forward his plan A, austerity and spending cuts, investors were frightened off. Business has always relied on the state for markets; economic sense gave way to ideological dogma.
For every job created in the private sector, 13 are lost in the public sector, but Osborne said “shrink the state and give the private sector room to grow”. Keynes said “suck the private sector out of the economy and a slump will follow”.
This is the kind of economics one expects from the Neo-Conservatives. Just the thing I warned about in these pages before the election. Don’t elect an Eton educated prime minister – a warning from history!
MJ Warner Groundwell Road Swindon
We’re not lazy
I’m upset by the Mayor of London’s latest remarks in the national newspapers, stating that generally the English are lazy and that is why most jobs are going to foreigners, something I have read before.
I am just going to ask him who made this country great in the first place so that everyone in the world wishes to come here? Who won WW1 and WW2? Yes, that’s right, the English. I would suggest he thinks before opening his big mouth.
G Ing Newcastle Street Swindon
Can you help?
Once again I have pleasure in writing and telling you of the wonderful gift of £600 given by the Sussex Square Charity Shop to Elizabeth House Social Club.
This is to assist with our four coach trips we have each year, these are supported by some residents, and people from the surrounding areas. The staff in the shop are all volunteers and very helpful and cheerful. They rely on gifts of clothing and household items to be donated in order for them to keep going.
So I would like to ask your readers if they have any of these items they no longer require, would they please give them to the Sussex Square Shop. Do not just throw them out please. 0n behalf of the members of the Social Club and people of the district, I would like to say thank you very much to Peter Mallinson and his wonderful staff, they do a great job.
Tony Dunmore Walcot SwIndon
It’s our money
It has been recently reported in the national press that many local councillors have climbed aboard the Local Government Pension scheme of late and allegedly qualify for such benefits as l Pensions based on their career average allowances in return for a six per cent contribution l Life Insurance for their partner l An “early retirement” payout should they be voted out.
In these difficult times, when money cannot be found for subsidising bus routes for children, elements of elderly care and so on, can our glorious leader confirm that neither he or any of the other elected members, of whatever persuasion, are not helping themselves to our money?
If they are can he confirm who it is, the amounts concerned, and when this was voted on and scrutinised. This is our money and therefore our right to know.
Guy Green Old Town Swindon
Be ambassador
RNIB is seeking an ambassador in this area – could it be you? If so you’ll be someone who thrives on getting things done.
Pro-active in your local community and accustomed to networking, you know instinctively how to deal with a wide range of individuals, groups and businesses. You’re a good organiser who is looking for a worthwhile project to get your teeth into.
Our Community Network Volunteers are vital to our mission to support people who have lost their sight and to ending avoidable sight loss. Every day around 100 people begin to lose their sight, about 50 per cent of this could have been avoided.
We need you for about one day a week – in return you will get full training and support, out of pocket expenses, and the satisfaction of being part of a new team of ambassadors across the South West.
For an informal chat, call Sharon Woodhams on 01626 334375 or Sharon.woodhams@ rnib.org.uk. Thank you.
Sharon Woodhams RNIB Devon
