A new settlement for health and social care: Final report

Like many of todays problems in Britain, they have a long history and inaction or lack of appropriate action has given rise to the burgening problems that we face today. As I consider the health service problems of waiting ambulances etc, I am reminded that my brother in law, a retired medical consultant now retired for about 20 years, talked with me when he was a mere Houseman, about "bed blocking" whence ambulances had to wait for the hospital bed spaces to become available, as patients who were fir enough to be dischargd into a care home could not be as the care home system was not properly funded. So what has changed in all these years since? The old excuse of "Who sir, me sir, no not I sir. It was him or them sir" still flourishes. So what has changed. There are lots of examples. My brother in law told me recently that when he had to take his wife into the local hospital, he found that the number of medical administrators - as opposed to medical staff - such as consultants, various grades of doctors and nurses therapists etc, had increases hugely. Also, the working hours the professionals worked actually dealing with patients, had shrunk compared to the hours he and others at his time in practice.
Times must change but I confess even in my time asa professional, the beuracracy increased hugely. My time spent on management matters reduced my professional output greatly, much to my angst.

The time has come to look at "management and administration" tasks to see what can be thrown out or modernised. One of my sons has now hot ascientific computerised job, which is to go into organisations and make them a lot more efficient. The firm concerned gets paid on real results. I can give an example from my own experience when I had to go to hospital for a relativey smaoll peration. I was booked in and all my details were taken down on a paper list sheet. O.K. I thought. What a pity it was not computerised. However, I had to be seen by two other specialisations. I was astonished when for the second and third bookings were also captured via the procedd of a paper from, and quite gobsmacked to find that a lot of the questions were the same as with the first interview. Mostly the same but with a few variations towards the end. And yet this haened a third time for the third specialisation.

The actual medical procedure which involved surgery and aftercare was efficiently carried out. It is time now to get our procedures and record keeping up to date. It is time now for the old ways of doing things to be radically changed. How shall this be achieved? By consulting with and really listening to the professional, technical and experienced work practice. Tap into their experience of what works well. And then take action accordingly. Don't delay.

If my brief narration rings true, start a debate and press for action. Thank you.

Too many people doing hard work in nhs for little thanks or reward. To many managers in my opinion. NHS should not be used by political parties its too important. From experience I've seen how money can be saved through better procurement etc. too much red tape. Patient care sometimes seems like an afterthought. From my point of view the whole problem these days is nit being tackled from the right angle. Care first see what the cost not sure why it doesn't work like this now. Even I with my (mental illness) could see this.

My husband needs have not changed yet care has been taken away from him. I disagree that it is fine!!!!!

I would like to have a voice for the carers of an adult aged 18-65 with a severe and endring menatl health problem. Where i work the other 2 carer support workers have left and southampton city council are not replacing them. This leaves the carers alone and desperate with no support at all.

I would like to see a review on how Care Homes are being funded, especially in Kent where the fees are very low. Residents coming to care home are no longer the same, they are very frail, highly and some are totally dependent on others and require two staff to handle them, but we still getting the ceiling price for their care. We need to have a fair system to enable us to provide a high standard of care to comply with all CQC requirements and what is expecting from us. The cost of running a Home in Kent is no different to other areas. Why are we getting a low fee of which does cover the cost of running the Home efficiently.

I very much doubt any political party would have the courage of their convictions to fully implement the processes required to remedy the health-care system which, to-date, is failing. It would cost too many votes from the electorate.

It sounds fine but has bee said all before.

So recommendation 10 suggestes that those who have been ambitious and done well for themselves should now pay another 3% on their NI to be told later on in life, when means tested, that they are not eligible.....for anything! So what exactly will I be paying for apart from possible reduced prescription?

Recommendation 8 lets take away the possible one source of contact with the outside world i.e the telly and while you are staying at the 4 walls feel free to add another cardi as you sit freezing your assets off........ REALLY!!

When 23,500 is reached the state steps in.

There should be a maximum five year cap on residential care payments

My 91year old father with dementia and cancer was denied NHS Continuing care and nursing bed on the grounds he was predictably unpredictable . For almost a month NHS/local authority argued over the cost of a nursing bed. My father never got his nursing bed he fell unsupervised and died 3 days later.