BS: NHS Trusts

Subject: BS: NHS Trusts
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 09:37 AM

Yesterday I received a letter through the post inviting me to become a member of something called (deep breath), 'Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS (Foundation) Trust'.

Now, I've vaguely heard of NHS Trusts but I don't really know what they are or whether they're a good thing or a bad thing. Anyone got any views? Should I join or not?

Subject: RE: BS: NHS Trusts
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 10:01 AM

Health Trusts were set up by the Tory government in about 1990, to replace the locally- based, but oligarchic, Community Health Councils with a more commercially- oriented management. The idea was to expedite the NHS internal market, which most independent observers believe was an attempt to privatise the NHS by the back door.

The lay members of the Trust will have minimal powers- their purpose is to give a semblance of democratic control, without relinquishing any real power to them. The power remains in the hands of the permanent management, who often receive silly salaries (six figures and onwards) and see the trust mainly as their own property. This is in line with the real purpose of the NHS under New Labour, which is to transfer large amounts of money from the public pocket to private companies. Any health care that happens on the way is a welcome, if non- essential, byproduct.

As a lay member, you will be subject to non- disclosure regulations which mean that should you find any details of the massive scams going on, you will be unable to disclose anything about it on pain of prosecution. You will however be in the firing line should any disaster (superbugs, abuse of elderly patients, harvesting of organs from not- quite- dead children, to name a few imaginary examples) occur.

In short, if you want to influence the government's running of your local NHS, you'd be better off standing on a soapbox in the local park- unless you are a multibillionaire businessman of course.

Subject: RE: BS: NHS Trusts
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 12:20 PM

Thanks PMB,

I thought there was a catch somewhere. Most 'reforms' these days seem to be about making the rich richer, don't they?

Anyone got any alternative views?

Subject: RE: BS: NHS Trusts
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 02:26 PM

What PMB said

Subject: RE: BS: NHS Trusts
From: danensis
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 03:59 PM

Our District General Hospital was one of the first Trusts. It is run very efficiently (curiously I found out that the Chief Exec was in my class at school!). Unfortunately they were so efficient that they carried out more procedures than the government had money to pay them, so the government reduced the amount they pay for each procedure (called "The Tariff"). This meant the hospital planned to lay off some staff. However the trust listened to the staff, and with a bit of wheeler-dealing and a few early retirements, they managed to avoid staff cuts.

My involvement is in a Cancer Services Users Group, and we are very highly thought of by both the staff and the trust. We have managed to get a number of changes made to the cancer journey, and more general improvements carried out within the hospital. We have championed ideas put forward by staff, ideas that have sometimes been blocked in the "proper channels". Amongst the ideas that are now being taken up by other trusts are patient held log books, and taped interviews with consultants.

I don't believe we would have the influence and respect we now have had we operated under the old regime. We can summon anyone we want from within the trust to attend our meetings, and have had very owrthwhile presentations from the head of imaging, the chief pathologist, the head of the primary care trust, the palliative care consultant and the chief executive of the trust. Staff give up their saturday mornings to attend our meetings, and we have attendance from the cancer network, the PCT, the local hospice and other bodies.

However I think the governors are a waste of space. The only people with time to become governors are either retired or local politicians, and although I've nothing against either I don't think they are truly representative of the hospitals user base as a whole.

John

Subject: RE: BS: NHS Trusts
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 06:08 PM

Thanks danensis,

It's certainly useful to have another point of view...

Actually, it makes my choice more difficult! But thanks all the same!

Reading the small print on the form I note that, in agreeing to join the Trust, I am also agreeing "to be bound by the rules of such an organisation" (sic). Unfortunately, the form doesn't tell me what these rules are.

So, I thought, go on to the Trust's website and find out. But the website does not appear to be available. Oh dear - not a good start!