What is going on?

The Golden Era

Over the last few years we have seen a sustained effort by the politicians, who represent the people (they say) to try and micromanage the NHS.

They have introduced targets, cost control, the skills escalator, new training programmes, increased management, and a gradual deprofessionalisation of clinicians. Now we have increasing management combined with cuts in budgets, and the hope is that this can be accommodated by the clinicians who will be able to deliver a better service.

The problem is, that it isn't.

Even in the prestigious hospitals we are seeing the effects of Government interference. The senior people are beginning to despair. St Bartholomew's Hospital is an iconic hospital that has been a leading teaching centre for hundreds of years.

Yet we have one of their surgeons, President of the Royal College of Surgeons, who describes:

"Appalling deterioration in services"

What on earth is going on with our great hospitals? What are we to make of this?

Bells should be ringing in the Department of Health. The Chief Medical Officer should be meeting with these surgeons. The senior doctors should be listened to, not hectored at.

I despair.