The New Cabinet

And that's why Hunt is back in post.

Repeat ..nothing wrong with expecting the same level of cover at weekends as during the week. Shop staff and catering staff have to do it ...on minimum wages unlike doctors.
And their own union negotiator has given up on them.

? Get well soon, dj. I know it is off post but here is another NHS anecdote.
Like you I had reason to get emergency treatment from the NHS last Thursday. I was buckling my GD into her car seat when my husband took off and drove over my foot. Straight round to our local minor injuries clinic and I was in, X rayed and out in 40 minutes having been seen by a practioner nurse.
I do hope the junior doctor's dispute in England is settled soon. I was surprised that Hunt kept his job but perhaps he has fresh orders from his new boss on how to get a good resolution quickly.

Yes that's true with regards to May's choice of Brexiters. It is the age old problem of keeping a party United especially the mad right wing. She is perhaps calculating on Labour support in some of the more difficult votes over Brexit, as the La La land that the mad Brexiters inhabit will never come to fruition.

Yes, Jess, so don't do it. However, the alternative was my head hitting the wall at the bottom of the stairs, so I probably came off lightly.
Not even this can get rid of my sense of humour.

Hyped up on painkillers, whitewave. I try to take as few as possible.
Anyway, enough about me.

theconversation.com/theresa-may-reshuffle-what-is-behind-the-pms-top-appointments-62507

Sounding brighter this morning dj

Oh dear Jen. is it painful?

Thanks, Jane.
I was just going to put the Boris link on but had to add when I saw the NHS stuff. All anecdotal, of course, so doesn't count. Aren't we all anecdotes to the NHS story when they need us?
Cast off in six weeks time. Fortunately no Summer holidays planned.

Sounds like you're feeling better dj. Hope so!

Ibroke my wrist last Friday. 5 p.m.
I was in A&E for four hours, seen within ten minutes of arriving, had xrays before and after setting, and had to go back the next day.
No shortage of doctors either time.
I then had to go as an in patient on Monday. Again, lots of doctors.
Did you know that doctors weekends according to Hunt's statistics, are four days long?

I still maintain that nobody else wanted to take over his big mess.
Did anyone notice his little joke; no NHS badge when he went in to number ten, but had it back in his lapel when he came out.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/07/15/34075/

About Boris.

If the NHS junior doctors debate has been resurrected I can't help thinking that the death of an anaethetist because he fell asleep at the wheel is something to show they are still overworked. Anaethetists are one of the shortfalls in the NHS- operations can't happen without them! www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3687452/Exhausted-trainee-doctor-killed-car-crash-fell-asleep-wheel.html

So how are junior doctors going to cover weekend shifts without employing more of them? They already cover A & E, maternity, intensive care, etc. If they are also going to cover outpatients and non-critical care at weekends, the simple logistics means that there will be fewer of them during the week. Lack of consultant cover is a bigger problem, but junior doctors are an easier target, because they have renewable contracts.

In any case, they can't do their job properly without also employing admin and support staff, such as phlebotomists, radiographers, pharmacists, etc, so the next step will be to change their contracts too.

Increasing numbers of NHS roles are being outsourced to providers who cut corners, not only with the pay and conditions of staff, but the care they provide. That's what this is really all about.

May had no choice really with regard to the Brexiters, it is exactly what I would have done. It makes so much sense, and undoubtedly they should take full responsibility for negotiations. Whether they can work together is another issue, but they should be professional enough to do so without any silliness.

I would hope May has appointed people because she has faith in their abilities to do a good job. However, it can't be a coincidence that she has given three prominent Brexiters the job of sorting out our exit. Presumably she thinks they're most committed to leaving and they will be accountable for what they do. If she had given those jobs to Remainers, they would always have been at risk of being accused of not trying hard enough. It will be interesting to see what kind of job Johnson does - it will make or break him and I bet May knows that.

Thoroughly agree with Anya and roses about the junior doctors/Jeremy Hunt thing. Was beginning to think it was only me.

Isn't that a quote from 'Carry On Camping' Daphne?

Johnson is in Brussels on Monday. I fervently hope he behaves like a grownup and leave his celebrity and brash behaviour at home. I am not at all convinced that he is a sensible choice.

Anya there has long been a feeling that more consultant cover would be a good thing at weekends and might save lives.
I'm sorry you experienced a problem but as you say - anecdotal - and these can crop up on all days. (As happened to a friend's daughter only last week - given v dangerous wrong drug dosage after tonsillectomy) For instance on surgical wards the consultants and registrars could all be in theatre, leaving the wards covered by newly qualified medical staff.
The point is that if a Sec of State is going to pick a fight with one of the most crucial, and well educated parts of his workforce, he should have good evidence to base it on - or he is going to lose the argument. Not fair to brand them as grasping and "militant" - they did not start this. If they have become "militant" then Hunt has made them so.

There is of course that well-known ancient proverb (Persian?) that
"It is better to keep your enemies inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in"

I also think this attitude of 'Theresa May has given Brexiters top jobs in order to let them get on with it then! ' is ridiculous.She has chosen a good mix of people from Leave and Remain, and will have chosen them for their abilities, those who voted to Leave are enthusiastic and those who voted Remain will also do their best for a good outcome for our country ( and for themselves) and don't forget, even those MP's in the Tory Party who voted Remain, may have done so reluctantly.It seems a childish view that May has appointed anyone for anything other than faith in their abilities to do a good job.

Of course it's about money! hospitals ARE more dangerous at weekends, I have first hand knowledge of this( I know, it's 'anecdotal' but I was shocked all the same when it happened.)
The junior doctors need to call off this long running dispute, presumably it's the more militant among them who won't.

And of course it's about money....it always is.

So what's wrong with wanting a 24/7 NHS? Our local Tesco is open 24/7 and that's only a shop.

And it's more than a rumour that hospitals are under-manned at weekends.

And their own union rep. in these talks has resigned. You can't lay all the blame on Hunt.

It's not a dispute about money Anya. It's a dispute about Hunt and Osborne getting into their noddles that we need a 24/7 NHS. Their opinion is based on a rumour that hospitals are more dangerous at weekends. This is not backed up by any reliable research. Let alone any research that there is a problem caused by lack of junior hospital doctors at weekends.
Everyone knows that "junior" hospital doctors are one of the groups that do cover weekends in all the acute areas where they are needed. Hunt is trying to insist that all doctors work in this way. He is picking on the one group that least needs to be interfered with.
Which raises the question, why pick a fight with them in the first place? Is it because he is scientifically illiterate and ignorant of the way NHS hospitals operate? Or is it part of a concerted attack on the NHS designed to undermine it and so boost the fortunes of private healthcare companies?

It's no use giving extra funding to the NHS if it is immediately swallowed up again by wage increases. The extra money needs to go into improving services by hiring more staff, not paying the existing ones more.