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siobhanimages.bsky.social
@siobhanimages.bsky.social
23 followers 63 following 2 posts
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carolinejmolloy.bsky.social
As Wes Streeting trumpets the role of the private sector in “saving the NHS”, it’s worth remembering what happened the only time a whole NHS hospital was handed to the private sector to run.

The care failings - gaining the worst CQC rating ever - were *chilling* (& barely reported at the time):
Circle's medical services were found to be delivering "poor emotional and physical care which was not safe or caring... people were not treated with dignity and respect... some patients were afraid of certain nursing staff'". Some of the examples witnessed by the CQC in their two-day inspection were chilling "We heard the staff member say to the patient 'don't misbehave, you know what happens when you misbehave'. We later asked the patient what they thought the staff member meant by this; the patient became withdrawn and was unable to provide us with an answer." "A patient on Apple Tree Ward, who required support during the night to go to the toilet told us that staff were 'often too busy'. They said 'they tell me to go in my bed and they will change me when they have time'." after they were seen in A&E, they then waited far too long - up to 12 hours - to be admitted to hospital. On this measure (so-called 'trolley waits') Hinchingbrooke had one in 5 patients waiting between 4 and 12 hours, compared to a national average of only one in 20 patients. So much for key targets. And whilst waiting in A&E, an unusually high number of patients (double the national average) left before being seen, fed up of waiting - and presumably unimpressed by the waiting-management computer system Circle had boasted was modelled on the Argos tills. (Circle's senior management team had been hired from Argos, Avon, Faberge, Tesco and fashion-website Asos, bragged Ali Parsa in an article entitled "Government should not be running hospitals"). Dangerously sloppy procedures were everywhere at privately-run Hinchingbrooke, the inspectors found. Incomplete patient notes, missing care plans, infected catheters, unwashed hands, broken clinical guidelines. Fluids were repeatedly out of reach of patients despite the inspectors' intervention. On other wards, call bells were placed out of reach. Diabetic patients were left without food. Patients missed vital medication rounds. Lifesaving resuscitation equipment was not checked regularly. Many post-surgical patients were waiting over 30 minutes for a response to a call bell (Circle's own figures claimed the maximum wait was 8 minutes). Many patients were being moved between wards in the middle of the night. "One patient on the acute surgical and trauma ward said that they had been on seven wards in the first three days of admission, and had been moved at 12.45am, 3am and 5am on different days." The CQC was keen not to blame the permanent staff themselves - though it did note an over-reliance on bank and agency staff (a problem Circle repeatedly promised to fix) who were involved in many of the most worrying failings. "All nursing staff told us the trust had difficulty recruiting and retaining staff... one nurse told inspectors "we can't keep staff". The report reflects the recent staff survey which found morale amongst the lowest in the country. Staff told the CQC that shortages also meant little time for training. For example, "Staff at ward level were not competent in caring for people at the end of their life, because they had not received the training required to enable them to undertake this role."
February 16, 2025 at 8:15 AM
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sqquelch.bsky.social
@russincheshire.bsky.social Sir, I bow down to your brilliance once again.
January 4, 2025 at 12:44 PM
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carolecadwalla.bsky.social
NEW: Meet Sergei Cristo, a Russian-born Conservative party activist turned whistleblower.

Episode 1 is out today: A meeting at the Carlton Club.

And the start of efforts to uncover the biggest Russian intelligence operation since the Cambridge Spy Ring.
1/

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
Episode 1: A Meeting at the Carlton Club
Podcast Episode · Sergei & the Westminster Spy Ring · EP1 · 24m
podcasts.apple.com
December 31, 2024 at 1:34 PM
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europeanpowell.bsky.social
I wonder if the public are aware that Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) is embedded in the UK’s CPTPP free trade deals?
What is ISDS?
Thread
December 16, 2024 at 5:44 PM
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jujuliagrace.bsky.social
When I left X, I left 260000ish followers who cared about the NHS.

This is bad because the NHS is in a state of emergency and EveryDoctor has just launched an important petition. If you can see this, please could you follow me and share this? 🤞💙🚨
December 10, 2024 at 6:57 AM
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mjfree.bsky.social
I'm going to post this video every day so we never forget
December 4, 2024 at 12:42 PM
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charlesfourier.bsky.social
#RefugeesWelcome please share.
November 13, 2024 at 10:52 PM
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bylinetimes.bsky.social
🔴‘Donald Trump’s Election Means Reversing Brexit Is Now More Urgent Than Ever’

For the sake of Britain, Europe and humanity, it’s time for us to get back with the European team, argues @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social

bylinetimes.com/2024/11/15/d...
'Donald Trump's Election Means Reversing Brexit Is Now More Urgent Than Ever'
For the sake of Britain, Europe and humanity, it’s time for us to get back with the European team, argues Mike Galsworthy
bylinetimes.com
November 25, 2024 at 2:11 PM
Reposted
peterstefanovic.bsky.social
Express burries one small detail as it blasts Labour for handing £536 million to ‘foreign farmers’

Almost all of the aid grants that make up the £500m total quoted were given by Conservative governments

www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/media/e...
Express burries one small detail as it blasts Labour for handing £536 million to 'foreign farmers'
Almost all of the aid grants that make up the £500m total quoted were given by Conservative governments, Peter Stefanovic pointed out.
www.thelondoneconomic.com
November 25, 2024 at 2:49 PM