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I was moved by Martin Wildman's Personal View. His ironic mantra
of"Spend a little money to save a little money" is undoubtedly true, and I
well remember the feeling of trying to provide marvellous care for my
patients in an unfeeling world when a junior. (We were not trainees then.)
However, there is an answer. We can do what Aneurin Bevan did and be
political; become medical managers; turn up to committees; do the
unpalatable. Of course if you fight dirty for your corner of the NHS
someone else suffers now, but if we all do it next year there ought be a
larger pie to divide up the year after.
It is arguable if the Golden Age ever existed. My dad was a manager
in the NHS from the very second of its inception and I don't think he had
an easy time ever. I certainly remember his battles during the seventies
when I was a medical student. Sure it's tough just practicing medicine in
the nineties, but if you turn your back on the politics you are letting
down your patients and, I think, yourself. (And I have consumed more units
in writing this letter than Jimmy had in a week.)
Andrew Jones Consultant Anaesthetist
Clinical Director, Theatres, Anaesthesia & Sterile Services
Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals Trust
Prescot Street
Liverpool
L7 8XP
Re: Reviews
Editor
I was moved by Martin Wildman's Personal View. His ironic mantra
of"Spend a little money to save a little money" is undoubtedly true, and I
well remember the feeling of trying to provide marvellous care for my
patients in an unfeeling world when a junior. (We were not trainees then.)
However, there is an answer. We can do what Aneurin Bevan did and be
political; become medical managers; turn up to committees; do the
unpalatable. Of course if you fight dirty for your corner of the NHS
someone else suffers now, but if we all do it next year there ought be a
larger pie to divide up the year after.
It is arguable if the Golden Age ever existed. My dad was a manager
in the NHS from the very second of its inception and I don't think he had
an easy time ever. I certainly remember his battles during the seventies
when I was a medical student. Sure it's tough just practicing medicine in
the nineties, but if you turn your back on the politics you are letting
down your patients and, I think, yourself. (And I have consumed more units
in writing this letter than Jimmy had in a week.)
Andrew Jones Consultant Anaesthetist
Clinical Director, Theatres, Anaesthesia & Sterile Services
Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals Trust
Prescot Street
Liverpool
L7 8XP
Competing interests: No competing interests