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NHS

Which party does Dr Wollaston currently represent?

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Office of Dr Sarah Wollaston MP Totnes Constituency

Dear Nina,

Which party does Dr Wollaston currently represent?  I am not sure.  I do know she left the Conservative party some time ago.  So I cannot help wondering which element is paying the office expenses, but 'not my bag' as they say.  Incidentally, I had some useful correspondence with her re OUR NHS early on.  I have summarised the strategy as

destabilise>demoralise>dismantle. 

The latter started in about 1988 with Mrs Thatcher's/Milton Friedman's/Chicago School's Internal Market.  All the main organs opposed it, and I did my best alone from Torbay Hospital and the Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Hospital, ** to oppose it.  ***  The latter was bulldozed for a housing estate in c.1994 against the opposition of the surgeons bar two of ten.  PEOH - > RD&E as the PEOC.  This was under a Tory government and with Dame Margaret Turner-Warwick at the helm of the RD&E.  I had five colleagues at the RD&E then.  There are now 33.  This is in inverse proportion to the available beds.  eg  In February 2018, 8 operating lists were set up one weekend - as Mr Hunt was instructing should happen.  (You will recall he had angered the younger medical staff by calling the service then a 5 day one.)  There were only 12 available beds and as yet hip replacements etc cannot be done from day beds!  Norovirus on one ward and big overflows from the acute medical intake.  We were completely insulated from the latter at the PEOH and had 120 beds including one for children.  And you have heard how at Derriford, almost all elective orthopaedic surgery has been shifted from the NHS  to Care UK.

Safer Together?

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The closure of over 60% of Community Hospital beds in South Devon, and an even greater proportion in North Devon, was engineered with 'consultations' that were undoubted shams.  In South Devon these were signed off and sealed by 'Healthwatch' Torbay - another UK wide sham and political invention.  The latter gives the illusion of public involvement and empowerment.  There was a large majority in the various 'consultations' pleading, on good grounds, against the closures.  As predicted, the District General Hospitals are failing in many important ways, the IT chaos of the weekend at Torbay being just one example.

This 'consultation' is headed 'Safer Together' (George Orwell lives), and was set up by the Devon and Somerset Fire Authority.  It proposes that eight of the fire stations staffed by retained firemen/women be closed, among other things.  It mimics the 'consultations' regarding the Community Hospitals.  There are familiar words like 'Drop In Sessions'.

Visits of SDHCT - ‘Torbay Trust’ to Private Insurer – Kaiser-Permanente USA

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Dear Dr Johnson, Sent 30-07-19

It does not appear that I have had an acknowledgment of my e-mail below.  In it you will read that I was to write to the Torbay 'Trust' to find the costs of the visits of Trust board members to the headquarters of Kaiser Permanente in the USA.  I have not done that for lack of time, partly due to resolution of factors in my own health. 

Another reason is Trust tardiness in grasping nettles -
 a.  Admiral Sir Richard Ibbotson
https://dhalpin.infoaction.org.uk/37-articles/nhs/216-an-example-of-the-low-standards-of-ethical-principle-and-thought-in-our-nhs
Another -
b. is the failure of board member Leslie Darke Executive Director of Estates and Commercial Development at TSDFT, to tell me in October 2018 whether staff leaving before retirement were asked in a kindly way their reasons for leaving.  She was obliged. as you know, under the Freedom of Information Act to reply to my simple question within 20 days, and without a need for me to cite this STATUTE and her obligations under it.  I asked her twice.  The ICO (the overwhelmed Information Commissioners Office) was contacted and after delay, prised the following out of the Trust this month, at least 9 months after my question. See twin posting: Retention of Nursing Staff: Failure of Leslie Darke, Torbay Trust Board Member to Answer a Key Question asked October 2018

I am therefore asking you, on behalf of the CCG to answer these four questions given that the budget which CCG-Corporate Services holds of £1.6 billion funds the 'Torbay' Trust.  That is, it commissions services, planning, policy etc within the Trust.

Retention of Nursing Staff: Failure of Leslie Darke, Torbay Trust Board Member to Answer a Key Question asked October 2018

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Data Protection and Freedom of Information Team

Request for information FS50815962[Ref. FS50815962]

Dear Ms Pearce, 12-07-19 11.45 am

This is a preliminary response.  I first asked Mrs Leslie Darke,  Executive Director of Estates and Commercial Development at TSDFT, in October 2018 whether staff leaving before  retirement were asked in a kindly way their reasons for leaving.  She was a board member.  She was obliged under the Freedom of Information Act to reply to my simple question within 20 days, and without a need for me to cite this STATUTE and her obligations under it.  I asked her again and received this -

21-12-18  Dear David,  Thank you for your question. Via this e-mail I will ask my colleague the Director of Workforce to respond to your question. Happy Christmas to you too. Kind Regards  Lesley

I heard nothing from the 'Director of Workforce'.

Delayed and unclear responses to my request re CCG constitution: Integrated Care System - likely coup de grace for OUR NHS

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Dr Tim Burke BM Clinical Chair NEW Devon CCG 19th March 2018

Dear Dr Burke,

Thank you for arranging to meet me and my erstwhile colleague David Jameson-Evans. And I also thank you for the letter which followed with the clear minutes made by Clare Doble.

I accept your apologies contained in the letter. I have learned, much too late in the day and with some anger, that there was a worthwhile electoral process for all NEW CCG medical officers. This extract of the minutes adds clarity -

Dr Halpin therefore sought evidence that this was an electedprocess and wrote to the CCG onMarch 3rd 2017, but the documents that Dr Halpinreceived did not give reassurance on the process, detail or clarity as to how theclinically elected membership of the CCG had arisen. (collected correspondence)

In the absence of a coherent response to my question re constitution, and 5 months after I wrote to Dr Jenner of the NEW CCG , I instructed Mr Selman Ansari of Bindmans. He wrote to you on the 22nd August (4), that being over 5 monthssince my brief and courteous letter to Dr Jenner. You replied 25th October.

Address to Exeter Socialist Workers' Party: and NHS in Crisis – Fix it Now

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I will describe the manufactured changes in the service, note fragments of the chaos, the public mind and how we might turn the tide. There will be plenty of time for questions and for contributions from you. You know that OUR NHS is in the ICU and that many want it dead.

My background helps

Qualified 1964 St Mary's. Came to the old RD&E, just down Southernhay, in 1969. After 11 years of training I became a Consultant Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon at Torbay and the very good Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Hospital which the politicians bulldozed.

I have seen frequent and mostly harmful convulsions in the service arising from political dogma. Remind me to speak of a solution I have seen for 20 years. I have almost always spoken up; sadly that sets me apart from a large majority of doctors.

1988 was a good example. That most vicious leaderene was pushing for the 'Internal Market', a hospital dog eats hospital dog. Professor Enthoven, formerly of the Rand Corporation, had been flown over. I briefed myself and could see harm in at least 3 directions, but especially the cost of a swollen bureaucracy. All Torbay consultants turned up for a presentation by the unpleasant Regional General Manager, Ms Kathreen Hawkins. I stood and said – 'with the cost of administration now being 5%, is it not likely that it will double with these plans?'. '7% at the most'. I stood again and was told to SIT DOWN' by the surgeon chairman. That still hurts. No support from my fellows. The Internal Market, which was opposed by the BMA and colleges was rammed through. £1.3+ billion of administration costs were added to a budget of £30 billion – 5% to at least 10% in the first year. I was alone amongst the consultant staff at Torbay in fighting it. That set the pattern – of being alone in this most vital of things.

An example of the low standards of ethical principle and thought in OUR 'NHS'

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A letter to Admiral Sir Richard Ibbotson, dated April 13th 2017

Admiral Sir Richard Ibbotson KBE, CB, DSC, DLChairman of the Board of the Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust

Dear Sir Richard,

I write to you in your position as Commander of HMS Torbay! I assume you have ultimate responsibility for the actions, both good and bad, that take place under you. Thus I bring to you a very disturbing facet of the new plan for 'care at home'.

I am confident in writing to you because I was trained very well in all specialisms at St Mary's Hospital, qualifying in 1964. I then spent 11 years training in surgery, the last 5 being in orthopaedic and trauma surgery. I was appointed to serve in this role at Torbay in 1975. Although my 77th birthday is tomorrow, I have continued to take the closest interest in our medical services and in my fellow man, both here and in the world.

My central concern (among many) is contained in the annexe below - “prevention of hospital admissions”. This duty, as stated, is unethical. Furthermore, it places a burden on a person who has not been asked to provide evidence of any relevant qualification. Any conscientious GP would always consider whether admission to hospital was necessary and many would have the great benefit of observing/treating some patients in the local Community Hospital. So the only words which have an ethical basis is 'the Assistant Practitioner/Intermediate Practitioner will bring any concern about the patient to the GP.' He or she will consider the need for hospitalisation. (The title of this 'practitioner' is nebulous and should be clearly defined.)

Beds Crisis Avoidable deaths and suffering

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Dear Nick and colleagues,

Now in my 76th year and unable to stand by whilst people suffer - as you know. In the attached letter, there are two links to important broadcasts. The second attachment is written by Dr Sarah Wollaston MP. We need quietness, thought and logic in our sacred calling, not thoughtless upheaval. Sacred in a philosophical sense.

For truth and with best wishes

Attachement One.

Attachement Two.

INTO THE FUTURE: Re-shaping community based health services

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Formal titles -“INTO THE FUTURE Re-shaping community based health services”

'Driving quality, delivering value, improving services'

In fact – closing four Community Hospitals (CHs), including Ashburton/Buckfastleigh and substituting 'Care at Home'

The consultation extended from 1st of September 2016 to 23rd of November

21 December 2016

PREAMBLE

This briefing paper has been written in the event of the committee of the League of Friends of the Ashburton and Buckfastleigh Community Hospital (A&BL LoF) deciding that an application should be sought for a Judicial Review about elements of the consultation conducted by the South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group (SD&T CCG)

I made detailed responses to the 'consultation' 21st November but 'interacted' with the CCG many times before. The document provides useful context and contains two, or possibly three elements which a barrister might consider justiciable. (1)

The SD&T CCG, like all others, was set up by the Health and Social Care Act of 1st April 2012. It was charged with commissioning medical services and, presumably, in pursuing efficiency, economy and safety in those services. The South Devon Care Trust, which had direct reponsibility for the Community Hospitals, launched the first consultation on the proposal to close CHs and substitute 'care at home' in the autumn of 2012. That ran into the sand. SD&T CCG has been consulting (wearing down) about these proposals throughout 2014 – 2016, with the formal period as noted above.

A large amount of material has been dispersed but traditional notices like posters have seldom been used. A large majority of the population does not know what the 'CCG' stands for or does. They would not be helped if they read, say, the Formal Governing Body meeting of April 2016 and its 263 pages.

Consultation re closure of 60 CH beds and increased care at home

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The Clinical Commissioning Group (GPs who 'buy/commission services from the providers eg Torbay Hospital) have been directed by NHS England to close Community Hospitals.  In turn, more patients will be looked after in the home, about which there is a good deal of scepticism.  The pressure to get those listening members of the public to agree has been overbearing. 

There is no doubt, as this document says - 'Close the CHs - cripple the DGH.' Download the Document Here

Download the document attachements:

Attachment 2.

Attachment 3.

Attachment 4.

Attachment 5.

Attachment 6.

Attachment 7.