Health Service whistleblower??

meglome

A friend of mine pointed this blog out to me. I think it's brand new so dunno if anyone has seen it yet. I would hope that one of the big debates in this election will be on the state of the health service. I've been dying for people to whistleblow on the real situation but since that person will most likely never get a decent job again in this country I wasn't expecting it to happen. Anyone who has had the misfortune to go to hospital, especially A&E will know how bad things can be. I was in A&E myself a while back and the doctor who checked me out (after the obligatory eight hour wait, in a hard plastic chair with an injured back) basically encouraged me to say the place was a ****hole. He started asking me "So... what do you think of the place?" I told him I thought it was dump, to which he nodded. And so on, he asked me questions he obviously knew I was going to answer negatively to. He can't get into trouble as he didn't really say anything, it was me. But rest assured he agreed with what I had to say. It really made me wonder what other doctors really thought. Maybe this blog gives me that answer.

http://thebitterpill.wordpress.com/

Memnoch

seems interesting. More discussion on the state of the health service can only be good.

The_Minister

This close to the election, I'd imagine it's just Enda Kenny or Pat Rabbitte writing that.

SeanW

The_Minister wrote:

This close to the election, I'd imagine it's just Enda Kenny or Pat Rabbitte writing that.

[sarcasm]Of course. The health service is absolutely perfect and there is no reason on Earth why a junior doctor would have any grievances of any kind.[/sarcasm]

Right. Keep dreaming.

meglome

The_Minister wrote:

This close to the election, I'd imagine it's just Enda Kenny or Pat Rabbitte writing that.

hehe good point but in this case it is a Junior Doctor who's had enough. As I say a friend pointed it out to me, he knows the guy. My friend is definitely not party political and neither am I.

The_Minister you don't have a one sided view of this at all

Chakar

Well the person will have to write more posts won't he or she?

meglome

Chakar wrote:

Well the person will have to write more posts won't he or she?

I for one hope so, it might also encourage others to spill the beans.

InFront

This close to the election, I'd imagine it's just Enda Kenny or Pat Rabbitte writing that.

The things about it is that it's not even a politically directed blog. I could be wrong, but I don't think any one party was even given a mention throughout. I think his biggest gripe is with the 'toothless IMO' and consultants, who he takes a bigger bash at. It's more like something the Minister for Trolleys would have written in some ways.

thebitterpill

hi,
I'm pretty surprised that I got accused of being affiliated with a political party. I really did not expect that at all. I'll be honest and say that I certainly do have an agenda for change in starting my blog this close to the elections.

But with equal honesty I can say that I don't care whether the government stays in power or not, or who is elected or which TD's. I see this as an opportunity for change, yes, not political but of direction in Irish Health Care.

Right now TD's and members of the government are more open than usual to discussing their policies. So if I can help create awareness about some of the ridiculously disgusting crap that is going on in the health service then hopefully that can serve as a spark for some much needed discussion. I want health to be at the fore front of people's minds when they talk to whoever they want to elect, or a TD or whatever, and to be informed about what the real causes are behind the current crises.

I do welcome debate and if you disagree with any of the points that I've made in my blog I'm more than happy to debate them as best I can as time allows. So do feel free to post any comments, good or bad or otherwise. All I want is to start a debate, where that leads is up to everyone else.

I did get a chuckle out of 'minister for trolleys,' though I'm not sure whether it was meant as a complement or poke in the ribs.

all the best.

by the way, any reason my signature doesn't show?

meglome

thebitterpill wrote:

hi,
I'm pretty surprised that I got accused of being affiliated with a political party. I really did not expect that at all. I'll be honest and say that I certainly do have an agenda for change in starting my blog this close to the elections.

I wouldn't worry about that. The_Minister is in ol Foie Gras Harneys fan club by the looks if it. I haven't slightest problem with anyone being a member of a political party but that shouldn't also make you blind or give you selective vision.

The_Minister

meglome wrote:

The_Minister you don't have a one sided view of this at all

Even if I didn't favour the PDs, I am a very cynical man. Already we have seen the highjacking of bebo pages, youth parties doing cleanouts of boards etc. for this election. I would not be surprised if they wrote this blog.
Even the Irish Times could not publish there head2head results on the HSE, because a campaign was arranged to discredit it. I mean no offense to ThebitterPill, but I generally take a very low view of politics.
Meglome, yes I do admire Mary Harney, and I think that the progress that she has made in the last 2 1/2 years has been remarkable. I won't deny that FF did sweet F-all with the health service, but I have seen rapid change.

-guys if I see one more derogatory reference to a poster here in this thread or any other thread due to their political affiliation,I will ban.

meglome

The_Minister wrote:

Even if I didn't favour the PDs, I am a very cynical man. Already we have seen the highjacking of bebo pages, youth parties doing cleanouts of boards etc. for this election. I would not be surprised if they wrote this blog.
Even the Irish Times could not publish there head2head results on the HSE, because a campaign was arranged to discredit it. I mean no offense to ThebitterPill, but I generally take a very low view of politics.
Meglome, yes I do admire Mary Harney, and I think that the progress that she has made in the last 2 1/2 years has been remarkable. I won't deny that FF did sweet F-all with the health service, but I have seen rapid change.

Yeah I take your point. And I agree there is a lot on the internet and in politics to be very cynical about. So I can only repeat what my friend tells me and he says thepitterpill is a real junior doctor who's had enough.
But I can't agree that Mary Harney has done a lot for the health service. From what you read about peoples experiences in the health service things are far from okay. Sure they threw more money at it but it needs a root and branch review not some very expensive sticky plasters.

Tristrame... Light needling at worst... not derogatory. Although I did call Mary Harney, Foie Gras Harney. Which is propably derogatory... and true