Its been a fair time...but....

I haven't posted for a while I know.
My reasons are plain and simple: There is so much going on in the news these days that if I'd given vent to my feelings, then I'd never be off this bloody laptop!!
However today my mobile phone is giving me gip Yeah I could turn it off, but I never do.
So my rant today is about the good 'ole NHS (again).
Almost daily the Government has a dig at the service provided by the overworked NHS staff-waiting times, standards of care etc etc. As a result of this the public's perception of NHS staff is that of lazy, callous overpaid & couldn't care less staff. This is another successful goal that Cameron's Government have scored in their aim to 'divide & conquer' the public.
The truth is this: Staff in the National Health Service are working understaffed, in 'sweat shop like conditions in overcrowded wards, with the majority of staff part time agency or 'nurse bank' employees. The result of this is that the full time staff rush about attempting to make up the short fall whilst continuity of patient care is in my observation & experience penalised.

I work within the NHS, &, being a retired NHS nurse, I have the benefit of hindsight & I am able to part time work on a 'Nurse Bank'. Over the years I have seen corners cut, patient care deteriorate,the computer become the 'new patient and overall government expenditure cut in real terms. Nursing staff haven't had a pay rise for 4 years, & in real terms they have actually had 2 pay cuts!
The Trust I work for doesn't appear to be taking on full time staff because daily I receive text messages offering me 'block booking positions of 3 months here and there throughout the Trust. Daily I receive texts actually imploring me to work shifts-sometimes I receive 12 or more texts daily each with half a dozen locations on occasions! I receive texts asking me to work  night shift on a ward/unit even when the shift has actually begun! Clearly then the Trust is not taking on full term, contract staff. Why??? Because the Trust hasn't got enough money-they have plenty of managers however. 'Bank Nurses' do not receive holiday nor sick pay. They have few of the rights that full time members of staff have. But they are bodies on the ward.
But how can having a different member of staff each shift on a ward provide continuity of patient care???.
From I gather now Trusts throughout the UK are on a 'Payment by results' scheme. Basically this means that the Trusts receive additional money from central government dependant on the number of patients they see. Thus community based staff have to 'turn over' as many patients as possible in order to a):reduce waiting lists/achieve targets, & b): for the Trust to receive more money. Thus my colleagues work in a sweat shop with the product being human beings. The 'burn out' rate is fantastic, cynicism is rife, morale is low- the same applies to Education-but that's worthy of another rant.

I wish the public would be told the truth about what's happening in the NHS & education. But they'll never be told because then the Government risks losing the next election.

Hold on guys..... I've just receive 2 more text messages. 1 text offering me an option to work at 11 different locations (wards) working various shifts & I text offering me a 'block booking' of 3 months on a ward in a regional secure unit!!
And so it continues......
Some one please shout out that the "Emperor has no clothes"
.