As 2006 draws to a close, as a front line health professional, I am left in no doubt that 2006 was a year of mixed messages. There are more clinicians, but more clinical jobs are being lost. Nine doctor’s posts from Great Ormond Street was the last troubling figure I heard.

Patient demand means that theoretically you can see your GP within 48 hours. Yet when my husband, a teacher, finally got an appointment last week, he was only allowed to discuss one issue, not the three pressing complaints that he had saved up to discuss [surely not atypical for men!]. Demand management of patient demand we gather.

And moving care closer to home does not include it seems, having a convenient local cottage hospital. Many still face closure.
But when you compare the average maternity ward with the stable in Bethlehem, it brings what health and social care we do have into clearer persepective. Most of us have had our lives transformed by free health treatment at one point or another.

As far as the Department of Health is concerned, 2007 may be about ‘18 weeks’ and a financial balance. But for those of us at the coal face in health and social care, I would say 2007 needs to be about redressing the balance of manipulation with trust in our professional skills and experience. And many clinician-managers and those in the Independent sector would confirm that they are perfectly competent at balancing the budgets too!

Being involved in 2020health will gives you the chance to communicate what works and your ideas for improving the delivery of health and social care. Please register if you haven’t already, and we look forward to working with you in 2007. A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

Julia Manning
Director
2020health