admin, Author at Grumpy Welshman

The one question I ask myself more than any other is ‘Is Climate Change really Happening’.

There are so many contradictory arguments on social media concerning climate change that it is difficult to filter the facts from the fiction. This confusion appears at all levels of society from the class room to the boardroom to the local pub’s ‘debating society’.

Who hasn’t been in their local in the late evening, after a few pints of ‘liquid refreshment’ have disappeared down the throats of the thirsty customers, heard discussions about who is the best footballer, team, manager or how the current government is no good, but then the other lot are no better!

But the most popular topic of discussion has been proven to be, no not Brexit, but the weather. It can be to cold, to wet, to hot or to humid but it is always ‘changeable’ and it’s always better in another part of the world.

The funny thing is, that it doesn’t matter what the weather was actually like and no matter how long it was discussed, the conversation was always pleasant and calm and seldom became heated or discussed in anger.

That was until the arrival of ‘Climate Change’ formerly known as global warming. Now it is almost impossible to discuss the weather without voices being raised and fingers pointed like some Jedi Lightsaber. Whether this is due to the stronger ale that is drunk these days or to the modern phenomenon of complete polarisation of peoples’ opinions (due in a large part to the ready availability of social media) or a mixture of both.

Although I am more on the side of ‘Yes Climate Change is happening’ rather than on the side of ‘It’s a complete myth, as temperatures have always fluctuated’ I shall try in this series to establish what is actually happening with the weather.

Please do not get angry and bombard me with e-mails full of personal insults, or worse, as these will just be ignored and remain unanswered.

However, if you do disagree with anything I say and believe you have factual evidence to the contrary, even if it is just an opinion you may have overheard/discussed in the local pub, then please by all means contact me and I shall add your evidence to the conversation. I might even give it it’s own discussion page if sufficient evidence is supplied, thus giving other people the opportunity to reply to your arguments, whether supporting them or contradicting them.

Once I have completed an article that expounds my views on a particular subject, I shall add a comment page at the end of the article for you to supply your comments on my views.

These comment’s will be edited to remove any foul language but i will not attempt to edit them in such a way as to misrepresent your views.

It appears that the NHS is no longer on it’s knees, but it’s lying on it’s back with it’s legs in the air waiting to die.

Not only are nurses and Junior doctor’s leaving for greener pastures, and better salaries, so are many other staff both professional and ancillary. BUT it is not just due to the poor wages, but the working conditions, and pressure placed upon them by the management and the public in general.

The government seems to be blaming anything from the COVID pandemic to NHS staff, for the shortages and the waiting lists, and keeps reiterating the fact that the NHS is having more money spent on it now than in any previous period in History.

What they do not seem prepared to admit is that many of the current shortages are caused by the years of austerity that preceded the pandemic and BREXIT.

Due to Brexit, many of the foreign nurses and care workers left the UK and returned to their countries of origin. This was partly, but not only, due to the difficulties in getting the correct documentation processed to remain in the UK, but also due to the way they were made to feel not wanted by the increased intimidation and racism that has occurred since the BREXIT vote.

The government states that the NHS doesn’t need any more money, but just needs a complete reorganisation from top to bottom, but it does not come up with any new ideas on what changes should be made!

Well here are a few suggestions from me:-

Cut down on the number of higher managers and replace them with people with medical experience who actually know what it is like to work on the front-line.
Create a nursing agency run by and for the NHS, made up of trained staff that are prepared to work at any location in a given area. Yes this would involve giving them extra pay for the inconvenience of the travelling involved, but this has to be cheaper than the current wages paid to Agency staff.
A new NHS run social care register, that can be used to monitor and manage CARE homes, community hubs, CARE staff (both voluntary and paid) and track empty accommodation and/or beds and the current location of patients and their current state of health.
Changes to be made to social housing that encourages elderly people living alone in large houses to downsize and move to specially created communities where they can not only be properly looked after and cared for by trained staff, but would also allow them to socialise more with other residents. This would not only be good for both the patients physical and mental health but also help towards alleviating the current housing crisis.
Increase benefits for those members of the family that are caring for relatives with health issues, so that they are are no longer penalised for caring for relatives at home. This would be monitored by the NHS Social Care Register so that it would stop unscrupulous family members that are only interested in the increased benefits rather than the welfare of the patient taking up care positions.
Give NHS Volunteers minimal but meaningful expenses to cover the cost of travel and meals so that they can feel more appreciated and less ‘out of pocket’. This could also result in more people volunteering for general CARE Work.

I know there is no easy answer to the NHS crisis and that it is very complicated but the above would be a start.

Author: admin

Climate Change

NHS: A disaster no longer waiting to Happen