Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

yes it did, as incidentally did the Black Death, and to a lesser extent, the likes of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the Civil War

going back to 29321, you are a naughty boy trying to pin "blame" exclusively on the West, and you damn well know it
do i need to expand? .... i'm sure not

btw, what are you holding that is large and expanding?
please don't frighten the horses

I see the Royal Mail union is balloting for a strikes bcauseof likely privatisation.

I fail see what business it is of the Royal Mail employees if it is to be privatised. They may well not like it but it is none of their business. There may well be job losses in the persuit of efficiency but that is probably a good thing. The unions have this misguided view that people have a right to a job. The reality is that the only right is the right to be left alone.

Have you considered dropping dead lately H/S?

I agree - looks like they are afraid to loose their jobs. They do not own Royal Mail, in fact these days they are lucky to have a job, probably with a pension as well.
It looks to me like the Govt want to off load Royal Mail, and its related problems on some shareholders - OK, but I am not going to buy any shares and pick up government problems. I like to sleep easy.

Stan - what is your reasoned argument - why should H/S drop dead ? It seems to me like he has a very promising future ahead of him ?

It was a question not an argument rk.

Stan - does H/S presently have a health problem that is terminal ?
I now feel sorry for him

No one sends letters anymore. The future is parcels. It needs to be run on a commercial footing with investment. Privatisation is the only realistic solution. There should be no businesses that are run by the state. The alternative is creeping socialism. That goes for the NHS as well.

psittacosis if one of his earlier sobriquets is anything to go by :-)

"Stan - does H/S presently have a health problem that is terminal ?
I now feel sorry for him"

... Unfortunately I don't think so rk -):

Post 29329

I would not risk comparison.

-----------
Hays,

With such a bright bunch of fellows in cabinet, and with their obvious management skills, (as seen by the recent vote in the HP) and apparent incompetence of the present management of the Royal Mail, why doesn't Cameron donate one of his cabinet chums to reorganise and improve the "administration" and "efficiency" of the "utility".

Then it could put the "profits" to use paying off the "National Debt" it is continuing to accumulate.

--------------------------

Or are you hoping the supposed £3 billion raised will be paid out in reduction of tax on higher earners" and encourage them to spend more overseas.


-------------

I think it is time to bring back the work houses, that will teach the lazy buggers.


Perhaps, the local hospital near you can have a new ward named "Expeditious Euthanasia Parlour". It could be used improved the speed and efficiency of the birth to burial procedure.

Wonder what the profit margin would be.

cynic is not a relation of mine. Anyway he is a cut ahead of me.

You sure?

RK and Stan,

"Stan - does H/S presently have a health problem that is terminal ?


Yes he does.

Living and nowhere to go!

fred - do you think that throwing money at NHS (or schools for that matter) would actually go anywhere near solving their problems? .......

vaguely linked to that, to what level would you raise taxes - no good just trying to soak the rich as that produces peanuts even if good political capital in certain quarters - without it becoming counter-productive? ...... inter alia, making it even less worthwhile to work, unless you are happy to slash benefits for the unemployed too

Hopefully there will be an outright Conservative majority at the next election. Then we will see some sensible policies.

chuckle chuckle chuckle!
that would be a first from almost ANY party!

cynic
My tongue was a long way into my cheek.

Thanks for the comments/feedback - I'll make sure I watch it.

Cynic,

I will partially answer what I think about the NHS.

Money is only a part of the problem in the NHS. It is inefficient, partially to the lack of will by those involved in it at ground level.

The major problems in both institutions are due to the constant reorganisations both have suffered over the last 20-30years. (Revolution, rather than evolution comes to mind). The constant changes have lowered moral and sense of responsibility and sometimes direction of the "workforces".

Also, many problems are due ham-fisted administration with lack of necessary “ethos” and/or "ground level knowledge" to be able to make appropriate judgements and decisions.

The changes in work practices in the NHS and the "crazy salary increases" of a few years ago and are now being paid to doctors and some NHS managers, while at the same time reducing disproportionally ongoing responsibility have also caused many problems.

Again, the intake of medical schools has shifted over the years and appeals to many who are more interested in the pay cheque at the end of the month than the “field or occupation” itself. Contracts have changed and they work their hours and clock off and often able to leave their responsibilities behind. (Maggie Thatcher’s principles.)

Again, some of the targeting has been crazy and the data collection falsified in order to satisfy disconnected administration has caused its own problems.
I think there has to be a review of management and inclusion of all "groups" working in the NHS, but with greater involvement of Public Health.

Also, needed are the reintroduction of Ward Sisters with authority, and a greater sense of responsibility to all rather than self, by all Medical staff in decision making would be desirable.

Again, there should be a rapid reduction in use of Agency Nursing Staff and Agency Medical Staff with the return to the old system of Matron and Hospital Management Committee as “managers” of staff.

Again, other than in a few specific areas the return from parts of the service which have been outsourced to private profit money concerns, to be returned to direct management of the NHS.

This all means an improvement of management, with greater involvement in those in Public Health.

The above is a quick short list of difficult problems, and addressing those would probably reduce the wastage and costs of the NHS.


I could provide similar breakdown of education and other professional services.

The raising of taxes and fair taxation would take even longer.

But then you are asking the question which means you are recognising that there are problems in defining fair taxes, or the fare for benefitting from the society you wish to live in.

The differential in incomes and wealth will have to be addressed over the next years, if you wish to live in a harmonious society.

Phew. Where are my notes?