Could do better
It is clear, from the recent white paper, that change in the secondary sector is high on the government’s agenda; but will the changes be for the better? Key to the government’s thinking is that learning will continue beyond the school classroom, and beyond higher education; so-called ‘life-long learning’. Whilst in agreement with this sentiment, I am concerned, along with my colleagues, that changes will
be pushed through, with little or no consultation. Teachers will be left to pick up the pieces and make do, often with a complete lack of resources and staff. There is far too much prescription with too little dialogue between civil servants and teaching professionals. The recent revamp of the A-level and GCSE exams was, in many ways, little short of a fiasco.
The government must do more to combat teacher shortages, which is a real concern, no matter what DFES spokesmen may say. Pay is only one area of worry; workload and job satisfaction are also top priorities. One thing is clear: short-term initiatives are not going to work. There has to be a
long-term vision, backed by considerable funding that is handed to schools, and not bound up in endless red tape.
Matthew Glenn is a secondary school teacher
A policeman’s lot
Rank and file police officers fundamentally doubt the sincerity of the Home Office and its ministers in delivering what they say they will. I acknowledge that the government has a genuine interest in reforming the police service. The short fall is in how these reforms have played themselves out. For example, the government has given us 4,500 extra officers, but at the same time they are trying to do policing on the cheap by introducing community support officers. If you are really serious about reforming the police, then you have to significantly increase the levels of funding available, like the NHS. And reform should not entail disparaging and hurtful allusions to so-called ‘Spanish practices’ and ‘malingerers’. I have never known, bar the time of Ken Clarke, a time when morale
in the police force has been so low. The government has a lot of ground to make up.
Stephen Warwick is a police inspector
Healthy concerns
Health needs assessment on individuals and families have always been major part of my work as a health visitor and community practice teacher. Presently, I am enthused but
also very concerned.
The NHS Plan has some key themes, which are very exciting: devolution of decision-making; empowerment of patients and professionals; new ways of working with emphasis on the bottom-up approach; and an integrated approach across whole systems.
But I am concerned that we may be playing lip service to
true public and clinicians’ involvement. What is needed is adequate funding that is ring-fenced to deliver the public health agenda. Voluntary sector, housing, social services and health needs
to be realigned.
Clinicians must be trained
and given the resources to focus on prevention, including in schools, the antenatal period with positive parenting right through
to the older person.
We need support and training to truly empower nurses to help them manage change effectively.
Jenny Beare is a health visitor
Good medicine
I work as both a GP and a doctor in Accident and Emergency in London. I have seen real improvements in the NHS over the last five years but I doubt if my patients are as aware. The increase in NHS finances since 1997 has mainly addressed healthcare quality and improvements in pay. The framework for heart disease, cancer, mental illness and the elderly have improved care and saved lives. New initiatives like NHS Direct and walk-in centres have provided new ways of accessing healthcare. However, these have not fundamentally changed my patient’s main concern, waiting times.
The next few years will be make or break for the NHS. We need to change
the patient experience so that they wait a matter of weeks to be seen by a consultant and there is more time to spend with their doctor or nurse in a modern and clean environment. The finances have been made available but we are unlikely to achieve these before the end of the decade.
Healthcare workers are naturally sceptical about politicians. I am sure, though, that they can be won around if there is stability in the NHS and a steady progress towards these targets.
Dr Tom Coffey is a GP