espadrille Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 The abuse of vulnerable residents at Winterbourne View hospital for adults with learning disabilities was exposed by a BBC Panorama documentary last week. As they investigated the multi million pound Castlebeck business empire we discovered that they routinely employ unskilled low paid staff to care for highly distressed and disabled adults with acute and complex needs. They do this in order to minimise costs. The undercover report gives us an idea of what the neoliberal coalition have in mind for all high dependency services in the NHS as they are moved into private hands. The Care Quality Commission, the organisation charged with regulating care facilities such as those run by Castlebeck were alerted many times to the abuse that seems to have been routine at Winterbourne View. But they did nothing. Yet this should be no surprise. As we already know, neoliberals hate regulation, and that's why Mr Cameron imposed a freeze on staff levels at the CQC. They now have a serious shortage of personnel at a time of crisis, and staff at the CQC are therefore expected to limit their scrutiny of private companies to 'arms length' compliance exercises rather than engage in full inspection. And the CQC is the body charged with regulating the GP consortia that are set to take over from the Primary Care Trusts in Mr Lansley's plans for health in Britain. The CQC is not fit for purpose. Meanwhile Southern Cross, the company that is supposed to care for over 30,000 elderly residents across the country, has reached a crisis point. In 2007 four executives pocketed £35 million and left their 750 care homes vulnerable to a debt crisis that is now causing untold anxiety to many thousands of residents and their families as they face an uncertain future and look to the tax payer for help. Private companies are only interested in profit. Are these the sort of organisations that you want to run your hospitals? What a sweeping statement that is. So every private company is just interested in profit. Many private sector companies are struggling to make ends meet. Cashflow is a real issue. Not knowing from one week to the next when they are going to be paid, Chasing payments on a daily basis, waiting for large statutory sector organisations to pay them ( if they indeed do business with statutory sector) Do you have any real idea of the experience of running a business in the private sector??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xenia Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Why not privatise the NHS? Why is organisation become the sacred cow that no one dare challenge? Other correspondents mention Southern Cross and other failed and failing businesses that operate within the Care industry. What about Stafford? People are dead because of the idiotic and criminal management of that NHS hospital, what about the fact that the most dangerous place to have an open wound in this country is hospital that is supposed to be treating you. MRSA is still rampant due to the filthy conditions that NHS allows to be present in their hospitals. The abuse of the capitalist system such as by the Directors of Southern Cross is lamentable, but no more so than the overpaid over rated arrogant incompetents that run and operate the NHS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espadrille Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Why not privatise the NHS? Why is organisation become the sacred cow that no one dare challenge? Other correspondents mention Southern Cross and other failed and failing businesses that operate within the Care industry. What about Stafford? People are dead because of the idiotic and criminal management of that NHS hospital, what about the fact that the most dangerous place to have an open wound in this country is hospital that is supposed to be treating you. MRSA is still rampant due to the filthy conditions that NHS allows to be present in their hospitals. The abuse of the capitalist system such as by the Directors of Southern Cross is lamentable, but no more so than the overpaid over rated arrogant incompetents that run and operate the NHS. Well there is always 2 sides to every story.Although I dont think it needs to be privatised. It just needs to be managed much more effectively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Sleeps Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Why not privatise the NHS? Because socialised health care works, and it is a wonderful thing. You get treat when you are ill, not when you are ill and can afford it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
<Aim 4> Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Private companies are only interested in profit. Are these the sort of organisations that you want to run your hospitals? A sweeping statement there, sir! What a sweeping statement that is. So every private company is just interested in profit. ??? Of course a private company's primary objective is to make money, Its why they exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Nonsense. They make money because of the service that they provide. Funnily enough the firms that provide a good service often make a lot of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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