Angry patients are planning a protest
outside Broadstairs Health Centre at
The protest comes after it was revealed
that the centre currently has no full time GPs to serve over 7,000
patients.
The protest has been called by Save Our
Health Service, a new campaigning group, which has been formed to safeguard
health services in Thanet.
Local film-maker, Christine Tongue, who
is a patient with the practice, says the protest comes following the centre’s
takeover by Concordia Health Ltd, a private company who own a string of
practices in London and one in Dover
“Two popular GPs left following the
coming of Concordia. But Concordia assured us that the level of care would not
be affected and that in fact the level of service would be
improved.
“Now we discover we have no full time
GPs and the practice manager has resigned. And there are ongoing difficulties in
making appointments.
“We’ve been told that two new GPs have
been appointed but are working out their notice in other practices. But the two
GPs which Concordia previously recruited both left within months of joining the
practice. Who’s to say these new GPs won’t leave very soon,
too?
“There is something very wrong going on
with Concordia and we need explanations about what’s happening
there.
The Save Our Health Service group claims
the problems with Concordia isn’t just an issue for its current patients, but
for Thanet as a whole. Christine said: “The government’s new legislation means
that it’s likely that companies like Concordia will become more and more
involved with the provision of health services in Thanet. It’s important we
confront these sorts of problems now or face much bigger problems in the
future.”
Christine added: “Anyone who’s worried
about our health service is welcome to join us at the protest at 2pm on
Tuesday.”
More information from Christine Tongue
on 01843 604 253.
Christine, all very creditable, but I am not sure public protest is necessarily the way forward. Cllr Ian Driver had already publicised this problem in the local press and taken it up with the EKPCT. Similarly, I raised it with our local MP, Laura Sandys, who has in turn also contacted the trust and the minister.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, maybe through our combined efforts we will get the desired result.
How did it get to this though - don't our councilors regularly review the NHS and Schools?
ReplyDeleteAnd the QEQM removing services. And Newsnight showing KCC doing little with care homes etc.
We'll end up with bureaucrats writing their own salaries and hours of work. Too many councillors and public servants doing too little for too much.
JT
JT, town councillors, as I am sure you are aware, have no remit for health or education services though some do their best to highlight problems and make sure those in a position to influence outcomes are informed. As for writing their own salaries, our local town councillors get a little over £400 a year and no expenses. Hardly doing too little for too much. Anyway, as you are such a smartarse, why don't you run for the council and show us how much you are prepared to do for a few hundred quid a year.
DeleteAren't PCTs for the chop in the reforms so where would we go then to lodge a protest?
DeleteYou are an unpleasant character Ren and rather stupid. The JT post referred to the bureaucrats salaries not councillors. And if councillors don't have a remit - at the very least oversight like KCC healthwatch - for health etc then who does?
DeleteDoing too little if the area and council and some schools are one of the worst in UK?
Why not direct your anger at KCC Tory councillors who are responsible for schools etc. rather than local councillors who have virtually no power or authority?
DeleteMaybe 15:49 but there are Labour KCC councillors too. And many if not all of the KCCers are also District and Town councillors.
ReplyDeleteExtra salaries seem to result in worse performance. Add in the husband and wife teams in the same parties and it's money for old rope.
A public petition to remove/restrict the duplication?
So, 15:27, what gives you the right to decide that other contributors are unpleasant characters and stupid. If you bothered to read comments before kicking off with your pathetic insults, you will have noted that JT specifically referred to councillors and it was to that I was responding. Perhaps you should take a look at the responsibilities of councillors at the various parish, town, district and county levels before you hold forth. I understand them, but I am not sure you do.
ReplyDeleteIt's not other contributors Ren, just you that's unpleasant and stupid. And that's based on your comments and insults. Your latest comment adds nothing.
ReplyDeleteTo lift the debate from your weird smartarse and chauvinist rants, what do you think are the health implications of the aquifer under the Manston runway or removed monitors? And councillor and civil servants scrutiny? Those would be severe public health problems?
You really take the biscuit, 18:04, for you have the cheek to call me unpleasant and stupid and then ask me what I think about your pet topics. Frankly you must think I am as simple as you for no way an I debating anything with someone with such appalling manners. You can go take a running jump as far as I am concerned.
DeleteWell said, Ren, for the guy is obviously some pigheaded person with a bee in his bonnet about Manston. There is no point debating anything with him for it makes no difference what anyone else says and he keeps coming back on his aquifer and monitors. Like we don't have anything else to worry about. I still keep smiling at the 'There was an old codger in Thanet' limerick that somebody wrote. Just about sums up laughing boy.
DeleteBoth Ren and Tom insulting me. I must be doing something right.
DeletePresumably discussing the aquifer or monitors isn't a health issue, as per this thread, or politically correct?
What about Thor mercury as a debate then?
So what about Thor then? Have you not yet got the message that nobody apart from you gives a toss.
DeleteWhy was Thor mercury banned but remains open? If it hasn't been discussed how do you know nobody's interested 1007?
DeleteA banned mercury factory would be of interest to lots of people living near it. Why would you not be interested in it?
I am not interested, probably now like many other people, because you have made the issue so crushingly boring. If there is any polution around these parts, it is you on various blogsites with your endless repetitive prattle. You are now in much the same league as those other nutters with bankers rulung the world, children being kidnapped by the state for sale to America and the Deal bombing conspiracy.
Delete20:12 sounds like another cancer victim. I'd like to know why Thor remains open.
DeleteJT
Presumably your initials stand for prick?
DeleteDoesn't make sense Tom. Try harder or don't burble on the blogs. Back to topic - what do you think of Thor mercury?
DeleteI can see the sense, Anon, so if you do not get the connection between JT and prick you have either led a very sheltered life or you've been drinking too much of the juice.
DeleteNope still don't see it. Enlighten me. Back to topic too rather than feeble insults though - Thor mercury?
DeleteShish, you are even thicker than I suspected.
DeleteI don't get the joke. Is it funny? It must be so do tell. And what about Thor mercury being banned?
DeleteJT
John Thomas, the Thor info can be found by clicking on the link reading the posts and the documents linked to them http://thanetonline.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Thor
DeleteAh, John Thomas, JT, Pr*ck. I see. Gordon Bennett that is feeble. Let's hope Tom Cock isn't a comedian.
DeleteThanks for the Thor info.
JT
Is Thor still open?
DeleteThe protest is at 2pm outside the Broadstairs Health centre. All who are concerned about the direction the NHS is taking are welcome to come along to show how they feel. The problems created by Concordia taking over the Broadway Practice are just the tip of an iceberg of changes that we all need to be aware of. If we don't raise questions at this stage we will regret it in the future.
ReplyDeleteThis is too important to be ignored.
Christine
Looks like your protest has been hijacked, Christine, by some nutter with a phobia about aquifers and monitors. Seriously though, I think the Broadstairs Practice, of which I am a registered patient, is a local issue and does not reflect any kind of national trend as you suggest. Locally we do not seem to have the same problems at Mocketts Wood or Montefiore practices. Mind you, I suppose that does not matter when your only interest is protest and a chance for a bit of anarchy. Why don't you get your tree hugger friends to chain themselves to the flora outside and your mates with the tents to set up camp. All good for the town in Dickens Week and Charles himself would be proud of you.
DeleteMaybe you're a registered patient because of the aquifer pollution 14:44. Kidney problem? Cancer?
DeleteNo, mate, beer belly and wind.
DeleteMore like wind and p#ss 20:02. Probably curable unlike idiocy.
DeleteMy, my, now you really are getting your little old Y fronts in a twist. Your comments are virtually dripping bile now as you search the inner resources of your pea brain for something nasty to write. Relax, enjoy life and sod the polution.
DeleteConcordia, who run the Broadway practice, are a national company. They have branches in London, Dover and Norfolk. This kind of company may well become a national trend. If we are not informed about what's happening how can we understand what might go wrong? And the Broadway Practice has gone wrong since Concordia took over - I'm a patient there too, so have first hand experience of the problems. What exactly is wrong with bringing issues into the public arena?
ReplyDeleteChristine
Nothing, Christine, except it was already there and action was already being taken. Your efforts are just another stunt for political purposes in the same way that you will demonstrate against Cllr Gregory not being kicked of the council, but will ignore the similar misdemeanours of Cllr Harrison.
DeleteEvery action christine takes is to further some political agenda or other. She is as transparant as her politics are shallow.
DeleteWhat action was already being taken? I didn't know about it and I'm a patient at the Broadway.
ReplyDeleteYou never know, do you, whether a protest or demonstration brings about change or whether it just co-incides with the powers that be taking up the cause? But why take the risk? Isn't it better to speak out if you think something is wrong?
And I think hoping someone gets AIDS is worse than calling someone a silly name but both are wrong. But why link what I might or might not support with something as important as losing parts of our health service?
Christine
Perhaps if you spoke to your local ward councillor, instead of a Ramsgate import, you might have found out whar was already being done.
DeleteLove your definition of degrees of homophobia and since when was calling a lady 'a dried up old bint' and a bisexual over weight man 'that fat bloke, the shirt lifting gender bender' just a silly name. You are being politically selective as ever and the link was made to illustrate that point.
Then we have your protest. Well, if it was so urgently needed, why are such a mere handful prepared to protest out of over seven thousand registered patients.
I too am a patient at the practice and have had no problems getting appointments and, in a way, find your activities actually belittling of the efforts of the locums, nurse practitioners, nurses and support staff who are keeping things going.
Karl