92 year old mum's fall nearly three weeks ago led to her breaking her
left wrist and cracking a femur (or 2?).
Admission to St Helier NHS Trust hospital
in Carshalton was v. efficient with no worries about how what and how much to
pay that often affects non-NHS systems. Clean and happy though the care
at St Helier Hospital proved to be, there is no hiding the fact that the hospital
is housed in a hideous pre WWII building that is well past its
sell by date now. Staff were helpful but seemed so busy that
there was a dearth of information - would the broken wrist need an op.?
How long to mend? What effect on mum's mobility would the cracked femurs
have etc.
The small ward of 4 lady patients was nice but reminded me too
much of very early boarding school dormitory sleeping conditions.
So after c. a week
of St Helier NHS TrustHospital the NHS was proving I thought, adequate
but not really ideal for C21 UK.
However things then took a huge turn for the better. She was moved
still courtesy of the NHS, to a very comfortable London Borough
bonebreak rehab lodge near home as well.
Again the NHS freedom of hassle about payment
at the point of need/entry is a great boon. Mum was given her own private room
with decent food, TV etc and even her visitors are offered tea.
Physiotherapists attend daily and the way things are going, she should
be well enough to return home within a few days.
Overall then my conclusion are that the NHS is getting a little elderly and
at times frayed looking but is fit for purpose also
deep down it still has spirit and
does what is needed well over and above the minimum safety net expectation.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Still Queuing to buy Homes in July 2008
A maytrees' daughter has been planning to buy a share in key worker flat
in an attractive block of flats being built in Wandsworth SW London.
The flats will be allocated on a first come
first served basis from Sunday 20th July 2008 at 11am. She was going to camp out
to be near the front of the queue on Saturday 19th July. Being slightly worried about security I went with her on Friday to visit the flats, which are
being built next to Wandsworth's King George VI Park.
People had already started
queuing as early as Thursday. The financial attraction is that
you buy say a 40% stake in a flat but unlike
other similar schemes, occupy the whole flat without having to pay rent
on the other 60%; giving a potential saving of £1000s.
She decided to start
camping as from Friday afternoon. The atmosphere is good
and the queue growing all the time. Overnight those in the queue
secured some tarpaulin to provide shelter from the drizzley rain.
London TV and the media were present this morning (Saturday)
EDIT:
Following two nights of camping and two days of queuing she has
been successful
in an attractive block of flats being built in Wandsworth SW London.
The flats will be allocated on a first come
first served basis from Sunday 20th July 2008 at 11am. She was going to camp out
to be near the front of the queue on Saturday 19th July. Being slightly worried about security I went with her on Friday to visit the flats, which are
being built next to Wandsworth's King George VI Park.
People had already started
queuing as early as Thursday. The financial attraction is that
you buy say a 40% stake in a flat but unlike
other similar schemes, occupy the whole flat without having to pay rent
on the other 60%; giving a potential saving of £1000s.
She decided to start
camping as from Friday afternoon. The atmosphere is good
and the queue growing all the time. Overnight those in the queue
secured some tarpaulin to provide shelter from the drizzley rain.
London TV and the media were present this morning (Saturday)
EDIT:
Following two nights of camping and two days of queuing she has
been successful
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Crime and Knives
The BBC website headline today reading: "Shock tactics for knife carriers",
is symptiomatic alas of politicians following popular opinion
rather than leading and educating public opinion.
"Tough on Crime tough on the causes of crime" is a typical politician's
sound bite, especially at election times. Being "tough on crime" is the easy part
but analaysing what the causes of such crime might be and seeking then to
tackle such causes involves more research, imaginative thinking and time
than many UK politicians at present seem willing to undertake.
Also on the BBC recently was a radio programme on BBC radio 4, called I believe,
'Any questions'. Many experienced speakers,like Norman Tebbit, were asked to comment on the current reported prevalence of knife crime and the
ways in which society and politicians should react. One speaker was a boy
of only 13 or 14 years old. his experience seemed to trump those of his olders
and maybe not so much betters, when he commented that many using knives in fact enjoyed
the love and respect of their mums and/or dads. He said that many
parents would be horrified to learn of their boys' involvement with the knife culture. He added that many boys with knives would be really embarrassed
by their parents being made aware of their carrying them.
The suggestion was that once the police or public authorities learning
of a boy carrying a knife, hopefuly before it had been used in earnest,
they should visit the mum and/or dad to alert them to this and discuss the
risks both of injury perhaps even mortal to the son and others and
of criminal processes becoming involved. There may be some who would
not benefit from such an approach but many surely would.
Pressures on families and family breakdowns are causes of such sad behaviour
by teenagers. Supporting families to include face to face visits
by the police and other perhaps tough love action by the authorities,
could be more productive for them and Society, than simply taking
politicians' sound bite 'being tough on crime' measures are likely to be.
is symptiomatic alas of politicians following popular opinion
rather than leading and educating public opinion.
"Tough on Crime tough on the causes of crime" is a typical politician's
sound bite, especially at election times. Being "tough on crime" is the easy part
but analaysing what the causes of such crime might be and seeking then to
tackle such causes involves more research, imaginative thinking and time
than many UK politicians at present seem willing to undertake.
Also on the BBC recently was a radio programme on BBC radio 4, called I believe,
'Any questions'. Many experienced speakers,like Norman Tebbit, were asked to comment on the current reported prevalence of knife crime and the
ways in which society and politicians should react. One speaker was a boy
of only 13 or 14 years old. his experience seemed to trump those of his olders
and maybe not so much betters, when he commented that many using knives in fact enjoyed
the love and respect of their mums and/or dads. He said that many
parents would be horrified to learn of their boys' involvement with the knife culture. He added that many boys with knives would be really embarrassed
by their parents being made aware of their carrying them.
The suggestion was that once the police or public authorities learning
of a boy carrying a knife, hopefuly before it had been used in earnest,
they should visit the mum and/or dad to alert them to this and discuss the
risks both of injury perhaps even mortal to the son and others and
of criminal processes becoming involved. There may be some who would
not benefit from such an approach but many surely would.
Pressures on families and family breakdowns are causes of such sad behaviour
by teenagers. Supporting families to include face to face visits
by the police and other perhaps tough love action by the authorities,
could be more productive for them and Society, than simply taking
politicians' sound bite 'being tough on crime' measures are likely to be.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Anyone for Tennis?
Tennis is obviously a big feature in the lives of Wimbledon folk (wombles or not)
during championship fortnight, with even the train station forecourt
decked out with green artificial turf and an open air electronic tennis
game.
For British supporters the usual almost but not quite banner
has been passed from Tim Henman to Andy Murray. Yet just now I watched
a 14 year old British girl Laura Robson beat 16 year old Thai
Noppawan Lertcheewakarn on Court One to win thejunior championship.
First time that has been achieved by a Briton for 24 years.
Yet enjoying being 14 is more important than being a 'celebrity'
and indeed the latter status is probably best avoided at any age.
I hope that the sports agents, media, ad. agencies and mags., do not intrude on her life
too much and too soon. Things augur well so far as she apparently had to
decline a media interview after winning an earlier round as it was past her bedtime.
More recently her mother reportedly commented to the effect that she still
has to take her turn to load the dishwasher at home. It is
hard to get children at any age to do the latter but long may
that kind of atmosphere prevail and of course long may
she continue to excel at tennis and at teenage life.
during championship fortnight, with even the train station forecourt
decked out with green artificial turf and an open air electronic tennis
game.
For British supporters the usual almost but not quite banner
has been passed from Tim Henman to Andy Murray. Yet just now I watched
a 14 year old British girl Laura Robson beat 16 year old Thai
Noppawan Lertcheewakarn on Court One to win thejunior championship.
First time that has been achieved by a Briton for 24 years.
Yet enjoying being 14 is more important than being a 'celebrity'
and indeed the latter status is probably best avoided at any age.
I hope that the sports agents, media, ad. agencies and mags., do not intrude on her life
too much and too soon. Things augur well so far as she apparently had to
decline a media interview after winning an earlier round as it was past her bedtime.
More recently her mother reportedly commented to the effect that she still
has to take her turn to load the dishwasher at home. It is
hard to get children at any age to do the latter but long may
that kind of atmosphere prevail and of course long may
she continue to excel at tennis and at teenage life.
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