I refer to those GPs, porters, health workers, nurses, consultants, etc, who are in the frontline battling disease and their bosses to repair our broken, sick bodies.
These people give dedicated service once they get their hands on you but it seem
s to me that it is the bureaucrats that seem to be hell bent on destroying, if not the health service itself, then its image by taking it further and further away from the people by reducing the service it provides.
There is a major row going on as thousands of people have signed petitions to back attempts to oppose any reduction in service being provided by their local doctors
GPs from Belford, Wooler, Rothbury, Felton, Alnwick, Amble, Widdrington and Berwick have appealed for the public's help in their fight with Northumberland Care Trust.
The NCT plans to introduce new contracts in April and is proposing cuts of up to 17 per cent in practice budgets in order to save £1.6million. Across the board, the trust must make £11.9million savings to break even. It is also wrestling with debts of £14million.
MP Alan Beith has raised the issue, pointing out that it is more expensive bringing medical care to rural areas than the more urban neighbourhoods.
The trust has pledged that patients will continue to receive a high level of service.
But if cuts are being made, can anyone explain to me how a high level of service can be the same if hundreds of thousands of pounds are being removed from that service?
Let us list a few of the imperfections of the service that we have heard of in the last few weeks. We know of some people, who cannot walk, who have waited months for an operation.
One has received an orthopaedic operation and not one physiotherapy session.
Did you know that if you want to speak to Wansbeck General Hospital, you now have to go through a centralised switch board in Newcastle?
One local resident wanting to contact a specialist at Ashington was told he did not exist despite working there and throughout the area for many a decade.
A colleague visiting a specialist in Newcastle listened while two administrative workers on two computers were telling each other the delights of parts of Rome which they were calling up and were due to visit in the next few days.
What about the disgusting parking charges imposed on visitors to Alnwick Infirmary and maternity unit or even when you visit your GP's surgery?
When one considers that a large percentage of the cost of the maternity unit was paid for by Alnwick people and the thousands of pounds that have also been donated towards providing patients' comforts and much-needed equipment, it feels like a kick in the teeth.
We in the Alnwick area have already saved the NHS thousands by our generosity.
Now it appears that the care trust is telling us: "Tough, you are going to get cuts in service thanks to our inability to keep to our budgets."
