… I had hoped we were growing-out of this nonsense !

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Michael,

I truly despair for the future of the NHS & also our once great country! I know newspapers always sensationalise stories but as you say this is nonsense and who is actually pushing all this stuff? Does anyone actually think this is a good idea?

I await to be enlightened.

Regards

Tony

[renardiere7Participant @renardiere7]

It’s the hoards of overpaid NHS administrators who have nothing better to do than waste NHS resources and making the clinical staffs’ life a nightmare.

[HollowpointParticipant @hollowpoint]

I wonder how many patients were actually polled or asked. None id guess.

We really do need a Trump style clear out of all the wasteful and probably fraudulent idiots pushing this type of nonsense.

[Graham MeekParticipant @grahammeek88282]

What we are not told is the size of the committee, how long they deliberated to come to this decision, and how much of the tax-payers money was used.

Regards

Gray,

 

[Wink HackmanParticipant @winkhackman25989]

Well the sensational Telegraph headline has produced the expected knee-jerk reactions.  The actual story might be a bit more nuanced. It’s specifically related to treatment of people with mental health problems, and it says that it was produced after consultation with them. The guide is here if anyone is actually interested to read it:

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/application/files/9117/5334/7394/Changing_Language_Guide_2025_28_01_25_Interactive.pdf

 

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Not totally knee jerk in my case or others but I suppose we have come to expect this type of stuff daily and are not surprised when more slop appears. It obviously has given some highly paid individual[s] a ‘job’ to do but if the medical profession needs a 15 page document on how to speak to patients we really are in trouble.

When I had problems in the past I couldn’t care less what they called me just as long as I got help!

Just my opinion.

Tony

[Graham MeekParticipant @grahammeek88282]

When I joined the Oncology Workshops, part of our mandatory training involved how to address a patient. The patient should be asked by what name do they would like to be known.

The terms used in the article are to my mind derogatory and isolates this sector even further from society. After all they have an illness just like anyone else.

Regards

Gray,

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

The phrase by Victor Meldrew comes to mind “I don’t believe it ” !

Whatever happed to ” call a spade a spade and not a shovel ” ???

Our world is truly bonkers !

John

[Andy StopfordParticipant @andystopford50521]

If you actually read the guide you’ll find it’s full of perfectly sensible recommendations which I can’t see any reasonable person taking issue with.

Conversely, if you read the Daily Telegraph you’ll find it’s full of complete b@llocks.

[Stuart Smith 5Participant @stuartsmith5]

I agree with Andy.

The guide is sensible.

 

As usual, ‘newspapers’ like the Telegraph distort what is actually written.

[Hollowpoint]

On Hollowpoint Said:

I wonder how many patients were actually polled or asked. None id guess.

We really do need a Trump style clear out of all the wasteful and probably fraudulent idiots pushing this type of nonsense.

Be careful what you wish for!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2026/06/16/screwworm-cases-up-to-12-this-should-set-off-alarm-bells/

[Charles LamontParticipant @charleslamont71117]

I agree with the forum rules – no politics here, please.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

According to  newspaper article some years ago ( so it might be complete rubbish), the NHS spends less on management as a percentage than most other European health services. If this is the case then the usual chaos is a result of too little management, not too much. Remember p*ss poor planning results in p*ss poor peformance

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

I am now the full time carer for my terminally ill wife and I would like to tell these clowns that I was very happy for her to be a PATIENT in the county hospital and even happier when she was ASSESSED as being suitable to be DISCHARGED into care at home.

I think these idiots have more education than common sense because there was also guidance somewhere about how to discuss cervical smear tests with those people, I presume biological males, who don’t have a cervix! You couldn’t make it up.

For the record, l would like to record my gratitude, appreciation and sincere thanks to all the wonderful dedicated NHS staff for all the care and attention so freely afforded to my wife and myself at both in the hospital and at home. They are truly lions being led by donkeys!

 

 

[Graham MeekParticipant @grahammeek88282]

When I joined the Oncology Workshops I reported directly to the Oncology Director. With in 12 months I had a Manager and he reported to the Director. Two years further down the line my manager had a Manager. Within a few months this manager’s workload was so great she had to have a PA.

We then went through the Agenda for Change. A grading exercise. The result of which was that management wanted to make me a Manager over one man, but we still had the same management structure above me. Not being one for Man Management and the stupidity of the idea I turned it down.

You would think that would be the end of it, but no. The lengths the upper management went to, to get me to change my mind was incredible. Needless to say I did not change my mind. We Foresters are easily led, but we will not be Bullied

Thus anyone who says that the NHS is not top heavy has had no experience of the system.

I concur with Chris’s assessment of the staff working at the “Coal Face”, and their wings are truly invisible.

Regards

Gray,

 

 

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

I fear that in too many places, the management are “professionals” who have little knowledge pf the processes and people that they are managing.

I had a new manager, well qualified, but NO engineering knowledge, who was overseeing a weekly spend of £5M. At times he was an embarrassment.

The company always prospered when an Engineer was in charge, rather than an accountant.

Recently there was the obituary of the man who oversaw the electrification of the east coast main line. It came in on time and only just over budget. He was a rail enthusiast and said “I manage by walking about” He knew what he was about, and what was happening.

In contrast, a while ago, an industrialist visited a hospital.and found that the C E had been in post for over a year but had never walked around the hospital.

In industry, when the MD found that the introduction of new product was not not going as he had been told, he axed the whole department. The manager cost several people their jobs , because of his lies.

Hospitals used to be run by Matrons, who had started as nurses and worked their way up. Could there be a moral there?

Howard

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

I fear Howard that you are preaching to the converted. The message needs to be heard elsewhere

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

The devil will find work for idle hands, probably sums it up

Howard

[Anthony KendallParticipant @anthonykendall53479]

OK, we’ve decided the guide is sensible and the journalism is rubbish.
But, why do we need a guide?

[Anthony Kendall]

On Anthony Kendall Said:

But, why do we need a guide?

Probably because there’s too little time given to teaching doctors in training how to deal with people.

If you’ve never experienced arrogant medics that won’t listen to you, are chronically insensitive or just plain rude, you’re very lucky.

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

Looks like just another bit of Telegraph ragebait with limited applicability.

All shades of the political spectrum seem to practice this now – focus on something that appears to treat some section of humanity with unjustified severity or leniency and don’t tell you that it only applies to a special group tlll you’re at a good rolling boil.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

As a late departed Model Engineer friend used to say, “Common sense isn’t that common”

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Sounds a bit like some reporting of the success or failure of the Welsh 20mph speed limit in reducing fatalities and injuries.

Research has shown something like a 30% reduction in accidents causing injuries in 20mph areas.

A section of the press are not happy with the idea (or they perceive their readers to be unhappy with it).

They have reported a big increase in road fatalities after the introduction of the 20 mph limit.

All of the ‘extra’ fatalities happened on roads with speed limits of 40mph or above. Probably the worst example of selective statistics ever.

[Rod ClemettParticipant @rodclemett60985]

…unless maybe the increase in fatalities in higher speed limit areas is in some way related to drivers frustrated by driving at a 20mph crawl in other areas?
<p style=”text-align: left;”> To easy to be selective with statistics, as you say!</p>
 

[Author]

Posts