On reading the recent article in the Mature Times, Jeremy Hunt stated ‘We need to do better on social care’. Fact – Jeremy Hunt and his department have neglected health care; does he think speaking out re social care deflects from the sorry state the NHS is in? We are all well aware of the problems in the National Health Service; years of under investment and consecutive Governments playing political football.
With over a decade of experience in dealing with the Department of Health, corresponding with the PM, MPs and health regulators it’s no wonder the NHS is on the critical list. The Department of Health and its regulators, the Care Quality Commission, NHS Improvements and NHS England bury their heads in the sand and will not accept reality.
Contractors are given a free rein, charging what they want without question for repairs. PFI contracts that Trusts are now tied into are costing millions in guaranteed payments to private companies for years to come.
So Mr Hunt as Secretary of State and ‘top jockey running the health service’ I would have thought that CQC, NHS Improvements, NHS England, and all the other ‘jobs for the boys’ came under your jurisdiction. The fact is you are supposed to make sure a national standard of patient care is achieved; efficiency, good working policy and practice and taxpayers money is spent sensibly; in my experience your department is failing miserably and allowing millions to be wasted.
The departments bland response, passing the buck to your other failing organisations, shows the lack of interest in the National Health Service. Now Social Care comes under the same umbrella, how long will it be before that is in deeper crisis? With all the cuts to public services and now setting up new Integrated Care Organisations around the country, starving them of funds before they get off the ground, there is not much confidence for Health/Social Care in the future.
Paul Broadhurst, Dukinfield
