Latest Parliamentary and constituency update
Posted by Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, at 16:09, Thu 3 July 2008:
Here is a short Parliamentary and constituency update, which I hope will be of interest.
Constituency office and advice surgeries
As you probably know, I have recently moved my Edinburgh office. You will probably have had a letter from me with details, but in case you haven’t the new address is 5 Croall Place, Edinburgh EH7 4LT – on Leith Walk, just opposite Tesco. Phone number and email address remains the same. Over the last few months, my Stockbridge advice surgeries have been held in the Theatre Workshop while Stockbridge Library is being refurbished. The library is expected to reopen by early August, and my last advice surgery at Theatre Workshop will be held there at 4 pm on Friday 11 July. My advice surgeries will probably not recommence at Stockbridge Library until 8 August. Weekly advice surgeries will continue as normal every Friday at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre (at 5 pm), and at my constituency office at 5 Croall Place (at 6 pm).
House of Commons updates
The House of Commons is expected to continue to sit until July 22. I’ve spoken in a number of debates on important issues over the last few weeks. I was able to secure a debate on the subject of enforcing the National Minimum Wage – here is a link to my speech if you are interested http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/?PageId=5fe8a45e-3445-a8a4-a97c-ffce65390981 I also spoke in one of the recent debates about European issues, and here is a link to that http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2008-06-18b.950.1&m=1979#g1025.0 I’ve also asked questions and intervened on a number of other topics, and you can find details on my website if you would like to know more. You can also find information about the regulations the UK government proposes to introduce to govern ‘ship-to-ship’ transfers of oil, about which I introduced a Private Members’ Bill into the House of Commons, following concerns about proposals for this to happen in the Firth of Forth, at this weblink: http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/971470f4-39bb-1ee4-b170-bf6575cbb7e9?PageId=84d3140e-d502-3c54-95ab-f4d1a4a85f47
A lot of my time in Parliament is spent on the work of the Environmental Audit Committee. Over recent months, we have produced major reports on a wide range of issues including biofuels; carbon offsetting; trade, development and the environment; and personal carbon allowances. We also expect to produce reports shortly on the subjects of ‘Halting UK biodiversity loss’, ‘Post Kyoto: The International Context for Progress on Climate Change’; and ‘Greener Homes for the Future?’ If you would like more information on the work of this committee, you can visit its website at http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/environmental_audit_committee.cfm#ci.
In the constituency, I have visited a large number of local organisations over the last few weeks, and taken up a number of local issues. You can find more details of the activities I have been involved with on my website at www.marklazarowicz.org.uk or on my blog at http://marklazarowicz.blogspot.com. My website also contains a wide range of community news and information which you might find useful.
I am always interested, of course, to hear from local constituents on the key issues of the day, both locally and nationally – so why not join in the debate on my blog – or send me an email if you prefer.
Mark Lazarowicz MP
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Posted by Professor Joe Lamb, 16:01, Fri 4 July 2008: (Is this post abusive?) #
Dear Mr Lazarowicz, I enclose a good news story about the NHS. I hope to get it published somewhere.
Prof J Lamb
A total knee replacement in a Scottish NHS hospital
On Monday 23/06/08 at lunch time I entered the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Clydebank and, like all other patients, was allocated a single room with en-suite facilities, TV, phone etc and then was seen by the surgeon and registrar, the anaethetist and various nurses. Next day at 8am I was given a spinal anaesthetic & sedative (my choice) into my arm. I woke at 11am, had a normal lunch at 12-30pm and was up on a Zimmer by 4pm. By recovery day1 I progressed to sticks and was ready for home by day3 (Friday). I stayed another day because of another medical problem.
I had last worked as a proper medic 50 years before and was astonished at the changes since then. For example during recovery I never needed to see a medic but was treated by a host of nurses of various grades, by physiotherapists, by an occupational therapist, by a 'pain' nurse, by an 'infection control' nurse, by a pharmacist; unlike in my time as a junior doctor blood was taken by a phlebotomist. Each of these health professionals worked to a pre-arranged program. Great attention was paid to reducing the chances of having a DVT; these were blood thinning injections, anti-embolism stockings and impads, like open toed slippers that wrap around the foot, connected to a pulsatile pump during the night. All meals were prepared on the premises and were of good quality; the next day's menu was chosen each day after breakfast by the patient. Frequent hand washing was obligatory for staff, and patients and visitors were encouraged to do so.
I talked extensively to all the staff and was impressed by their high morale and love of their jobs. For example one middle aged nurse drove more than 50 miles each way to work there and would never give it up. The porter was a retired crane driver from the shipyards aged 57 who thought it was a great place to work. The over-riding impression was that a complex system had been so organised that it ran like clockwork. This was possible because all operations were elective and so could be programmed into a kind of production line. The administrators deserve great credit for the excellent and unobtrusive way they have arranged this. This system even extended to after care in that they organise a nurse to attend at home for the first 2 weeks and have a telephone survey of wound condition at 15 and 30 days. If a physiotherapist is needed during recovery they organise it. As far as I could see everyone was employed by the NHS so lawyers and management consultants were not involved. Although the nurses were of various grades and the younger ones had degrees, in practice it made no difference; all just got on with the work; there were no obvious bosses.
The Golden Jubilee National Hospital is perhaps unusual in that it started life as a private US venture for Arabs but was underused and so was taken over by the NHS to help with waiting lists. It only does elective orthopoedic and heart operations; it does no emergency work. Because patients like me lived 2 hours away from the hospital relatives are offered free accomodation, but without food. All patients have a single room and between patients the room is emptied and everything disinfected. No patient with MRSA is allowed in without treatment.
This experience shows clearly that the NHS can run an efficient, integrated, excellent service for elective surgery with no parts hived off to the private sector. It confirms the views I have held for many years that the NHS is an excellent organisation, especially if left alone by ill-informed politicians, management consultants and other hangers on. It illustrates that the Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) introduced by Blair were a total and unnecessary waste of resources. My experience also showed the nonsense of 'patient choice' for I have been in the medical business for 50 years but had never heard of the Golden Jubilee National Hospital far less of its quality. I was offered a place at this hospital and chose to go there, thus cutting my waiting time to around 10 weeks.
Lastly I am beginning to think that spreadsheets are dangerous things; any ill-informed person can sit down with one and show 'efficiency' savings as long as they do not bother with the reality at the coalface. The Department of Health should employ accountants to check their various untested schemes, never employ outside management consultants and keep the sticky hands of politicians & civil servants well away & instead devolve as much as possible to those who actually know what they are doing.
jfl 2/07/08