Evidence submitted by Jillian Pritchard
(Def 04)
It would be sensible to consider all the targets
imposed over the last few years and measure the number of posts
introduced to measure the achievement of targets. Cost those posts.
Then look at all the ways in which every target can be misinterpreted
and manipulated and the time and trouble and cost so to do. Next
ask the appropriate professional bodies to show you all the clinical
guidelines which exist to achieve the same ends. Cost what it
needs to implement the guidelines adequately and reallocate the
target related money to do this. I suggest there will be both
financial savings and an improved health service.
Further, why the obsession with "modernisation",
"reform", "change". These are not synonymous
with good or improved practice. I suggest that any good practitioner
is constantly reviewing clinical practice against research, reviews
and peer recommendations and updates policy in line with these.
"Modernisation" is often banded about—my department
submitted ourselves to a half day session to see how we might
"modernise" only to demonstrate what we could have told
anyone in the first place that we had already done what was described
as modernising and more. We called it keeping our practice as
effective as possible. Why can't politicians just get off our
backs, thus save money and improve the NHS in the process. We
are not charlatans who need to be controlled but clinicians who
want the best for our patients and NHS colleagues and are prepared
to work very hard to achieve it.
Dr Jillian Pritchard
St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey, Surrey
1 May 2006
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