Once more I've had the opportunity to observe the NHS in action in recent days. Sitting for hours in a hospital while someone you love is waiting for treatment gives an unrivalled opportunity, though not one that I'd wish on even my worst enemy.
I've got 3 New Year Resolutions that would improve the NHS no end, and not cost a penny:
1. Train managers to manage people and work properly rather than to tick the target boxes
2. Give all ward staff a little notebook and pencil so that they can write down requests from patients as they're made. At each shift change they could then pass on those which hadn't yet been answered. That might avoid an hour's wait for a commode, a drip which isn't checked for hours, and maybe even avoid a five hour wait to see a doctor on admission. Who knows, patients might get treatment in a timely manner and even feel better quicker.
3. Be honest when answering the phone. Don't say breezily "She's fine" of someone who 6 hours earlier had breathing difficulty, acute abdominal pain and serious dehydration. It doesn't help!
It's hardly rocket science - honest, well managed and caring health care is what we pay our taxes for.
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