Comments on: UK government response to Military Hospital petition http://www.newfreebooters.com/uk-government-response-to-military-hospital-petition boats, events, people & equipment - through the eyes of Mike K-H Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:18:32 +0000 hourly 1 By: admin http://www.newfreebooters.com/uk-government-response-to-military-hospital-petition/comment-page-1#comment-260 admin Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:48:55 +0000 http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=61#comment-260 Strong sentiments from a man whose full-time career was the RAF. Keith, do you still have contact with any ex-forces people? I'd like to hear more comment from those directly affected. Strong sentiments from a man whose full-time career was the RAF. Keith, do you still have contact with any ex-forces people? I’d like to hear more comment from those directly affected.

]]> By: keith http://www.newfreebooters.com/uk-government-response-to-military-hospital-petition/comment-page-1#comment-259 keith Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:29:04 +0000 http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=61#comment-259 Just what I was expecting! Weasel words from a lot of chair-polishers and bean-counters. We USED to look after our own ... now we expect the NHS to do it and, as they've shown several times in the past, they couldn't run a whelk stall! Just what I was expecting! Weasel words from a lot of chair-polishers and bean-counters. We USED to look after our own … now we expect the NHS to do it and, as they’ve shown several times in the past, they couldn’t run a whelk stall!

]]> By: admin http://www.newfreebooters.com/uk-government-response-to-military-hospital-petition/comment-page-1#comment-258 admin Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:12:46 +0000 http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=61#comment-258 Well caught, Dave. I forgot to re-read the petition before commenting on the failure to address the 2 Para claim. I agree with you that the response quoted only what it wanted to from the results of the 2007 satisfaction survey - and that doesn't surprise me, either. Like you, I can now understand the reasoning behind the decisions that were made, but I think the scope of their study (the technical quality of clinical care) were too narrow. Well caught, Dave. I forgot to re-read the petition before commenting on the failure to address the 2 Para claim.

I agree with you that the response quoted only what it wanted to from the results of the 2007 satisfaction survey – and that doesn’t surprise me, either.

Like you, I can now understand the reasoning behind the decisions that were made, but I think the scope of their study (the technical quality of clinical care) were too narrow.

]]> By: Dave http://www.newfreebooters.com/uk-government-response-to-military-hospital-petition/comment-page-1#comment-257 Dave Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:03:20 +0000 http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=61#comment-257 I'm not particularly surprised at this response, though I am disappointed. At least now I can understand the reasoning behind the decision to close the military hospitals - though I still have misgivings about it. But I'm still concerned that the claims of underfunding aren't addressed. The Goverment seems to be in denial about the failure of the NHS to meet the needs of the UK population as a whole, let alone service personnel. Again, I'm not surprised that the specific claim about 2 Para and Selly Oak wasn't addressed, as (so far as I can see from the No. 10 website) it didn't form part of the petition. But the overall question of funding military healthcare still needs to be addressed with more urgency than at present. In the interest of transparency I feel there should have been a link to the detailed results of the 2007 satisfaction survey that was mentioned. It's very easy to mask dissatisfaction with weasel wording in surveys - both in the survey questions and in the reports they give rise to - and while the quality of the medical treatment may have been excellent, there may well have been discontent with the overall patient care. As the replies to your original posting state, the environment in a military hospital (I've visited two, for family confinements) is different from a civilian one. I’m not particularly surprised at this response, though I am disappointed. At least now I can understand the reasoning behind the decision to close the military hospitals – though I still have misgivings about it.

But I’m still concerned that the claims of underfunding aren’t addressed. The Goverment seems to be in denial about the failure of the NHS to meet the needs of the UK population as a whole, let alone service personnel. Again, I’m not surprised that the specific claim about 2 Para and Selly Oak wasn’t addressed, as (so far as I can see from the No. 10 website) it didn’t form part of the petition. But the overall question of funding military healthcare still needs to be addressed with more urgency than at present.

In the interest of transparency I feel there should have been a link to the detailed results of the 2007 satisfaction survey that was mentioned. It’s very easy to mask dissatisfaction with weasel wording in surveys – both in the survey questions and in the reports they give rise to – and while the quality of the medical treatment may have been excellent, there may well have been discontent with the overall patient care. As the replies to your original posting state, the environment in a military hospital (I’ve visited two, for family confinements) is different from a civilian one.

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