Thursday, March 06, 2008

Brown's "Triumphant" GP Surgery Climbdown

There's a good reason why the Health Editor of the Evening Standard doesn't write about politics, and it's on the paper's front page today. GPs TO WORK MORE HOURS A WEEK screams the headline. The article by Sophie Goodchild then begins...

"Doctors today caved in to government demands to work longer hours ... The agreement is a major victory for patients and will be seen as a triumph for Gordon Brown."

Er, how so, exactly? It was Gordon Brown who was behind the changes to the original GP contracts which led to surgeries closing more in the first place! To describe his climbdown as a "triumph" is bizarre in the extreme. What he has managed to do is provide a worse service for patients at a huge extra cost to the taxpayer. Sadly that is an all to familiar story within government nowadays.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just wondering if you are considering changing the name of your blog to "bitter and twisted" or have you taken writing lessons from the Daily Mail?
It seems that lately you are intent on having a go at someone; from Ken Clarke to Lib Dems; from the police to the Evening Standard. Calm down; is your blood sugar ok?

Anonymous said...

Iain it is a Dacre special for his mate Brown.

The editorial today lambasts politicians for the non-referendum and even criticises the Tories!

No criticism of Brown in the editorial... funny that.

Anonymous said...

What a load of nonesense iain.

One thing Brown has done is be really clear that he wanted to increase GP opening, and it looks like he will get his way.

Have the cajones to recognise success when it comes, or you just look like a party hack.

Anonymous said...

What the tories fear most is any sense of GB getting results/ getting the job done.

The CCHQ spinners will be out in force tonight!

Iain Dale said...

Er, he said he wanted to increase it, after he was instrumental in weekend and evening closures. Get your facts straight.

Anonymous said...

How long before the GP service goes the same way as dentistry?

Bill Quango MP said...

Too true Iain

who are these fools with who seem to have forgotten last weeks headlines already.

Here's one from THE GUARDIAN

"GP practices earning 58% more for 5% less work, audit office finds"
28 feb 2008

Maybe they should see a GP for memory loss.

Anonymous said...

How long before the GP service goes the same way as dentistry?

Brian Tomkinson

We will just have to wait for the next Tory government for that to become a real possibility, again.

Anonymous said...

I don't see it that way , speaking as a GP in Dorset.We work harder than ever ,see more patients than ever ( saw 39 today ), treat all conditions to a much more advanced level than we used to , are , contrary to journalistic opinion , extremely receptive to new technology and new ways of doing things
and all we get is continual criticism