Equality & Diversity in the NHS

[SocketRocket]

Mods, this is clearly a political post and should be removed

No it's not. It only becomes political if there are comments regarding the performance of a particular government or a comparison on how a particular government may perform better
or worse than another.

 

[Foxholer]

Seems like you have a 'personal interest' in those areas. Care to elucidate?

No I don't and no.

No, we won two big deals.

There's a distinctly dodgy 'vested interest' aroma about these posts!

The NHS, along with the rest of Govt, HAS to have a resilient - and demonstrably fair - bidding process in place.
Otherwise the sort of criticism that resulted from the Covid crisis - and PPE supplies - would be constantly happening!

It's a 'business decision' as to whether to be involved with the NHS - and the inertia of its bidding process! If that message has not been clearly broadcast to those involved in that process, then that's a failing on YOUR business's management, not the NHS!

 

[Jamesbrown]

I think you'll find similar in most big British organisations, public or private.

yep, and it’s ridiculous. Made up, pointless, irrelevant non-jobs for jobsworths. And in this instance you could have another nurse instead.

 

[Foxholer]

yep, and it’s ridiculous. Made up, pointless, irrelevant non-jobs for jobsworths. And in this instance you could have another nurse instead.

But protects both sides - which includes 'the public' from overt (or maybe covert) corrupt practices!

BTW. I fail to see how anything posted in this thread has been (specifically) about 'Equality and Diversity' - part of the title of the thread! It all seems, to me, to be about the difficulty/length of bidding for NHS contracts!

 

[RichA]

yep, and it’s ridiculous. Made up, pointless, irrelevant non-jobs for jobsworths. And in this instance you could have another nurse instead.

So what are you doing about it?

 

[Robster59]

People have to remember that any large value public spend had to go to tender under OJEU regulations. This may change now we're not part of the EU but that's how it has been. I can tell you that these tenders, whether NHS, Universities, etc, and whether in UK or Ireland, all look very similar. They take ages to complete, have numerous questions, a lot of which cover equality, social inclusion, diversity, as well as the standard questions about company viability, etc. I've also been asked the same questions by big Pharma and other large companies. It's the way of the world now. You learn what's needed, the standard answers and documents you need (and it's a lot). This is not just an NHS thing.

 

[Billysboots]

It is not. My biggest criticisms are the shocking inefficiencies of the procurement and HR capabilities across the NHS coupled with ineffective senior management.

Why single out the NHS? As others have said, this applies equally across many public and private organisations.

As a retired police officer I can assure you that the above applies, verbatim, to the police service.

So why is the NHS the target?

 

[The Dog.]

Because it costs so much money and a lot of it is wasted.

 

[Hobbit]

Because it costs so much money and a lot of it is wasted.

If your sales organisation is set up properly, the vast majority of your tender response docs will already be in place. Responding to an ITT, invitation to tender, …. “Won two big deals…” I’m guessing you work for a very small organisation that struggles with the process.

Prior to retirement, “we” were winning a “big deal” almost every week. I’ve seen us win an emergency order with less than 12 hours notice. All the required docs were, effectively, picked off the shelf.

Working(professional) relationships between the Trusts and the selling company are essential to the smooth flow of the sales. Our sales people knew the consultants and nursing staff, our tendering team knew the NHS procurement dept and our senior manager and directors worked at board level.

Often, the “big deals” were handled by NHS Supply Chain, the centralised buying dept for the NHS, which has since been taken back in-house - NHS Supply Chain was majority owned by DHL.

From your one line responses you’re coming across as a small cog in a small organisation and without a real handle on how it all works.

 

[The Dog.]

If your sales organisation is set up properly, the vast majority of your tender response docs will already be in place. Responding to an ITT, invitation to tender, …. “Won two big deals…” I’m guessing you work for a very small organisation that struggles with the process.

Prior to retirement, “we” were winning a “big deal” almost every week. I’ve seen us win an emergency order with less than 12 hours notice. All the required docs were, effectively, picked off the shelf.

Working(professional) relationships between the Trusts and the selling company are essential to the smooth flow of the sales. Our sales people knew the consultants and nursing staff, our tendering team knew the NHS procurement dept and our senior manager and directors worked at board level.

Often, the “big deals” were handled by NHS Supply Chain, the centralised buying dept for the NHS, which has since been taken back in-house - NHS Supply Chain was majority owned by DHL.

From your one line responses you’re coming across as a small cog in a small organisation and without a real handle on how it all works.

Your post is patronising, entirely wrong in relation to your view of what I do, supercilious and smug.

 

[Tashyboy]

The topic of conversation has nothing to do with how this topic has been led. “ equality and diversity”. Jim Royle would say ” My rrrs”

 

[rudebhoy]

Your post is patronising, entirely wrong in relation to your view of what I do, supercilious and smug.

I hate fence-sitters

 

[Fade and Die]

It's excellent in emergencies and treatment of critical conditions, no doubt about it. My Son in Law had an operation to remove a malignant tumor from his face recently, it was a five hour op and seemed to go well. He was sent home the next morning with a drain attached to the scar. A day later his face became badly swollen so he was taken into A&E, after a four hour wait he was put in a chair with a IV drip in his arm, as there was no bed he remained in the chair for another 12 hours , He was then eventually given a bed. it's not great in many other cases, trying to see or even have a telephone consultation with a GP is now getting dire, recently I called the surgery to be informed I was 22nd in a queue to speak to the receptionist, when I got through I was told to ring up at 8:0 am the next day for an appointment, I rang right on 8:0 am to be told I was No 14 in the queue to speak to a receptionist, I eventually got through 40 minutes later to be told there were no appointments left that day but to call at 8:0 am the next day. And they say we should report health concerns quickly. As I said previously, it was easier to see a doctor 50 years ago. The NHS needs to be better, OK maybe we need to pay more for it but in my experience it's not getting better in many areas.

Regarding the 2nd part of your post I agree 100%, I think the way the GPs have retreated from the community is scandalous. They seem to be hiding behind officious receptionist whose sole purpose seems to be to deny you access to the Doctor. Phones rings for 25 minutes unanswered, no appointments for 10 days, even simple things like repeat prescriptions are now taking a week to fill and it seems to be getting worse. No blood tests available, Asthma clinic has been suspended for nearly a year and nobody will tell us when it’s going to go back to “normal” I agree that part of the NHS needs reforming.

 

[IanM]

Equality and Diversity...Health and Safety....FS Regulation....Golf Rules and Admin

All necessary, all worthy, and all very damaging if absent.... BUT, all seem to be made into self serving industries by the wrong sort of people But maybe that's because the apathy of the masses permits it.

 

[SocketRocket]

Equality and Diversity...Health and Safety....FS Regulation....Golf Rules and Admin

All necessary, all worthy, and all very damaging if absent.... BUT, all seem to be made into self serving industries by the wrong sort of people But maybe that's because the apathy of the masses permits it.

It seems to me now a form of 'mind control' it's not just a way of explaining and promoting best practice, it's telling you not only what your opinion should be but how you should be actively working towards changing others views on social issues.

I don't want organisations I work for telling me what my views should be regarding things like LBGT or Race relations. I can understand a policy where people should not discriminate or insult others but not the diatribe shown on the OP in this thread. Things like that really worry me.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Regarding the 2nd part of your post I agree 100%, I think the way the GPs have retreated from the community is scandalous. They seem to be hiding behind officious receptionist whose sole purpose seems to be to deny you access to the Doctor. Phones rings for 25 minutes unanswered, no appointments for 10 days, even simple things like repeat prescriptions are now taking a week to fill and it seems to be getting worse. No blood tests available, Asthma clinic has been suspended for nearly a year and nobody will tell us when it’s going to go back to “normal” I agree that part of the NHS needs reforming.

This maybe down to your area or the practise you are registered with, our local Surgery is not like this, Yes we have the call queueing system, but we also have online bookings. Once you are through to the receptionist you can request a same day call back from the GP if no appointments are available that day. Obviously non-emergencey.

My repeat prescriptions are all on-line, only see the Dr for a review.

Some Clinics have been delayed due to current crisis, but all Nurse appointments are just about back to normal.

I totally agree it needs looking at as it shouldn’t be a postcode lottery.

 

[RichA]

It seems to me now a form of 'mind control' it's not just a way of explaining and promoting best practice, it's telling you not only what your opinion should be but how you should be actively working towards changing others views on social issues.

I don't want organisations I work for telling me what my views should be regarding things like LBGT or Race relations. I can understand a policy where people should not discriminate or insult others but not the diatribe shown on the OP in this thread. Things like that really worry me.

It's not really invasive mind control if one has to go out looking for the thing that offends them in an obscure document, as appears to have occurred to trigger this thread.

 

[Foxholer]

This maybe down to your area or the practise you are registered with, our local Surgery is not like this, Yes we have the call queueing system, but we also have online bookings. Once you are through to the receptionist you can request a same day call back from the GP if no appointments are available that day. Obviously non-emergencey.

My repeat prescriptions are all on-line, only see the Dr for a review.

Some Clinics have been delayed due to current crisis, but all Nurse appointments are just about back to normal.

I totally agree it needs looking at as it shouldn’t be a postcode lottery.

My primary access point to medical needs is Livi or my Practice's website - for repeat prescriptions.

 

[Ethan]

There is an old saying about the NHS.

People want an NHS that is Good, Cheap and Fast. Choose any 2 of the 3. Can't have them all.

 

[SocketRocket]

It's not really invasive mind control if one has to go out looking for the thing that offends them in an obscure document, as appears to have occurred to trigger this thread.

It is if you work there and it's part of your T&Cs