Dear Ms Harney,

You, as Minister for Health and Children have responsibility for looking after the Health Service Executive and those hospitals that work within it. You are also the person to whom the Chief Executive, Prof. Brendan Drumm reports. I am but a HSE minion working in the large organisation.

Your executive constantly talk of new plans, cancer strategies, consolidation of services to improve patient care and centres of excellence in order to reach the gold standard. You yourself speak of the massive over staffing of the HSE and the need for job cuts. Prof. Drumm said only this week that the cutting back of front line services would be required in order to keep the HSE within budget this year.

Your executive last year kept bleeting out that there was an admissions day ward in Drogheda when the overcrowding of the A&E made headline news here. Yes, it’s very true, there is an admissions lounge there now, but it’s not much use when you have 41 people waiting and 6 beds in said lounge, but you don’t seem to notice that, you only see what you want to see.

You have implemented a 50% cut in overtime for Doctors and other staff within the HSE, you have removed training grants for Doctors and many other professionals within the service are finding it impossible to get funding or even the study leave to begin/continue further education. And yet, despite this you tell us that you’re going to make centres of excellence. You don’t need to be in the healthcare profession to realise that you need to have training in order to have centres of excellence.

Targets are set without the consideration of the implications. Sometimes it’s impossible to reach the theoretical number of patients per day and this is for one simple reason… Patients are human. Not every patient will be able to do everything you ask, not every patient can be seen in 5 minutes. Some may be more anxious than others, they may require you to take the time to talk to them. They may have one condition, but they may have other conditions that complicate there treatment.

Ms Harney, you seem to set a lot of things out, you talk a good talk, yet you don’t walk the walk, as someone who sees the day to day reality, me and the thousands of other HSE employees would all say the same. You don’t know what it’s like to work like we work. And so, I challenge you, Minister for Health and Children, to spend some time being one of us in the HSE. And i don’t mean turning up for a quick photo op like you so often do. None of this opening of a new scanner or unit and acting like you’ve done all the work and paid for it when it’s been the hard work of the hospitals foundations to get the equipment (Temple Street CT Scanner Fund for example). I mean a serious week in a hospital, I mean spending time in an A&E and seeing the overcrowding. I mean seeing how the job freeze in Physio/occupational therapy/ Speech and Language Therapy and allied professions has meant that people work close to breaking point. I mean seeing CT departments that work about 50% over capacity and where people can wait 6 months for an outpatient appointment because we don’t have the staff to do it any faster. I mean the fact that we don’t have enough neurosurgeons in the country per capita. Spend a week with an intern and see the sleep deprivation that they work through because that’s what’s expected. Because, quite frankly, I don’t think you have a leg to stand on right now. You don’t know us, and you don’t know what we do. You’re so far removed in your office that you make decisions without realising what it really means.

Come work with us, see what we do, and then tell us we’re over staffed and deserve pay cuts/ funding cuts and cuts to services. Because right now, I see a service close to the brink, and a staff ready to strike if you push us any further.

Regards,

Another HSE Minion

After four years of college and the subsequent lack of time 9/10 months out of the year where I was focused completely on college books it’s been a pleasure to actually have the time to read some books. This became all too apparent when my most likely topic of conversation towards the end of my last semester was ‘dose to lateral breast tissue due to ill fitting lead coats’. Amazingly, despite the inclusion of the word breast in that, it wasn’t hugely interesting (well, to anyone except me).

Thus entering the real world have given me a few advantages over my previous few years. Now I have both the time and money to buy books that I enjoy. I started reading the Wallander series by Henning Mankell back in December and I’ve pretty much been hooked ever since, currently on the last of the series, I’ve noticed myself decidedly slowing down my reading habit because I don’t want it to end and it got me to thinking why exactly I like these books so much.

I mean, I’m a girl and these are graphic, hard core novels, dealing with all sorts of undercurrents of Swedish Society. There’s sex trafficking, depression, gruesome murders, decomposing bodies, stress, fatigue, suicide, psychopaths, stalkings, divorce, and affairs. I’ve been trying to work out for a while why I enjoy them so much and it’s finally become clear in the last few days.

When you watch most tv programmes that are murder mysteries, they’re well adjusted people who don’t seem to be affected by what they do. And Mankell doesn’t write like that, Wallander isn’t perfect, he’s affected by his job and the actions it forces him to take, his drive and committment keep him in the job but by the same token he regularly questions whether or not his job and his work are really what he should be doing anymore. He feels Sweden has changed and wonders if he’s missed the boat so to speak.

The currents of change are very similar to those we have experienced in Ireland over the past 10 years and I guess that resonants with me. My apartment block has over 100 apartments and I’ve met about 10 Irish people in the building since I moved in. Any time you walk around Dublin City centre you’ll no doubt hear any number of languages. I did a rough count today and in my short 10 minute walk, I counted no less than 7 different languages. With the recession, comes yet another change as we lose numbers of foreign nationals who have come to take advantage of our Celtic Tiger and now have the skills they need to return to there own countries and take advantage of the booming economies in there own countries. And i’m not saying this is a bad thing. We did the same 20 years ago with widespread emigration to the States and the UK.

Maybe the reason why I like the Wallander books so much is because it’s given me an insight into my own views on how things stand in Europe today. Or maybe I just really like a good gruesome murder mystery. All I really know is that if you’re looking for a book to read, you’d do a lot worse than Henning Mankell.

Time wanders by and I seem to be busier than ever. So in honour of this a rather quick post with a few videos of my current fav songs on the radio. They’re also upbeat because i’m sick of recessionary downness. I’m a child of a recession, it’s rather apt I’m also the yuppie of one….

Duke Special Sweet Sweet Kisses

Tilly and the Wall - Pot Kettle Black

Codes - Guided By Ghosts - I’m seriously gonna big up these guys as I’ve known them since I was 17 and their progression has been phenomenal. They’re playing the Phantom Halloween Ball and if you’re not doing anything I recommend you check them out.

So I’m finally getting moving on my thesis and this involves setting up a few meetings with various people to get permission and there assistance to do my research.

I had the email address of one and the secretaries number of the other. As I’ve got a proactive mood about me today I decided I’d get my ass in gear and ring the second doctor having already made contact with my first.

With my speech all in check, important names prominently placed along with my college name blaring just so he might agree to meet with me to discuss my research. So I ring the number and a nice man answers the phone. Thoughts running through my head - SCORE! Actually got the Doctor rather than the secretary, this day is turning out way better than expected. So I do my little talk, drop the Prof and a few other important key words and end my little speech on a high thinking I’m really in with a shot here of getting this sorted today.

And then the worst words came to me: ‘

‘Eh, you say you’re looking for Dr. X? ‘

‘Yes, he’s a consultant in Hospital X and he had said to a colleague of mine he’d be interested in doing some radiation protection research’

‘Right….. It’s just you’re actually onto Cityjet Flight Control in Swords rather than Hospital X and the only reason I didn’t stop you was that we have to put in a Cosmic Radiation return ever year and I thought you might be wanting to do some research about that…..’

*embarrassed pause* Mumbles apologies..

Seems I dialled a 7 instead of a 6….

Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart do non politics and it makes me love them all the more:

So another year has arrived and another team to work with.

Starting this year has made me realise how immensely lucky I was last year to come away with 3 brilliant mates who are probably some of the soundest people ever.

Aisling O’ Grady was talking about the storming and norming process that happens to all teams when they live and work together. Sure that happened to us, but it’s pretty cool to be able to say that at the end of a year living and working together we all somehow managed not only to remain on speaking terms, but a group of people who actually like hanging out with each other.

Some of my favourite times with the team were just complete and utter madness, from Dani’s first night with us, when she fell asleep in the process of making her bed and her subsequent screams as she woke up to find Eamo standing over her. To the wonder experience of Dani (she takes centre stage in a lot of stories) arriving home sober to find myself, Eamon and Peter (the unofficial 5th team member) trollied, with Eamon having to be put to bed.

We weren’t the best in terms of cleaning (anyone who visited would surely testify to that effect) but we did know how to have fun. We had fairy lights that seemed doomed to spend the year on the floor (not even duct tape could keep them on the wall), an Ireland flag appropriated from some mysterious place that was not spoken of, a Sligo Flag for eamos roots and the infamous quote wall that I was inexplicably banned from using due to too many unfunny quotes (philistines).

We were a team who loved exercise balls, beer, lasange and were always happy out hey! We listened endlessly to Westlife and watched some of the weirdest tv going.

But the last word goes to Dani for remember that yes, if you were 23 last year that you would be 24 this year.

Lets hope this year is as fun! Mammy, Daddy and little Eva are happy out thus far!!

Apologies for being slightly wanting in my posting of late. Had a busy period due to moving twice in the space of four days and doing some training.

When you pack your entire life up into bags you begin to note certain trends about yourself. This is what, in the main I’ve learnt.

1) I like Jeans

My current tally is 16 pairs in Dublin and 3 ‘back up’ pairs down home for the weekends that I head home. I seem to be particularly fond of American Eagles Favourite Boyfriend Jean having some 7 pairs of them in 4 different washes and 3 different sizes. This is probably not the healthiest obsession in the world but they are rather comfy.

2) I have a lot of T shirts.

Threadless How you appaul me! It seems that over the past year I have become rather addicted to the ‘quirky’ t shirt type event and have over the past year compiled a varied selection that are suitably bizarre. My favourite still is On My Honour with Fish Tank coming in a very close second.

3) Cutlery is my thing

I’m not ashamed to say it. I’m a cutlery fan. I like kitchen implements and have seen fit to overly stock myself with such devices over the past year. Isobel was forced to actually make me downsize somewhat when it became apparent that I intented to move my 6 spatulas and 3 can openers with me. I think it’s safe to say I have a problem. However it has meant that noone need buy any more cultery for the apartment as I have it decked out completely with all of the necessary bits and pieces.

4) I am a stationary Whore.

This only became truly apparently yesterday but my god is it bad, I have 10 yellow highlighters, all the same brand and placed together because I don’t want to have them mixed up with other pents. My pen tally is 3 pint glasses full (i’m scared to even count because it’s just bad) and 4 A4 pads, 6 notebooks and 650 Index Tags. This may seem fairly rational when you consider that I’m about to start back at college and one could assume that I’ve done a shop for these things. But I haven’t. I’ve just accumulated this lot over the summer randomly.

6) I’m So Unfit.

This became ever so clear hauling about 20 loads of my life in colourful bags up 3 flights of stairs to my new apartment. This is not good considering I took up cycling to work this year so a new plan has been undertaken which involves me taking up tennis. I haven’t played in years so it should be a bit of a laugh and I’m looking forward to it.

In other news I’m working with UCD IT Services for the week, if you see me promoting come say hi. And no, I don’t have a memory key for you!

Currently moving. I hate it. It’s the worst job ever and I’m narky. But hey. Some happys for people:

My two current favourite tracks from lovely people at the moment:

Neon Neon: “I Told Her On Alderaan”

The Whip: Blackout

So Leaving Cert Results are out today and along with the all the congratuatlation that are duly deserved, the high failure rate in mathematics has become an increasing topic of conversation.

Yet again the idea of Bonus points has been floated to try and curb this and also in an attempt to boost the figures doing Honours Maths. Currently only 12% of leaving Cert students take honours maths.

But what good with giving bonus points do for students? If you ask me nothing. They will only serve to further punish students who do not have mathematical apptitude and further increase the huge issues we have with ridiculously high points courses.

12% of students taking the Leaving Cert get more than 500 points in their leaving Cert. They are considered the elite of the incoming studetns for the University Sector and there is much competition to entice these students into Universities and Institutes of Technology with offers of scholarships or guaranteed on campus accommodation.Yet it is also safe to say that not all of these students will undertake Honours Mathetmatics.

With the exception of engineering and some maths courses, most courses basic requirements are generally only for Ordinary Mathematics.  Thus if all colleges were to start offering bonus points for courses, many high points courses, such as architecture, radiography, pharmacy, and medicine will be pushed higher again.

To use an example. The University of Limerick has bonus points for mathematics. For and A1 in Honours Maths, students Receive 140 points.

ULs physiotherapy course was 555 Points and not all applicants were accepted on this points total in the last CAO Round..

This compares with: UCD:   530

Trinity 515

RCSI:   520 and not all accplicants were accepted.

So ULs points were a full 40 points higher than the lowest poitns that someone got in on in Trinity. For a course that is only in it’s 5th year that’s pretty high.

Some would argue that bonus points are a good thing, they help students get into high points courses. But for something in the heatlh care world, honours mathematics in not a requirement. I earned a very respectable 495 points in my leaving cert and achieved a very high 2:1 degree in Radiography and have been offered a PhD. Yet I studied Ordinary Level Mathematics for my leaving cert and had there been bonus points for maths, would have, no doubt been forced to study in the UK to enter my chosen profession.

The CAO system has always been one of the fairest systems around, it’s based on the leaving cert you do and the grades you achieve. It distingushes across the board in the same way for Ordinary and Higher Level subjects and makes no allowances for what subjects you study.

If we go down this road, then why not grant bonus points for students who wish to study Language Courses and who do an honours language.

The CAO Points system is one of the few systems that is run fairly and equitably. Lets not ruin it for the sake of some numbers.

From: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a121932/terry-wogan-quits-eurovision-role.html

Terry Wogan has confirmed that he will no longer be presenting the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Radio 2 DJ, who has fronted the BBC’s coverage for 37 years, said it was “time for someone else to take over”.

“I was considering giving up before Belgrade, and now I have to say I’m very doubtful about ever wanting to do Eurovision again,” Wogan told the Radio Times.

In this year’s contest, Britain’s Andy Abraham only earned 14 points, while the Russian winner Dima Bilan bagged 272.

Commenting on the 2008 contest, Wogan said: “Days before the show, I knew Russia would win. The fact is, Putin was getting nasty, which means the former satellite states were always going to vote for Russia in order to keep the oil coming.

“It’s unfortunate, I suppose, but whereas we have always taken Eurovision with a pinch of salt, the former Eastern Bloc countries are not sufficiently versed in the ways of democracy to realise they are supposed to be voting for a song, not a next-door neighbour.”

Terry was the reason I watched the Eurovision. he’s brilliant quotes as he got progressively more drunk on his bottle of Baileys is what made the Eurovision what it is. I mean Marty Whelan Just doesn’t compare!