Our very own NHS

It has become politically incorrect to have any negative thoughts about the NHS.  Indeed the present Government is so scared of this institution and the fond place it has in our nation's heart that they have protected it from any spending cuts (The NHS also had a starring role in the Olympics open ceremony). 

Today's story in the Telegraph is yet another example of how poorly the National Health Service is run; specifically the low standards of clinical care that are now the norm.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9827116/Mid-Staffs-scandal-dummy-taped-to-babys-mouth.html

To understand the financial cost of all this one needs to navigate to the NHS Litigation Authority website (there is an entire business set up to manage the results of this poor care) http://www.nhsla.com/Pages/Home.aspx


You have to be diligent to find the statistics but buried deep in the reports on the NHSLA website there were clinical litigation claims outstanding against the NHS that amount to over £18 BILLION.

http://www.nhsla.com/CurrentActivity/Documents/NHSLA%20Factsheet%202%20-%20financial%20information%202011-12.doc

From their website:

http://www.nhsla.com/CurrentActivity/Documents/NHSLA%20Factsheet%202%20-%20financial%20information%202011-12.doc

Outstanding liabilities

As at 31 March 2012, the NHSLA estimates that it has potential liabilities of £18.9 billion, of which £18.6 billion relate to clinical negligence claims

Recession what Recession!

Today's article in the Telewag today gives us a glimpse of the mess the Tories have been making their in communication of economic policy.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/edmundconway/9716174/Prosperity-across-the-South-is-hiding-a-recession-in-much-of-Britain.html

By focusing on GDP (overall growth) the Tory party is under selling the strong performance of the private sector, This hidden good news story need airtime.  If we want to shrink the public sector (over half the economy) we are not going to get GDP growth, but to present this as bad news is self defeating. The government should start to focus on the positives and specifically the growth we are seeing in the private sector.