Healthcare - A Bus or A Taxi?

A version of this was posted on my blog in July 2009. I have thought I would re-release it, in light of the Sunday Times article I was involved in on 25 April 2010.  

I tend to assume that everyone knows that I had cancer, it's not a secret. I have discussed it many times and am happy to do so, if it helps anyone affected by this dreadful disease.

Cancer is devious. It hides, infesting and nesting in your body, allowing you to feel fit and well, while it grows and spreads. I had breast cancer. As a lotions and potions gal, I would daub myself in oily goo after every shower. One Saturday morning I was doing just this in the bathroom when I noticed a strange outline in the lower, outer side of my left breast. I showed my husband, I wasn't worried. I would go and see our surgery's token female doctor and see what she said. The wait for an appointment with her would only be a couple of weeks. My husband spoke slowly and firmly, telling me that I would go on Monday, I would see whichever Doctor was free and I would get it checked out. I huffed but agreed.

My GP said that he didn't think it felt like anything nasty but as he wasn't qualified to make that sort of judgement and as there was definitely something there, he was happy to refer me for further investigation.

A few days later, I went to see the consultant. We parked right outside the door and as I entered the clinic I was immediately impressed with the facilities. The decor was warm and welcoming, there were lovely works of art on the walls, it was obviously very clean. There was a lovely lady at the concierge desk who directed me towards the reception area, where I was to book in. I sat next to my husband in a comfortable chair as we waited and very quickly a very nice lady came to show me through to where I would meet my consultant. I was nervous but pleased, yes, I had definitely made the right choice of clinic. The Consultant certainly didn't disappoint; a genuine, caring man, who greeted us with a smile, shook our hands and indicated for us to sit next to his large desk. He examined me and explained that he would like to start off with a mammogram and when he had checked that, possibly some other tests. The nurse would take me through to the mammogram suite and my husband was taken to the waiting area nearby, with its tea, coffee and biscuits, books and magazines.

I had the mammogram, which was examined by my Consultant immediately and that very same day I was given an ultrasound examination - also analysed immediately. This was followed by 5 core biopsies. All done in one day, no waiting for results between each test, no delays, just cups of tea and staff who regularly came to check if there was anything I needed.

Just a week later, my results were ready and we returned to the clinic to hear the verdict. Again the ambiance was calming and my husband and I were quite relaxed as we waited, I was convinced that there was nothing to worry about, I was far too young for it to be anything serious and I knew clinics like this did lots of tests just to make sure that everything was OK. A nurse came to escort us to the Consultant's room and we were ushered in; again he shook our hands and greeted us warmly. Another Consultant was also in the room, along with a nurse and a lady who was not in uniform, she introduced herself as Jayne. My Consultant was such a lovely man. The type of man who can give you the most dreadful news with a warm and reassuring smile, and that is exactly what he did. I had cancer. Suddenly the people in the room made sense. Jayne was a specialist Nurse and the other Consultant was a Surgeon, he would be doing the operation that the Consultant said I needed. A radical mastectomy.

The Consultant reached for his diary. "When would you like to come in?" he asked.

I looked at my husband. "As soon as possible?" He nodded.

The Consultant flipped a couple of pages and looked up, "Wednesday?"

That was it. Less than a week from the results and just 3 weeks and 5 days after finding it, my cancer was removed by mastectomy with ancillary clearance.

My stay as an in-patient following surgery was comfortable and my care was thorough. I had my own room, I know there were other mastectomy patients in other rooms but at that stage wasn't really up to talking about it, so was glad of the solitude. Nurses and care assistants regularly came into my room to check that I was comfortable and I had a television, telephone and was able to have my electronic games and mobile phone with me. My husband would visit and was able to stay with me as late as he wanted to, no strict visiting hours were inflicted upon us - a good thing too as it was a very traumatic time and I really needed my husband to be around.

It was the same story with my aftercare, comfortable surroundings, thorough attention, absolute dignity and respect from start to finish. The pathology was discussed with us fully and the recommended course of treatment was chemotherapy but this could not begin until I was recovered enough from the surgery.

I was taken to see the chemo suite, where there was a side room for private consultation with 'the wig lady'. Complementary therapies were offered and I would be able to have aromatherapy, shiatsu massage and reflexology. The chemo was given in a small room, with reclining chairs and home comforts. Tea and biscuits were brought before treatment commenced for patients and their partners and it was all very... well, nice!

Cancer is a life changing ordeal. It is often described as a journey and that begs the question - how would you prefer to take a journey, on the bus or in a taxi? My journey was made much easier by the care I was lucky enough to receive, I'm not ashamed to admit that I would make exactly the same choice again, should I ever be unfortunate enough to need to.

We have all seen the adverts for private healthcare and my experience certainly lived up to everything they say. I could not recommend my choice highly enough. Where did I go? Barnsley Hospital NHS Trust. The NHS, it saved my life. The staff in the NHS - they made the experience easier to bear, more comfortable to endure and less traumatic for me and my family. They are heroes and I thank God for them every single day, when I look at my children's smiling faces and appreciate being alive.

A Pre-election Boost for Labour - The Job Figures That Really Count

Critics will undoubtedly be focusing on the overall figure of those who are “workless” following today's announcement of the latest unemployment figures by the Office of National Statistics. This has shown that the overall number of those of working age, but not in work or claiming benefits, rose by 43,000 in the three months to February this year. 

It is an interesting figure but in terms of the value of the information it gives, it receives a disproportionate amount of attention. Especially from those who see a rise as a point-scoring opportunity. Never mind that it could also be affected by some positive changes, such as more students in full-time education, or it could even be a boost for David Cameron's idea of traditional families, with one parent choosing to stay at home to look after the children! 

The significant figure that the ONS released, that will be ignored by the opposition in their rush to criticise Labour, is the number of jobless claimants that registered in March. This fell significantly by almost 33,000 and comes after a revised figure for February, showing that jobless claims fell by over 40,000 during that month. This is particularly important because it is the largest drop in unemployment claims since June 1997. This is something that the Tories and Lib Dems will be desperate to keep quiet as it harks back to the halcyon days of the first term of this Labour government, when everyone still loved us. 

If this news also ties in with another growth in GDP – as figures being released on Friday are expected to show – it will be a fantastic pre-election boost for Labour's handling of the global economic downturn and proof that the Good Ship "Economy" is safest with Brown at the helm.

This piece was originally posted at House of Twits on Wednesday 21 April 2010

Three Men in a Vote: The Leaders' Debate. General Election 2010 Ch. 3

The Leaders' Debate was always Cameron's to lose. Expectations of Brown were low, even within his own party - but Cameron was supposed to come out and show everyone that he could be statesmanlike, presidential and a true leader. For Clegg on the other hand, the pressure was off, as the "third man" in this debate, he had no more to prove than to be credible to his party. This benefitted Clegg and allowed him to put in the performance that Cameron was hoping to give us. Polls of immediate public/viewer opinion back this up with all that I have seen giving the "win" to Clegg. But, no one emerged with a bloody nose and no one made any major blunder; except for Cameron's possible hinting that he may wish to nuke China at some future time, it was all pretty tame really.

Before the debate began, I asked Twitter, whether they thought that the Leaders' Debate would have an influence on the election. The majority of responses were in the negative and the summary of the opinions I received was that those viewing were already engaged with politics and the majority had already decided who they were going to vote for. This really made me think that the debates are going to miss the point. The people we need to reach are those who are politically disengaged, we need to demonstrate the value of their vote, show them the impact they can have on a local and national level.

This whole General Election campaign has taken on a new style of operation. It is not about reaching the politically disengaged, it is about Leaders. We are increasingly seeing a presidential campaign and this is not going to benefit any of the other 647 PPCs who are wanting to be elected. Essentially, what we saw tonight was a Party Election Broadcast for the constituencies of Sheffield Hallam, Witney and Kircaldy and Cowdenbeath, for it is only voters in these areas that will be able to vote for Clegg, Cameron and Brown. The rest of us, we vote for a local MP, whose job is to represent our views.

The media are dictating the focus of reporting and even the direction and priorities of the campaign. The next few days will not be about what was said, what the policies and priorities of each party are, or ultimately about who won. What we shall now see, is the media patting themselves on the back, saying "look what we made them do". The analysis and soundbites will fade and it will become reporting about the debate, not the content of the debate.

The build-up to the next debate will begin in earnest and I am fully expecting the media to place more extreme hoops for the leaders to jump through as each is faced. Maybe next time they will request a Krypton Factor style assault course and for the final debate there will be silver lycra costumes, rapidly approaching polystyrene and David Dimbleby will flamboyantly shout, "Bring on the Wall!"

This piece was originally posted at House of Twits on Friday 16th April 2010.

By Your Friends Shall You Be Judged. General Election 2010, Chapter 2.

Yesterday, David Cameron proudly showed off his new BFF and Conservative Celeb backer Sir Michael Caine again. It has always been a case of one-upmanship between parties when unveiling their latest celeb and it has to be said that the bar was set ridiculously high by Tony Blair in 1997, when he had Downing Street filled to the rafters with the coolest of the cool of British Celebrity.

So, as the Conservatives are so keen for us to know the great and the good who are backing their campaign for a return to government in the forthcoming General Election, I thought it would be a good idea to have a reminder of those celebrities who may be offering their services but never seem to catch Dave in or have their calls returned.

I'm going to begin with someone who until recently, was one of the chosen ones. Leading the Tories' Maths Task force, yes it's “Third-Class” Carol Vorderman, loan-promoter, child-health scaremonger and well, I have a list but I need go no further than to remind you all of her shrill, ranting, cringeful performance on BBC Question Time. 'nuff said.

There is of course another 'national treasure', Jeremy Clarkson, he thinks that it is acceptable to call someone from across the border, who happens to have a sight disability a “one-eyed Scottish idiot”. He is also well known for his absolute denial of man-made Climate Change.

Anyway, let's continue with the daughter of the Baroness, Carol Thatcher. Backstage at The one Show last year, Carol was discussing who would win the Australian Open Tennis tournament. To the horror of those around her, she said “You also have to consider the frogs. You know, that froggy golliwog guy.” There is nothing I need to add here is there?

Moving on to those supporters for whom the married man's tax allowance was invented, the somewhat infamous champions of marriage...

Bill Wyman: Maxim Magazine's No. 10 in their list of “Living Sex Legends”, due to his rather dubious 'achievement' of having slept with over 1000 women. After dating Mandy Smith from when she was 13, he married her when she turned 18 in 1989 – when he was 53. Still, he did have her mother's blessing. Surprisingly, the marriage ended in 1991 and Bill is now married to the third Mrs Wyman.

We could not miss Peter Stringfellow from this list, the 69-year-old lothario and ardent supporter of feminism, with his strip clubs and “Angels”. I wonder if the Tories Tax breaks will encourage Pete to settle down with one of his teenage lovers?

Serial husband Jim Davidson deserves inclusion in a number of categories. He appeared at the Tory party conference in 2000 and has a rap-sheet way too long for this list. A few “highlights”: Topically, with Chris Grayling's recent remarks, Jim was kicked off the TV programme “Hells Kitchen” for making “unacceptable remarks” towards Brian Dowling, another contestant; he did a routine about rape, on stage in Newark in 2007, leading to complaints from audience members and in 2006 Davidson was declared bankrupt, after failing to pay his remaining unpaid taxes of £700,000 from an original back tax bill of £1.5M.

Of course, that leads nicely on to the taxes of another Conservative endorser, Ken Dodd, who was charged with Tax Evasion in 1989 and, although acquitted, had his passport confiscated and had to present HM Inland Revenue with £800,000 in unpaid taxes.

I think one of my favourite Conservative endorsements comes from the President of Zimbabwe himself, Robert Mugabe, who recently said, "We have always related better with the British through the Conservatives than Labour." Nice.

Finally though, I must mention one of the most famously quoted and much vaunted Conservative fans, Phil Collins. But I'm so sorry Dave, it seems that all those hours you spent listening to “In the Air Tonight” were wasted! Here is Phil, speaking in 2005:

“I'd like to grab an opportunity to finally lay to rest a much quoted untruth about my political leanings. I have never been a Conservative, or at least not since being a young teenager. My father voted Conservative, and even his doing that was a hangover from the 50s and 60s, which may have been an influence on me. I'm sick and tired of being thrown in that same old box... "he's got money.... so he must be..." I once said that if taxes were put up to a level where the government took home more than me, then I would consider moving out of the country. The Conservatives were in at that point and I mentioned Labour... if Labour had been in, I would have mentioned Conservative. It was said to make a point over 15 years ago. No one's asked me since. I live outside the UK purely because my wife lived here when we met. End of story.”

Maybe we will dust off that copy of “Against All Odds” for the election after all?

This article was originally posted at www.houseoftwits.co.uk on Friday 9 April.

Brown vs Cameron, General Election 2010, Chapter One

I'll bet that none of you were expecting that now, were you? The General Election will be held on May 6th – the same day as the local elections, that many of us have been working towards for some time now. It was always the obvious choice, I'm sure in no small part due to the fact that many constituencies would not be able to afford to run two election campaigns, had the general and local elections been held separately.

There can be no doubt that it is going to be four weeks of hard work and stress but what we must do, in addition to working to return a Labour government for an historic fourth term, is to work towards increasing the dignity and respect that parliament should have been maintaining all along.

Too much damage has been done by a few dishonest and greedy politicians. This has further disengaged the electorate and made the cry of “They're all the same” even more commonplace. In some ways I understand this impression, it was politicians of both the Labour and Conservative parties who were held up as the worst offenders and it would be easy – if lazy – politics to tar all MPs and PPCs with the same brush and dismiss them as unfit for public office, when that is clearly not the case. This is a priority and should be a cross-party aim. There are many good people out there, who are entering politics with exactly the experience and knowledge that is needed, as well as having the very noble motive of trying to make people's lives better.

In the Labour party, what we have to focus on is the simple truth that, Labour has policies that will benefit the majority of the population. As much as the Tories are pleading their case as a changed party, every now and again, someone like Nicholas Winterton, Daniel Hannan or Chris Grayling will pop up and give us an insight into what is really said behind closed Tory doors. Cameron's close control manages to keep up the facade that he wants us all to believe but as soon as he looses the reins a little, someone says something he regrets.

This was all too clear today, when David Cameron stood, alone amongst a throng of cherry-picked Conservative supporters, to announce the start of the Tory campaign – right outside Ken Livingstone's old GLC headquarters, County Hall. Cameron stood, the sole figure on a small platform, the centre of attention and leaving no doubt about the pivotal point of the modern Tory party and the only thing they have to base a campaign on.

One only has to look at how Osborne has been noticeably absent recently, Grayling is being swept under the living room rug and hardly any other Tories ever appear alongside Dave because of the damage they keep doing to him and the image he works hard to portray. Dave's clean up of the Tories has consisted of dusting around the ornaments and shoving everything he couldn't sort out quickly, under the sofa.

Shortly after Cameron's performance, Gordon Brown appeared outside Number 10, flanked by his Cabinet. “I am not a team of one, I am one of a team.” he said. The contrast could not be clearer.

Cameron is flying solo, no wing-man and no one to watch his back. His verbosity continues apace and his wife remains his only companion on the campaign trail. He stands for everything he thinks we will fall for and that changes daily - exactly as his slogan promises.

Originally posted at www.houseoftwits.co.uk