BBC Blog Network

User Profile

AnnofSelsey

Listed below are comments made by AnnofSelsey between Friday, 16th May 2008 and Thursday, 16th April 2009.

«Newer
Older»

A nurse is struck off. 6:57pm on 16 Apr 2009 The striking off of this brave lady,meaning she can never again practise her profession in the NHS or be insured to practise through her erstwhile professional body, is an outrage. I am almost 72 years of age and, thankfully, in good health and in full posession of all my faculties, but were I to find myself in the situation of some of Margaret Haywood's patients, desperate for a bedpan or wet with urine or dirty from having soiled myself, or in pain because my drugs were overdue, I wouldn't care a jot about the so-called "breaching of patient confidentiality." I would be very happy indeed for my plight to be broadcast to the entire Nation on a programme such as Panorama if it meant that I and others got the attention we needed. I did see the programme at the time, and was horrified but not actually particularly surprised at what I saw. I know from personal experience some years ago when both my mother then my father died in hospital that care of the elderly in many hospitals leaves much to be desired, and things have got a lot worse of recent years. Two of my children are highly qualified NHS employees. I cannot say more lest they should be identified through me in any way, but I know only too well how low are standards of care in many instances and how dangerous - and pointless -it is to speak out to the Line Managers who, for the sake of their own promotional interests, invariably support Management. Their only interest is, of course, money.
Flash, Bang, Wallop - what a picture! 6:20pm on 16 May 2008 I am very pleased that the BBC has decided to investigate this issue. I was caught in a yellow box junction in Wandsworth 3 months ago and, because of the traffic conditions pertaining at the time, felt disinclined to pay up £120 to Transport for London without first investigating further. My enquiries lead to the discovery that this particular box is non-compliant with the relevant traffic act, and that therefore penalties imposed are in Law unenforceable, but that despite this it has netted over a milliopn pounds in 3 years! I wrote twice to TfL stating this, sending the letter Recorded Delivery each time, but received no acknowledgements of any sort. In due course I received a communication informing me that enforcement proceedings HAD ALREADY, without my knowledge, been taken against me by TfL in a Bulk Order procedure, located at Northampton County Court, and that if I did not pay up what had now become £185 within 14 days the Bailiffs would be sent to carry off my property! To avoid this, I had to submit a sworn Statutory Declaration (cost to me £5) to the Court stating that I had made representations to TfL. This I did, having no wish, in my mature years and being a law-abiding citizen, to face a confrontation with Bailiffs. I subsequently wrote a very strong letter of complaint to the Enforcement Services Manager of TfL, as a consequence of which the PCN has been cancelled.
The entire exercise has been time-consuming and infuriating, but in my case right has finally prevailed. I am, though, out of pocket to the tune of around £10 (the Stat.Dec plus a number of Recorded Delivery letters).
It is high time these bullying, revenue-raising practices were brought to a halt. For every one motorist who has the time and energy and access to information enabling him or her to contest an illegal fine, there are almost 100 who pay up.
I am NOT referring here, by the way, to any legitimate summons issued by the Police for recognised motoring offences (speeding, dangerous driving etc.) but to the revenue raising practices of local authorities who are, I now learn, able to obtain an enforcement order, and send in Bailiffs, without informing the defendant or giving them, therefore, any opportunity to state their case.
Well done BBC for bringing this issue to wider attention.

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

AnnofSelsey