DrPhilHammond.com - Latest Comments

Re: Medicine Balls, Private Eye, Issue 1313

Pmpalejcattini@aol.com — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:12:30 -0000

Perhaps you should home and talk to us at the Beompton Phil. We do some great work. Why should our successful hospital be jeapodised. Inlondon this last few weeks there has not been a paediatric cardiac surgery bed to be had. Evelyn's and GOS are always busy and not purpose designed. Our Trust is healthy. Come and see what we do before you make judgements.
BT W looking forward to the show tomorrow night.
Par

Re: Medicine Balls, Private Eye, Issue 1312

EdmundoVentolera — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 06:50:29 -0000

Well said. In the 1940s, when we really were all in it together and facing real austerity, it was obvious that the only affordable way to deliver health care was through a National Health Service. The mission was to keep the population healthy. Treating ill health was one means to that end; an active policy of public health was another.

It is only when prosperity generates polarisation between rich and poor; when austerity is a reality for some and a concept for others; when privilege rather than competence is the basis of national decision making - it is only when we are not really "all in it together" that governmental insanity takes over, and profiting from treatment takes precedence over paying for health care. The so called health industry - in reality a sickness treating industry - can only flourish in an expanding market of sickness.

The NHS aspires to minimise the need for treatment by providing the best and most effective. The private health business has no such aspiration. Arguments that it will be reluctantly forced to provide the best and most effective treatment by market competition are hollow - unless the competition comes from a so motivated NHS. Demolition of the NHS is the holy grail for private treatment businesses, and capturing the NHS revenue stream is a massive cherry on the cake for them.

National insurance was a financial motivator to establish national health. Private insurance is motivated to collect premiums from the healthy. So we now head down the route America is suffering so badly from. Life becomes a struggle to pay for daily necessities, education and health insurance. And when times are tough some of those have to go. In America, sadly for their health care industry as well as for their people, health insurance is an early sacrifice.

The health industry can hope that funded by taxation, their business will not be so vulnerable in the UK as it is in the USA. In reality, that will be true only in respect of the dwindling proportion of the population that can afford the inevitably widening co-pay provisions we already have for opthalmology, dentistry and prescriptions.

Re: Dr Phil’s Private Eye Column Issue 1269, August 4, 2010

Sittingburns — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:15:15 -0000

Professor Stephen Westaby is a brilliant surgeon and it would be a great pity if children with major heart problems did not get the benefit of Professor Westaby performing the operations. This is what happens when you let non-doctors run medical facilities. As senior consultant Professor Westaby should have had the final say in regard to all matters concerning child heart surgery. If he had none of this would have happened.

Re: Medicine Balls, Private Eye Issue 1283

leo Voisey — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 01:16:25 -0000

Stem cells are “non-specialized” cells that have the potential to form into other types of specific cells, such as blood, muscles or nerves. They are unlike "differentiated" cells which have already become whatever organ or structure they are in the body. Stem cells are present throughout our body, but more abundant in a fetus.
Medical researchers and scientists believe that stem cell therapy will, in the near future, advance medicine dramatically and change the course of disease treatment. This is because stem cells have the ability to grow into any kind of cell and, if transplanted into the body, will relocate to the damaged tissue, replacing it. For example, neural cells in the spinal cord, brain, optic nerves, or other parts of the central nervous system that have been injured can be replaced by injected stem cells. Various stem cell therapies are already practiced, a popular one being bone marrow transplants that are used to treat leukemia. In theory and in fact, lifeless cells anywhere in the body, no matter what the cause of the disease or injury, can be replaced with vigorous new cells because of the remarkable plasticity of stem cells. Biomed companies predict that with all of the research activity in stem cell therapy currently being directed toward the technology, a wider range of disease types including cancer, diabetes, spinal cord injury, and even multiple sclerosis will be effectively treated in the future. Recently announced trials are now underway to study both safety and efficacy of autologous stem cell transplantation in MS patients because of promising early results from previous trials.
History
Research into stem cells grew out of the findings of two Canadian researchers, Dr’s James Till and Ernest McCulloch at the University of Toronto in 1961. They were the first to publish their experimental results into the existence of stem cells in a scientific journal. Till and McCulloch documented the way in which embryonic stem cells differentiate themselves to become mature cell tissue. Their discovery opened the door for others to develop the first medical use of stem cells in bone marrow transplantation for leukemia. Over the next 50 years their early work has led to our current state of medical practice where modern science believes that new treatments for chronic diseases including MS, diabetes, spinal cord injuries and many more disease conditions are just around the corner.
There are a number of sources of stem cells, namely, adult cells generally extracted from bone marrow, cord cells, extracted during pregnancy and cryogenically stored, and embryonic cells, extracted from an embryo before the cells start to differentiate. As to source and method of acquiring stem cells, harvesting autologous adult cells entails the least risk and controversy.
Autologous stem cells are obtained from the patient’s own body; and since they are the patient’s own, autologous cells are better than both cord and embryonic sources as they perfectly match the patient’s own DNA, meaning that they will never be rejected by the patient’s immune system. Autologous transplantation is now happening therapeutically at several major sites world-wide and more studies on both safety and efficacy are finally being announced. With so many unrealized expectations of stem cell therapy, results to date have been both significant and hopeful, if taking longer than anticipated.
What’s been the Holdup?
Up until recently, there have been intense ethical debates about stem cells and even the studies that researchers have been allowed to do. This is because research methodology was primarily concerned with embryonic stem cells, which until recently required an aborted fetus as a source of stem cells. The topic became very much a moral dilemma and research was held up for many years in the US and Canada while political debates turned into restrictive legislation. Other countries were not as inflexible and many important research studies have been taking place elsewhere. Thankfully embryonic stem cells no longer have to be used as much more advanced and preferred methods have superseded the older technologies. While the length of time that promising research has been on hold has led many to wonder if stem cell therapy will ever be a reality for many disease types, the disputes have led to a number of important improvements in the medical technology that in the end, have satisfied both sides of the ethical issue.
CCSVI Clinic
CCSVI Clinic has been on the leading edge of MS treatment for the past several years. We are the only group facilitating the treatment of MS patients requiring a 10-day patient aftercare protocol following neck venous angioplasty that includes daily ultrasonography and other significant therapeutic features for the period including follow-up surgeries if indicated. There is a strict safety protocol, the results of which are the subject of an approved IRB study. The goal is to derive best practice standards from the data. With the addition of ASC transplantation, our research group has now preparing application for member status in International Cellular Medicine Society (ICMS), the globally-active non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of cell-based medical therapies through education of physicians and researchers, patient safety, and creating universal standards. For more information please visit http://www.neurosurgeonindia.o...

Re: How the Lib Dems justify driving the getaway car for the Health and Social Care Bill

bronze8 — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:22:24 -0000

With so many cats now out of bags, it is amazing that members of the government still expect us to fall for the same old rhetoric. It is piling more contempt upon the contempt they have already shown us by lying to us in the first place.

The worst thing is that none of them, be they yellow or blue, are the least bit interested in doing the right thing for the people of this country. All they care about is getting away with their deception.

They obviously think that we are really stupid. Do they really think that they can get away with this when more and more evidence appears each day of their underhand dealings and treachery? Patients are already suffering some of the negative impact of these policies. All of the so-called 'justifications' for these reforms have been thoroughly debunked. Even the Department of Health admit that Lansley's policies will cost billions more than they save, they are already doing so. This has all laid bare the true motive behind the bill, to put our public money into private hands. McKinsey compiled the framework to set up business for their private healthcare clients and Lansley paid them to do it. No wonder he didn't tell Cameron exactly what was in the bill, he didn't even write it!
We taxpayers have paid out millions to have a bunch of crooks legislate away our NHS, at the behest of another buch of crooks. The corruption here, and the amount of money involved, makes the expenses scandel look like nothing.

Apart from the detrimental effect on the health of our nation, Lansley's ultimate US style vision would cost this country untold billions each year, above the current running costs of the NHS.

If we allow ourselves to be hoodwinked with the spin on that lot, we will deserve what we get.

This bill must be stopped to avoid the privatisation of our NHS.

Re: How the Lib Dems justify driving the getaway car for the Health and Social Care Bill

Guy Chapman — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:26:42 -0000

Every single time the Tory party look at the NHS or education they display an innate distrust of the public service ethic. They consistently show that they are unable to understand any motive other than profit, and cannot comprehend any system other than the supposedly free market (even though no market in the world is actually free, with the possible exception of Somali pirates).

The NHS is one of the most efficient healthcare providers in the world, the US system to which Lansley's so-called "reforms" owe most of their ideology costs roughly 2.5x as much per capita and leaves a substantial proportion of the population without adequate health care. The world's most expensive healthcare system routinely sees people die due to inability to afford treatments.

However - and I believe this is the critical point - the inequalities in the US system favour the rich. Inequalities in the NHS tend to be the result of inability to provide the same level of overlapping (read: redundant) provision in rural areas as in conurbations. So if you are an MP whose constituency is in rural Cambridgeshire, Oxforshire or perhaps the more agreeable parts of Cheshire, then your constituents will be complaining that they have to go further to hospital than the oiks in nearby cities.

For the Tories I genuinely believe that the fundamental issue with the NHS is that it delivers the wrong kind of inequality.

Re: How the Lib Dems justify driving the getaway car for the Health and Social Care Bill

EdmundoVentolera — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:34:23 -0000

They need to watch the video at

http://theeconomiccollapseblog...

to appreciate the value of a universal tax funded free to use health service.

Re: How the Lib Dems justify driving the getaway car for the Health and Social Care Bill

Sean O'Sullivan — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:29:52 -0000

So let me get this straight. Lib Dems are briefed to say the bill gets rid of competition at the same time as the Secretary of State is telling the HSJ that competition is critical for NHS reform. Doh!

Re: How the Lib Dems justify driving the getaway car for the Health and Social Care Bill

Jjameswalk — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:23:08 -0000

The Health & Social Care Bill is a Trojan Horse for the full scale privatisation of the NHS. I found it a bit rich when the RCGPs opposed the involvement of the 'private sector' But, give them their due, at least the scales have fallen from their eyes.

The majority of GPs don't want to become commissioners, they want more integrated services to improve care outcomes. If the Bill goes through, will we see an unregulated health & Social Care service and more disasters like: Southern Cross, PIP implants, and the Harley Clinic? All of this will happen without the support of a safety net!

Re: How the Lib Dems justify driving the getaway car for the Health and Social Care Bill

Tom — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:19:16 -0000

Sorry, I was too depressed to even make it to the end, let alone comment constructively *sighs*

Re: Medicine Balls, Private Eye, Issue 1306

JUDI MARTIN — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:58:23 -0000

From the Secretary of State for Health's own website -"Andrew frequently visits hospitals and GPs across the country, listening to clinicians and NHS professionals and is well respected across the medical profession for his knowledge fo the NHS"!!

This aside, what I can never fathom in all Cabinets, whether Labour or Conservative/LibDem is why the key posts are not given to MPs with relevent expertise in the subject role - surely that would make far more sense? Then blow me, when they 'possibly' begin to have some handle on their remit and start to understand something of how their particular area works.....the parties do a re-shuffle, or they're out the door for some form of misconduct or another!!!!

Phil, you really should go into politics :))

Re: Medicine Balls, Private Eye, Issue 1305

EdmundoVentolera — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:17:06 -0000

Managers should be rated on how well they deal with such issues. If they have dealt with several, and dealt well with them, they should progress.

If they haven't had any issues they should be moved to a more challenging area, and a more junior manager given their issue-free domain.

When we run out of challenging areas, we no longer need highly paid managers. The service will be well run and at low cost.

Re: Medicine Balls, Private Eye, Issue 1305

Richard Lanigan — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:03:18 -0000

Of course there is payback when you blow the whistle and the reason there can be pay back is because very often the majority dont want to get involved. This is the irony of whisleblowing, when you do it, hopefully you are trying to help people, but realising many may not need help at that moment in time. Alternsatively you could be a vindictive person calling a hotline like this to make trouble.

As someone who was elected onto a regulatory body the GCC and then blew the whistle on them, I knew there would be consequences for my actions. I did not seek protection I knew I could justify my actions. They took they view I had breached their code of " collective responsibility" & confidentiality" and voted me off the council. To some this damaged my reputation, I wear my removal like a badge of honour

Re: Dr Phil’s Private Eye Column Issue 1263, May 12, 2010

Siobhan Kendrick — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:47:46 -0000

I thought this piece was brilliant. It highlights the desperate need for change when you see what I call a "corporate thuggery" mentality. I am so sorry for Cornwall that they lost a good CEO. Having looked at the brief on the current one, Steve Moore, I felt that they had got themselves a "yes-man". His CV was very lack-lustre. This bullying mentality spreads downward like a cancer and eventually this behaviour becomes common currency. Thuggery breeds thuggery and senior executives will take on this mind-set.

Re: Private Eye 1293 July 23, 2011

Guest — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:06:23 -0000

Given that the hospital won't comment prior to the tribunal hearing, don't you have the faintest suspicion that you have received a highly selective version of events from an aggrieved party? Perhaps you could tell us why the BMA declined to represent him in the tribunal?

Re: Medicine Balls, Private Eye, Issue 1302

Sam Barnett-Cormack — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:45:16 -0000

Restructure won't just leave staff demoralised and patients neglected... it will also lead to money having been siphoned off to private sector partners!

Re: Medicine Balls, Private Eye, Issue 1301, November 9, 2011

NHS Comment — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:38:05 -0000

Yes well said couldnt agree more! It seems ironic on the one hand the DH is now doing so many inquiries into why there have been so many systematic failures whilst on the other whistleblowers are still persecuted and gagged.Obviously its all about each trust hushing things up and protecting itself often at the severe expense of its patients,complianants or those that are outspoken. Dismissing those who they see as trouble makers ...for swearing, yet each will swear blind that they are not responsible for bullying ,harassment or have dehumanising standards of care well thats not Panorama showed the world then people say they were shocked at how practice like this occuring is due quite simply to unprofessionalism, denial and cover ups-protecting finances , reputation and image rather than addressing what should be at the very heart of the NHS that is care. I also agree that lawyers fees should come out of COE own pockets and not public funds and that patients should be entitle to a full refund for mistakes, incorrect diagnosis and treatment that doesnt work , referrals not done delays and all the rest of the repetitive mistakes made by those who dont really care quite simply because its not happening to them . Walker,was sacked was swearing nine times in 2 years meanwhile those who are responsible for attrocious treatment( directly or indirectly) remain in their jobs often on six figure salaries with unlimited legal funding from the public purse to burn , without any question however victims cant even get lawyers let alone refunds or respect. The NHS has become like an army of gold diggers, with golden hand shakes ,no wonder even those committed turn a blind eye, as when people do speak up they are ignored, viewed as trouble makers , not good for the business, legally silenced why anyone would have thought that the public have a right to know what is happening in the NHS and why is it happening when the UK has one of the highest taxation rates in the world. It follows therefore that we should have one of the best health services in the world, if not why , well thats a question the NHS fat cats know about but does want to talk about- what a bad example to lead , no wonder the NHS is in a cash stripped mess

Re: Medicine Balls, Private Eye, Issue 1301, November 9, 2011

Madkir — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:46:03 -0000

we/public pay for the nhs.. so I assume we/public pay for them to employ solicitors to fight against us?
Doesn't seem right does it that we are paying for them to destroy us?
Maybe? we need a petition for any lawyers fee's to come out of the CEO's own pockets? OR whoever wants to gag anyone including whistleblowers.
Maybe? they would think twice of destroying our lives IF? they had to pay for the lawyers themselves.
I've never heard so much rubbish in all my life because someone used the word F***. maybe? the public should start listening to ANY nhs staff and if they swear then report them.
They do pull some stunts.. what a shambles the nhs is now.

Re: Dr Phil’s Private Eye Column, Issue 1271 September 15

Cobo — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:26:37 -0000

are you seriously suggesting that someone working as a press officer for an SHA would suggest that he would end up like David Kelly.

Are you seriously suggesting that an NHS press officer could summon up the dark forces of the secret service to do away with him?

Naturally, MI5 were not worried about international terrorism at this time. All their resources were intent upon making sure that the issue about negative pressure rooms did not come out.

If it did, it would lead to the collapse of Western culture and create a rise in acne among adolescents/

Re: Medicine Balls, Private Eye, Issue 1301, November 9, 2011

Andy Williamson — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:00:34 -0000

"The trust claims he was sacked for saying ‘fuck’ nine times over 2 years"
I'm incredulous - and outraged - that they believe that THIS is a rational and rightful reason for dismissing someone, never mind the main thrust of this story.

Re: Private Eye 1295 August 31, 2011

SC — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 06:10:28 -0000

The whole thing is disgraceful. Huge sums of public money wasted and livelihood destroyed of someone who was brave enough to speak up for the patients. Where is justice? Nothing happens to the individuals within the Trust for their wrongdoings. The word 'Gestapo' comes to mind.
It's time that whistle-blowing is seriously looked at and not just given a lip service.Trusts need to be held accountable for their actions. They should not be given endless access to public funds to pay for barristers/lawyers for cover up their wrongdoings. Whistle-blowers are left with huge legal bill which they end up having to pay for themselves. There is inequality of access to justice. Even if a whistle-blower wins, they have to fund their own legal fees. This should be changed. Although many cases end up not going to full tribunal as frequently whistle-blowers run out of money and so none of trusts wrongdoings are highlighted and responsible key managers get away and continue to enjoy the fulfilment of enjoying a normal working life while setting an example to others within the trust who may be considering voicing their concerns.Where was CQC, DOH, treasury etc when this was happening? What have they got to say for themselves?

Re: Live Show DVD available now!

teranick — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:25:26 -0000

Re:'Question Time' BBC 13 Oct 2011. Watched with delight as Hammond verbally dismembered Landsley whose sheepish discomfort appeared to continue for some time afterwards...

Re: Live Show DVD available now!

tobascosaucetomas — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:01:37 -0000

sorry about errors bellow why been repeated twice

Re: Live Show DVD available now!

tobascosaucetomas — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:00:38 -0000

I found Dove hand cream soothing for my spine pain don't know why

Re: Live Show DVD available now!

tobascosaucetomas — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:40:26 -0000

I watched Hammond comments which I admired his honesty

about patients which should not be judged by the look,

one doctor in the past said to me

some patients have a bit of a flue they look like they are going to die while others are seriously sick they look very well