Money Wasting Tossers

Quiet day at work for a change today so plenty of time to surf the net and catch up with the news.

I came across this in several places.

Yet another unneeded, unwanted and costly government fuck up. You'd think they got their fingers burnt badly enough with the Millenium Dome and the spiralling cost of the Olympics.

Stupid, wasteful, ignorant, bullish tossers.

I voted for Blair in 1997, thought it would bring about a meaningful change.

Don't I feel like a mugged off cunt now?

Poor Judgement

I came across this sad and worrying case today.

I was particularly struck by the following:

'The nurse, Sue Lindsay, said she could not elicit any symptoms of psychosis in his voice and gave the 28-year-old a 24-hour crisis number to call.
Days later, on June 9 last year, degree student Mr Woodruffe, of St George's Street, Ipswich, jumped to his death off the Orwell bridge.'

I think that this is inexcusable. Making a decision on a patient's care, when they have obviously contacted you in crisis cannot be adequately performed over the 'phone. A face to face assessment is mandatory.

According the Mental Health Trust, guidelines were followed. Although they concede that they are now reviewing them - so that's OK then is it?

Fuck the guidelines, whatever happened to common sense and sound judgement?

Taking Responsibility

Dr Crippen draws our attention to the plight of Paul Gascoigne

Whilst working in A&E I've lost count of the number of times patients with drug/alcohol dependencey have presented in 'crisis'. Often with well meaning friends/family who are determined that this time he/she will 'kill the beast' and return to sobriety. I've also lost count of the number times I've walked out of the back door of the hospital and seen said 'convert' drinking, smoking or shooting up.

The main problem, in my opinion, is the medicalisation of these social/behavioural problems, I suspect it is often more about shifting blame/responsibility than it is about seeking treatment. Whilst Mavis' sentiments about Gazza's predicament is laudable. I can't help thinking that the lachrymose Geordie needs to buck up and take some responsibility for his lifestyle and it's inevitable result.