It's a 'Culture' Thing

[for fawkes sake]

Yesterday's announcement from health Minister Jeremy Hunt that the so-called 'gagging clauses' are now banned within the NHS was a small glimpse into how the priorities within the public sector have become distorted over the years.

There have long been complaints about the way that North Tees and Hartlepool Hospital Trust routinely rides rough-shod over the wishes of the public, its attitude towards consultation and, for that matter, its patients.

From a wider vision, anyone who reads this site will know that while local politicians will often talk of 'openness and transparency', the practice often falls well short of the preaching. I can recall the efforts of some councillors to suppress, the Peer Group Report findings, the Ostrich approach to the funding of some community groups and, of course, the latest disgraceful moves to quash public questioning and even attempt to intimidate questioners.

These are all examples where the protection of the organisation has become a far higher priority than any declared utterances of 'openness and transparency'.

I suspect we are only just beginning to gain an insight into how twisted the culture of our pubic sector organsations has become and that there will be far more to come. On our own part, we only have to look at the Hospital Trust, Cleveland Police and our very own Hartlepool Borough Council to appreciate that all is not well in the public sector and the esteem in which all are currently held is in the process of plummeting like a brick.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21780425

[steveL]

I often think that this country doesn't actually operate in the way we have always been led to believe and certainly find myself wondering sometimes if there's anyone left out there playing it straight.

[whatabouthisthen]

Agreed. I think the rot set in during Blair/Brown when tons of money were thrown at the public sector. It should have gone into improved services but went into deep pockets instead. They started to equate themselves with the private sector remember "pay peanuts and get monkeys" "we have to pay the going rate for the job" etc etc. Result:- the public sector have better wages, pensions and conditions than the private sector. They believe they are worth every penny and have forgotten that it is the private sector that has to pay for them.

[not4me]

On the button. Sooner or later this 'culture', as FFS calls it, is going to cause real trouble in this country. It's the old mushrooms/manure scenario wrapped up in a mixture arrogance, old-school ties and self-enrichment. Mind you, it's the public who are to blame for allowing it to continue through their own apathy.