Healthwatch Hartlepool leaflet...

[DRiddle]

Just tonight I was at a local health organisation. I happened to notice a leaflet in the waiting area produced by 'Healthwatch Hartlepool'. As most forum contributors know, Healthwatch is managed by CAB.

I thought i'd share a few snippets from the leaflet with forum members.

"Healthwatch makes health and care providers answerable to you, the children, young people and adults who use their services".

"Local voices improving local health and social care, helping you get the best out of services".

"We're a challenging organisation and we don't ignore poor practice".

And my personal favourite, given the nonsense I had to go through regarding supplementary questions I asked in council...

"People rarely speak up for fear of repercussions, through lack of engagement, or because they don't think they can make a difference".

People have collapsed outside the onelife centre, died as the ambulance pulls of Hartlepool Hospital on the way to North Tees and laid for an hour and a half with a broken leg on Grayfields while paramedics work out how to get through the gates.

Still, Healthwatch are looking out for us....

Only in Hartlepool.

[ARC86]

Could this be anything to do with the fact the town now only has two ambulances  and not three? Anybody noticed that one of the ambulances in town is now a St Johns Ambulance? Privatisation is gradually taking over! I say this because i called an ambulance on Sunday too and we waited just short of two hours, by which time i called 999 and cancelled it and took the injured party who was in quite some distress myself to North Tees.

[stokoe]

Could this be anything to do with the fact the town now only has two ambulances  and not three? Anybody noticed that one of the ambulances in town is now a St Johns Ambulance? Privatisation is gradually taking over! I say this because i called an ambulance on Sunday too and we waited just short of two hours, by which time i called 999 and cancelled it and took the injured party who was in quite some distress myself to North Tees.

Arc is this a wind up you mention privatisation,when the labour lot gave up our hospital, and i was starting to feel sorry for you,come on lad give your head a shake.

[ARC86]

Stokoe just because im Labour it dont mean i agree with everything they do, no services should have been lost until the new hospital (which i fully support) was built.

[clav 73]

Arc I can't believe any one still thinks we will get a new hospital the  town plan was scrapped so they can  build houses on the land meant  for the hospital

[mk1]

Stokoe just because im Labour it dont mean i agree with everything they do,

Fine words but  you also believe (for example) that the MRA Scandal is a price worth paying to keep Labour in office.

[Land Phil]

Let's not try and associate the SCABS or Wrighty with Labour values ...a blind man can se it is just a convenient label they use for their meal ticket.

I assume Healthwatch manager is a part time job ...otherwise how would there be time to be in the civic so often or cruising around the world ?

It should be another elected post ...that would light a fire under him.

[Hartlepudlion]

No, Landphil, it is a full time job, pay, pension and expenses. I have been told that he 'sacrifices' one day's pay per week to attend to Council business.

[fred c]

No, Landphil, it is a full time job, pay, pension and expenses. I have been told that he 'sacrifices' one day's pay per week to attend to Council business.

So basically it`s a bit like the Full Time Union Bloke who is paid for by the rate payers ?

I am led to believe that HBC fund / part fund Healthwatch via the Grant`s System, does anyone know how much Healthwatch costs the ratepayers of Hartlepool ?

The question that will spring to many peoples minds is, should the ratepayers be funding the salary / expenses of "The Dear Leader" in any way ?

[steveL]

Healthwatch comes under HVDA which has just had its funding slashed by 100% and I seem to remember someone saying that the Healthwatch contract was up for renewal round about now so it will be interesting to see what happens with CAB's job.

He currently picks up £24,000+ from HBC and the very first thing he did when he became Leader was to quadruple his own council income. He also works full-time for Healthwatch - originally as a Coordinator but when he became Leader of the Council he somehow got his Job Title changed to 'Manager'.

When it was pointed out (on here) that he had criticised Drummond when Drummond temporarily took on the Police Authority Chairman's job, CAB let it be known that he had 'modified' his hours at HVDA - we never found out to what extent. I would guess that his current joint income from the two jobs is in excess of £55,000. In terms of cost, you probably have to add about 14% to that for employer NI etc

From what we hear, CABs appearances at Healthwatch are somewhat 'spasmodic' - enough to prompt comments of 'Spikey's in'  whenever he does appear and when he is there he spends much of his time being Leader rather than Manager.

Those little electronic bugs are worth their weight in Gold, you know. 

Leaflets like the one DR talks about are there principally to justify the jobs of those who write them - a case of 'look at all the things we do and how much you need us'. I suspect that if Healthwatch was to disappear overnight very few people, if any, would notice that it had gone; certainly not the poor bugger who spent an hour and a half lying on a damp football pitch with a broken leg.

St John's Ambulance is a registered charity probably using the shortfall in NHS ambulances to raise funds for its other activities. Hardly 'privatisation' then; in fact I thought some people were all in favour of more involvement of 'the 3rd sector'.

[ARC86]

Good god SteveL That was a mouthful wasnt it lol.. would love to see you in that position and try defending yourself.. typical politicians response, except your not a politician lol

[craig finton]

Actually, I found it quite interesting. The only thing that I've learnt from your own postings ARC is that you have prostate problems and need to get out more.

[stokoe]

Actually, I found it quite interesting. The only thing that I've learnt from your own postings ARC is that you have prostate problems and need to get out more.

thats the problem beer to cold in the belle view.try the durhams.

[for fawkes sake]

A surprising sudden silence on this thread. After the mauling he received, is it possible that ARC is now lying on a beer drenched floor in Belle Vue somewhere waiting for an ambulance?