How many times have you heard “your politicians are easily accessible, they are on the end of a phone, or you can e-mail them”? In theory this is correct, but in practise it’s not always the case.
A little over two weeks ago I e-mailed the Health Minister Deputy Ann Pryke, and twice since, and have had nothing more than a read receipt in way of a reply.
Below are the e-mails I have sent to the Deputy, and for reasons only known to herself (or her Civil Servants) she (or they) do not appear to be in any kind of a hurry to re-assure the public that she is going to turn this failing health service around, and hold those to account for the failings outlined by the “damming” Verita Report.
If/when I get a reply, I shall publish it.
Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 6:32 PM
Subject: Vote of no confidence.
Deputy Pryke.
Could you please confirm for me, as I could be mistaken, but am I correct in believing, that the management team, who were in place at the time of the avoidable tragic death of Mrs. Rourke, the very same people who were responsible for WRONGLY suspending Dr. Day, the very same people who were strongly criticised by the Verita Report, for poor management skills, were responsible for a culture of fear should an employee attempt to flag up managerial failures or bad practice and many, many more criticisms are still employed at the hospital?
Would you also be so kind as to confirm to me that you have no intentions of either seeking to have a criminal investigation in respect of this mamagement team, or indeed any kind of a disciplinary enquiry put in place?
Kind Regards.
Sent: Saturday, February 06, 2010 8:58 PM
Subject: Fw: Vote of no confidence.
Deputy Pryke.
It has now been four days since you read my e-mail below. Would you please be so kind as to answer the questions in it for me?
Kind Regards.
Sent Wednesday 17/02/10
Deputy Pryke.
It has now been over two weeks since my original e-mail to you and this is the third time I have tried to get some kind of a response.
I really must urge you to reply to my original e-mail by answering the questions in it. Your refusal to do so is not doing anything for my, or others confidence in either yourself as the Health Minister, nor our Hospital management.
Please stop ignoring my e-mails and give myself and the public the answers we deserve.
Kind Regards.
A deafening silence from a politician who has been asked very pertinent questions.....not good.
ReplyDeleteNot only is it the height of rudeness not to respond, or even acknowledge your e-mails, but it does rather make one think Deputy Pryke does not know how to reply or is awaiting a civil servant to draft one for her.
Either way, it paints the lady in rather a poor light.
I to have only received a "read receipt" to my question, sent more than 2 weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteVFC
ReplyDeleteValuable questions, which we all want answered and addressed.
But Deputy Anne Pryke can't even comprehend The Verita Report!?
No disrespect to Deputy Trevor Pitman, but he would have done better asking questions on the progress of action taken on the Verita Report so far. Rather that asking a question on the sacking of Mike Pollard which he wont get an answer to, because he will be told its none of his business!
ReplyDeleteSame old Jersey apathy, ignore it and pray that it goes away.
ReplyDeleteLet us all remember her attitude come the next elections.
Please step down lady, it will save us all the trouble of blogging you out of office !!!
There seems to be a complete denial at a political level of how damning the Verita report is of the Senior Management in the Health Service. The report's authors spelled out the fact that they were restricted from making personal criticisms, but they were obviously right at the edge of doing so. Mike Pollard has gone. If he went with a financial "package" then don't tax payers have a right to know. If he had stayed then his immediate dismissal would have been inevitable. The acting Chief Executive, who is being interviewed this Monday for the permanent post, came out fairly clean, but only because his deplorable chicanery was mainly enacted in "Operation blame it all on John Day". This should all come out in the investigation into John Day's suspension, which has been completed at a cost of over £40000, but has mysteriously not been published. The strong rumour is that this is because the report's authors agreed that the extensive bundle of evidence that was collected by John Day's Medical Defence Union's lawyers was to be attached as an appendix to the report. The information is very detailed, assisted by the UK's freedom of information law. It is completely damning of the then Chief Executive - Mike Pollard, the current acting Chief Executive, the Medical Director, the Head of Governance, and the then Head of Health HR. We are talking about serious dishonesty. Let's get that report into the open.
ReplyDeleteI have recieved a reply from Deputy Pryke and hope to publish it later today. Is she taking the "damming" Verita Report seriously? Is she going to hold any Civil Servants to account? Is she restoring confidence in our hospital?................
ReplyDelete