THE GAMES WITCHES PLAY
Sometimes, when relaxing, The Witch Doctor plays a silly little game.
No, not the “Little Blue Bottle” game.
A game without spells.
An imaginary game.
A game that pretends The Witch Doctor is Chief Medical Officer.
Modernising Medical Careers in the whole context of NHS Modernisation would be a real challenge. This is because the The Witch Doctor/CMO Pretender’s contract of employment would specifically relate to the health of the nation and medical input and have very little to do with the substantial redesign of work patterns of the rest of the NHS workforce.
MMC does not stand alone. Although apparently separate it is deeply embedded in “Agenda for Change” and other aspects of NHS Modernisation.
Considering the other agendas in “AGENDA FOR CHANGE”
By this I mean The Witch Doctors proposed agendas which come and go throughout this blog.
“Let’s introduce MTAS and PMTB as the “medical” tools to make it happen. Yes, introduce them fast in spite of rumbles of dissent from the great and the good. The rumbles will never crescendo to screaming pitch. They seldom do! Introduce them before the implications are fully understood.”
If The Witch Doctor was CMO and faced with this imaginary situation:
(1) A government that was hell bent for its own reasons on de-professionalising UK doctors…….
(2) A government who would not listen to The Witch Doctor/CMO Pretender on matters political rather than medical……..
(3) A slumbering, nodding, committee-driven medical heirarchy oblivious to what was happening…….
(4) A generation of junior doctors who were being short-changed and treated badly….
Then, this Witch Doctor/CMO Pretender would know when the game was lost.
But, this Witch Doctor/ CMO Pretender would know what to do!
Probably the only thing to do in the interests of the future of the NHS, and patient care.
No. The Witch Doctor/CMO Pretender would not resign!
Definitely not!!
Who would care about that for longer than a day?
No. This Witch Doctor/CMO Pretender would switch into another gear.
Quietly, smoothly, unobtrusively.
This Witch Doctor/ CMO Pretender would do exactly what the government wanted him/her to do!
Without any fuss!
In so doing, this Witch Doctor/CMO Pretender would ensure the “rumbles were allowed to crescendo to screaming pitch” by allowing MTAS/MMC and PMTB to progress exactly how the government planned.
Exactly!
With no more advice, no more modifications, no more attention to detail, no more finessing, no more nothing!
And then sit back and wait.
Wait till everyone was startled into action.
Rocketed into action!
And then remain silent.
Ah………
“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;”
Silent. For a while……
So that those who can change the system, change it.
The UK medical establishment. The independent thinkers. Those medics not particularly encumbered nor under the influence of the government of the day.
Not The Witch Doctor/CMO Pretender who is just a civil servant.
Then, in the fullness of time, The Witch Doctor/CMO Pretender would apologise to the junior medics on behalf of the slumbering great and good of the medical profession.
For causing them all so much pain.
And reassure them that the country needs more doctors.
That’s what The Witch Doctor would do.
In this game of being an imaginary CMO.
