BASIC ARITHMETIC
PATIENTS / DOCTORS - A skeleton of “The Law of Supply and Demand”
FACTORS INCREASING DEMAND
Demographic change - an ageing population becoming ill.
Increased patient expectations (sometimes government induced).
A culture of “something will need to be done.”
A loss of the extended family caring for infirm elders.
A notion that everything needs to be seen to be tidy, organised and “taken care of.”
FACTORS DECREASING SUPPLY
Demographic change - Large numbers of baby boomers exiting the workforce.
The European Working Time Directive.
The increasing sanctity of the “Work/Life balance.
The increasing numbers of women in medicine resulting in “time out” for many and “part-time” work for most.
THE CONCLUSION
The demand is far outstripping supply and will continue to do so for many years to come.
A crisis of considerable proportions.
THE CONUNDRUM
Why, then, would a government’s action appear to decrease supply as the demand increases by:
1. Signing up to the European Working Time Directive?
2. Apparently “writing off” large numbers of junior doctors in the process of introducing MTAS/MMC?
3. Introducing a new unprofessional consultant contract which pays more for less?
4. Introducing a new unprofessional GP contract which pays more for less?
5. Replacing a culture of “doing” to one of “lets be seen to be doing,” resulting in over-formalising the documentation of activities such as references, selection, interviews, teaching, training, appraisal, CPD and soon, revalidation with mountains of time consuming paperwork and preparation which steals substantial time from patient care?
6. Siphoning off doctors from “patient time” to “committee time” and “management time.”
6. Continually demoralising the supply?
And why would the CMO say we need more doctors while the colleges and NHS employers say we need less?
MEDICAL WORKFORCE PLANNING - THE CMO’S OPINION 1
MEDICAL WORKFORCE PLANNING - THE CMO’S OPINION 2
There must be a reason.
Surely.
The Witch Doctor - Link to a random page
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LINK TO UK MISSING KIDS WEBSITE
LINK TO MISSING PERSONS WEBSITE
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