The Witch Doctor

This “secret NHS” is only secret in the sense that the medical establishment are only partly aware of what is happening and the real implications of modernisation.

Information is freely available and there have been many consultations, but it takes a great deal of time for the ordinary doctor in the wards or in general practice to work through this information and obtain an overview. That time is only available to the very few. The Witch Doctor wonders if governments are well aware of this and therefore can easily present a “fait accompli” eg MTAS

1. THE SECRET NHS – WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES

READ THIS LINK FIRST AND THINGS WILL BEGIN TO MAKE SENSE

2. CAREER FRAMEWORK FOR THE NHS

“MORE SENIOR STAFF -LEVEL 9
More senior staff with the ultimate responsibility for clinical caseload decision-making and full on-call accountability

CONSULTANT PRACTITIONERS-LEVEL 8
‘Consultant Practitioners’ are staff working at a very high level of clinical expertise and/or have responsibility for planning of services 8

ADVANCED PRACTITIONERS-LEVEL 7
‘Advanced Practitioners’ are experienced clinical professionals who have developed their skills and theoretical knowledge to a very high standard. They are empowered to make high-level clinical decisions and will often have their own caseload. Non-clinical staff at Level 7 will typically be managing a number of service areas

SENIOR PRACTITIONERS/SPECIALIST PRACTITIONERS-LEVEL 6
‘Senior Practitioners/Specialist Practitioners’ who would have a higher degree of autonomy and responsibility than ‘Practitioners’ in the clinical environment, or who would be managing one or more service areas in the non-clinical environment.

PRACTITIONERS-LEVEL 5
‘Practitioners’ –most frequently registered practitioners in their first and second post-registration/professional qualification job

ASSISTANT PRACTITIONERS/ASSOCIATE PRACTITIONERS-LEVEL 4
‘Assistant Practitioner/Associate Practitioners’ –probably studying for Foundation degree, BTEC higher or HND. Someof their remit will involve them in delivering protocol-based clinical care that had previously been in the remit of registered professionals, under the direction and supervision of a state registered practitioner.

SENIOR HEALTHCARE ASSISTANTS/TECHNICIANS -LEVEL 3
‘Senior Healthcare Assistants/Technicians’ –this is a higher level of responsibility than support worker, probablystudying for or have attained NVQ level 3, or Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).

SUPPORT WORKERS -LEVEL 2
Support Workers –frequently with the job title of ‘Healthcare Assistant’ or ‘Healthcare Technician’ –probably studyingfor or has attained NVQ Level 2.

INITIAL ENTRY LEVEL JOBS -LEVEL 1
Initial entry level jobs such as ‘Domestics’ or ‘Cadets’ requiring very little formal education or previous knowledge,skills or experience in delivering, or supporting the delivery of healthcare.”

3. THE SKILLS ESCALATOR NOW – WATCH HOW IT WILL CHANGE

The diagram below comes from a document:

“Who are the doctors of tomorrow and what will they do?”

This was presented at the 9th International Medical Workforce conference in Melbourne, in November 2005.

The paper was written by: Rob Webster, Debbie Mellor & Becca Spavin,
Department of Health, England.

The paper had the following disclaimer:

This is a discussion paper only. It is not a statement on Department of Health policy.

Nevertheless, the document gives clear insight into the thought processes behind MMC.

It is the first documentation The Witch Doctor has found that suggests the medical profession will be fully integrated at various levels into the “Practitioner” career framework for the NHS that underpins the structures and principles in “Agenda for Change”

Here is where the Doctors in the Grades they held in 2004 were placed.

LEVEL 9
Doctors: Consultants (27914), Directors of Public Health (228), Associate Specialists(2029).

LEVEL 8
Doctors: Registrar Group (8056)
Allied Health Professionals: Consultant Therapists (126)
Health Care Scientists: Consultant Clinical Scientist – Grade C (433)

LEVEL 7
Doctors: Registrar Group (8056), Staff Grade (4943)
Nurses: 5% of All Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and Health visitor Staff (20125)
Allied Health Professionals: Managers (265)

LEVEL 6
Doctors: Senior House Officer (20283), Hospital Practitioner/Clinical assistant (1164), Other CHS Staff (442), Other CDS Staff (1083).
Nurses: 30% of All Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and Health visitor Staff (120751)
Allied Health Professionals: Manager (2312), Manager (265), Instructor/teacher (4118), Tutor (89), Qualified Ambulance Staff (16587), Assisstant Practitioner (557)
Health Care Scientist Clinical Scientist – Grade A and B (2776), Advanced Practitioner Biomedical Scientist (342)
Admin Senior Manager (11365)

LEVEL 5
Doctors: House Officer/Dental House Officer (4259).
No Doctor appears below Level 5.
Nurses: 40% of all qualified Nursing, Midwifery and Health visitor staff….
etc etc…………..