Attempts to crack the code of impenetrable NHS jargon

Anyone hoping to get some kind of understanding about how parts of the NHS in Kent are dealing with financial “challenges” needs the skills of codebreaker Alan Turing.

Documents from a number of clinical commissioning groups setting out financial recovery plans are guaranteed to get your head spinning with deciphering the often impenetrable jargon.

An example? “We have moved towards new style agreements – aligned incentive contracts – designed to encourage new behaviours and facilitate system transformation.” Thanks, West Kent CCG. And it is a relief to learn that Ashford and Canterbury CCGS “require all QIPP PIDS to be updated and extended to include critical path and full implementation plan”.

That’s all clear then.

Which brings us to how residents across the county reach their county councillor if they want to raise an issue.

Since most have mobile phones – a large number of which are provided at taxpayers’ expense – you would think it should be relatively easy.

Think again. A cursory look at KCC’S website reveals that rather a large number of the Conservative group, which numbers 67, have no mobile number to contact them.

And some only give a council email for a contact. But fair play to the Conservative leader Paul Carter, who leads by example and does give a mobile number.

Off The Record won’t name and shame. Just yet.

Could Brexit really cause the closure of a Kent hospital? One Kent MP raised the spectre of his local hospital being forced to shut its doors because of a shortage of EU nationals who, in a post-brexit UK, might not be around.

Sir Roger Gale, MP for North Thanet, set out the apocalyptic vision in a debate in parliament about the status of EU nationals. It seems unlikely, but one thing Sir Roger knows is how to get attention.

We know large-scale infrastructure takes a very long time to build, but even allowing for that, the National Infrastructure Commission is taking no chances in setting out its plans.

“The first stage of the NIA process will be to determine a ‘vision’ of the UK up to 2050, to identify long-term infrastructure needs in light of that vision.”

Up to 2050? Can anyone really envisage a vision that far ahead?