Still far from being open about health and social care plans
COUNCILLORS McGee and Wilde (Letters, January 25) claim to have been open about the plans for health and social care in Stockport.
It is encouraging that they at last now publicly acknowledge that the Stockport Together business case is driven largely by the need to address a massive shortfall in funding rather than being to improve our services.
But the council are still far from having full transparency.
The implications of the huge cutbacks in hospital beds and appointments with consultants and GPs have not been spelled out.
The lack of evidence for the claim that older people with serious illness can be managed at home both more effectively and more cheaply should be frankly acknowledged. (The data show that improved community services – while welcome - cost more and do not reduce need for hospital care).
And while integration of health and social care is intrinsically attractive, it has produced huge problems - even in places such as Torbay where their much-lauded model is currently in financial crisis - and, as the National Audit Office reported this week it neither saves money nor reduces need for hospital admission.
Nor should the fact that Stockport is a part of Devo-Manc afford any comfort.
The latter is increasingly looking like a marriage of two massive deficits - in health and social care - and the lines of accountability are confused, to put it mildly.
We are not asking the council to do nothing. New ways of working are not only welcome but necessary at a time when the patterns of illness and social need are changing.
But to introduce them in a hurry, on starvation rations, while reducing hospital services at a time of unprecedented and rising demand, is a recipe for disaster.
The Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group’s own risk assessment makes frightening reading.
It is likely that Stockport Together will fail financially, leading to greater cuts in services and this could well be seen as an excuse for privatisation.
So, more candour with the citizens of Stockport, please, less spin, and a greater willingness to fight the government’s destruction of the NHS and the safety net of social care for the most vulnerable. Theresa Tallis, chair Stockport NHS Watch
GIVE DONALD A CHANCE
MR Trump is allegedly a misogynist, a racist and outspoken.
Let’s take misogynist first. This country is full of them, this is why women here always complain about being second class citizens in the maledominated business world.
In the media a week or so ago, the story was of women being told to look more sexy in office high heels, shorter skirts, etc. Is this not misogyny?
Now DT is accused of being racist for protecting US borders and cities.
What has that got to do with anyone here?
He’s doing what he thinks is right to protect US citizens, I don’t blame him for that.
In the protests in Manchester last week people were holding placards up with messages like ‘All immigrants welcome.’
I can think of 17 million people who would disagree with those sentiments.
As far as being outspoken, DT speaks his mind, it used to be called being honest.
You ask him a question and he will answer it.
Ask a British MP a question and they will talk about anything except what you have asked them.
I’m not a fan of Donald Trump, I just think he should be given a chance. He is, after all, the democratically-elected president of the United States.
He is a friend, an ally and we need him on our side, despite what that hypocrite House of Commons Speaker John Bercow said.
He’d rather cosy up to the Chinese and the Saudis with their horrible human rights records. Richard Davies, Stockport
STATION LOOS DISGUSTING
I HAVE just read an article in the letters page re the vast improvements going on in Stockport.
If we are developing so much and encouraging visitors to the town with all these hotels is it not time the council spent some money on the disgusting toilets in our bus station.
We have many people who travel long distances and their first priority may be the to use these conveniences and they are really a bad let down for our town.
So come on Stockport council even if there is a charge you need to spend some money on modernising them.
I for one would prefer to pay a small charge to access a clean public toilet than use these out of desperation. Beryl Dean Gatley
GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS
I BELIEVE it’s now time we stood up and rejected all this technology - most of the time it doesn’t work.
I often go into supermarkets only to find the self checkouts not working properly and have to wait for assistance.
Today I tried to get on Santander online banking only to find it didn’t work.
Technology in many cases does not save time it causes frustration, inconvenience and often takes longer. It’s time to say we don’t want all this and go back to the old ways. At least that worked. Sara Moor Shaw Heath
INSURANCE A DEAD LOSS?
I KEEP reading adverts for whole life or over 50s insurance policies to cover your funeral costs.
The problem with these is you most often pay in far more than you get back and what you do get back reduces with inflation - read the small print.
Instead, why not put your money in a higher rate savings account with a bank or building society?
That way you get back what you have saved plus the interest. It makes more sense. John Willis Shaw Heath