Health and Lifestyle

I was cycling down Longwall street today when I realised that my eyesight is definitely getting worse. You see, my glasses (all three pairs) by some malign influence of the stars and my clumsy hands have broken. This of course leaves me with two choices :
1. Go without glasses
2. Buy new ones. In this country it is more expensive to buy a pair of glasses than to stay at a five-star hotel for a night.
Of course, before you think I am some stingy miserly re-incarnation of Ebenezer Scrooge, there are some deeper issues involved here.
One of the reasons I have elected to pursue the ascetic course of action is the advice offered to me by female acquaintances. On numerous occasions have I been told that glasses adversely effect my visage. However, often my poor vision has led me to squint and peer at numerous women giving the impression of a letch. It has conspired to occur that I have been unable to recgonise the very same acquaintances whose advice I follow, leading to many an embarrassed situation.

Apart from my opthalmic health, the tories have released their plans for the NHS. I think there are parts of their plan which merit approval and thought.

1. One of the recommendations is to allow matrons to shut down wards if they believe that it is infected. Presently, although matrons can recommend, the power rests with the Chief executive officer. I believe that it is very important that this decision is taken away from the Trust hospital management and given to health workers. As I understand the NHS, it is attempted to run it like a business but with the aim of public welfare. The problem is that it is inefficeint and the hospitals often have more admin staff thannecessary. This decision to shut down wards in management hands is disastrous because factors other than health of the patients and hygeine are taken into account. this is purely a medical decision. Its equivalent to a surgeon deciding for or against amputation.

2. Tories believe that waiting lists must stop and this must be done by involving the private sector. I think this is true as well although I am not in agreement with the specifics. Health is a business, however it is a business unlike any other. Therefore, the private sctor must be involved to meet unmet needs, but it must be regualted. The tories plan of subsiding private care from public funds is ridiculous, its unheard of anywhere in the world.
The reason I believe that involvement of regulated private sector is vital is because if we dont do so now, insurance companies will cash in on unsatisfied customers and patients. Soon, you will find that people will turn to insurance companies as the only alternative and soon like in the US health will be controlled by the private sector creating massive inequalities.


Thats it for now. The tsunami event is progressing better than we thought. Hopefully, we might be able to get a sell-out crowd.

I prefer to forget both pairs of glasses and pass my declining years saluting strange women and grandfather clocks.