Yulia and the Ukrainian and French caring models

Yulia was interviewed recently on holiday in Jersey following a serious road accident in the Ukraine and her subsequent treatment in the hospitals of that country and in Paris.
Part 1 is about 20 minutes (below)

Part 2 is about 13 minutes

The Ukraine is an unlikely role model for setting up a new health service – but it seems to be where Jersey might be headed.

“User Pays” is the sub-text to most of the financial reforms issued out of Senator Ozouf’s mouth and his collective work with Deputy Pryke for a complete redesign of Health and Care provisions and charges in this Island is a frightening manifesto, if one digs below the PR spin.

That such ideas as paying for the emergency ambulance that takes you to hospital – if you have the money – or the food that you eat when occupying a hospital bed - are being floated, should be enough to ring the alarm bells.

But the whole package of elderly and sick people “caring for themselves in their own homes” (if they are fortunate enough to have a home!) and of harnessing the “Third Sector” (aka charities and volunteers) into service providing “contracts” is just another layer that should be attracting much more public concern.

Coupled with the reintroduction of “prescription charges” and the transformation of modest traditional GPs surgeries into mini-hospitals where all sorts of treatments are carried out and medicines dispensed through in-house pharmacies while every appointment, consultation, letter, bandage, injection, treatment or word of advice etc etc incurs a hefty bill…and of course such facilities as the A and E department of the newly built General Hospital (if there is to be such a thing) is only open to treat the fully paid up near-dead…so a whole peel of warning bells should be clanging in or ears.

Besides which nobody seems to be keen to defend the existing Jersey policy of providing vastly different standards of treatment and care in the names of public or private provision. Just why should a hand-full of cash or the flash of an insurance certificate, or an influential ‘phone call be the key to receiving proper treatment in accordance with supposed professional standards?

Here Yulia, a young Russian born resident of Ukraine describes her care seeking experiences in that country following an horrendous accident with two cars…from the pay as you go ambulance, to the buy your own blood transfusion and drugs, bribing of doctors and specialists and pay pay pay for everything before being dumped back on the street as “cured”- yet barely able to stand.

It couldn’t happen here? Well just think about it. Then consider whether Jersey should be aiming for the French solution - which has come Yulia’s rescue with its 400 years old tradition of caring for the sick  – or do we prefer to flirt with the ultimate “user pays” example of caring a la Ukraine …

Architecture in Jersey today - Derek Mason interview

Derek Mason a Jersey architect of many years discusses the state of the design/planning process as it is now and was in the past - this video interview is about 15 minutes.

What is wrong with ugly buildings and why are pretty buildings better? These were themes raised previously with the Environment Minister Deputy Duhamel and posted on this site.

The recent Architecture Week was also featured here and criticised for being obsessed with "pretty" design awards rather than attacking the immense problems of the whole Island - especially with regard to housing demands. Here Derek Mason discusses the "ghetto" of St Helier and the failures of the Waterfront but expresses his support for the latest office development proposals from Dandara Ltd on the Esplanade. Meanwhile it is a critical Jersey Advocate who leads the Heritage group - not an Architect or Planner - but Architects are not visibly critical of the standards of legal services provided by advocates in Jersey...why not?

Alan Collins - English lawyer in Jersey - latest update

Part One Interview with Alan Collins (above) 22 August 2013 in Jersey - about 11 minutes

Part Two (above) about 14 minutes.

Alan Collins is the English Solicitor - Advocate from PANNONE LLP who has been engaged to represent 59 of the local litigants in the Compensation scheme of the States of Jersey (which he helped to set up) arising from the Hauth de la Garenne Childrens Home failures over many decades.

His involvement in the legal representation of child abuse victims is extensive.

It is especially interesting and significant that he is representing so many of the Jersey victims in this Island which claims its own unique jurisdiction and he plans to represent the 59 litigants before the States Inquiry that has been set up to examine the whole history of this tragic debacle.

He is to be paid for the Compensation scheme work out of Jersey public funds at an agreed rate but has so far receieved nothing. He expects to be paid for his Inquiry work in a similar way.
His role as an English lawyer acting in Jersey and being paid out of public funds amounts to "legal aid" whereas the "official" legal aid system that operates in Jersey is an antiquated mess and not fit for purpose. It is currently being examined.

Messrs Mourant Ozanne have been appointed to represent the States of Jersey in the Compensation scheme and Alan here explains how the system works.

Due to the illness of the appointed Chair for the Offiial Inquiry there will be yet more delay but Aland explains that he will be representing the abuse victims individually and as a group when it finally gets going under a newly appointed Chair.

Previous interviews with Alan can be found on this blog at 25 August and 15 December 2012 and we hope to continue to monitor progress with Alan but what a pity that Jersey lawyers and States' officials are not so willing to answer questions or to be interviewed.

As always, sensible comments are welcome and we extend an invite to any Lawyers or officials to record a response to Alan's interviews.

Unfortunately the IT gremlins are still making it difficult to set up these postings and several typos defy correction. This is the second attempt to post the whole things and it all takes time....

Jersey's Bus strike off - but the problems remain

Annette du Heaume runs the CT Plus Complaints Group on Facebook. It provides a forum for discontent about the bus service in Jersey and is a response to a similar site created in Guernsey where CT Plus also runs the bus services.

In Jersey the layout of the bus service has not changed dramatically since before the war so it might be expected that any problems had been sorted by now.

Clearly the threatened strikes this week show that substantial grievances remain.

Annette du Heaume is the wife of a Jersey bus driver with CT Plus who worked for the previous provider (Connex). She experiences the sharp end of industrial action and reflects here on the worsening relationships between the staff and their employers.

If the promised arbitration does not resolve the problems then presumably the heat will return but is it the employers, the Union or the employees who should be showing the initiative here and what of our elected States Members - what should their participation , if any, be?

We had tried to interview a driver with CT Plus back in January this year about the deteriorating service and staff/employers relationships but that driver's voice was suppressed and that willing volunteer has left CT Plus employment through frustration.

What does this say about indsutrial relations, free expression and the public's right to know - esepcially since several £millions of Jersey taxpayers money is paid to CT Plus each year.

The provision of transport services in and around the Channel Islands is going through a time of difficulty and there must be common causes and threads that link the failures of air, sea and land services. Who knows what they are and can offer solutions?

Thanks to Annette for speaking frankly - the interview runs for 19 minutes.
We shall be pleased to record and publish a response from CT Plus, Unite the Union, a States' Member or anybody else who thinks they have  something helpful to contribute.

"Does God LOL?" Tony Vino with CHOW in Jersey

Tony Vino appeared for CHOW in Jersey on Thursday 15 August and we interviewed him afterwards.
Its not often that a Human Rights lawyer/law lecturer and acedemic appears in Jersey at all but when he comes here as a comedian speaking for the local Christian missionary group "Business Connect" we felt duty bound to take notice.

Of course, he has given up on the law career and has joined the 600 or so other hopefuls that he reckons make a full-time living as comedians in the UK.

More details about Tony can be found on his own internet site;
www.tonyvino.co.uk

The other interviews referred to here can be found on this tom gruchy blog - David Dale and the Cosmo Show at 28 July 2013 and Chris Larner with regard to his play "An Instinct for Kindness" on 26 May 2012.

Tony Vino's book "Does God LOL?" is in the bookshops now or you can contact him direct for details.

The Dean did not attend the CHOW show.

What do political beings do on holiday?

How about trying to push an unwilling body up an absurdly steep hill using a largely unsuitable carriage under unfavourable temperatures and competitative circumstances and creating a great deal of noise, smells and the occasional personal injury for no financial reward but at great actual cost whilst thousands of onlookers offer unflattering and sometimes critical comments.....

Takes all sorts.
This is Prescott Hill Climb just outside Cheltenham over the weekend of 3 and 4 August 2013 and its just great....

and politics - the Jersey sort at least - was not even being thoght about.