People are afraid to speak out because of the lack of "Whistle Blower" legislation. This "fear factor" applies to the Health industry, to the Education industry and to the Banking industry and surely to other industries too.

At hospitals, I find it astonishing that politicians have the money to pay for opening ceremonies and expensive plaques with M.P., appearing somewhere on said plaque, but no money for PET scan subsidies. PET scans can help locate isolated cancer cells after the first has been removed. Abbott has been particularly reluctant to support this study despite its proven effectiveness.

It is wishful thinking. But it would be grand if the Manly electorate were ostracize Abbott, regardless of who wins the election.

Plane to catch...

[Away for a week.]

O.

What I find even more disturbing than the content of this article is the fact that, with only one or two editorial changes, this same article could be written concerning the Education system and about Centrelink. And that such articles are only ever given consideration when an election is looming.

Romany beat me to it. The AWB business was another example of what happens when systems are designed to avoid accountability. We seem to have taken down all the 'buck stops here' signs and replaced them with circular corporate speak.

Our illness (hospital) system is based on professional authority lines (doctors report to doctors, nurses to nurses, etc). They are managed to meet the needs of the occupations rather than the patients. Professionals have allegiances to their professions that are more important than their allegiances to their hospitals. This discourages whistleblowing against their mates.

We need to move to multidisciplinary care teams led by clinical leaders (as distinct to bureaucrats) with the ability to make decisions moved down to the lowest possible level. These leaders can be from any occupational group (doctors would probably have to take a pay cut - we really want them doing medical work anyway) but will lead multidisciplinary teams to make patient-related rather than profession-related decisions.

The concept horrifies health professionals until they become involved in it. It has existed for many years in New Zealand and Britain. Can we never learn from the successes of other countries?

Roll on politicians and managers with the ability to lead health services.