What on earth? I've just watched the weather report on BBC1 and there's
a caption on screen with the number for NHS Direct, with a mention by
the presenter to phone if you are worried about the effects of sunburn,
to find out more information. I saw the same message on Ceefax in the
weather pages there (page 405 I think).

Given that NHS Direct has been criticised in recent reports for the
length of time some people have had to wait for an answer, is it really
wise to put the number up on screen advising people to call just
because we have a hot day. If NHS Direct is now so short of work
(perhaps because people no longer bother with it), perhaps the nurses
there could be better employed elsewhere.

How did we cope in 1976, or indeed in 2003, when we had longer spels of
hot weather?

This nanny state attitude is getting ridiculous!

Robbie

Hmmm

I know what you mean about the Nanny State

However, if you were involved in an accident causing a major trauma, I'm
sure you wouldn't want your local A&E clogged up with a load of bright
red numb-skulls who don't know how to look after their minor sunburn.

My concern with NHS direct is not so much the speed of response but the
quality of advice. The couple of times we have called them, we have been
told to go to casualty for what were fairly minor symptoms.

They seem to adopt the same approach as the average IT support line - "I
see, you have a minor problem with your PC. The only solution is to
format the hard drive and reload windows. Your data? Oh yes, you'll lose
all that"!!!

Of course we coped in '76 and '03. Maybe though some people didn't cope
and the suggestion of calling NHS direct is an uplift in the level of
service which can only be for the good - can't it????

At least the BBC are trying to help by directing people to a service
that "should" be able to help, and I don't think that's a Nanny State.

Just my 2p's worth ;-)

Cheers

Neil

Robbie wrote:
What on earth? I've just watched the weather report on BBC1 and there's
a caption on screen with the number for NHS Direct, with a mention by
the presenter to phone if you are worried about the effects of sunburn,
to find out more information. I saw the same message on Ceefax in the
weather pages there (page 405 I think).

Given that NHS Direct has been criticised in recent reports for the
length of time some people have had to wait for an answer, is it really
wise to put the number up on screen advising people to call just
because we have a hot day. If NHS Direct is now so short of work
(perhaps because people no longer bother with it), perhaps the nurses
there could be better employed elsewhere.

How did we cope in 1976, or indeed in 2003, when we had longer spels of
hot weather?

This nanny state attitude is getting ridiculous!

Robbie

"At least 35,000 people died as a result of the record heatwave that
scorched Europe in August 2003, says an environmental think tank. "(inc
2000 in UK)

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn4259

Department of Health Heat Wave Plan at
http://www.dh.gov.uk/NewsHome/NewsAr...379&chk=V6LqCf

Tim

Neil wrote:
Hmmm

I know what you mean about the Nanny State

However, if you were involved in an accident causing a major trauma, I'm
sure you wouldn't want your local A&E clogged up with a load of bright
red numb-skulls who don't know how to look after their minor sunburn.

My concern with NHS direct is not so much the speed of response but the
quality of advice. The couple of times we have called them, we have been
told to go to casualty for what were fairly minor symptoms.

They seem to adopt the same approach as the average IT support line - "I
see, you have a minor problem with your PC. The only solution is to
format the hard drive and reload windows. Your data? Oh yes, you'll lose
all that"!!!

Of course we coped in '76 and '03. Maybe though some people didn't cope
and the suggestion of calling NHS direct is an uplift in the level of
service which can only be for the good - can't it????

At least the BBC are trying to help by directing people to a service
that "should" be able to help, and I don't think that's a Nanny State.

Just my 2p's worth ;-)

Cheers

Neil

I agree with the first three paragraphs but the last two seem to
miss the point that NHS Direct is for short-term or immediate problems
and should not be used as an advice centre for what is mostly common
sense. It is irresponsible of the BBC to promote NHS Direct in this
manner, giving the impression that you're getting some kind of extra
service whereas in reality this kind of thing detracts from the proper
use of the service.
I have used NHS Direct twice for minor emergencies, once for
myself and once for my extremely aged mother and found that they did
the business rather well. I don't think they want to waste their
valuable time telling people how to cope with hot weather, unless of
course someone is actually a victim of it, with heatstroke, say.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey

"Robbie" wrote in message
ups.com...
What on earth? I've just watched the weather report on BBC1 and there's
a caption on screen with the number for NHS Direct, with a mention by
the presenter to phone if you are worried about the effects of sunburn,
to find out more information. I saw the same message on Ceefax in the
weather pages there (page 405 I think).

Given that NHS Direct has been criticised in recent reports for the
length of time some people have had to wait for an answer, is it really
wise to put the number up on screen advising people to call just
because we have a hot day. If NHS Direct is now so short of work
(perhaps because people no longer bother with it), perhaps the nurses
there could be better employed elsewhere.

How did we cope in 1976, or indeed in 2003, when we had longer spels of
hot weather?

This nanny state attitude is getting ridiculous!

Robbie


Well if anyone was bothered to Google you'd see I have railed about this on
several occasions.It's absolute rubbish designed to give the impression that
the Government is achieving health victories on all fronts -this time being
sunshine aware.

It's meant to sound wonderful and yet when I or others see it for what it
is- smoke & Mirrors bull****, you get the answer "surely you can't criticise
something that sets out to improve the populations health.

Well I can, just as Patricia Hewitt claimed the NHS had come through it's
coldest winter for 40 years, this 'Sunburn' junk is lies distortions and
further lies.

I also believe that this is all part of preparing the ground for further
greenhouse taxes to pay for our evil energy consumption which we forced the
energy providers to sell to us. Thus the increased taxes protect us all
from this record breaking hot weather. It's all cynical manipulation I tell
you.

Yes quite agree Lawrence. Also water metres manipulation as well using
conveniently arranged 15 month data
"Lawrence Jenkins" wrote in message
...

"Robbie" wrote in message
ups.com...
What on earth? I've just watched the weather report on BBC1 and there's
a caption on screen with the number for NHS Direct, with a mention by
the presenter to phone if you are worried about the effects of sunburn,
to find out more information. I saw the same message on Ceefax in the
weather pages there (page 405 I think).

Given that NHS Direct has been criticised in recent reports for the
length of time some people have had to wait for an answer, is it really
wise to put the number up on screen advising people to call just
because we have a hot day. If NHS Direct is now so short of work
(perhaps because people no longer bother with it), perhaps the nurses
there could be better employed elsewhere.

How did we cope in 1976, or indeed in 2003, when we had longer spels of
hot weather?

This nanny state attitude is getting ridiculous!

Robbie


Well if anyone was bothered to Google you'd see I have railed about this
on
several occasions.It's absolute rubbish designed to give the impression
that
the Government is achieving health victories on all fronts -this time
being
sunshine aware.

It's meant to sound wonderful and yet when I or others see it for what it
is- smoke & Mirrors bull****, you get the answer "surely you can't
criticise
something that sets out to improve the populations health.

Well I can, just as Patricia Hewitt claimed the NHS had come through it's
coldest winter for 40 years, this 'Sunburn' junk is lies distortions and
further lies.

I also believe that this is all part of preparing the ground for further
greenhouse taxes to pay for our evil energy consumption which we forced
the
energy providers to sell to us. Thus the increased taxes protect us all
from this record breaking hot weather. It's all cynical manipulation I
tell
you.

"Robbie" wrote in message
ups.com...
What on earth? I've just watched the weather report on BBC1 and there's
a caption on screen with the number for NHS Direct, with a mention by
the presenter to phone if you are worried about the effects of sunburn,
to find out more information. I saw the same message on Ceefax in the
weather pages there (page 405 I think).

One wonders what bad news is being buried... Me, cynical? Whatever gives you
that idea ;-)

"wafflycat" wrote in message
news

"Robbie" wrote in message
ups.com...
What on earth? I've just watched the weather report on BBC1 and there's
a caption on screen with the number for NHS Direct, with a mention by
the presenter to phone if you are worried about the effects of sunburn,
to find out more information. I saw the same message on Ceefax in the
weather pages there (page 405 I think).

One wonders what bad news is being buried... Me, cynical? Whatever gives
you that idea ;-)

This present Government worried about our Health?
If that's the case we do we have murderers, rapist, violent criminals being
allowed to walk the streets after serving less than half their sentences.

There's a fatal stabbing or shooting at least several times a week through
out the UK, what's the death by sunburn rate?