Let’s have an amnesty day for health staff

with complaints about care that involved not just the Alexandra Hospital, but Worcestershire Royal, surely raises concerns to an even higher level following the recent Care Quality Commission report on elderly care at the Alex.

John Rostill’s departure does nothing to alleviate the worry – it’s a retirement after all, not a resignation nor even an admittance of any responsibility.

One point that Coun Oborski raised – namely that many health staff themselves are unhappy – is true I’m sure.

I myself have had contact with staff at all levels who have expressed despair at the standard of care being delivered on some occasions, and the standard of management, too.

But in a lot of cases they are afraid to speak out for fear of reprisals.

Look at the recent case of Brendan Young – and he wasn’t even a staff member.

May I make a proposal?

Let’s have an ‘amnesty’ day, where conscientious, hardworking and dedicated staff of all grades can write to the Worcester News with real life, honest examples of care (good and bad) and their true feelings about why things are going so wrong and what should be done to put them right.

We want a proper picture, not a series of soundbites and early retirements from management.

And, crucially, without any fear of reprisal from that same management.

Let Harry Turner and others give that guarantee to the Worcester News.

Let’s have a Worcestershire NHS improvement forum actually involving the people who put it in to practice daily, not pen-pushers. Now there’s a first.

RICHARD FARRELL-ADAMS
Worcester

􀁥 The public will have the chance to grill health leaders about radical reforms which will change the future shape of the NHS during a Question Time-style debate. The debate, organised by your Worcester News and BBC Hereford and Worcester, is scheduled to take place at the Graeme Hick pavilion at New Road in Worcester at 7pm on July 20. To be part of the audience, send your question in to healthdebate@bbc.co.uk or phone 01905 748485.