When I heard about the HSE briefing opportunities for key media informers I was mildly impressed. Ok so I wasn’t too keen on Gerald Kean, but I think that it is a good idea for people who ‘talk’ about issues on the media to be informed about the issues and many companies and private lobby groups do this all the time. Listening to radio and watching television discussion programmes I am frequently enraged by the amount of bullshit key commentators come out with on health service issues.
I was impressed this morning by the HSE strategy because most of the people who talk about the HSE and how terrible it is wouldn’t know a waiting list or a public hospital ward or public health nurse. They are far more likely to be private health care consumers and would not know much about the way in which public health services are delivered to the 50% of the population (including yours truly) who wait for treatment and share resources or are sick.
I think that the HSE need to look at who they are talking to and talk to some bloggers! And I think they need to do some listening! First in the queue would be someone like Steph from The Biopsy Report – an ‘expert by experience’ who is the most knowledgeable person blogging on the health service and health policy in the Republic.
The HSE said today it talks to patient advocacy groups also – but I’m one of the people that would be first to say that they are very last century in terms of their reach and remit. Instead it’s time to talk to Red Mum about the cervical cancer vaccine issue and the thousands of people she gathered together on Facebook.
Many other people blog about health and the health of their children – they have audiences and they have ideas. There are online spaces including boards.ie, facebook groups etc. which the HSE need to monitor and listen to and give people the chance to ask questions and become informed about health policy and health service delivery.
These are the spaces which are the most active whereas I belive the patient advocacy groups are small confined and closed spaces providing a few people with jobs claiming to represent others. The new media are the new key informers and the communications officers in the HSE need to catch up fast in informing and being informed by those who are experts in experience as service users and commentators online.
OK. I agree with the sentiment and the feeling behind the cerrvical cancer vaccine. I agree that nobody deserves an untimely death by any means.
However. I am wary of the marketing of Gardasil. I am wary that we are being played by the manufacturer of the drug to make it seem necessicary and safe and a cure and lift millions of euros of money out of the government in all economic conditons.
Saying you will die without their products is the best and most effective marketing strategy. The side effects are what exactly? And is it a preventitive measure not a get out of jail free card for cervical cancer. There is no silver bullet.
We do not see the same level of outcry regarding other cancers such as lung cancer as it is regarded as being “your own fault” when the self same people worry themselves about cervical cancer and still they smoke.
We also do not see the same level of outcry for bowel cancer and breast cancer linked to IGF-1 in cows milk. Milk is of course, according to the propoganda from the dairies totally safe. Google milk and IGF-1.
We also hear nothing about the link between cancer and eating a diet high in animal fat. Nothing. Sure aren’t rashers great. Meat is a critical industry for Ireland so no talker downers allowed here. Even the minister for sprouts and flowers went to Germany to promote Irish beef. Trevor Sargant from the “Green” party.
We also hear too about the wonderful “benefit” of fluoride. Another successful con job on the public. A total and utter sham and one the minister should be jailed for. Industrial waste dressed up as medicine.
The 1960 water act is a crime against the Irish people and done to smooth the way for Albatros jobs in Wexford. I was born into an Albatros house. It may be trendy to pooh pooh nay sayers but I am sorry folks fluoride is waste and it comes from either fertiliser (verifiable first hand witness to this) or aluminium production. Gormless said he would get rid of it but his Stockholm Syndrome meant for some bizzare reason we continue to buy this waste. Bizzare and unusual punishment for being Irish and living in Ireland. Mark my words people will go to jail for fluoridation yet.
I have been on the recieving end of the HSE and its complete disregard for human life. My sister was thrown out of A&E in the Mater because they couldn’t work out what was wrong with her. She subsequently spent three months seriously ill in Beaumont. I remember the stress and the most ferociously difficult drive of my life to that A&E to be told that they couldn’t diagnose her and to go away they couldn’t help. Yes. Told to get lost.
We don’t know the full story of Gardasil and from “communicating” with the HSE and having worked in three of the meat processing plants they call hospitals I trust not a single word from their mouths. Every little thing is spun and played down. There are some wonderful, helpful and kind frontline staff as in any organisation but the dead hand of bureaucracy and politics has put many Irish people in an early grave and my sister was nearly one of them.
A three minute segment on Six One and some gasbagging on Joe Duffy would be the height of it. In a box. Out of the way and the HSE would claim a job done.
Only for the fight my family put up and both my parents taking 12 months unpaid leave to mind her 24×7 she survived. Even in the hospital they had to take over her care and do what the nurses wouldn’t do.
So if you wish upon a star and hope for things to be OK get vaccinated but for GODS SAKE know the side effects and other options for prevention.
As for listening to the HSE. Not bloody likely. They are enemy combatants and every single word from their mouths is arse covering spin. I would trust George Bush first.
It is not popular in Ireland to go against the conventional wisdom. Look at the housing market as a painful reminder of this. All the nay sayers were told by Mr Ahern to go off and commit suicide. An act which I am directly affected by.
All I am saying is that public sentiment and emotion should not dictate that Gardasil is the answer to cervical cancer. We need to see what the side effects are and it is my opinion that the drug company is playing the people off the government for profit and it is very unusual for the HSE not to fall for this ploy.
Susie
Thanks for the mention.
The person who knows most about the Irish health service and health policy is…
Sara Burke
Journalist and Health Policy Analyst
Sara has the HSE and Dept of Health expertly sussed.
bw (above) also has her finger on the pulse with her comment above.
Sorry not to write more – out of action through illness.
bw’s comment could be a textbook example of how to appear mental on the internet.
Agreed Simon!
As I said it is not done in Ireland to go against conventional wisdom.
this is dreadful hse engaging in the celebrity pundit game, pure pr spin. not to welcomed one bit.