Move over Judas
Posted on Wednesday 12th October 2011
This is going to be a very short rant just to achieve some catharsis.
It goes without saying that some of our colleagues work under very difficult circumstances and great pressure. None more so than those in the emergency department who have to deal with some of the worst of humanity and some who have been turned into the worst of humanity by deliberately ingested substances. For undertaking this thankless task they are offered … no thanks. At least not by their employers who clearly have never witnessed the barely controlled anarchy and chaos that prevails on an average Saturday night.
To add insult to this ambivalence, we now have the Minster for Health blithely dismissing the concerns of his employees. When told that the Code Black (*) rate is at an all time high, he denied that it was a problem and implied that the figures were inflated and exaggerated. In other words, he refused to back the people he is supposed to represent. I’m at a loss to explain why as, for once, this was not a problem that could be in any way blamed on him. Rather it is a sinister culture in which abusing and assaulting public service workers is considered acceptable by some. And that alcohol and drug abuse continue to ruin society. Neither are the fault of the Minister, so why didn’t he stand up for his staff, praise their efforts and put out a message to society that such behaviour is not acceptable.
I suspect that his capitulation and betrayal is symbolic of modern democracy in which elected officials are petrified of admitting that anything is wrong lest it be construed as an admission of the faintest shred of failure. As a result we wind up with an “ostrich” mentality and no action. During which time staff continue to be hurt and sick leave due to stress is commonplace.
Thanks a lot, boss.
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(*) Code Black is the emergency request for assistance made in a situation in which staff perceive that someone presents imminent risk of serious harm to themselves and/or others
I recently spent 2 visits to the emergency department 2 days in a row, and have to say my experience was not fantastic. I’m pretty sure our medical system is in urgent need of help.
When I spent my 18 months living in the Netherlands, I was appaulled by the medical system there and was desperate to be back home, however it’s deteriorating in Australia. Doctors are just pretty much just using drugs to solve problems. Find the right drug/painkiller then send you home.