I came to this country 45 years ago. I trained and worked in front-line nursing profession for three decades before moving on, as working conditions were becoming unendurable with constantly changing working conditions.
But compared to present day under-staffing and crumbling infrastructure, it was the best era to be NHS staff, even with overbearing “Matrons” who used to rule with iron feast but for the efficient running of wards. Recently our family member had cataract operation in private hospital, due to unavailability of a slot under NHS.
In an emergency, we had to attend medieval NHS “Western Eye” hospital in the city where our surgeon was based. It was extremely depressing experience, although all staffs, including nurses, technicians and consultants were superb, efficient and dedicated with “Bumble Bee” work ethics. But working conditions were draconian, atrocious, with crumbling building with corners and corridors, more than 300 years old and overcrowding with some fifty patients standing, sitting on the floor in a tiny waiting room, new patients arriving every minute, waiting time long, tiring and exhausting, especially for OAPs.
Even in Tanzania I have not seen such deprivation, neglect. Yet we call ourselves civilized country with fifth largest economy; spend billions in overseas aid to build hospitals. Do our luminary huckster politicians with “I am alright Jack” attitude have conscious or are oblivious to our sufferings?
Kumudini Valambia
By email
