October 24, 2004
WHERE'S ROBODOCTOR?:
Top doctors warn Scots face NHS disaster (EDDIE BARNES, 10/24/04, The Scotsman)
THE NHS in Scotland faces imminent "disaster" as a result of the government’s failure to recruit enough skilled medics, the country’s leading doctors warned last night.Top surgeons, anaesthetists, consultants and GPs delivered a unanimous rebuke to ministers, revealing the massive extent of the shortfall in doctors’ numbers which they said was leading to an unprecedented crisis for the health service.
The criticism - contained in a hard-hitting report to be published this week - amounts to one of the most damaging assessments ever of Executive health strategy by the health profession.
In a series of dire warnings from doctors’ leaders, it is predicted that by 2012, Scotland will be short of 500 GPs, meaning almost one in eight posts will be vacant.
And as they start importing young Third Worlders they stop being Scottish at some point. Posted by Orrin Judd at October 24, 2004 9:57 AM
If the population's shrinking, why do they need more doctors ?
In any case, importing 500 doctors from India or Zimbabwe will hardly make Scotland un-Scottish.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at October 24, 2004 11:33 AMBecause what's left is ageing.
Posted by: oj at October 24, 2004 1:17 PMHo hum.
I am old enough to have listened to these warnings for over 45 years now. Eppur se muove.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at October 24, 2004 2:12 PMThis is very strange considering that medical school admissions are nationally regulated, and adjusted per population needs. One problem is that unlike French physicians, British ones for the NHS don't make squat, creating a disincentive for people to become doctors.
Posted by: Bart at October 24, 2004 2:39 PMSo if we import young Third Worlders, do we stop being Americans at some point?
If not, why would we be different from Scotland?
Posted by: Harry Eagar at October 26, 2004 2:41 PMAmerica is based on ideas, not blood--that's why it works.
Posted by: oj at October 26, 2004 3:52 PMWell, that wasn't how the Founders looked at it. They despised, among many others, the Irish
Posted by: Harry Eagar at October 27, 2004 3:16 AMEveryone despises everyone else, but the ideas are universal.
Posted by: oj at October 27, 2004 7:30 AM"Everyone despises everyone else ..."
Well, there is your problem. I work in a software engineering department where I am the only American.
There is no despising here to be had, despite--couldn't be because of, could it?--the complete lack of Christians.
Posted by: Jeff Guinn at October 27, 2004 11:48 AMPlease explain.
Posted by: Jeff Guinn at October 27, 2004 3:26 PMWell, not quite universal, because you're busy trying to run some of us out.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at October 28, 2004 12:45 AM