Friday 11 January 2008

Staunton-on-Wye Part II


Many years ago I worked on a specialist medical unit where mortality was approximately 50% per admission. I managed to stick it out for longer than most but one day a patient complained to my consultant that he didn't like me because I didn't smile. A few weeks later my consultant suggested radiology might be a good career choice for me. It's like being told I had the looks for a career as a radio presenter.

I read somewhere once that you should want your pathologist to be a pessimist. The same applies to radiologists so I am well suited to my work. I know radiologists who are nice jolly people and they don't make very good radiologists. I, on the other hand, start off with the assumption that each scan I look at harbours a tumour which is going to cut short a life and destroy a family. All I have to do is keep looking until I find it. I think it makes me a good radiologist but a miserable person to know.

I awaited the results of our Local Authority Review on Education suitably pessimistic. In fact I was planning the next stage of the campaign to save the school and was looking into the cost of banners to drape across one of the main route from Mid and West Wales into England which passes through Staunton-on-Wye and wondering if I could cut templates out of X-ray film so that a crack squad of villagers could go out at night and spray paint our slogans on public buildings.

When the result was published today there was no mention of our school but an axe had been taken to primary and secondary education in Herefordshire. Some of our best schools were to close or be incorporated into unpopular ones. Some parents who had recently moved to the area and bought a house near a good school saw their plans ruined. The cuts were more savage than anyone had expected and most people in Herefordshire had no idea that such cuts were even being considered. Parents in Herefordshire are in a state of shock tonight as they begin to plan for transporting their children across the county to the surviving schools or figuring out if they can afford to educate their children privately. In one move, and without consultation, a small unelected group of officials have hatched a plan to deprive the population of a high quality local education for their children. Without warning, headmasters and mistresses at 37 schools were told they are to be made redundant and will have to apply for any remaining jobs.

I don't know a great deal about political interference in local education but there is the "Stalinist Central Control's" fingerprints all over this. The local education department claimed the closures were necessary to access central government funds for new buildings. This looks very much like the privatisation of education. The plan goes like this. Close the existing locally managed schools or else be starved of funds. In return for closures and staff redundancies Central Government will provide a shiny new school (preferably in a Labour voting inner city area) built with PFI money and owned and run by a NuLabour supporting private company. Employ staff under locally negotiated (imposed) T&C of service and make sure the person in charge of the school is a Believer and "on message". Far fetched? Well I always look on the dark side but isn't this what is happening in health care?

My children have not been completely spared. The state school we chose is to lose its 6th form requiring them to go to a ghastly "sink school" on the rough side of town which, instead of being closed down, has been increased in size and given a new name and fancy website. I don't know if they removed the razor wire and security cameras when they changed the name; its not a part of town I ever venture into.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think you need to learn to smile more Dr Ray, otherwise the next tumour you find on that scan, will be yours, god forbid.

Dr Xavier Ray said...

I wouldn't look at my own scan. The doctor who treats himself has a fool as a patient!
If I start smiling now my work colleagues would think I have a new job and my wife would think I have a mistress. Best to stay looking miserable I think!

精神年齢 said...

あなたの精神年齢を占ってみよう!当サイトは、みんなの「精神年齢度」をチェックする性格診断のサイトです。精神年齢度には、期待以上の意外な結果があるかも??興味がある方はぜひどうぞ

逆円助 said...

さあ、今夏も新たな出会いを経験してみませんか?当サイトは円助交際の逆、つまり女性が男性を円助する『逆円助交際』を提供します。逆円交際を未経験の方でも気軽に遊べる大人のマッチングシステムです。年齢上限・容姿・経験一切問いません。男性の方は無料で登録して頂けます。貴方も新たな出会いを経験してみませんか

精神年齢 said...

みんなの精神年齢を測定できる、メンタル年齢チェッカーで秘められた年齢がズバリわかっちゃう!かわいいあの子も実は精神年齢オバサンということも…合コンや話のネタに一度チャレンジしてみよう

童貞卒業 said...

童貞卒業を考えているなら、迷わずココ!今まで童貞とヤッた事がない女性というのは意外と多いものです。そんな彼女たちは一度童貞とやってみたいと考えるのは自然な事と言えるでしょう。当サイトにはそんな好奇心旺盛な女性たちが登録されています

メル友募集 said...

最近仕事ばかりで毎日退屈してます。そろそろ恋人欲しいです☆もう夏だし海とか行きたいな♪ k.c.0720@docomo.ne.jp 連絡待ってるよ☆

動物占い said...

あなたの性格を、動物に例えて占っちゃいます。もしかしたらこんな動物かも!?動物占いをうまく使って、楽しい人間関係を築いてください

家出 said...

家出中の女性や泊まる所が無い女性達がネットカフェなどで、飲み放題のドリンクで空腹を満たす生活を送っています。当サイトはそんな女性達をサポートしたいという人たちと困っている女性たちの為のサイトです

セレブラブ said...

セレブ女性との割り切りお付き合いで大金を稼いでみませんか?女性に癒しと快楽、男性に謝礼とお互い満たしあえる当サイト、セレブラブはあなたの登録をお待ちしております。

夏フェス!! said...

夏フェス一緒に行ってくれる人募集!!夏の思い出一緒につくろぉ☆ megumi-0830@docomo.ne.jp 連絡してね♪

無料ゲーム said...

あなたのゲーマー度を無料ゲーム感覚で測定します。15個の質問に答えるだけの簡単測定で一度遊んでみませんか?ゲームが得意な人もそうでない人もぜひどうぞ。

素人 said...

Hな女性たちは素人ホストを自宅やホテルに呼び、ひとときの癒しを求めていらっしゃいます。当サイトでは男性ホスト様の人員が不足しており、一日3~4人の女性の相手をするホストもおられます。興味を持たれた方は当サイトにぜひお越しください

出会い系 said...

実は出会い系には…関係者用入り口があるのを知っていますか?広告主やスポンサー用に用意されたIDではサクラや業者が立ち入ることが出来ないようになっているのです。当サイトでは極秘に入手した関係者用URLが公開されています

逆援助 said...

男性はお金、女性は快楽を得る逆援助に興味はありませんか?お金を払っても性的欲求を満たしたいセレブ達との割り切り1日のお付き合いで当サイトでは大金を得ることができます。無料登録なのでアルバイト感覚でOK、詳しくはTOPページでどうぞ。

友達募集 said...

ホムペ完成記念!私の事みんなに知ってもらいたくて頑張りましたぁ。色々とご感想をお待ちしているので思った事を意見してください。メアドはほむぺにのせてありますぅ!★ fan.jna@docomo.ne.jp

家出 said...

夏休みで気軽に家出する女子○生が急増しています。しかし家出したはいいものの泊る所やお金が無い彼女たちは、掲示板などで泊めてくれる男性を探す子も多いようです。当掲示板にも夏休みに入ってから通常の3倍以上のメッセージが寄せられています

人妻 said...

今最もアツイバイトは人妻とのセフレ契約です。当サイトではお金を払ってでもセフレがほしい人妻が集まり、男性会員様との逆援生活を待っています。当サイトで欲求不満の女性との出会いをしてみませんか

素人 said...

素人ホストでは、男性のテクニック次第で女性会員様から高額な謝礼がもらえます。欲求不満な人妻や、男性と出会いが無い女性達が当サイトで男性を求めていらっしゃいます。興味のある方はTOPページからどうぞ

友達募集中 said...

少し魅惑な自分をネットだから公開してみました。普段言えない事など、思い切って告白しているプロフなので興味ある方はぜひ除いてみてください連絡待ってまぁす。 hinyaaaaa@docomo.ne.jp

TRA said...

It is excellent in evaluating tumors of the brain, meninges, pituitary gland, and vascular or brain stem abnormality.
http://mriscan.blogspot.com

Phillip Scollin said...

Howdy

That is a really interesting subject. You may find online college courses that point on that.

Best wishes,
Phillip Scollin