Is a clerical error at CCHQ more newsworthy than the lowest cancer survival rates in Europe?

I'm about to go and do BBC News 24 on the hospitals row.  In case you hadn't heard, the Tory list of district hospitals threatened with closure wasn't 100% accurate.  Most unhelpfully a Conservative MP, Henry Bellingham, has criticised the placement of his own local hospital on the list and this has got the BBC very excited.  It's obviously a mistake that shouldn't have been made.  One of the few things an opposition party can control is competent management of its own affairs.  The bottom line, however, is that the Tory campaign on NHS cuts is staying in the news.  My guess is that more voters will be left angry at Labour's mismanagement of the NHS than will be concerned about a clerical error in CCHQ.  A clerical error is certainly much less significant than the news that - ten years into Labour rule - Britain has one of the lowest cancer survival rates in Europe.  My understanding is that the new CCHQ list may identify more hospitals at risk of closure or facing cuts.

By way of footnote: When I was at the Bank of England there was a 'done by, checked by' or 'four eyes' rule for the drawing up of any public document.  CCHQ should adopt the same rule.

4.25pm: Reform have a briefing on Britain's woeful record on cancer.

Comments

[Mark Fulford]

banboris, I give you two links:

http://www.remedyuk.net/index.php
http://www.mums4medics.org/

With an employment climate where voluntary organisations are providing temporary lodgings to displaced doctors, it's pretty clear why many prefer the opportunities on offer abroad.

In the government's Review Group's own words

"MTAS sparked the biggest crisis within the medical profession in a generation and, despite our efforts, the anger continues to affect all levels of the profession."

[Ramsay Mac]

Malcolm is wrong, the "tax bombshell" was absolute rubbish. Are any of us/you paying £1000 a year more in tax under Labour, or anything near that?

Anyway, Tory smears are nothing new, especially when it comes to election time. Zinoviev Letter, anyone?

[Effie]

Claws Malcolm-Claws, as a matter of fact I was Public School educated, got there via a bursary.
Can you compete with that?
My Mummy and Daddy did not have the brass to send me there, fortunately I acquired their brains and backbone to do so.
One of the things I was taught.
Quote:
"It is better to swallow one's words than be made to eat them"
You seem to associate being illiterate with being Socialist, how you square that sort of thinking is beyond my ken.
I read your articles and I wonder just where on earth you were educated if ever you were.
It must have cost your poor parents a fortune to keep up with extra tuition, shame they wasted their hard earned cash.
It would have perhaps have paid them and produces better results in sending you to an outward bound school that way your feeble character could not be so easily brainwashed.
On the other hand He Majesty done just that with one of her sons and the result of that exercise was he ended up talking to plants.
On second thoughts Malcolm, just keep the knitting up and leave the politics to the intelligent

[Effie]

Labour's NHS? Worse than Eastern Europe. Is tractor production still going up, Effie?

Posted by: Michael McGowan | August 22, 2007 at 10:35

Grow up you silly little boy. Thank heavens Schools go back in two weeks.

[banboris]

Ok I am wrong - the Gods in White Coats can do no wrong and struggle on without regard to their own pay and conditions.

[Graham D'Amiral]

One simple mistake as Cameron admitted to yesterday, but the general picture of the threat to A&E and Maternity units in many hospitals is an accurate one. Remember it is not in the interest of any NHS trust to admit their hospital is under threat, so of course they are denying the accusation.

The bigger story surely was highlighted in the report yesterday which concluded fewer A&E departments, meaning longer Ambulance journey's that puts patients lives at greater risk.

People can talk about a cchq clerical errors all they like, but what it doesn't change is for all the taxpayers money thrown at it over the last decade the NHS is in acute finaciaL crisis and patient care is suffering.

[Steve]

Trying to get back on track (lol) isn't the main issue the appalling cancer survival rates despite massive funding increases?

Also, that funding crises exist anywhere at all across the country despite these funding increases?

This may also include hospital closures if 'financial cuts' are behind the closure but some reorganisation may involve sensible closures and to object wholesale damages the case I think.

Unfortunately, a series of errors in the detail has completely undermined this entire campaign. Someone should be topped for this.

[Michael McGowan]

Effie, are you just a robot? Highly inconvenient study sheds harsh beam of light on the shambles in Labour's Potemkin Village so Labour troll plays man, not ball. Can only be a matter of minutes before you play the race card.

[Iain]

What ever the case, one thing the Conservative should NOT do is to drop the issue. If they feel they have a case keep banging away at it, DO NOT move onto another topic, otherwise it will be confirmed that they were in the wrong.

One thing I am surprised about is that the Conservatives didn't extend that attack and try and put Labour on the back foot on other issues regarding the NHS. Why after Labour said all was fine and no closures were happening, didn't the Conservatives point out the cash strapped nature of the English NHS meant that English nurses were having to have their pay rise staged, and that Gordon Brown slashed capital spending in the English NHS by one third, for raising these issues undermines Labours attempt to suggest everything is fine in the NHS, and makes people understand that there is more substance to the issues the Conservatives were raising.

[Effie]

Michael, I doubt very much if you were born the first time I heard the juvenile remark about the tractor production.
It was usually the last resort of the feeble minded adolescent who could not hold their corner own during an intelligent debate.
As for the race card.. that would be my last resort.
Come back and debate with me in 10 years or so when you become and adult, that is if you ever do. At the moment your comments are so infantile I doubt anybody takes them serious.
Hopefully by that time you would have got the Soviet bug out of your system.
Other than that my only other suggestion to you would be to take some prunes with your breakfast, that always produces good results.
Clears the head and sharpens the brain and wit.
I think they can be bought by the ton.

[Effie]

Michael, I doubt very much if you were born the first time I heard the juvenile remark about the tractor production.
It was usually the last resort of the feeble minded adolescent who could not hold their corner own during an intelligent debate.
As for the race card.. that would be my last resort.
Come back and debate with me in 10 years or so when you become and adult, that is if you ever do. At the moment your comments are so infantile I doubt anybody takes them serious.
Hopefully by that time you would have got the Soviet bug out of your system.
Other than that my only other suggestion to you would be to take some prunes with your breakfast, that always produces good results.
Clears the head and sharpens the brain and wit.
I think they can be bought by the ton.

[Effie]

Effie | August 22, 2007 at 11:47

Sorry that should read "hold their own corner"

[Michael McGowan]

Effie: "your comments are so infantile I doubt anyone takes them serious [sic]".

Standard-issue abuse from a troll sheltering behind anonymity. At least I have comments. You are just running on empty....like the Labour Party. In any case, even if your remarks were true, I can only point out that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[malcolm]

Best not feed the trolls Michael, particularly one as half witted as this.
The bursary this person apparently gained was obviously a waste of money.

[Michael McGowan]

Probably also had 25 A* Grades at GCSE as well, Malcolm. Quite funny to poke the trolls though: they really don't like it up'em, Mr Mainwaring!

[Effie]

Getting bitchy now are we Malc?
How emotional.
Took you long enough to round your little drone up.
How sad.

[TomTom]

Civitas