Post by Teddy Bear on Sept 27, 2012 23:46:44 GMT
Heard on Radio4 today that the NHS are advertising for a £100k post to sell the NHS Brand. Although the question was asked whether since the NHS is not a private company but a public service, was it worth spending the equivalent of 100 hip operations on such a venture. It was clear from the time given to the non-medical NHS representative to respond that the BBC wanted to make sure it would be seen as a positive step.
The BBC furthering the NHS for the purpose of, as this journalist puts it, 'one arm of Britain’s bloated government propagandising on behalf of another'.
The BBC furthering the NHS for the purpose of, as this journalist puts it, 'one arm of Britain’s bloated government propagandising on behalf of another'.
Someone tell the BBC that turkeys don't vote for Christmas
BBC portrays the view that the National Health Service 'could get worse by 2013' based on NHS finance directors' biased judgement
By Natalie Glanvill
Readers won’t be surprised to hear that yet again, one arm of Britain’s bloated government is propagandising on behalf of another.
This morning, the BBC published an article, and ran with a story on the BBC Breakfast programme about ‘reductions’ in the budget of the National Health Service (NHS). Of course, given the government’s ring-fencing commitment, there are no real-term reductions to the NHS budget. But let’s not let the facts stand in the way.
The BBC is deliberately portraying the view that the ‘NHS could get worse by 2013’, based on testimony of 45 NHS finance directors. That’s right. Finance directors. Hold that thought.
According to the BBC website, “fresh fears are being raised in England that cuts will have to be made to the front line of the NHS if it is to cope”.
Of course legitimate concerns should be aired, particularly if front line staffs have registered their thoughts. But what we are dealing with here is a survey based on the opinions of 45 directors of finance at the NHS who are obviously naturally inclined to protect their ever-expanding budgets. The BBC’s slant therefore on this research serves the organisation’s social, political and economic agenda, all the while bolstering factual inaccuracies and giving a greater voice to vested interests.
According to research published by the think tank The Kings Fund, a small selection of NHS managers have commented on patient care as though they are qualified doctors or general practitioners. NHS finances directors know as much about front line service impact as the BBC’s accountants know about the intricacies of iPlayer bandwidth throttling.
It is hardly surprising that public sector paper-pushers are incapable of managing the finances available to them, and demand, year on year, more money from the taxpayer. This is especially true when it lines their own pockets.
Using taxpayer’s money of course, the BBC commissioned a ComRes survey which adds to the spin of the idea of an ‘under-funded’ NHS. According to the poll, 60 percent suggested services would have to be cut.
Obviously, with all polls, respondents are motivated to give specific responses based on the wording of the question. In this case, the BBC has capitalised on exactly that in asking a loaded question. The survey asked for an ‘agree or disagree’ response from the following statement, “I expect that the NHS will have to stop providing some treatments and services in the future due to rising costs and demand”.
See what they did there? This is attempting to influence the participant’s response. What the BBC failed to mention on its website is that 73 percent of 1,005 people think there is room for the NHS to save money without affecting the standards of care provided.
The discussion of NHS reform is an important debate which needs to be had among the public, but the BBC’s attempts to brainwash civil society into believing that if we do not pump extra tax payers’ money into funding the NHS, the British healthcare system will collapse. This is nothing short of devious and despicable big government propaganda? Mad yet? I bet you are. Complained yet? Here’s a link.
BBC portrays the view that the National Health Service 'could get worse by 2013' based on NHS finance directors' biased judgement
By Natalie Glanvill
Readers won’t be surprised to hear that yet again, one arm of Britain’s bloated government is propagandising on behalf of another.
This morning, the BBC published an article, and ran with a story on the BBC Breakfast programme about ‘reductions’ in the budget of the National Health Service (NHS). Of course, given the government’s ring-fencing commitment, there are no real-term reductions to the NHS budget. But let’s not let the facts stand in the way.
The BBC is deliberately portraying the view that the ‘NHS could get worse by 2013’, based on testimony of 45 NHS finance directors. That’s right. Finance directors. Hold that thought.
According to the BBC website, “fresh fears are being raised in England that cuts will have to be made to the front line of the NHS if it is to cope”.
Of course legitimate concerns should be aired, particularly if front line staffs have registered their thoughts. But what we are dealing with here is a survey based on the opinions of 45 directors of finance at the NHS who are obviously naturally inclined to protect their ever-expanding budgets. The BBC’s slant therefore on this research serves the organisation’s social, political and economic agenda, all the while bolstering factual inaccuracies and giving a greater voice to vested interests.
According to research published by the think tank The Kings Fund, a small selection of NHS managers have commented on patient care as though they are qualified doctors or general practitioners. NHS finances directors know as much about front line service impact as the BBC’s accountants know about the intricacies of iPlayer bandwidth throttling.
It is hardly surprising that public sector paper-pushers are incapable of managing the finances available to them, and demand, year on year, more money from the taxpayer. This is especially true when it lines their own pockets.
Using taxpayer’s money of course, the BBC commissioned a ComRes survey which adds to the spin of the idea of an ‘under-funded’ NHS. According to the poll, 60 percent suggested services would have to be cut.
Obviously, with all polls, respondents are motivated to give specific responses based on the wording of the question. In this case, the BBC has capitalised on exactly that in asking a loaded question. The survey asked for an ‘agree or disagree’ response from the following statement, “I expect that the NHS will have to stop providing some treatments and services in the future due to rising costs and demand”.
See what they did there? This is attempting to influence the participant’s response. What the BBC failed to mention on its website is that 73 percent of 1,005 people think there is room for the NHS to save money without affecting the standards of care provided.
The discussion of NHS reform is an important debate which needs to be had among the public, but the BBC’s attempts to brainwash civil society into believing that if we do not pump extra tax payers’ money into funding the NHS, the British healthcare system will collapse. This is nothing short of devious and despicable big government propaganda? Mad yet? I bet you are. Complained yet? Here’s a link.