A Chronicle of Decline

Acrylic-bob · 07-02-2012, 10:08

I will have to stop reading the Daily Telegraph, it is not good for my blood pressure.

I had a look at the UK News for today and to be honest a quick scan of the headlines damn near left me spitting blood.

Here, in no particular order, are some of them.

A Muslim Loony who is a threat to our national security must be freed on bail.

Civil servants are to be sent to school to learn how to spend public money.

Mp's should get taxpayer funded iPads.

British Railways need 30 years of investment to match Europe.

BAA: Heathrow can't cope with snow.

Head Teachers lacking leadership.

NHS facing £15.7billion cost for rising number of negligence claims.

NHS spends £23 million per year on translators.

Paratrooper faces charges for punching taliban insurgent.

Lesbian parents 'betrayed' by gay father demanding to see his son.

I'm not a right wing reactionary. In fact I have no political alliegence at all.
But, please, There is something seriously and sadly wrong with a country that can provoke these sorts of headlines on a daily basis - isn't there?

Margaret Pilkington · 07-02-2012, 10:25

Like you, I am sick of reading such stories.
I do not know of another country in the world that would allow a racist muslim cleric to remain in this country knowing that he still poses a risk. I would cast him adrift in the Irish sea in a leaky bathtub....his family with him.
He hates us all, but is happy for us to feed, put a roof over his head and clothe him and his brood.

I really do despair. If I were younger, I would leave these shores in a heartbeat. This is not a country I know.

cashman · 07-02-2012, 12:02

I see Labour have been given permission to "Ask n Urgent Question" concerning the release of this guy! This to me is complete Bullshine, n poilitical point scoring,considering the fact they were "Against" n E.U. Referendum.

someone tell me please,What good will a question do?

Less · 07-02-2012, 12:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

NHS spends £23 million per year on translators.

This one had a tickle at my brain cell.

Are we getting translators so that the Doctors can understand the patients?

Or

Are we getting translators so that patients can understand the Doctors?

Or

Are we having to double up on translators so that the Foreign Doctors can be translated into English by one translator, then a second translator explains to the foreign patient in his language and so on.

cashman · 07-02-2012, 12:45

Why pay anything fer translators?

23 million, just highlights the stupidity of our country,

When i lived abroad n late wife was ill, i had to pay n provide me own translators, Which i did without question,n thats how it should be here.

Margaret Pilkington · 07-02-2012, 13:03

In other countries(such as Spain) if you cannot speak the language and need a translator then you pay for that service........not the service provider.
It should be no different over here.
I have seen translators used for people who have been in this country for 20 years.....you would think that during that time they would have picked up some of the language.

Boeing Guy · 07-02-2012, 16:08

When I was I'll in Morocco, nthe nursing staff did not speak English, my French is not great. We managed, just. At no time was a translator offered.
And I paid a small fortune for my stay.
We are such a soft touch, thanks to the bleeding hearts....

accyman · 07-02-2012, 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

NHS spends £23 million per year on translators.

cant they just point to where it hurts like a child who cant speak does?

Wynonie Harris · 07-02-2012, 16:32

Yes, bleeding hearts like that blustering, ineffectual fool, Cameron, who keeps telling us how bad the ECHR is, but hasn't got the guts to do anything about it...or his pathetically inadequate Home Secretary...or how about Andrew Mitchell and Alan Duncan, who are frittering OUR money away to rich countries like India, because they want to boost their credentials with the liberal elite?

maxthecollie · 07-02-2012, 19:30

Where as the GREAT gone in Great Britain.

MargaretR · 07-02-2012, 19:35

Empires rise and fall.
We are well on the way down.
Nowt to fret about.

susie123 · 07-02-2012, 19:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

This one had a tickle at my brain cell.

Are we getting translators so that the Doctors can understand the patients?

Or

Are we getting translators so that patients can understand the Doctors?

Or

Are we having to double up on translators so that the Foreign Doctors can be translated into English by one translator, then a second translator explains to the foreign patient in his language and so on.

When I was in hospital recently in Lancaster I asked all the doctors and medical students where they came from. The countries included India (quite a lot), Malaysia, Pakistan via Chorley or Nelson, Nepal, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Uganda, Zambia and Hungary via America. All spoke good English and no translation was necessary. These were all doctors one saw day to day. Most of the consultants were British as were most of the junior doctors and I did not come across any foreign nurses or domestic staff, not even from Eastern Europe.

A recent programme on More4 about nurses in a Birmingham hospital had more foreign staff as you would expect in a large city but even there there did not appear to be a problem with language.

accyman · 07-02-2012, 19:58

since the doctor at accy vitoria A&E left who couldnt speak english and had to have 3 nurses figure out what he said so they could tell you the chances of leaving the hospital knowing what is wrong with you has greatly increased

i dont know the doctors name but i think a lot of people will know which one im refering to

Margaret Pilkington · 07-02-2012, 20:09

I think that in the main the translators are to translate for patients.
I have worked with a vast number of Doctors in the past and most of them had good english, Ok they may not have understood the idioms and sometimes it was necessary to enlighten them when an older person explained they had 'not had a road through them in over a week'...or what a patient meant when they said they felt 'all mazy'.

jaysay · 08-02-2012, 09:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I think that in the main the translators are to translate for patients.
I have worked with a vast number of Doctors in the past and most of them had good english, Ok they may not have understood the idioms and sometimes it was necessary to enlighten them when an older person explained they had 'not had a road through them in over a week'...or what a patient meant when they said they felt 'all mazy'.

The thing is Margaret this is the only country in the world that translators are provided in any walk of life, cashy made the point earlier in the thread, we have become the doormat of the world, every sod wipes their feet on good old UK