Doctor Iain Kennedy is everywhere in the MSM, forecasting doom and scaring the old and vulnerable in a manner quite unworthy of a trained medic
As the ever alert MSM Monitor has noted he fails to mention what his UK HQ has reported:
NHS would not survive without the contribution of overseas healthcare workers, BMA says
Instead, he joins that venal posse of opposition politicians in blaming the ‘SNP Government.’
Again as MSM Monitor has revealed, he seems far too fond of that other part-timer, Sandesh Gulhane MSP (Con):
Kennedy is presented as a top or leading doctor when he’s just the convenor of the Scottish branch of the BMA, a trade union.
Top or leading doctors manage teams of cutting edge specialists in giant hospitals or do the latest research into complex conditions.
As a union rep he’s not even a regular doctor.
Talking-up Scotland 
This is part of a softening up exercise for further privatisation of NHS services in Scotland to bring them closer to the significantly private health care system which now exists as NHS England.
Having created a sense of ‘a broken NHS’ by years of horror stories quoted unexamined by the media (which are owned by the wealthy), the media will run stories on how we need to ‘introduce new thinking’ and the ‘innovation of the private sector’ will be punted as the way to achieve this. As we were told when water, gas, electricity, railways, buses, etc were privatised, privatisation would ‘sweep away’ the ‘dinosaur mentality’ of ‘nationalised institutions in thrall to the bully boys of public sector trade unions’ and create an ‘agile, creative, adaptable’ provision based on ‘competition between providers’, because it is competition and ‘the need to survive in the chill winds of the marketplace’ that ‘produce a continual stream of new ideas’.
What they do is fragment an integrated service and hive off the bits that are working well and deal with niche matters and monopolise these and so make huge profits especially as the owners can control both supply and demand.
While the majority of health service staff have a public service ethos there are those who, in Aneurin Bevan’s words “have to have their mouths stuffed with money”.
The ‘poacher turned gamekeeper or indeed owner’ trope is well known.
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Has Dr Kennedy heard of the Hippocratic Oath-
”Primum non nocere – First do no harm !”
Has he considered what effect his comments might have on some in the general public ?
Already people are avoiding GPs and A & E depts as they hear the daily wailings of Baillie and Gulhane as they predict the NHS apocalypse .
While he is right to fight for better wages/conditions for his members he should temper his language – unless he has a political agenda ( that may not be shared by his fellow doctors ) ?
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To expand on your first point “the Hippocratic Oath-
”Primum non nocere – First do no harm !””
Surely this is un-contestable grounds for them both to be
“struck off”
Considering the damage they are doing not to the mental health of one or two individuals but an entire nation.
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It’s getting more and more difficult to know what to believe. We always knew that a second referendum would bring unionists crawling out of the woodwork but even I’m gobsmacked by the amount of vitriol thrown at the Scottish Government and our emergency services as well as every other initiative put forward by the SNP. While I may not agree with everything they do, they are streets ahead of Westminster as far as their primary duty as a government is concerned which is looking after their citizens.
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Phoned 111 had to wait a while first person very professional,second the same was told details sent to health board I would receive phone call sometime not long after phone could I go to OOH saw Dr very,very good 100% satisfaction and that was all on Xmas day,
The person the article above in my mind is not fit the lick the shoes of the Doctor I saw the NHS Scotland is safe in their hands.
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They know it will scare the old folks, and they will blame the SNP, even though they receive excellent care via the Scottish NHS. Propaganda works, or the British Nationalists on London wouldn’t deploy their tactics using their not so Scottish media. Scotland’s democracy is under attack, so we need to share articles, pro independence blogs and sites and Ytube channels as much as possible.
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Interestingly Dr Kennedy’s piece (1 day old 🤣{Tardis}) has finally been demoted on BBC/Scotland/Politics page to make way for “MP has SNP whip restored following misconduct ban”… I guess that is HMS James Cook’s (or The State of a Secretary for flounce in Scotland’s) latest gambit, perhaps incontinent pigeons may may make a comeback…
I’ve no doubt Kennedy was thinking of his members when he was offered free publicity by HMS James Cook, but I doubt he could have made a bigger arse of it were he coached by Disaster Baillie herself.
As posted earlier, GP’s are furious over how their pension scheme has been interfered with by Westminster – Yet not a word by Scotland’s BMA chief.
It’s questionable whether Kennedy’s comments made it intact across the Nick Robinson editing suite at the BBC, but one thing clear is abundantly clear yet again is that Scotland’s media are complicit in obscuring the dire state of England’s NHS.
I’d earlier posted elsewhere this clip from BBC Wales, beyond the HMS James Cook and Scotland Office bubbleverse, it really contrasts the uniqueness of BBC Scotland…
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It’s not that the BMA doesn’t criticise government for the present state of the NHS across the UK – it does. From reviewing its press statements and particularly the quotes from its spokespersons appearing in the mainstream media, the difference is in the language, the tone used by BMAS representatives towards the various governments in UK.
The tone typically appears much more inflammatory and more political in Scotland. And by accident or design, statements from BMA Scotland appear more aligned in timing and topic with those of the political opposition to the Scottish Government. We know that the latter takes every opportunity not just to politicise the NHS in Scotland but to sustain a media campaign directed personally at the Cabinet Secretary for Health – the efforts of the Baillie/Gulhane scalp hunters are not replicated elsewhere in the UK.
For comparison, from the Belfast Telegraph (November 17 2022): ‘Chancellor warned that a new round of austerity could set our economy back ‘a decade’:
‘Dr Tom Black, chair of the British Medical Association’s NI Council, said if he was able to speak to Mr Hunt, the first thing he would say is: “PLEASE FUND THE HEALTH SERVICE.” (my emphasis)
“WE NEED EXTRA FUNDING BROUGHT IN and a three-year budget so NI’s health service can plan ahead, because the only way you can plan ahead is hire enough workforce to deal with the workload,” he added.
“I DON’T EXPECT THE CHANCELLOR FOR THE UK TO FOCUS ON NORTHERN IRELAND, but the specific issue he needs to focus on is THE DEFICIT FOR THE BUDGET HERE FOR THE HEALTH SERVICE. Although we are living in constrained times, we would hope he has a clear view and does the best he can for the health service. We have our fingers crossed, but as usual, we are prepared to be disappointed.”
From the online health publication PULSE (November 17, 2022): ‘Government auditors berate ‘unevidenced’ A&G (‘advice and guidance) plan amid GP workload pressure’
On the Westminster government’s recovery plan for NHS England: ‘.. the BMA said the funding allocated for tackling the elective waiting list must be ‘urgently reviewed’, but that ‘no amount of money’ will clear the backlog ‘without the people to deliver it’. BMA council deputy chair Dr Emma Runswick said: ‘AS THIS (NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE) REPORT RIGHTLY POINTS OUT, CHRONIC PAY EROSION, PUNITIVE PENSION TAXATION, AND DWINDLING STAFF MORALE ARE ALL CONTRIBUTING TO A MASS EXODUS OF STAFF.
‘The suggestion that other parts of the NHS should pick up more work to chip away at the backlog SHOWS A TOTAL DISREGARD FOR THE UNDERLYING PROBLEMS IN THE SYSTEM AND HOW TO GO ABOUT FIXING THEM.’
I note that the BMA Council has approved a national strike ballot of its junior doctor members in England from Monday 9 January 2023.
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IS HE RELATED TO LEONARD OR HIS UNION WIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sent from my iPad
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The Heakthcare staff are leaving because of bad conditions and Brexit.
Union reps are supposed to side with their members and promote better conditions. No side with the Tory Gov. They are causing the problems with Austerity and Brexit. Not funding the NHS properly and ignoring pandemic warning to concentrate on Brexit. Some union rep supporting the union that is responsible for any problems in the NHS. Instead of accusing the ones responsible. The Tory Westminster Gov. Or supporting the taxpayers the ones paying for it. For better healthcare. The NHS unanimously supported by the public. Wanting the funding increased, instead of wasted, by Tory wasters. They will not last a year.
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