A bit political

2 minute read time.

FormerMember

3 May 2017

I don't normally post stuff like this, but considering the current political climate, I feel compelled to share.
So at the start of April my life was saved by having entire stomach surgically removed and what is left of my oesophagus tied to my intestines. It's sore, really sore. I'm having to learn to eat and walk all over again, and at night I am fed through a tube in my stomach. I spent 6 days in intensive care and at one point had to have an urgent blood transfusion (which isn't as exciting as it sounds). The main thing is though, I'm alive and thanks to the NHS - specifically the amazing team at Wishaw General - have a decent chance of living a normal life.

What is particularly enlightening to me is the role of "migrants" in my care. For my operation, I was anaesthetised by a Pole and an Irishman, my surgeons were Lebanese and Pakistani and I would imagine that a number of the theatre nurses were not from the uk: I can't confirm this though as I was busy being under a general anaesthetic. During my 6 days in intensive care I was cared for with admirable professionalism and tenderness by Scottish, Irish and Ugandan nurses. I have never felt so vulnerable - I have never felt so safe. My blood transfusion was administered by a Brazilian.

Once in a normal ward, I was tended to by at least 3 Europeans whose nationalities I didn't manage to ask, an Albanian, a Ukrainian, as well as a number of UK born professionals. My dietician is Finnish. I find it very unlikely that this experience was atypical and I can't see how it is possible that the NHS can continue to function without the input of these talented and caring health workers from beyond our shores. The NHS, and Scotland specifically, NEEDS foreign workers to be able to function at a level whereby our citizens lives can be saved, and improved, and helped, both physically and emotionally. This is just talking practically, without considering the societal enrichment we experience from sharing our lives with people who have a different world view. These people, and other eu citizens working in our society, must be allowed to remain and work here without prejudice or fear of being forced to leave. For all our sakes.

FormerMember over 7 years ago

Ditto,

From Thailand through to Portugal I reckon 70% of the staff I saw were foreign. We need them to keep the NHS afloat.
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Zappaman over 7 years ago

Graeme, you are spot on with the stuff you have said about the NHS staff. I was in Edinburgh royal Infirmary and came across several nationalities in various roles. Our NHS could not function without them, and we Scots have migrated to other countries as economic migrants. I think much of our current problems go way back to the late 1970's when a succession of governments done away with apprenticeship training and dumbed down the education system. Many people who are against foreign workers have been working in warehousing and distribution and other " unskilled " jobs. I do forklift training throughout the country and in many of these places over the last few years the growth of foreign workers is quite staggering. In many places over half the workforce is eastern European, I've been told it's partly because they won't say anything if getting treated unfairly and won't say no when asked to work overtime at short notice. I am still grateful for the foreign workers in the NHS but I think the shortage of skilled staff has been caused by funding cutbacks and a desire to have it privatised. Many of the voices ranting about the foreign workers would maybe change their tune if pointed out to them that the majority of players and top management in the English premiership were foreign workers.
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FormerMember over 7 years ago

Glad to see you are fit and blogging Graeme. This has been my observation via the private hospital route however I found that all of the nursing staff were of UK descent however the consultants and technicians tended to be from the EU and beyond. For me this is a real deal breaker for the union. This is where Scotland has to say enough is enough and get out of the mess that the RUK has caused themselves. In reality Scotland thrives from the the idea of a migrant mix of people. It makes the country productive and interesting and without this opportunity will leave the country baron and heavily dependant on the UK for more subsides. Perhaps this is what West Minster wants, back to a time where Scotland was mainly used for hunting and fishing? Anyway rant over, good to here from you.
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