QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL

Came across an article in the Times last Friday about our local Hospital and have to say I found it all rather disturbing. If you want to read the full version, just click here. However to sum up, it seems that QEH is 'technically' bankrupt. What exactly that means, who knows, surely you are or you're not!! It's all down to the PFI contract, which was used to build QEH in 2001. The repayments on the contract mean that the hospitals fixed costs (things they have to pay for, before they treat a single patient) are double those of other hospitals, but the money they get for treating patients does not take these extra costs into account, so if you go to QEH for treatment they have 6% less money to look after you. This makes me wonder what they are cutting back on.

I have to come clean at this point that I am not a fan of the place, ever since they nearly killed a friend of mine through incorrect treatment, which they then lied through their teeth about, to try and cover up their ineptitude. But I digress.

The really stupid thing is that in order to try and solve the accounting problem, patients will be directed away from financially prudent hospitals, and directed towards the ones which signed dodgy PFI deals and don't necessarily have the money to do the job properly. This seems to be the economics of the madhouse and if nothing is done the problem will go on for 30 years or so! By which time no doubt, the building will be in such a poor state it will need to be replaced with the help of a new PFI.
So if you have ever have the misfortune to go to QEH you will find one thing they don't spend much on is the food. I don't think I have ever seen such unappetising fare and meager portions this side of a workhouse. I was so glad I was only visiting, would starve if I were admitted.