Just a quick and simple comment on this one.
Online food shopping, the fact I can sit at my PC, press buttons and have food come out at my door. That is the sign that we as humans have reached a marker point in culture and progress as a race!
Oh sure, you might have horror stories about online shopping but its not that bad. I certainly welcome it over having to walk to the nearest supermarket and carry it all back. Only having my own two legs for transport can be an issue.
But I for one welcome progress. Considering I've grown up through Tesco taking over half the world, the birth of online shopping and "that'll never catch on" to "online food, who doesn't do it?" Its just makes me feel like I'm in the future.
Progress is here and it is good! With that, I shall be sitting here, eating strawberries and cream because I can.
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Monday, 28 June 2010
Writing about the NHS
Oh the joy of working in the NHS. I was originally thinking of having this blog has a rant space about some of the “fun” I have within the NHS. But this probably isn’t a very good idea.
While my contract says things like patient details and money stuff are a no-no, I’m sure complaining and calling people stupid is bad form too. Oh well! But I figure there’s still plenty of infrastructure, operation and such issues I can safely give my views on.
One thing I have been thinking about is the plans to cut spending. I’m a little worried this might hit a lot of the NHS back office functions that I consider really important. Yes there is waste in the NHS, yes there can be too much management and yes treating patients really should come first.
However, there is a MASSIVE amount of data in the NHS. Not just clinical data, admin and statistical data that is both interesting and necessary. Look at the open government data that you can now access. It’s not private, it won’t let anyone steal your bank account but it provides insights for those that are interested. Place like the NHS Information Centre hold data on so many things can help people better plan NHS services, or work out things that can be address the in the way public health is delivered.
With any organisation so big, the behind the scenes stuff will always be huge. And I for one will be feeling good about the fact things like training, average wait for appointments, referrals to different part of the country and much more are all recorded and analysed.
That and I enjoy the nerdy thrill of being able to pipe up with “Did you know that....” spout off some figures and know I have this mountain if data to back me up. Yeah, I’m just that nerdy.
While my contract says things like patient details and money stuff are a no-no, I’m sure complaining and calling people stupid is bad form too. Oh well! But I figure there’s still plenty of infrastructure, operation and such issues I can safely give my views on.
One thing I have been thinking about is the plans to cut spending. I’m a little worried this might hit a lot of the NHS back office functions that I consider really important. Yes there is waste in the NHS, yes there can be too much management and yes treating patients really should come first.
However, there is a MASSIVE amount of data in the NHS. Not just clinical data, admin and statistical data that is both interesting and necessary. Look at the open government data that you can now access. It’s not private, it won’t let anyone steal your bank account but it provides insights for those that are interested. Place like the NHS Information Centre hold data on so many things can help people better plan NHS services, or work out things that can be address the in the way public health is delivered.
With any organisation so big, the behind the scenes stuff will always be huge. And I for one will be feeling good about the fact things like training, average wait for appointments, referrals to different part of the country and much more are all recorded and analysed.
That and I enjoy the nerdy thrill of being able to pipe up with “Did you know that....” spout off some figures and know I have this mountain if data to back me up. Yeah, I’m just that nerdy.
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Killing time
As the weather currently means I'm also too hot to even live, now is the time for me to do as little as possible and enjoy trying to stay cool.
I'm mostly calm on the NHS front at the moment. Though I do need to get around to reading the new framework sometime soon, just not right now. Remember kids, not all targets are bad.
At the moment I'm working my way through Pandora's Star. It’s the first Peter F. Hamilton book I've gotten around to picking up. The sense of epic scale and massive, massive amounts of world (galaxy) building going on are really good in my view. He paints pictures of this world he has created then keeps on painting. The chapter where he just outlines the history and growth of an entire species, while technically being an infodump, is a window into a very alien world and certain one of the most inhuman set of aliens I've read in sci-fi lately. I'll certainly be picking up his other stuff soon.
On the less high culture side, Steam currently has an epic summer sale and I can feel my bank balance dying already. Shiny new ways to blow things up? Yes please!
My other currently big time killer is new Internet media. Falling prices of recording equipment and video capture/editing software, plus increased home computing power and space make it all possible. Internet fan movies have been a slow growing thing, and I really need to start watching some.
But what really peaked my Internet was a few Internet review shows I've been watching. Along with just interesting me as a nerd, seems more than a few people are using them to backdoor their own creative ideas. And I really like this. Booking shows with skits of various natures and showing off a little film making talent. Sure its amateur backyard stuff, but some of it is really cool.
From the internet fame of series like Red vs Blue, to things That Guy With The Glasses does, I just approve. Nice to think "hmmm, nothing on on-demand TV, but that's ok, because there's an entire web series I've been meaning to watch!" While I can only speak for the more geeky fandom stuff, I'm sure there will stuff out there doesn't use video games / sci-fi as a creative source.
I'm mostly calm on the NHS front at the moment. Though I do need to get around to reading the new framework sometime soon, just not right now. Remember kids, not all targets are bad.
At the moment I'm working my way through Pandora's Star. It’s the first Peter F. Hamilton book I've gotten around to picking up. The sense of epic scale and massive, massive amounts of world (galaxy) building going on are really good in my view. He paints pictures of this world he has created then keeps on painting. The chapter where he just outlines the history and growth of an entire species, while technically being an infodump, is a window into a very alien world and certain one of the most inhuman set of aliens I've read in sci-fi lately. I'll certainly be picking up his other stuff soon.
On the less high culture side, Steam currently has an epic summer sale and I can feel my bank balance dying already. Shiny new ways to blow things up? Yes please!
My other currently big time killer is new Internet media. Falling prices of recording equipment and video capture/editing software, plus increased home computing power and space make it all possible. Internet fan movies have been a slow growing thing, and I really need to start watching some.
But what really peaked my Internet was a few Internet review shows I've been watching. Along with just interesting me as a nerd, seems more than a few people are using them to backdoor their own creative ideas. And I really like this. Booking shows with skits of various natures and showing off a little film making talent. Sure its amateur backyard stuff, but some of it is really cool.
From the internet fame of series like Red vs Blue, to things That Guy With The Glasses does, I just approve. Nice to think "hmmm, nothing on on-demand TV, but that's ok, because there's an entire web series I've been meaning to watch!" While I can only speak for the more geeky fandom stuff, I'm sure there will stuff out there doesn't use video games / sci-fi as a creative source.
Monday, 21 June 2010
Changes to NHS Targets
Hmmm only a short thought at the moment.
Maybe its because I'm young in NHS terms and I only really know the post 18 Weeks world, but I like it.
Yes targets lead to some bad things, but they have good things for a lot of patients. Helps stop people get losts in the shuffle which can happen.
Eh, pros and cons. Have to see what it all turns out in my Trust. And write up some more serious ideas later.
Also, damn you Amazon, hurry up and deliver my CDs! *shakes fist*
Maybe its because I'm young in NHS terms and I only really know the post 18 Weeks world, but I like it.
Yes targets lead to some bad things, but they have good things for a lot of patients. Helps stop people get losts in the shuffle which can happen.
Eh, pros and cons. Have to see what it all turns out in my Trust. And write up some more serious ideas later.
Also, damn you Amazon, hurry up and deliver my CDs! *shakes fist*
Sunday, 20 June 2010
First post test thingy
For whatever reason I feel like starting a blog and rambling about things. Not sure if this will take off or not. Shall have to wait and see on that one.
Right now I'm going to tweak a few things, get the feel for blogger and see what I can come up with.
Right now I'm going to tweak a few things, get the feel for blogger and see what I can come up with.
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