Pilgrim's progress - and MP's involvement

Two letters to Boston Eye in as many days have raised issues regarding the town’s Pilgrim Hospital.
The first, from Independent Boston Borough Councillor Brian Rush, concerns the hospital, our MP Mark Simmonds, and his involvement with the private, stock exchange listed, Circle Health Care.
Circle is a so-called John Lewis-style partnership  - which has been appointed to manage the debt-ridden Hinchingbrooke hospital in Huntingdon.
It is the first time in NHS history that a private company has been given the right to deliver a full range of hospital services – re-igniting a debate about the use of business in the health sector.
Circle also employs Mr Simmonds - a former shadow minister for health - as a strategic adviser at £50,000 a year - paid in quarterly instalments of £12,500 ... each for ten hours’ work.
Councillor Rush writes:
“Am I right in suggesting that we may have now discovered that the truth behind MP Mark Simmonds sudden interest in the Pilgrim Hospital may be more to do with his business relationship with Circle Healthcare.
“I am not opposed to any initiative that will improve our health service, so long as users are well provided for, and the administration is well regulated and accountable.
“I confess, I was somewhat surprised recently when Mark Simmonds added his own condemnation to the criticism - reported by the media - regarding the level of care and service at Pilgrim Hospital.
“The charitable soul that I am, conceded that it may well have been due to his new local residential status, which might at last be allowing him to take more of an interest in his local electorate than he had previously.
“It would be disingenuous of me to try to defend substandard health care - if it is in fact true – but ... if we begin to discover that the true reason for Mr Simmonds’s observations over past weeks and months, was not because of a genuine concern for patients, but more to do with promoting and furthering the ambitions of a private company - in which he has a declared financial interest - then he should be absolutely ashamed of himself.
“I am hopeful that I have misunderstood the situation, and that his efforts are honourable.”
Our second letter is from regular reader Robin Smith
“What a mind boggling week of reports on Boston Eye regarding what is really going on in the dark recesses in the Rotten Borough of Boston,” he writes.
“It’s really mind blowing to see what antics our substandard governing representatives are actually up to - or not - as the case may be.
“Their total disregard for the views and opinions of the hard-working and law-abiding local and small businesspeople of the town seems to know no bounds.
“As is very obvious to all in the area, our once highly-esteemed Pilgrim Hospital and its very hard working and dedicated staff are still having to endure constant and ongoing denigration - despite the fact that none of these problems were created by them, but by the increase in demand caused by the elephant in the room that is the huge rapid and continuing increase in the town’s population - plus the simultaneous budget shortfall, and ongoing vast budget cuts yet to come - when what is required is a huge increase in budget to match the rise in numbers of our new residents.
“Of course, politics and the compulsory inferior management compound the situation.
“Our supposed member of parliament’s response to the very serious Pilgrim situation has had me quite puzzled for some time.
“I - along with many other locals - actually expected him to stand up and bang the drum vigorously - for what is, after all, the town’s and his constituency’s greatest asset and employer – but, of course, what you expect you rarely get.
“I was recently told by a reliable union source that the problems at Pilgrim are so serious that ward closures and redundancies of up to 800 staff have been proposed and are a real possibility in the near future.
“Time will tell on that one.
“An ambulance service source informed me that it was not at all unusual at times to have 8-10 vehicles with patients waiting outside the grossly overworked A&E department, as there were often no trolleys or beds available in the entire hospital.
“Yes, I am a retired health service worker, and was proud to have worked for the service in the area for many years.
“The following snippets from a report in the Daily Torygraph regarding failing hospitals set my alarm bells ringing.
"’Hinchingbrooke Hospital will be handed over to Circle, one of Britain's most prominent health care providers.’
“The report also states that as part of the contract, Circle could earn up to £40 million in fees over the next decade.
“Around twenty other failing hospitals are out to tender.
“I wonder, could this possibly be what the future holds for Pilgrim Hospital - as sadly it still appears to be failing - and could a possible conflict of interest be on the horizon for someone.”

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