Brown set to oppose MP pay rise

Too bloody right after the panning he's given the rest of the public sector. I wander if they'll delay the MPs' pay rise to give a below-inflation award?

Doubt it though...

Merry Christmas everybody - all God's blessings!

Lost Data (again!)

Yet more data seems to have been lost recently, and apparently private firms (in addition to government departments) are coming forward admitting to losing customers data! Of course this can't all be a coincidence that we are hearing all about these loses at the same time - my interpretation is that loses of personl data happen all the time, and we are hearing about so many because the press are baying about it all! I have to say I'm not encouraged to apply for an ID card!

What's even more galling is that recently a doctor was struck off by the GMC for amongst other things taking patient details around with him - at least he didn't lose them! I wonder if the government will suffer such consequences?

Tunisia

Just a few photos of our recent holiday to Tunisia - very long overdue!

Up North

Hello all,

Well, we're finally settling in up in Manchester, so I thought I'd better at least try and get back in to updating the ol' blog.

It's only been 4 months since I moved up (3 since Lorna joined me) but it feels like we've been here for ever. We've settled into a town called Altrincham, just south of Manchester city centre, which has trams into the city but it's own little town centre which is very well serviced for restaurants and bars. That might explain why we were so attracted to it!

We've joined a church, Altrincham Baptist Church, which is a large, vibrant family church with lots going on. We're slowly getting into going to house group and getting to know lots of new people who all seem very nice. I think I'll hold off getting involved with doing too much for the moment, until we get more settled, but we have already helped decorate a new community centre which the church is taking over.

Work is busy as ever! I'm based at Wigan hospital, working in the theatres and intensive care unit. I'm also sitting postgraduate exams (the Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists this time) - I recently passed one, quite miraculously, and I'm sitting another at the end of January which I don't have high hopes for (as always!)

Lorna is currently locumming as a GP, so spends lots of time trying to navigate around greater Manchester finding GP surgeries, which are usually in really obscure places! She starts a permanent job in February in Warrington in a lovely practice, so that's a real answer to prayer.

On a sadder note, my Grandad fell recently and broke his hip. Fortunately, Broomfield patched him up and he's on the mend now, but we're not really very sure about the future, whether he'll cope living with mum and dad, etc. That happening really made me miss Essex and being close to everyone.

We often wander how all is in Bicknacre and St Andrew's, and we continue to pray for everyone. In many ways we miss being so close, but we're so blessed in lots of other ways and joining another exciting and vibrant community and absence definitely makes us realise how much we love everyone down in Essex. Life really suits us up here and we can't wait to get involved in more stuff (and try out Altrincham's Michelin starred restaurant, Juniper). We've already had some visitors from Essex and we're looking forward to loads more, we've made an offer on a house near where we're renting a flat, and we're starting to make some friends here. The next step is to start to explore some of the amazing scenery up here, like the Peak District and the Lakes!

Thanks for all your prayers through what has been a busy and emotional time - I'll try and update a bit more regularly from now on! God bless...

Manchester

Following on from last month's post, I have accepted my job in Manchester after lots of hard praying and thinking. It has been a very hard decision to make, but both Lorna and I felt that God was pushing us in this direction, and many of our friends have confirmed this with their advice. Obviously we are sad to leave Bicknacre, but we can't wait to see what's in store for us up north. I'll be using this blog to keep you updated, but due to the obscene amount of stuff we have to do in such a short time, there may be even fewer posts than normal!

Does God read the Independent?

An advert appeared in The Independent yesterday, reportedly from God, speaking directly to George Bush! For the full text go to http://www.forgodssake.org/, and for an amusing comment check out Ekklesia.

I have a job!

I have been offered a job! On Sunday I recieved an e-mail from the North West Deanery, offering me a training post for 6 years in anaesthetics (which would result in me being a consultant at the end!) The job is in Manchester and the surrounding area, which I've heard is a very good scheme, and is an excellent experience.

We're still waiting to find out if London want to offer me one too (which may mean that we could stay where we are currently), but if not, Lorna and I would have to move "Up North", which would be stressful, but exciting too. Of course we'd really miss all our friends and family in the south of England, and we'd probably get very homesick to start with, but I'm sure God knows what he's doing.

The question is, if I do get an offer for a London training job, will it be in a location that means we can stay where we are? If we'd have to move anyway, it would be a real struggle to decide where to go. We're just praying that God will make it really obvious where He wants us!

Do Doctors get paid too much?

A brilliant quote from a GP in the Telegraph...

"Per patient, per year, I am paid approximately £50, regardless of how many times I see them. That's a year's unlimited cover. The cheapest policy I could find for pet insurance - for a hamster - was £65 a year, plus £50 excess. So your health care costs less than your pet rodent's. GPs are excellent value for money."

Suck on that, Patsy!

Still waiting

Sorry to harp on, but we're still waiting to find out where we're going to be working in August - we may not be told until the beginning of June now! I think this is deeply unfair, especially as many people will have to sell their houses and move children to new schools. As junior doctors, we're not seen by politicians as humans, just machines to be exploited. Well I suppose MTAS, the computer applications system for these jobs has at least been scrapped, although the underlying structure beneath it, MMC is still ploughing on through! Lorna and I just have to try and keep our faith in God - that he will make good out of whatever happens...

On another note, Christianity magazine this month is fantastic - if you don't buy it - I'd thoroughly recommend it. I think it certainly has some messages for me, and our church...

Sometimes it rains

Well, regarding the job thing - the government have delayed telling us whether we have a job or not, to try and rejig the computer applications system so it's fairer. Actually what they're ending up doing is changing it so that it's equally unfair for everyone! Therefore, we now have to wait until June for a final answer. Whether they'll fill the posts in time for the 1st Augsut when every junior doctor's contract runs out at the same time remains to be seen!

In life, we find that sometimes it really does rain - burdens seem to pour onto our already soaked backs, weighing us down and dampening our spirits. I want to share our last couple of weeks with you (if you don't mind being shared with!)

It started when our Nissan Micra boot clamped shut - it wouldn't open no matter what we did! Lorna had some important documents in there so we had to weasle our way past the back seats. Then I found out that the Mazda's coolant was still leaking despite having paid for a new radiator to supposedly sort out this problem at the beginning of the year. Then the shower broke...

We've just had a new kitchen fitted. Two days after it was put in the brand-new tap busted and wouldn't turn off. In the process of purchasing a new one at B&Q, I got a punctured tyre on the way home and in the process of fitting it, I put my neck into spasm which took me out of work for three days and was agonisingly painful. To finish off last week, Lorna got one of her worst migraines for years, which laid her out for Friday and half of today.

Whilst none of these things really are particularly disastrous, they add up to generate a pretty horrible time, especially when you're trying to revise for exams, worry about job security and work full time! Without the support of our family, friends and most of all God, we'd be in even worse states than we are. Jesus says "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"  (Matthew 11:28)  The Bible also said of Jesus: "And he will be called...Wonderful Counselor..." (Isaiah 9:6)

He wants to help us with our problems, to be there with us in our pain, and to hold us when we're going through turmoil. We just have to let Him, and to learn to let Him in...

Interested?  Have a look at Rob Bell's short films at Nooma.com particularly at his title "Rain".

Doctors training system falling apart

I wrote recently about the new system for applying to training posts for junior doctors. Well, it has been unveiled, and failed on every level! I won't bore you with too many details, but the computer program crashed repeatedly, lost peoples' applications, the shortlisting process was deeply shoddy with no firm guidelines on how points should be awarded to candidates, and some applications not even being read properly. It now seems that the media (finally) are listening to doctors, and kicking up a fuss. The Telegraph has been especially supportive.

With this weight on its shoulders, the DOH has announced a review and slowly this evening details of the conclusions are coming out. I'm not sure of the details currently but hopefully the process should be fairer. However, the fairest way to sort it all out is to scrap the current process and start again. I have got shortlisted for several interviews but I would happily give them up to undergo a fairer system.

I'd urge you to support us by signing the petition at The Telegraph. Don't do it because you feel sorry for junior doctors - if you do, thanks for the support, but if you don't, consider the issue - thousands of the best doctors are being excluded from working in this country and are likely to go abroad. You've paid for their training in taxes. Some doctors employed by this new system may be unfit to practise. If you care about your family's and your own health, then you owe it to yourself to harrangue the government as much as possible.

Over and out...

New church website

Loads of stuff seems to be happening at church at the moment - Alpha, Lent groups as well as the usual murder mystery and quiz nights! I'm a bit gutted that work and job seeking is so all encompassing at the moment - and work could even take us away from Essex to another part of the country altogether. Still, one thing I've been involved with is the church website at http://www.bicknacrechurch.org.uk. At the moment it's very basic, but we're working on a new improved version which should be online shortly! I'll try and keep you updated...

New job

The government in their infinite wisdom has decided to modify the way doctors train and create a new process called "Modernising Medical Careers" (MMC). So, for the last few weeks I have been beavering away at my application so that I can join this new system. If I do not get into MMC, I have no job in August - no pressure then!

It seems that most of the known world have decided that they want to join MMC too, so there are many more applicants than there are jobs. I'm up against stiff competition, but I'm hoping that God has it all in hand. We're hoping to stay in the area we live now, but with MMC, I have the potential to end up anywhere in the country. Therefore we'd be very grateful for your prayers that we can stay in our local church, where all our Christian family are and where we think God has plans for us. Thanks very much, God bless...

Various pics of Ireland people (mostly Lorna!)

 

New Pictures

Happy new year everyone! I hope yours was as enjoyable as mine (in a pub in Donegal, Ireland!). I've tried out the new digital camera and have posted a few landscapes on pixmania.co.uk's site, so please check them out and let me know what you think...

Ireland

Around Essex

Just click on "Diaporama" for a slide show.