Last weekend, I drove to Truro to meet those who have been diligently and regularly attending the Stand In The Park events and weekly meetings. It was lovely to meet other like-minded people and swap contact details. A Stand In The Park is an important asset to any community, as you can learn so much and establish a great support network. Thank you to everyone at the SITP gathering in Truro for making me feel so welcome. God willing, I will be back next Sunday at 10 am. The more the merrier.
Last week, I was honoured to be interviewed by Dr Ahmad Malik, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon—his podcasts can be found here—and I will let you know when our interview is live. We talked about nursing in the 1970s.
I thought we would have a lovely walk down memory lane, an indulgence in happy times when being accepted as a nursing student was an honour, a privilege and a true vocation. Instead, the conversation turned into over an hour of revelations, with plenty of gasps on both sides. I couldn’t believe what the NHS had morphed into when I was busy bringing up my children, and likewise, Ahmad would gasp at the NHS he never knew existed.
One of the revelations will be my first topic today: something I have noticed, but as yet few others are talking about.
Tick Boxes
What is a 'tick-box culture', otherwise known in US English as a ‘check-box culture’? According to Wikipedia:
Tick-box culture or in U.S. English check-box culture, is described as bureaucratic and external impositions on professional working conditions, which can be found in many organizations around the world. Another related term is the culture of performativity.
We are surrounded by systems that include targets, key performance indicators and bureaucracy by the bucket load. The tick-box culture has crept its way into many professional fields; medicine, criminal justice and education, to name but three. But what does the term ‘tick box’ mean for all of us in a day to day setting? I will focus on medicine for now.
When I trained as a nurse, we were allocated patients to care for and would pitch in with other patients whenever needed. Those patients for that shift were my responsibility and I oversaw their care continuously. My day was spent scooting around from one patient to the other, I rarely left their sight. It was not my duty or responsibility to sit at the nurse’s station, write in the medical records or become engrossed in a computer for the day. My job was to ensure my patients were as comfortable as they could be and as relaxed as possible. We didn’t have ‘tick boxes’ to complete, and no patient was a ‘tick box’; they were a vulnerable and often anxious human being, someone’s father, mother, son or daughter.
The first time I heard nurses were having to ‘tick boxes’ was when I interviewed Jenna Platt, the ‘Nurse Who Asks Questions’. Like Dr Malik, Jenna was envious of the training I received, in which I was free to do what I was trained to do; patient-centred care. However, now patients were no longer patients, they had become ‘tick boxes’. No longer were you to be grateful for a box of chocolates from the patients (a sure sign they were grateful for their care); now nurses literally shake at the knees if they haven’t completed their ‘tick-box targets’.
Has the tick-box culture removed a nurse’s ability to give the care that every patient deserves, the compassion, empathy, time and tender loving care that was taught to nurses of my day? I am not the first to ask this question. The BMJ published a paper entitled Tick box cultures and systematised practices may prevent nurses fulfilling their roles as compassionate caregivers.
What happened to questions and answers, or simply, communication through conversation? These 'tick boxes' often require binary choice between a number of different options, but what if the option we require isn’t available or applicable? What if ticking a box stops a nurse talking to a patient? Are we not unique beautiful human beings, or have we simply become a tick in a box? It seems to me the latter. What does a tick in the box mean to the patient? I would argue, nothing. Or is it simply an administrative exercise in order to please those who sit most high?
Patients are vulnerable, often frightened and overwhelmed when admitted to hospital. With that in mind, my final two questions on the subject for this week are:
- Are nurses governed by senior managers and tick boxes?
- What are the priorities for nurses in 2023: ticking boxes or patient centred care?
Finally, it seems that many nurses too frightened to speak up. In my day, we had a Matron, and there was not a tick box in sight. More on my tick box theory in future blogs.
Antivirals
Last week, I was warning of the dangers of some of the novel monoclonal antibodies (those whose names end in -mab) coming down the line, particularly for newborn babies. I promised this week I would look at antivirals, which are easy to identify. If you check the patient information leaflet to see the active ingredient, the antivirals will end with the letters -vir.
As most will know by now, I am a terrain theory kind of girl, so please bear that in mind when reading. I could write an essay on the existence or otherwise of viruses. That said, it is my duty and my job to report on the products that are on the market and being given out today.
Whatever your view on Germ Theory versus Terrain Theory, the fact remains that antivirals do exist, and there are plenty of novel ones coming down the line, courtesy of Big Pharma. Let’s look at a couple you may have heard of and some you may want to research further.
Antivirals are medications that help the body fight off certain alleged ‘viruses’ that can cause disease. Yet many doctors do use antivirals as a prophylactic measure (preventive) either to protect you, or to protect others. That being said, treating a ‘virus’ with anything other than vitamin C, paracetamol and rest was simply unheard of back in my day.
Flu is not the same as a cold, and most of us reading this will have had both. In my experience, no-one wants to go anywhere with a banging headache and high temperature with aches in places you never knew existed. You don’t even have the energy to moan. Genuine influenza will knock even the fittest Royal Marine off his feet for a week.
In my day, if you went to the doctor with a ‘virus’, you were told to go home, take paracetamol, rest and drink plenty of water. Today, you are being asked to take a very toxic medicine when you may not require it. Furthermore, your immune system can do all the hard work very well by itself. Why are we now offering people highly powerful cocktails of drugs when we never did before?
Depending on the antiviral being given (they all work slightly differently), they can allegedly:
- Block receptors, so ‘viruses’ can’t bind together and enter healthy cells
- Boost immune system to help it fight off a ‘viral infection’
- Lower the ‘viral load’ (amount of active virus present)
Antivirals are often used for HIV or other very serious conditions such as Ebola. However, now we are using novel antivirals for flu and Covid–19. How many reading will nod their heads when I ask if you remember Remdesivir, Paxlovid (active ingredients are nirmatelvir and ritonavir) and Molnupiravir? We have talked about them many times on UK Column News. What were the drug companies covering up with Remdesivir? Why was Molnupiravir suddenly discontinued by the MHRA? What research has been done when using vaccines containing mRNA in combination with antivirals? Has anyone thought to look?
Please do your research first, before you agree to anything. Patient information leaflets are paramount in the new synthetic world that we live in, where no-one appears fully informed on anything. If you are offered an antiviral, or one of your loved ones is, consider the risk versus the benefit and be fully informed. Adverse reactions sadly are all too common. Stock up on plenty of fresh air, good company, vitamin C and healthy food to keep your immune system in tip top shape.
New Covid Variants: Eris, Pirola and Fornax
The scaremongering continues. We have reported on Eris and Pirola before, but now we have a new kid on the block dubbed Fornax; the Latin for ‘furnace’. There is that reference to fire again.
So what devastating symptoms do we need to look out for this time? Sore throat, headaches, runny nose, blocked nose, and cough with or without phlegm. Does that sound like a run-of-the-mill cold to you? It does to me, but apparently those are the red flags to look out for.
Are we going to be mandated to wear masks again? It appears that already hospitals are getting their ‘mask up’ signs back out of the cupboards. Did they not get the memo that masks are totally ineffective and often cause more sickness than cure? It seems most of the mainstream media didn’t.
I would anticipate that aside from hospitals and doctors’ surgeries, travel will be one of the first areas affected, then it may be more widely rolled out. Will lockdowns follow? I fear they may be working up to it, or perhaps just testing the water. Will the public obey again? I hope not, but it is still evident that there are many traumatised people out there who are scared almost to leave their homes in fear of ‘catching something’.
It is up to the rest of us to say ‘no’. It appears already that the USA is witnessing the return of a ‘mask mania’, but why? Please watch UK Column News this Wednesday, where I will explain more. How long before we see the same in the UK?
To understand what is happening in the USA, you may be interested in the following links, where the new variant is producing some scaremongering headlines, including Rutgers excluding unvaccinated students. Fauci declares that lockdowns are justified, so let’s do it all again.
Electric Vehicle Fires
And so the catastrophic stories continue to churn out while most turn a blind eye. It appears to be devices using lithium-ion batteries from China that are causing the biggest concerns. Please remember that lithium-ion battery fires are extremely difficult to put out and will become uncontrollable very quickly, often in seconds. You may be surprised to know that manufacturers recommend the fires be allowed to burn out themselves. How would a sick person survive if the fire was actually in an electric ambulance, or perhaps an electric fire truck?
Electric vehicles, batteries and the addition of water can also cause fires. In California during Storm Hilary, the fears are of Tesla cars literally going up in smoke. Has the world gone bonkers? Obviously the UK doesn’t care much, as the Government has plans to import thousands of Chinese electric cars to our shores.
Wildfires
As wildfires continue to rage across the world, it seems that wherever these fires break out, there is always a great deal criticism directed at governments for not helping or actively making matters worse, and in some cases, even preventing those affected from getting to safety. I cannot begin to imagine the horrors that all affected will be going through. Our thoughts and prayers to everyone wherever you are. It appears to many of us that a nefarious plan is underway to land grab and ‘build back better’, but no-one mentioned ‘burn down first’.
As you start to crawl down a very hot and fiery rabbit hole, it doesn’t take long before the name of Bill Gates starts to appear. This time, he is investing in a drone company that can help in wildfire situations. Data Blanket received a generous $4 million in seed funding, including from Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures.
In Brief
I would like to assure everyone that I will be reporting on the Lucy Letby case. I have spent much time researching it and talking to experts. What I am able to say is that nothing is as it seems. There appears to be much more to this case than we are being told. Watch this space.
From this headline, WEF Adviser: UK Population Collapse ‘Good for the Planet’, I can only imagine that the people at the World Economic Forum are rubbing their hands in glee. The Telegraph reported:
Britain’s top demographics expert has said the falling number of babies born in Britain is a “good thing” after new data showed the number of births had hit a 20-year low. Professor Sarah Harper CBE, founder and director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing and a former government adviser, said falling birth rates in the West were “good for […] our planet”.
However, is anyone asking why our birth rate is declining? We are told (but by whom?) that there are 67 million of us in the UK and eight billion on the planet, but who knows that for sure? Have we been lied to about that, too? Whilst the agenda to depopulate is in full swing, we were already depopulating naturally. I recommend watching Empty Planet, where you may be in for a few surprises.
As if the world could not get any more bonkers, I thought I had heard it all, until this. According to ‘sex experts’ (now called ‘sexologists’), we should ask a baby permission before we change their nappy. Least of all do I have any idea what changing a nappy has to do with sex, or why anyone would consult a ‘sex expert’ about a baby. Anyone else feeling as uncomfortable as I am?
Fancy getting to New York from London in 90 minutes? A new hypersonic plane is now under development by NASA. Do you fancy zooming across the Atlantic at up to 3,000 mph? I thought we were meant to be expecting slower travel to reduce emissions and our carbon footprint. Maybe all that has been lost in translation, or perhaps only those who are rich will have access to hypersonic travel. I wouldn’t want to be one of the poor souls living under the flightpath.
How many of you have used paper straws instead of the wicked plastic straws banned in the UK in 2020? Well, it appears now that paper straws are full of toxins. Polyflouroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl have been found to have long-lasting detrimental effects on the body. What a surprise. Yet who promoted the paper straw and where did it evolve from? Our former Prime Minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, née Symonds, founded one of the first paper straw companies, The Final Straw. What an appropriate name.
Are you at risk of dementia? ‘Scientists’ have decided to make it easier and quicker to detect those at the highest risk. However, it could be your own fault, determined by your own lifestyle choices—I write that with a raised eyebrow. The dementia agenda has officially arrived, but before anyone forgets, let’s remember who drew up the dementia plan for the UK. It was none other than the unqualified Raj Long, former employee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and a board member of both the UKHSA and the MHRA. How was that allowed to happen?
Sir Tony Blair continues to plan the way ahead for Sir Keir Starmer to take the reins next year in the 2024 general election. What could be a better election winner than to charge drivers to drive? You’ll get a free 3,000 miles, but after that your pocket will be hit. Can you afford mileage charges? Nice little earner for the Government, it seems! I bet ministers and those in high public office are pleased they get a posh chauffeur-driven car. Better still, some even get a cavalcade of vehicles to escort them to functions. Who do you think will pay for them? Us, of course.
Finally
My book of the week is Laura Dodsworth’s Free Your Mind. It describes how to resist and recognise the behavioural psychological pseudoscience that surrounds us and how it is being used to influence us all.
Until next week, go safely and keep your eyes on the heavens. Join your own dots, find your own truth and be informed. Keep up the random acts of kindness; they mean more than you can imagine. Stand firm, and say ‘no’ when necessary.
God bless,
Debi
When thou passest through waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:2
