So, it seems that our police spend a mere14% of their duty periods on patrol and that at any given time only one in 58 is actually out where they are likely to encounter criminals. Nurses get a little more exposure to their customers where they spend 40% of their shifts alongside a bed.
So, where are they during the periods they are not filling their primary role? In the case of police it is paperwork. Much of this is not related to solving crime or improving the quality of the cases against those in custody. Performance reviews seem to be the villains. So, it seems that what is preventing them doing a better job is the time spent telling us how much better they are doing than before Bliar gave attention to being tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime.
In the case of the nurses, it seems that the 'lost' time is spent in rectifying the faults of others or what might be considered as administration. I remember the days when there were Matrons. Fierce old biddies who ensured that everything ran like clockwork robots. They went on replacement by some management theory vocabulary wonks but were re-instated. Seems they were de-fanged before being brought back. The ways detailed in the nurses employment report would never have been tolerated. The reports one reads when ward cleanliness is discussed reveal filth and shoddy workmanship that would never had existed in days of yore.
So, what price progress?
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