Blackpool Liberal Democrats

…..saving the cheeeeldren (again)

Now I understand that the Department of Health really believes that our bodies belong to the state and not to us, and that is why they tell me (every blooming day) how much I can eat, drink, smoke, fart, have sex, scratch myself etc. I understand that NICE are a bunch of accountants that sit down and work out that boob jobs, sex changes and stomach stapling are good value for money but life prolonging drugs, artificial limbs and treatments to stop you going blind are just wasteful and should not be funded.

I understood that these two departments were quite happy to work alongside each other messing up everyones health and life according to a strange set of what is PC and what is not. Little did I know that once they had messed the proper medical stuff right up they were more than happy to branch out into interior design.

Health and safety snoops to enter family homes

"Health and safety inspectors are to be given unprecedented access to family homes to ensure that parents are protecting their children from household accidents."

See, right off I see something odd, it's the word accidents. An accident is either a mishap causing injury or death or an event that happens by chance. Accidents will happen. Some (with hindsight) may have been prevented but generally they are just accidents, and they just happen.

"New guidance drawn up at the request of the Department of Health urges councils and other public sector bodies to "collect data" on properties where children are thought to be at "greatest risk of unintentional injury"."

Properties don't cause accidents. They can be a place were accidents happen but how can you collect data on 'dangerous properties'. They are inanimate objects. A bit like cars, guns, knives etc. The object itself is not dangerous, however the people that use them……….ah, I see………your not actually going to collect data on the properties themselves are you, just the people that live in them?.

So if these snoopers are going to "collect data" on properties where children are thought to be at "greatest risk of unintentional injury" how will they go about it?. They will need to start with a target group that are easily identifiable and then they can branch out. I wonder if they will start with the 'undesirables'.

"Right chaps, first off, we we'll check the houses of those single parents. We know they are a bit lax so we can guarantee to meet this years target. Then we'll hit the smokers and the drinkers".

And once you have been caught -

"Council staff will then be tasked with overseeing the installation of safety devices in homes, including smoke alarms, stair gates, hot water temperature restrictors, oven guards and window and door locks."

What, in every single house, be it council, PHA, privately rented or privately owned?. The council are going to install all these bits and bobs for free. Wow that's generous of you. Ah, may be not. Methinks you will oversee your well paid contractors and then bill the householder. If this is the case it comes down to the owner, so the council, PHA's and private landlords should have already installed smoke alarms, window locks, door locks (errr DOH) and hot water temperature restrictors.

These things are already required by law when renting out a property (in the case of HWTR in any new bathroom/boiler installed in the last year be it private or not), along with carbon monoxide detectors, 12 monthly gas checks, valid Corgi Registered appliances etc . If they are not already installed then the owner of the property can be fined (sniggers at the council and PHA's). Stairgates and oven guards are the responsibility of the parent, not the home owner. And as for those that own their own home, most will have these things already and if they don't, it is none of the states business. Either way, who on earth is going to do the snooping.

"Nice also recommends the creation of a new government database to allow GPs, midwives and other officials who visit homes to log health and safety concerns they spot."

Ah. So those midwives and GP's should be more preoccupied with checking out the decor than with the state of the child they are visiting. Other officials?, that'll be social workers then, or may be the Police. I can't think, off the top off my head, any other state employed peeps you would have in your house. So, all those state funded peeps should check out you oven guard and window locks. And spend less time checking the child for a broken spine, fractured thighs, starvation, sexual abuse etc.

For sure, we all know, deep down inside, that Baby P would still be alive and well had the social workers and/or GP informed the local council that his mother Tracey Connelly didn't have a flipping smoke alarm.

© 2009 Mummylonglegs http://andtherewasmethinking.wordpress.com/