Mixed feeling about mental health

My chief executive retires today (see EDP story). Her legacy is said to be a Norfolk's first NHS provided psychiatric intensive care unit (which is locked) whereas her "biggest goal has been to keep people with their families and out in the community wherever possible".

Is this mixed? I'm still working at the NHS Trust.

England win the Ashes

Oval test scorecard. Pity about my fifth day ticket.

Lookalike

Lockerbie Bomber

Robin Gibb

Does Colonel Gadaffi like the Bee Gees?

What's wrong with affecting private insurers' business in health care?

More on the anti-rational opposition to the Obama health reforms (see Guardian article).

"We cannot stop until this attempt to open what could be one of the biggest gates of hell into our country is stopped", says Rick Joyner. His fear is rationing and the collapse of "the whole system". He goes on, "Through this crisis, we may be looking at the ultimate form of controlling people, which the present Administration is obviously trying to do in many ways. This has to be stopped."

Betsy McCaughey says the proposed legislation is a "violation of your rights and a threat to your health".

"Downright evil"

The Obama health plan has created emotive language. See Sarah Palin's post on Facebook. Must be powerful vested interests involved.

And yet PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America) is supporting health care reform, although it still believes the "best way to expand coverage and reduce the number of uninsured is through private health insurance with businesses and families having a range of private options".

We need to be cautious, though, about Barack Obama's apparent support for personalized medicine and innovation - see Innovation.org (a PhRMA project) welcoming the nomination of Dr Francis S Collins as NIMH director and the Personalized Medicine Coalition case. Let's hope the President is not going to stuff PhRMA's mouth with silver to get his health care reforms through.