NHS doesn't exactly help itself either though, does it.
I noticed, the other day, my local hospital has installed advertising boards within the hospital corridors and allowed one such "ambulance chaser" to rent the space. Can't help thinking that wasn't the wisest decision made by some short sighted administrator.
Trusts have been forced over the years to try to find funding from almost any legitimate source and this particular one is employed by Trusts with A&E depts the length and breadth of the country. There is a big difference between accident lawyers, ambulance chasers as you (and I) would have it, and medical negligence lawyers. The latter are highly specialised and usually belong to a specialist arm of large litigation companies, such cases being extremely long and drawn out affairs, extremely demanding of resources and horrendously expensive. They definitely are not allowed to advertise on NHS property. Such actions as they embark upon are usually taken against an individual whose defence is usually mounted by a Medical Defence Union (doctors' insurance company), or a professional association that offers public liability insurance to its members, on behalf of the individual subject to litigation.
So you see, you are in error if you think an NHS trust is shooting itself in the foot by displaying such adverts. However, I believe they are in league with the Devil when they do and they help to reinforce the absurd and destructive culture of litigiousness which, ironically, so bedevils the NHS in modern times.
So you see, you are in error if you think an NHS trust is shooting itself in the foot by displaying such adverts.
Oh, I'm sure it was one of the"Accidents R Us" clones in this case, not such a huge step to that shot in the foot though. It did make me wonder how long it will be before the pedlars of Alcohol, Tobacco or Junk Food start to appear though and whether the hospitals have drawn any lines at what sort of advertising revenue they would refuse?
So you see, you are in error if you think an NHS trust is shooting itself in the foot by displaying such adverts.
Oh, I'm sure it was one of the"Accidents R Us" clones in this case, not such a huge step to that shot in the foot though. It did make me wonder how long it will be before the pedlars of Alcohol, Tobacco or Junk Food start to appear though and whether the hospitals have drawn any lines at what sort of advertising revenue they would refuse?
The answer to your question is that lines have been drawn, not by your local NHS Trusts though but by the respective governments responsible for health service provision. Otherwise, I suspect they would find some justification for not only allowing the advertising of those things but even the sale of them on NHS premises. To be sure, until the goverment clampdowns you were able to buy cigarettes and matches in hospital shops everywhere. The only good thing about that, if indeed it could possibly be seen as in any sense good, is that they were the only products that hospital shopkeepers couldn't vastly overcharge for.
