Taxi Driver Online

The Evening Standard (London)

October 10, 2006 Tuesday

HEADLINE: Taxi firm takes over 'heroes' who drive Cameron's son

BYLINE: REBECCA SMITH

THE NHS ambulance service which takes David Cameron's son to hospital once a week has been privatised.

The Tory leader praised drivers Jack and Doreen Ingram when he travelled with them this year saying: "They're not just drivers, they're carers, helpers and friends."

In speeches Mr Cameron has called staff like the Ingrams the "unsung heroes" of the NHS.

The couple have been taking Mr Cameron's four-year-old son Ivan, who has cerebral palsy, from his Notting Hill Gate home to a day centre at the Chelsea and Westminster hospital.

But the London Ambulance Service has lost a contract and from next month the Ingrams and 21 other LAS staff will be working for a taxi firm.

Financial pressures have forced hospital trusts to opt for the cheapest deal despite concerns over private sector firms whose drivers often have no healthcare experience.

Alex Nunns of campaign group Keep Our NHS Public said: "Cameron called these staff the 'unsung heroes' of the NHS - so valuable that they have been transferred to a private taxi firm without a second thought.

Ambulance services are part of the NHS, and should be provided by the health service to ensure high standards.

"They should not be farmed out to taxi firms whose only motive is profit.

It's a shame David Cameron will have to learn this the hard way." Mr Cameron declined to comment.

. Experts today called for an urgent inquiry into a controversial Pounds 12.4 billion IT upgrade for the NHS which has been hit by several setbacks.
..............................................................................

[edited by admin].

_________________
IDFIMH

So the vulnerable are left to the amateurs,dont you just love these Tory vermin.
AGITATE

_________________
The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

Well if the outfit are licensed they are surely the professionals, and not volunteers.

You have it the wrong way around GMB

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Professional AMBULANCE STAFF IS THE ISSUE.

_________________
The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

Its just volunteer drivers in the article

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Quite right Terry, its one of your Minicab firms which won the contract, so amatuer is correct.

One gets the general feeling Terry doesnt know what the [edited by admin] he's on about

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I think he does know what he's on about CC.


Its just no-one else does.

B. Lucky

_________________
"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

I cant believe a designer lable has been 'edited by admin' , big brother's watching you

GA,

A clue would be nice though, I mean, we havent got the time to run around the country side looking for a buried golden rabbit

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Exactly mate ........................ but keep the moon to the south of you and hold your torch in your right hand.

_________________
"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

Now that'll keep my left hand free for holding a book on the marxist-leninist theory about finding golden rabbits (and still not being capitalist scum)

hehe

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I ask you this GMB, what the f*ck has labour done for the NHS?, more administrators than nurses, superbugs in hospitals killing people, old people dying in corridoors, nurses who can't speak english, women who can't get drugs for breast cancer because of where they live, foriegners getting treatment before british people, assults on nursing staff going through the roof. And all this from a labour goverment, Bevin must be turning in his grave!.
I am not saying it was perfect when the Tories were in power, but you lot have had 10 years to sort things out and you have just made it worse!!.

_________________
stressed controller!!!

Rambo you of course make valid points,and the left would agree with a lot of your points.You seem to imply the Torys would do better,that we believe would be a fatal mistake.Maybe we will agree to disagree?

_________________
The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

Errm whys that, because he's right?



A fatal mistake?

Now lets see, when the tories invaded errm anywhere, we were in and out (unlike your mob)

As for fatal; how much more fatal? errm does the GMB definition of fatal mean causing destruction, misfortune, ruin, or failure:

because from where I'm sitting its hardly fatal, and the reason it aint fatal is because a woman a long time ago whipped your little butt like you were her leeetle beetch.

Although I could be being deliberately provocational

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin