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David McNeil is the Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, looking after Watford, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead Hospitals. He has worked in the private sector as manager of a retail outlet and as a musician, but the bulk of his career has been in the civil service where he even worked as principal private secretary to Ministers and Permanent Secretaries - and it really is similar to all you hear on Yes Minister! He tries to keep his nose poked into the local community by being Vice Chair of governors at a local Secondary School, a trustee of an Outdoor Education Centre and one of a number of Vice Presidents at Fullerians Rugby Club, having stopped playing two years ago. However, hisy ramblings in this Blog are all to do with our local hospitals.

Busyness As Usual

It’s been a busy week in our hospitals. I know that’s not particularly unusual as our hospitals are always busy, but this week seems to have been relentless. I’ve been looking back at my diary to see why it has felt different this week. Before I describe my week, remember I am not a clinician, so there will be no stories of heroic deeds by me – maybe others, but not by me.

Putting things off makes it worse

I’ve just had a couple of weeks off work trying to catch up on the jobs I’ve been putting off for a while – not an unfamiliar story in our house. One of those jobs was to re-roof my shed. We all know that a shed is a great place for men to hide and mine is no exception. I have been putting off the dreaded moment; patching up where I can, putting buckets where I can’t. So I book the last two weeks off in February. What happens? It snows, it rains and it’s freezing. I manage to empty the shed of all those ‘you never know when you might want one of those’ items and the old bits of wood, half full tins of paint, the old fridge that was going to contain the sly bottle of beer, about a dozen huge spiders and off-cuts of carpet that must have been in my house one day but I don’t recall when. I put them all in a heap in the garden (and under a tarpaulin of course because it’s still raining). Now I have a shed with a leaky roof and an eyesore in the garden – I’ve made things worse.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Hospitals are busy places, made even busier when there's bad weather. Getting to work has been difficult for many people, but if our staff don't get here there is no health service.

Struts dash up the M1

Following a routine operation a dash up the M1 to see a specialist, another opration, slight panic over blood transfusion and all in 24 hours

The Struts

We left it last time with Olive keeping the news of her hospital visit a secret from the family. Only George, her husband, and family friend Uncle Bert knew the visit was pending. On Sunday morning the immediate family gathered at Olive’s house, as they do every Sunday, for a cup of tea and a chat and, if they’re lucky, or not on a diet, a bit of cake. This ritual has proved useful to Olive over recent years, because she now ensures that all the jobs that involve lifting, climbing or are generally messy, she leaves until her sons, Andrew and Brian arrive. This week it’s taking down the remains of the runner beans that have finished for the season and cleaning out the pump in the fishpond.

Family Health

This is the first of a series of blogs examining the Health trials and tribulations of a mythical family of mine. Join them over the coming weeks as we laugh, cry and just sit back in amazement at what they go through and how the NHS copes with them.

To Sleep a chance to Dream

I heard a noise in my house at 3am, a noise I attributed to the dog. But I lay awake thinking of all the things it could be. Sometimes it's better to confront things than leave them until it's too late.

Should we charge for people not turning up for hospital appointments?

People do not turn up for their hospital appointment, particularly in outpatients. This means other patients are not given an appointment on that day, which they may desperately need. Is this right? Is it a reflection on society? Should we charge them for not attending?

We made the national finals!

And the nominations are: West Herts for Hospital of the Year; West Herts for Leadership Academy; West Herts for Improving Patient Experience. The only Trust in the country to be nominated for three national awards

Why did I buy a grand piano?

Impulses can be very dangerous to your health and well being. Examine your impusles, think through the consequences and work out the angles and you might make the right choice.