Welcome

With the GCC elections imminent, I hope you will take the time to read what I have to say before making your choice on whether you want to vote for me or in what position you vote for me. Although I am a McTimoney Chiropractor and have the support of many colleagues, I am not 'endorsed' by the MCA Executive. That said, my stand is to represent Chiropractic and I hope that, after reading what I have to say, some of you will feel able to list me as one of your preferences in the election. A first preference vote is always good but any preference vote is most welcome. I have tried to set out my stand on a number of key issues and hope that you would like to have a 'working' chiropractor on the GCC to represent your views, as well as what I call the 'committee chiropractors' - those candidates who hold multiple positions of power. For me, the GCC work will be my focus alongside being a Chiropractor. Please contact me if you want to know more about where I stand on issues. Best Wishes Jim

Wednesday 2 May 2007

Jim Odell - Manifesto Issues. The NHS Debate

The NHS Debate

I don’t think many (if any) chiropractors would want to be absorbed into the NHS.

However, I think it may be short sighted not to become more involved in some of the new areas of contract provision becoming available.

That said, it is an individual decision, and just because a door is opened doesn’t mean everyone has to go through. However, with the door closed we are always going to be seen as ‘alternative’ and continue to be listed along side ‘Indian Head Massage’ as we are in some NHS literature at the moment.

It is not a simple case of working within or outside of the NHS. There are opportunities for the profession to work ‘with’ the NHS if individual Chiropractors want that.

It takes effort and support within the profession to drive this forward.

I am in regular discussion with PCT’s, have successfully had patients from 4 PCTs fully funded as individual cases, have an annual contract with one PCT for fully funded NHS chiropractic treatment, and would expect to get at least 2 more in the next 12months.

One of my personal goals is to see Chiropractic funded for 6 treatments on the NHS as standard practice – but as chiropractors I don’t think we should be made to accept NHS patients.

Trying to push the profession towards becoming medics does not help our position with them and for many of us it is not the reason we became chiropractors. If you want to be a medical doctor then I would suggest retraining as one is the answer.

If elected I would be working for a productive move forward within an integrated NHS-chiropractic relationship and greater awareness and understanding of chiropractic amongst health professionals. This is where my experience can help.

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