The village shops at Christmas

I took photos of some of the village shops when I went round delivering cards.

The Government policy means our health care trust has put in place a complicated system to tick the required boxes. In October I was summoned for a health review which meant a lengthy meeting with a nurse, getting bloods taken, BP done, height and weight checked and an interrogation about exercise, diet, smoking, drinking etc. and few weeks later a colour-coded printout arrived in the post highlighting red, green and orange areas of my “health profile”. The GP phoned to tell me the blood tests showed my liver and kidney functions were fine as were my blood sugar and cholesterol.

Then I was called by the surgery to make a phone appointment with a nurse. Why I wondered? Apparently I needed a “review of my review”! This took place this morning.

It went like this - (not really - but this is how I felt !).

Nurse: what exercise do you take?
Me:probably more than you
Nurse: Do you understand what constitutes a healthy diet?
Me: can you remind me what a biscuit tastes like?
Nurse: do you smoke?
Me: no I haven’t taken it up in the 2 months since you last asked
Nurse: how many units of alcohol do you have in a week?
Me: probably the same lie I told you last time
Nurse: Have you any questions?
Me: Yes why aren’t you on strike?

I understand the practice has to comply but it is upsetting that this is happening when staff could be helping sick people.