From the Editor's breakfast table. The BBC web site this morning thunders: ''Phone firm pressures patients''. Continuing the theme of Patientline's culture of pressure sales in hospital wards and sales targets for its staff. I and an other former Patientline employee together with Unison spokeswoman Margaret Toase are quoted in the BBC's report.
Amazingly, Despite the BBC referring to a communication sent to all employees confirming the ''need to create a sales-driven culture'' Patientline are standing by the line that ''Patientline does not encourage hard-selling and our advisors are merely there to provide information and support to patients''.
Well, when I was working shifts for Patietientline the local and senior management would definitely "not have been happy with me if I had mereley ''provided information and support to patients''. The pressure was on to sell. During breaks staff would be asked: ''how are you doing with your targets to day''. On one particular occasion at the end of January this year when I informed a manager by 'phone that the high number of faults on the bedside units that day was making hitting my daily target figures impossible I was addressed by her as if I was a skiving school boy. The following day she called my immediate supervisor and reported my ''attitude problem''.
So Chalotte Brown, Commercial Director of Patientline, the sales driven culture was well establised in the company by the start of this year. To be fair Ms Brown and her board colleages have little idea of the effect of actual implementation of Patientline company policy on hospital wards. What is a well person's soft sell can very easly be a sick persons hard sell. Perhaps Ms Brown would like to discuss this and the realities of Patientline on air, it would perhaps clear the air?
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The BBC Web page is linked here>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6690675.stm
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The BBC Breakfast Time piece is linked below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6690000/newsid_6690300/6690331.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm
How to protest about Patientline:
To obtain a petition form Email
Better still call Patientline - that will be very effective
0800 959 3100 - the call is free!
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0800 959 3100 - the call is free!
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5 comments:
My neighbour, who is completely unbiased, told me that she saw the programme and couldn'nt belive the "twaddle" that woman from Patientline was talking!
Keep up the pressure Peter, you are doing a good job.
Twaddle - more like Corporate Bollocks!
Patientline plc will will be announcing its Preliminary Results for the financial year ended 30 March 2007, on Monday 25 June 2007. Last year the company had a turn over of 55.4 million and losses of 24.7. Shares are currenly 3.4 p - and falling !
JW, NW2
Can Peter Troy find the 1100 staff alternative employment?answer no as he is a failed bitter and twisted ex employee which is why he removes all positive comments about Patientline
All but the most stupid (and rude) could work for the non-profit making companies set up by the NHS Trust to run the bedside units when Patientline fails
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