Bludgeoned

We've had a bit of a campaign recently to get rid of some of the stray boxes in the library. Today I hit some stuff that arrived from who knows where that has been cluttering the far end of the library. Loads of old copies of 'The Executive Council' from the late 50s through to the early 70's by the Society of Clerks of National Health Service Executive Councils. Bet they had a banging annual dinner dance......

Anatomy of an Enquiry

Get a call from one of the people for whom I will drop everything to deal with them. They are doing a presentation and need some figures like yesterday. Thankfully after years in this place I have good contacts in information who can give me a starter for 10, so I ring the lovely Fiona who kicks off the doodling. Such a good shortcut and she reminds me of Val the queen of mortality who is not unfortunately not in. Anyway this happens, scrappy notes to myself as I make sense of something. Its about as close as I'm gonna get to getting the thought process on paper!

anyway the outcome is that I now know following a quick bit of maths etc. that

1 in 7 Children in Reception Year and Year 6 are Obese in the north west¹

On average 290 people visit North West Accident and Emergency Departments an Hour²

1 in 4 People in the North West will die of Cancer³

On average in England 11 ambulances are answering emergency calls a minute. One of these will be in the north west. An additional 20 ambulances will be doing routine non emergency calls nationally during that minute of which 4 will be in the north west⁴

30 million days were lost overall (1.3 days per worker), 24 million due to work-related ill health and 6 million due to workplace injury.⁵

¹NWPHO (2007) Measuring Childhood Obesity in the North West Data Supplement. Liverpool Northwest Public Health Observatory.

²DoH (2007) Hospital Activity Statistics. London: DOH

³NWPHO (2006) Where wealth means health. Liverpool Northwest Public Health Observatory.

⁴ONS (2007) Ambulance Services, England 2005-06. London ONS

⁵http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm

Death by 100 Boxes

Today I should recieve 100 boxes of NHS Circulars, deep joy..... Where reform strikes in the NHS as a grey literature vulture there I shall feed. So as space is required at St Helens I get their circular collection to fill my gaps. Not got a clue where I'm gonna put it all while we sort it.

Good news from Sally so the positive vibes strategy yesterday obviously worked! Extremely pleased for her.

The boxes arrive, I observe library custom and practice and climb over the things. Probably not the wisest move in terms of health and safety but something we've always done given the opportunity, it's a hell of a lot cleaner to climb on your library than piss in the corner.

Speak to Marie who rngs to tell me to make the lads delivering the boxes a brew. Nice to chat.

Flee early, head to Cheshire Oaks for a pair of boots. Drop Nicola off in Ellesmere Port on the way. Fetch the boots which are a cunning plan for our trip to New Zealand. We are travelling with one bag between us so multiiple choice shoes are not an option. Result multi function boots are a good choice.

Giggle at an email I receive from the Learning and Development Bureau. No more will I be fed at induction sessions. Suits me means we do our stuff and bugger off. Laugh at the notion that I am no longer cost effective to feed! Very much a sign of the times.

Home and it's off to do the food shopping. Deep joy but Cal has played a blinder on being involved in the draughting of the shopping list. He's insisted beer is included! That's my boy! Grab an indian from the takeaway and am amazed to hear the Germany, Argentina result.

Technorati Tags: Circulars, Grey Literature, Good News, Mountaineering in the Library, New Boots No Panties, PCT Lunch Cuts, Beer, Food Shopping

Who Paints Rainbows on the Bubbles?

Sometimes I do the most stoopid of things, today's example is the way I've talked us into having to write a risk register. I called the PCT's Mr Risk with one risk and now apparently I have many more, all of this delivered by the mate of Mr Risk, Mr Problem. I do get my revenge, I threaten him with coffee and deliver him tea. Deep joy, all this risk it makes my head hurt to think about it. As I remember it the Risk Log was always one of my least favourite bits of Ponce 2. I also learn a bit about other people in the PCTs perception of me (no Ken not the truth bit, or the freaky bit - those I handle as normal) which scares me a little, they clearly don't come here regularly! I also learn a bit about the history of a container of mustard gas in the city...... eeeek!

Marie calls and St Helen's collection of circulars is due, I'm five boxes short of the Health Promotion Library all being here and I dunno where we'll stuff, stuff. Usual policy, worry about it when it happens (now you see why the concerns about the risk thing).

Cal meanwhile has been to see the community paediatrician and we've been told about this marvelous cure all, multi-vitamins!!! I didn't catch what it was meant to cure, alopecia or something. If this is vague it's because it was an odd conversation with Monst that revealed this information. If it sounds dismissive it'll be because I'm always dubious about claims for multi-vitamins.

Throughout the day I've been hacked off at nothing in particular and as usual the crew round here succeed in cheering me up. Add to that the irony of plugging myself into the Magic Mushroom Band as I catalogue some stuff about drug abuse. Much relief that my sense of the rediculous is intact.

Best news of the day though is we now have another qualified librarian on the staff. Christina has passed her postgrad diploma. Top news, but she can't have a pay rise! Also Frances over at Arrowe has passed. Good news all round then.

Technorati Tags: Risk Evaluation, Risk Management, Grey Lit, Paediatrics, NHS Circulars, Library Qualifications, Magic Mushroom Band