Alex – a Man under Pressure

Illustration by Bill Morris

When the Hospital Inspector’s Office calls, you take the call. That was the pearl of wisdom given to Alex all those years ago by his old mentor. “keep them sweet” he used to say. Those were wise words as these officials can wield much power with their reports and “final scores.” Your position in their “quality” league tables matters, despite all the protestations that it doesn’t, and Alex, ever mindful of this, dropped everything to respond to the Inspector’s call. “They’re coming next week,” he yelled through the door to his secretary, “get the inspection machinery rolling.”

As if it had received a call to arms, the administrative infrastructure of St. Angela’s University Teaching Hospital got into gear, fast. All the necessary papers, reports and examples of “best” practice – “good” is not enough – were mustered in the hospital’s very grand boardroom. Alex knew he had to put on a professional show as there were rumours that his hospital would be subject to a merger. Well, that’s what they called a hostile takeover in those days so that it would look like everyone was working in “partnership.” Like all Chief Executives caught up in this situation, he was very anxious.

“Oh no, disaster” he cried on hearing that the Inspector’s Office had indicated that Reggies, the children’s hospital on St. Angela’s campus, was to be included. “That place is stuffed with problems – all those prima donnas,” he said in despair.

“Too late, they’re coming” said Sue, his ever-present and trusted fixer, officially entitled the Director of Organisational Development and Human Resources. Including the children’s service in the inspection added complications as it was much harder to control the environment – the children, the parents, the toys, the noise, and, worst of all, some of the medics. And as for rules, they didn’t understand them and therefore they didn’t obey them – it was “adult stuff.”

Alex was concerned about the regular “nappy scandal” drum beat from the local press. It stuck to him like the glue paste that was smeared over everything he touched at Reggies. The editors wouldn’t let it go, no matter how many times Alex had explained that the computer glitch was now fixed. Clearly, a rookie reporter had got the brief to pursue the story and keep it in the public eye. It was the talk of the local supermarket checkouts, bus queues and waiting rooms – it had legs, as the editors used to say.

The rookie reporter generated interest from the big boys at the national press. They started phoning him for new pieces – a glimmer of recognition which was sufficient to keep him on Reggies “nappy scandal” case. With the pressures feeling like a vice around his head, Alex tried to run his hospital, and get it ready for the forthcoming inspection. Then the phone rang. It was the police. They had arrested one of the Reggies doctors. Continue reading →