General Chat

Hi BC and all,

As I was reading this thread the post arrived, in it was
The Million Women Study form with questions about
me and my health. Problem is you answer one of these
questionaires and you keep getting them every so
often.(ten years)
Nothing about what ethnic group I am only which country
I was born in.

Emma

Ten years ago when I was in hospital, the young nurse asked my religion. I blithely answered C of E.

Next thing I knew, I had the Vicar standing at the end of my bed.

Startled, I asked him if I was dying. He said No. So I asked him to leave.

If I hadnt had a heart attack before, I was well on the way, seeing him standing there........................

:-0

I've written most of my life story so far Rose :-) but will not giveaway any measurements thenk yoo......photographs will be there (with my ample chest :-P ) for future generations ;-) :-D

That's it, Rose, the truth but not the nitty gritty bits... :-D <3

Digressing even further, it's an interesting thought that in a hundred years time that people may see what we put on the 2011 census in a whole different light... morals and social mores might have changed considerably....I think I shall write my life story to make sure the 'facts' are known...though I may bend the truth a little on my measurements ;-)

Mauonthecoast - I know I would have feld very smug

Many years ago driving round Parliament Square I was cut up very badly by a black cab (frightened the life out of me). This was spotted by 2 policemen who pulled the black cab over. As I was driving away all I could see was one of the 2 policemen wagging his finger at the driver and the other one getting his book out. Deep joy.......

Now before any taxi drivers get on their high horses, I love a taxi and London would not be London without them but like all folks there are a few bad eggs around. <3

So pleased to hear that the police caught someone, Mau! It is one of the most dangerous habits this driving and chatting on phone, such disregard for peoples' safety.

I think their phones should be confiscated - it's a dreadful thing to drive whilst using a mobile phone

when you stop at traffic lights look at the road surface - covered in chewing gum - it's everywhere, even in lifts and department store carpets - how could anyone spit out a piece of gum and just walk on?

Talking of driving while on the phone (sorry to digress BC)....

....Monday me and OH were out walking and about to cross a road with a few others when a car drove quickly from around the corner and we had to stop.A young driver passed us,on his phone,with one hand on the wheel.
But boy it wasn't his day.....as he passed we saw there were two policemen standing on opposite side and they made him stop and pull over.
It was a fair cop alright and we shouldn't have felt smug.....but afraid to say we did. :-| :-)

Ahhh but Rose, personally, I don't particularly want anyone in a hundred years delving into my background and finding...my waist measurement! :-D :-D

Ann ....Hmm I wonder if these Romanian beggars are being find for their Cigarette buts ???

In the papers today..... the answer probably NOT


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2144640/Park-Lane-Romanian-beggars-set-camp-yards-evicted.html

:-S

I know I'm going to be irritating :-) ... but in ref to BC's " But little by little, every piece of personal information about us has been collected and collated until there is nothing left and nothing private."...

isn't that why we're all doing genealogy here...to look at all those pieces of personal info that have been collated and collected...often on people we've never met............ by looking at my gt uncles military records I know his chest measurement and weight....LOL now when forms ask me that will definitely be the time I refuse to answer :-D

You could be fines £60 for driving whilst using a phone though....and penalty points on your licence, and if it goes to court much more.

I've just been fined £75 for dropping a fag end out of the car - I smoke rarely but admit I did it and I should not have done it - if you don't pay within 14 days it can escalate to £2,500!!!

Now you don't get £75 for speeding or driving whilst using a mobile phone - both those things put life and limb in danger, a small fag end is trivial in comparison

And what about chewing gum - I presume other cities are the same as Cardiff - the pavements are a virtual carpet of discarded chewing gum

I am seething - but there we are, that's Britain today

I know the reasons why they should be filled in...kind of! But little by little, every piece of personal information about us has been collected and collated until there is nothing left and nothing private.

The nurse told me I was the only person she had ever encountered to refuse that question. In one of the largest hospitals in London? Surely not!

*spitting fire!!

Snap Ann? :-S :-0

we're now living in a police state - big brother is watching us everywhere we go!!

Hi BC
The powers that be inform us that by giving this info. we can be given definite treatment. It's also said info. will be private and in our medical files,but I think it's another way of keeping even more data on our personal lives.

At the end of the day we are all human and if we need treatment or operations we should hope it doesn't really matter what our ethnic backgrounds are.....except I suppose if your race carries a genetic risk.


http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/Browsable/DH_5319155

Mau

edit to say: no-one should get annoyed at you because you choose not to fill in the boxes....we don't live in a police state...yet??

These questions are asked so that when data from these forms is entered into a database, the results show the demographics of an area and usage of facilities.

So they will know, for example, how many OAPs or children use certain facilities and also which ethnic group these different people are from. The reason is that in some areas many OAPs from non-English backgrounds who do not have a grasp of English often do not use the facilities they may be entitled to use.

There will now be a flood of people complaining about them coming over here etc...... But many women who come over following arranged marriages are not encouraged to learn the language and through this they are often isolated from many forms of help, especially where domestic abuse is concerned.

All that said, when filling out forms most now do state that this part regarding ethnicity is optional. For me there is never a correct box to tick.
I am mixed race, English/Irish.

I don't have a problem with it in general to be honest, because I can see that having that information 'might' be useful in many cases even though on the face of it it shouldn't seem to matter.

For example, if I were of a particular racial group, the hospital might find it useful to know, in terms of certain things like sickle cell anaemia being more prevalent in those of African descent.

It might also highlight whether there are local gaps in adequate services to the whole community, ie if more people of a particular ethnic background were suffering from illnesses related to poverty or poor housing in a particular area....or perhaps recent immigrants who might have come from countries where Tb or other illnesses were still prevalent?

But definitely think it is your right to say 'no, I don't want to say' lol

:-D