Heath Students Hit by Welsh NHS 'Crisis'
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In this week’s issue: Stories from the Synod, NHS fees for international students revisited, morality in sport, INSRV issues and the continuation of Cagegate gair freewordrh ydd Monday October 27th 2014 | | Issue 1035 Heath students hit by Welsh NHS ‘crisis’ Students and staff fear exposing failings at University Hospital s the National Health Service concerns over “put[ting] their neck on is collective wariness amongst those with problems to speak to their EXCLUSIVE: in Wales comes under intense the line” – adding that staff would not the academic health community has tutors and academic representatives Pictured: Michael political scrutiny, a signifi cant want word of any problems with the led to some suggesting that students as a matter of protocol. e University O’Connell- Anumber of medical students have service to “get out.” on clinical degrees lack the same basic e University also declined to Hospital Davidson told Gair Rhydd that they are unable ose who did speak on the record right to free speech that is aff orded to comment on whether recent media of Wales to share their concerns about the either retracted their statements or those on other courses as a result of controversies had aff ected their ability (Photographer: service or the standard of teaching at asked for their names to be redacted strict fi tness to practice rules. to recruit students, off ering no remark Gair Rhydd) the University Hospital for fear of any from the fi nal version of this article. Cardiff University itself also adopted on whether or not they held concern ramifi cations. An elected student representative a similar policy of silence, off ering no that the reputation of their placements Although Cardiff University has both was equally reluctant, stating that they comment on any matters concerning may be endangered by persistent an established whistleblowing policy were unable to off er a full response as the University Hospital’s teaching and negative coverage of the Welsh NHS. and a long tradition of free speech, they hoped to secure a job with the its relationship with the Welsh NHS. Of those students who did speak to numerous students approached for NHS in future and did not want to When pressed over the concerns of Gair Rhydd, a number raised issues Continued on comment by this publication expressed damage their career. students, the University encouraged with the standards of their placements. page 4 Has justice been served? Bed Bugs ‘cause PTSD’ Does the Human Race matter? P10 >> P20 >> P21 >> THE FREE WORD EDITOR Michael O’Connell-Davidson DEPUTY EDITOR Georgia Hamer Less politics, please GAIR RHYDD CO-ORDINATOR f there’s one thing the Westminster politi- for as long as our elected officials spend all of core values to sit on someone who is trying to Elaine Morgan cal class do a little too well, it’s playing the their time arguing about which of them is the do investigative journalism, however uncom- blame game in issues that they had a hand worst - especially when they all sound the same. fortable that might be.” NEWS Iin creating. This is made worse when those with vested Medics must be afforded that same option Georgia Hamer How are you supposed to keep a straight face interests in the institutions in question feel un- and the same rights as other students, and fear Katie Evans when English politicians accuse their Welsh able to speak. It is a shame that students of any not for their careers, but for the lives of the Alexander Norton peers of slashing the NHS budget when Wales discipline feel unable to share problems with people they serve. If there is a sort of collec- as a nation is underfunded? It’s the political their course freely. Why should somebody who tive misunderstanding (as opposed to a man- COMMENT equivalent of making somebody punch them- complains about the standard of treatment be dated conspiracy of silence), then the university Anne Porter selves while saying “stop hitting yourself.” declared unfit to practice? has not clarified the rights of its students well Olivier van den Bent-Kelly So it is, then, that our front page story has The notion that somebody would feel unable enough, and should seek to clarify things with Zach Hughes become something of a battleground for local to share the “reality” of their studies as they see students as soon as possible. political representatives (barring the Labour fit - both good and bad - is against everything Print media scares people because it’s quite COLUMNIST party, who saw fit to exempt themselves), de- this newspaper stands for. And I know that permanent, but permanence is precisely why Jason Roberts spite many of the structural reasons for any some of the academics in this institution feel they should speak out. Because for as long as “NHS Crisis” taking root before many of those the same way. we have politicians living quite comfortably in a POLITICS in the assembly even came to power. JOMEC’s professor, Richard Sambrook, was perpetual stalemate, and everybody else afraid Carwyn Williams While I respect their opinions, I can’t help quoted in the Guardian this week, saying that to talk, we’ll never see any improvements in the Lauren Boyd but feel as though that it’s extremely hard to tri- “universities are in favour of academic freedom Welsh NHS, and the NHS is bigger than any one Rhiannon Tapp angulate who is wrong and what the problem is and freedom of speech, so it is against their person’s career. SCIENCE Shanna Hamilton Meryon Roderick SOCIETIES Hannah Sterritt PARK LIFE Canada’s strength Tim Nagle he Ottawa Parliament shooting that other dividing lines. ness and freedom to be rolled back.” took place last Wednesday has dominat- Before taking the job, which effectively amounts And Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party, TAF-OD ed the news. It’s pretty easy to see why: to head of security, Vickers said that for as long added that those who attacked the nation “will Steffan Bryn Jones Tit conforms to the post-9/11 narrative of terror- as he held the position, there would be no walls not make the rules about this land we share.” Morgan Owen ism and the perceived failure of multicultural- around the Canadian Parliament. And though It is truly a shame that our government does ism. We’re not fighting a war with an enemy we Vickers shot the gunman who initiated the attack, not see things the same way. With each passing SPORT can see - we’re fighting a war with enemies we there is no sign that his position will change. day, the Home Office seems to gain a new power, David Hooson can’t see until it’s too late. Canada has remained strong as a nation, offer- and the police gain a new toy to play with. Inevi- Rory Benson So it is, then, that our attitude towards basic ing condolences to the family of Corporal Nathan tably, it’s in the name of terrorism, or national se- Joe Atkinson freedoms has hardened in the face of an un- Corillo, who was tragically shot and killed. There curity, or another ‘need-to-know’ issue. known enemy. ISIS followed Al-Qaeda, and one is talk of increased security measures around the These measures do little to intimidate those EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS day something else will follow ISIS. Terrorism, building, as there would be, but Canadian politi- who already exist out of the reach of society. And Holly Duhig by definition, will never go away. cians have remained stalwart in their own beliefs. worse, they’re proof that those who might attack Sum Sze Tam But in the face of such abstractions, Canada While British politicians have remained cal- our nation have already set the rules. We should Amin Rali has remained resolute. Thanks to Kevin Vick- lously populist, following (and sometimes en- follow Canada’s example - and remain true to our Lauren Johnson ers, the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Canadian Par- couraging) public opinion informed by fear, the beliefs in the face of fear, rather than change them Jamie Williams liament, the government building remains an Canadian leader of the opposition responded to to our detriment. The more we err and forgo our Toby Mott open place that accepts people of all identities calls for increased counter-terrorism powers by freedoms, the closer we are to a world where the and nationalities. There are no walls, nor any saying that the country “cannot allow [its] open- terrorists have already won. Want to join the team? We hold editorial conferences each Monday on 5PM in the student media office on the Third Floor of the union, so come along with any ideas you have. Alternatively, search “Gair Rhydd Contributors” on Facebook to join our contributors group, where we’ll be Devolution must extend to England, too giving out articles online. ’ve got a confession to make. I’m English, border control and national security being two placing its powers closer to those who would and, as a result, I hadn’t had much expo- key examples - but politicians should remain most benefit from their use can only be a good Tweet us: sure to the culture and politics of Wales as close to home as possible. And so, if the thing. @gairrhydd Ibefore I arrived. But in some regards, I feel as Scots are to have maximum devolution (and it It’s a poisonous mentality for those living Email Us: though I’ve gone native, and though my career would be both an insult and a terrible shame in England to think of Westminster as “their [email protected] will likely lead me to London, my politics have for Westminster to back out now), so too must parliament” and the United Kingdom as “their Online at: changed for life.