MerQury News - Quicksilva’s Monthly Messenger
August 2010
It’s an emotive topic but the news is full of disapproving pieces on the NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence - the “Government’s drugs rationing body” if you read the redtops) refusal to fund Avastin, the bowel cancer drug. Apparently the manufacturer’s (Roche) own research shows that in their trials the drug extended patients life by 6 weeks over a dummy drug. The cost is said to be £21,000 per patient.
July 2010
Does anyone else feel like there is a ’freeing’ in government at the moment? Maybe I’m deluding myself but as an SME my attention was drawn to demands in the press that our banking system support small businesses...I’m all for that, but perhaps the Government could look to its own? Having watched helplessly as friends businesses have failed it’s really galling that the Government would rather have no tax collected in future rather than having small instalments now.
June 2010
The Government now seems to be settling into the tasks before it...and of course we at Quicksilva are especially interested in the plans for the NHS. There have been some changes already in the approach to targets and those who read any press from me will know that is one of the bees in my bonnet. Perhaps someone in government will start to consider the boundary tasks that will be affected by the “point in time targets” that are usually set.
May 2010
As the Managing Director of a SME, I was recently invited to attend a reception and capability demonstration on board the Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose. It was good to hear the Naval Regional Commander talk of the integration of the regular and reserve forces and how much commitment the Navy is making to the conflict in Afghanistan.
April 2010
The merry-go-round of life is constantly turning... no matter how slow it seems to be it hasn’t actually stopped. The one in the picture above is from my wedding a couple of weeks ago and was enjoyed by all who attended. Thanks to everyone for their good wishes.
March 2010
The way the various "pledges" have dripped in from Whitehall departments gave a sort of Charity Appeal feel to yesterday’s budget...like Red Nose Day but without the silly sketches and the dressing-up...Budget 2010: How state spending will be cut
February 2010
Establishing one’s place in the pecking order is common throughout the animal kingdom... displayed by both young and old... where the strong win any contest where strength is the only criteria...
As intelligent animals some have realised that the old NLP tenet "the one with the most behavioural flexibility is the one most likely to get their outcomes met"... works in a business situation as well as throughout life...
January 2010
Some things never seem to change and I’m on my high horse again about Government targets. I’ve said before that unless targets/thresholds are well-thought out then they can drive unhelpful behaviours if not downright negative ones... after all we are only human and humans are purposeful creatures... we do nothing without an aim or purpose... even "bad" behaviour has a purpose.