Categories: uncategorized
Date: 27 April 2006 15:22:22
Does not even begin to describe the birdie household at the moment.
I could write you a list of all the business things which are currently stressing us all out but you wouldn't thank me for it. At one point this morning we were thinking that the only way out of one particularly entertaining bureaucratic dead end we'd found ourselves in would be to delay the handover of the business for another few weeks. Totally not an option. We think we've found a way round it now. We might even be able to pay the wages at the end of the month. Whether we'll be able to afford to eat is another matter, but, hey, whattheheck.
Actually can't contain myself any more. Here's the low-down:
- to be an optician on the PCT's approved list, you have to have a CRB check done. No-one is complaining about this. It's very sensible. Mr b has had many such checks done in the past.
- sometimes the CRB checks take ages. Sensible PCTs know this, and most of them take up references etc and approve your application subject to checks, so if the CRB check is delayed, you can still work. Obviously if your CRB check comes back with the information that you often poke old people in the eye when doing an eye test, you'd be removed from the list.
- some PCTs are not sensible.
- here's where it gets tricky. There are actually two opticians lists: List A, which you go on if you're an optician working for someone else, who pays you for your work. List B, which you go on if you're the boss optician and receive payment from the PCT for the tests you carry out (or that your employees carry out).
- mr b, therefore, is changing from List A to List B.
- you need a CRB check to do this
- the CRB check is being processed by a short-sighted, deaf, arthritic mouse in the Outer Hebrides who has only two tins cans on a pieces of string with which to communicate with the Police, and a blunt quill to write the disclosure. The check is therefore taking a VERY LONG TIME.
- the non-sensible PCT (which, funnily enough, is the one which covers most of the area where mr b works), has said that until the CRB check is back, they can't transfer mr b from List A to List B.
I do hope you followed all that. Oh, and welcome to the bureaucracy of the NHS, and of my life.
Now, this is procedure, and procedures are there to be followed, etc etc. Nothing wrong with that. But it does appear that since mr b is on List A, they are perfectly happy for him to test peoples eyes, that's fine. But they need a CRB check before they will pay him to do so.
Does this strike anyone else as TOTALLY FREAKIN' LOOPY? The CRB check is to do with whether you're fit to work with vulnerable people (mr b specialises in visiting nursing homes to test patients' eyes). Evidently they are quite happy with his fitness to practice in this regard as they'll let him continue to test. Just not pay him.
Man. (Oh, and that little lot? It's one of a list.)