Who’s The Racist??

A man apparently requiring emergency medical care spat on the floor of an ambulance and later punched the paramedic multiple times. But just because the patient was from an ethnic minority and the treating paramedic called him a filthy pig post the spit the magistrate, Pat O’Shane, dismissed the case. Read more about it here.

It should have been a clear-cut assault case. Yet it was muddied by inferences of race based discrimination. O’Shane asked the paramedic, "would the Court be correct in inferring………..that you don't like blacks?" The paramedic protested against the assertion yet O’Shane appeared to have made up her mind.

Race was never the issue at hand until O’Shane cast aspersions on the character of the paramedics and police officers involved. Ironically the aspersions were cast against those whom she is supposed to protect against criminals.

You could be the most racist person on earth but if you have not antagonised a person into violence based on their ethnicity then the racism is irrelevant. Was the paramedic assaulted or not was on what Ms O’Shane was supposed to rule.

I doubt she even realises that she has committed racial discrimination by favouring the “black” criminal against the “white” paramedic. Would she have come to the same ruling had the skin colours been reversed?

In For Surgery

A 103-year-old lady requires surgery for a fractured hip. Unfortunately she’s been put down the priority list. The family claim it’s due to her age. The hospital claims that it’s due to her general health. Both are probably correct, but what does it matter who’s right?

Either way the risks involved with an elderly person going under general anaesthetic are very serious. Yet they seem to be glossed over in the media. I doubt whether the lady’s niece thought through the risks before whinging about the health system to the media throng.

Next week we might hear that she passed away while receiving the risky hip surgery. It’s a realistic outcome. Yet the supposed disgrace at having to wait for her turn is all that seems important.

Perhaps there was a lack of communication. The risks involved may not have been emphasised. The delay not explained fully. So far she has had to wait five days. Some would think that she’s lucky for only waiting that long.

Even if the delay were due solely to her age, would that have been a problem? To me it shows a prudent surgeon wanting to be cautious. He probably has the best patient outcome in mind.

Good on Jillian Skinner for backing the health professionals. Families need to be more realistic about such matters. There is more than one person requiring surgery in the facility. There are so many variables with every case.

Of course it’s not good for this lady. She’ll be in pain. She should have been fed when delayed. But it’s the reality of a modern day world-class facility – demand high yet resources finite.