This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2013/jul/07/letters-technology-pilot-projects-risk
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Let's introduce pilot projects and reduce the chance of risk | Let's introduce pilot projects and reduce the chance of risk |
| (2 months later) | |
| I wonder if the kind of good scientific evidence Paul Nurse talks about ("Enough rhetoric. It's evidence that should shape key public decisions", Comment) ever has been or ever will be available before major decisions have to be taken? Normally, the downside could not have been predicted and only becomes apparent afterwards. | I wonder if the kind of good scientific evidence Paul Nurse talks about ("Enough rhetoric. It's evidence that should shape key public decisions", Comment) ever has been or ever will be available before major decisions have to be taken? Normally, the downside could not have been predicted and only becomes apparent afterwards. |
| For instance, almost every drug that has had to be withdrawn because of serious side-effects had mountains of scientific evidence supporting its use before doctors were allowed to prescribe it. | For instance, almost every drug that has had to be withdrawn because of serious side-effects had mountains of scientific evidence supporting its use before doctors were allowed to prescribe it. |
| Tiles fall off spacecraft, aircraft batteries overheat and burst into flames, pesticides affect the eggs of seabirds, nuclear power stations explode for one reason or another and tyres burst on racing cars, none of which would have happened if there had been good evidence of such dangers at the time decisions were made to introduce them. | Tiles fall off spacecraft, aircraft batteries overheat and burst into flames, pesticides affect the eggs of seabirds, nuclear power stations explode for one reason or another and tyres burst on racing cars, none of which would have happened if there had been good evidence of such dangers at the time decisions were made to introduce them. |
| What we really need is proper pilot projects before any technology is introduced widely and careful monitoring afterwards to pick up any unintended consequences. This would require a revolution in public policy because both of them are deeply unpopular with politicians. They don't want to fight for resources to do the monitoring or to risk any such procedure proving that they were to blame if it goes wrong. | What we really need is proper pilot projects before any technology is introduced widely and careful monitoring afterwards to pick up any unintended consequences. This would require a revolution in public policy because both of them are deeply unpopular with politicians. They don't want to fight for resources to do the monitoring or to risk any such procedure proving that they were to blame if it goes wrong. |
| Dr Richard Turner | Dr Richard Turner |
| Harrogate | Harrogate |
| North Yorkshire | North Yorkshire |
| Don't grow old on your own | Don't grow old on your own |
| The article "Will my 'have-it-all' generation really be so lucky in the end?" (Comment) raises the spectre of "a future when 4 million people could be facing loneliness". I read this with a growing feeling that marriage and coupledom have to carry far too heavy a responsibility for people's wellbeing into old age. Our forebears, on the whole, didn't live long enough to test marriage to destruction after the kids were raised. Life is different as we live longer and reaching out to others is a necessary adjustment. | The article "Will my 'have-it-all' generation really be so lucky in the end?" (Comment) raises the spectre of "a future when 4 million people could be facing loneliness". I read this with a growing feeling that marriage and coupledom have to carry far too heavy a responsibility for people's wellbeing into old age. Our forebears, on the whole, didn't live long enough to test marriage to destruction after the kids were raised. Life is different as we live longer and reaching out to others is a necessary adjustment. |
| Having spent my weekend working with two would-be co-housing groups in London for people who are over 50, single, divorced and widowed, and who are working hard to form new collaborative relationships, I wonder why alternatives are not more widely recognised. Combining downsizing with outreach to new, friendly and supportive potential neighbours, co-housing communities offer one possible remedy to isolation in old age. | Having spent my weekend working with two would-be co-housing groups in London for people who are over 50, single, divorced and widowed, and who are working hard to form new collaborative relationships, I wonder why alternatives are not more widely recognised. Combining downsizing with outreach to new, friendly and supportive potential neighbours, co-housing communities offer one possible remedy to isolation in old age. |
| Maria Brenton | Maria Brenton |
| Cohousing Woodside.co.uk | Cohousing Woodside.co.uk |
| London SW6 | London SW6 |
| It's all in a good cause | It's all in a good cause |
| Your article "'Big society' network given £1m grant despite failures" (News, last week) misled your readers by claiming that other organisations were not offered the opportunity to bid for the lottery good cause funding. | Your article "'Big society' network given £1m grant despite failures" (News, last week) misled your readers by claiming that other organisations were not offered the opportunity to bid for the lottery good cause funding. |
| The Society Network Foundation was one of a number of organisations that approached the fund after a call for ideas was made in September 2012 to support the legacy of the Olympics. Four organisations with developed ideas were invited to submit applications, which were fully, independently and rigorously assessed. All four have now been funded subject to stringent conditions and monitoring. | The Society Network Foundation was one of a number of organisations that approached the fund after a call for ideas was made in September 2012 to support the legacy of the Olympics. Four organisations with developed ideas were invited to submit applications, which were fully, independently and rigorously assessed. All four have now been funded subject to stringent conditions and monitoring. |
| The Big Lottery Fund has since made a further £8m available for organisations to apply for to help keep the spirit of 2012 alive for communities across the UK. | The Big Lottery Fund has since made a further £8m available for organisations to apply for to help keep the spirit of 2012 alive for communities across the UK. |
| This funding has been awarded in advance of the launch of the £40m Spirit of 2012 Trust, part of the Big Lottery Fund's investment to continue to inspire a generation and build on the legacy of the London Games. | This funding has been awarded in advance of the launch of the £40m Spirit of 2012 Trust, part of the Big Lottery Fund's investment to continue to inspire a generation and build on the legacy of the London Games. |
| We make 12,000 grants a year to good causes across the UK. In doing so, we take very seriously our duties to act responsibly with public money, to maintain our independent decision-making and to make a real difference to communities and the lives of people most in need. | We make 12,000 grants a year to good causes across the UK. In doing so, we take very seriously our duties to act responsibly with public money, to maintain our independent decision-making and to make a real difference to communities and the lives of people most in need. |
| Peter Ainsworth | Peter Ainsworth |
| Chair, Big Lottery Fund, London EC4 | Chair, Big Lottery Fund, London EC4 |
| 'Health tourists'? How absurd | 'Health tourists'? How absurd |
| Jeremy Hunt has decided to go after "health tourists" to save £33m of taxpayers' money ("Hunt tells GPs to crack down on the use of NHS by 'health tourists'", News). | Jeremy Hunt has decided to go after "health tourists" to save £33m of taxpayers' money ("Hunt tells GPs to crack down on the use of NHS by 'health tourists'", News). |
| I have been in medicine for more than 40 years, both in hospitals and as a GP. I have seen many rare and exotic diseases, but I have never seen a "health tourist". Neither my former practice nor, as far as I know, any of the adjoining practices ever encountered a member of this exotic species. | I have been in medicine for more than 40 years, both in hospitals and as a GP. I have seen many rare and exotic diseases, but I have never seen a "health tourist". Neither my former practice nor, as far as I know, any of the adjoining practices ever encountered a member of this exotic species. |
| To be fair to Mr Hunt, the previous government also banged on about "health tourists" stealing our money. However, the actions now being proposed have been in place for at least 10 years. Already, all GP practices have to ensure that anyone seeking to register for permanent or temporary care provides documentary evidence of their eligibility. | To be fair to Mr Hunt, the previous government also banged on about "health tourists" stealing our money. However, the actions now being proposed have been in place for at least 10 years. Already, all GP practices have to ensure that anyone seeking to register for permanent or temporary care provides documentary evidence of their eligibility. |
| It does seem rather daft that a government that has spent more than £2bn rendering the NHS less efficient, more bureaucratic and less fair is making such a fuss about a species that may not exist, and even if it does, costs only £30m. And where does this figure come from? | It does seem rather daft that a government that has spent more than £2bn rendering the NHS less efficient, more bureaucratic and less fair is making such a fuss about a species that may not exist, and even if it does, costs only £30m. And where does this figure come from? |
| Dr PG Estcourt | Dr PG Estcourt |
| South Chailey, East Sussex | South Chailey, East Sussex |
| Wayne Madsen | Wayne Madsen |
| Regarding the Observer's correction of 5 July 2013 [see For the Record], in which you said it was wrong to connect [me with] the article "Revealed: Secret deals with Europeans...", I wish to inform your readers that I provided your reporter, on his request after he contacted me, with the two documents on which the article was based. | Regarding the Observer's correction of 5 July 2013 [see For the Record], in which you said it was wrong to connect [me with] the article "Revealed: Secret deals with Europeans...", I wish to inform your readers that I provided your reporter, on his request after he contacted me, with the two documents on which the article was based. |
| Wayne Madsen | Wayne Madsen |
| Sent via email | Sent via email |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
Previous version
1
Next version