Local doctor, Dr Richard Scott, has been reprimanded for offering to discuss his faith in order to assist a patient.

Now I get the don't shove your belief down my throat argument but we are talking about a GP from a practice (Bethesda Medical Centre in Margate) that is run entirely by Christian GPs who make a point of saying in their literature, in posters in the centre and on the official NHS Choices website that they are likely to discuss spiritual matters with patients during consultations. If that was not the form of care that you wanted then, really, what are you doing there?

Dr Scott told the Sunday Telegraph at his practice, which is named after the pool of healing in the bible, many patients have problems with drugs and alcohol and religion can be a saving grace in their lives.

Dr Scott said: 'What has happened to me is an injustice and I want to stand up for Christians who have been getting hammered in the workplace.'

Some how this counts as “harassment” and "bringing the profession into disrepute" in which case the entire practice must surely be guilty? Oh but wait, it is the patient's mum that is filing the complaint. Of course... ?



(Video is from the telegraph website)

In the Video Dr Scott says that of every eight patients he might suggest the alpha course to (a series of structured discussions whereby people can investigate Christianity) two might take up the offer and one would be significantly helped as a result. In other words a quarter of the people he talks to feel that it might be worth a try and of those that try it half find that it changes their lives for the better. Say what you like about complimentary therapy but this sounds like a winner. Given that Dr Scott says that he has made the offer to thousands of people that must mean that he has helped over 200 people where medicine could not. Can that be a bad thing?

It's not for everyone but then again neither is aspirin.

What is your opinion - is this political correctness gone mad, religious persecution, a fair result or an utter over reaction?

Is it time for a Margate Parish Council?

Consider this: Ramsgate has a parish council and it has a living high street. Broadstairs has a parish council and has done for a long while. It too has a successful highstreet. Margate lacks a parish council and both it's high street are half dead or worse.

Margate has parking problems in the form of nowhere decent to park a car. Margate is also alone in this. And do not suppose that this is likely to get better. Indeed the parking situation is going to get worse.

Estimates from the planning process show that the Tesco car park will more than likely not have sufficient capacity for the number of visitors that they estimate they will have. However the rate of traffic will still go up. TDC do not have a plan to counter this. KCC do not have a plan to counter this and you can be damn sure that Tesco have no such plan.

The only looser is, as always, Margate. Don't get me wrong I'm utterly indifferent to Tesco on the whole and only mildly sceptical about the new plans but Margate needs someone to stick up for her interests before greed kills Margate forever.

Margate, you might be aware, had a whole bunch of money taken away from it so that Broadstairs Parish Council could build on top of the local park in order to earn itself a better income. (And before Doctor what-is-face starts slandering my good name again I have this fact on good authority from a well respected councillor).

Margate suffered utter stupidity when the clock tower had the roundabout replaced with traffic lights. The result was gridlock.

Margate has lost it's cinema, it's amusement park, it's high street (mentioned that already I know), it's big shops, it's little shops, it's economic impact and even it's share of tourism (turner centre aside).

The business rates are too high driving business away, the parking is a farce driving visitors away, the money it should have is taken away to prop up parish councils... Something must be done.

Clearly the only way to protect Margate is to set up a low cost parish council that can fight back for the right of Margate to enjoy a bit of joined up thinking and the money it is entitled to.

Margate is missing out!

The Southern Landlords’ Association has secured the support of three other lobby organisations for a legal challenge to Thanet Council’s selective licensing scheme. SLA lodged papers in the High Court last month after top barrister George Pulman QC advised that the scheme appeared to be illegal.

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