Sir - May I make an early suggestion for a new year resolve on behalf of all who have to write official reports, compositors, even journalists and official bodies.
Please stop the use of ill-conceived acronyms.
If there is a genuine wish to economise on keystrokes by using just the initial letters of a quango or other group please insert a full stop between each letter, instead of just stringing them together into a meaningless jumble. I suggest that well-defined groups should remain in use (e.g. NHS, RSPCA, even UK) but for the remainder spell out each time – in this electronic age it should be possible to pre-programme the word processor to do this automatically.
At least this would save the reader, from having to try to remember what the initial could possibly mean. There are of course times when a little unintended humour can save the situation by default. In an earlier existence I took my hat off to the brain that christened a newly formed unit as the Fast Action Response Team! That lasted about two working days, but has gone down in gaffe history.
To me an acronym is useful as an aide memoire, which I believe is its proper function – nowadays some official documents have to include a glossary of all the acronyms used therein so that participants in future meetings at least have some idea of the contents of the subject under discussion.
So the plea is make use of the proper titles of groups, or if that is impossible include a glossary at the beginning of the document as part of or an extension to any content listing.
We often blame computers for errors – but here any fault lies with lazy or time-saving operators trying to economise on keystrokes.
Ted Jolliffe Highbury Grove, Clapham
What a waste of time
Sir - For years we have been fed stories of the incompetence and waste of central and local government – five workmen needed to change a light bulb, lengthy forms full of incomprehensible language, etc.
Instead, we have been assured, we should hand over their services to private firms, who would introduce efficient working practices and replace bureaucratic gobbledygook with the simple, user-friendly language of the supermarket.
So what are we to make of the story on the front page of last week’s Bedfordshire on Sunday about Viridor, a private firm, at the Household Waste Recycling Centre? If your story is correct, one of their contributions to cutting-edge technology is to erect signs which can only be changed by three men (presumably an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman) and a ladder.
As for Viridor’s use of language, they can apparently no more compose a simple sentence than solve a simple problem.
To explain the problem at the Barkers Lane site, their spokesman might have said something like: “Site safety is very important, and all our staff are fully trained to work in the safest ways and to avoid all hazardous situations.”
Did he say that? Of course not. He spouted three long sentences of jargon made up almost exclusively of words and phrases like ‘paramount’, ‘proactively’, ‘embedded,’ ‘zero tolerance’ and ‘comprehensive policies and procedures’.
Viridor boasts on its website that it was ‘The Waste Management Business of 2010’.
So when will they manage to stop wasting words and wasting their workers’ time? Bill Tordoff Westbourne Road, Queens Park, Bedford
The true role of H&S
Sir - Your paper’s front page story, last week (Staff not trained to change staff), reveals yet another story of Health & Safety (H&S) incompetence, or misunderstanding of their role.
The role of H&S officers is to advise on the best way to undertake potentially dangerous jobs. It is not to stop people doing their work.
If H&S officers understood their role, we would not have as many silly stories, such as that which you described.
They are fun though.
Please keep showing that H&S officers do not understand their role in life, because it gives us all a good laugh, and something to talk about for weeks.
Graham Wright.
Castle Road, Bedford
Lack of co-operation
Sir - Re the issues between Bedford BID and the borough, I was deeply disappointed to read Cllr Headley’s letter.
It was typical of the attitude that prevents progress in Bedford.
Surely both the borough council and Bedford BID exist to work for the good of the borough, and much more would be achieved if they were to cooperate, perhaps to implement some of the improvements long promised by Mayor Hodgson but yet to see light of day.
Incidentally, I understand that Bedford BID exists only because the council used its block vote to continue it.
Brian Sellers Furness Close, Bedford Look on the bright side Sir - If local businesses are dissatisfied with the deal struck with Bedford BID they need to press for renegotiation at the earliest opportunity.
But rather than grumbling, let’s get positive.
I for one, as a Bedford citizen and a grandparent, am pleased to use the Bedford Town Centre Gift Voucher Scheme, run by BID, when I can. It means four gifts for the price of one.
The first gift is for the grandchild or family member, the second for the local town centre traders, and the third for future generations who will enjoy the benefits of a thriving Bedford in years to come. And the fourth is the glow I get from it! Heather Mitchell Lely Close, Bedford
Walk-in Centre did cope
Sir - Further to your front page article last week, ‘Prescription for chaos’ in which you made reference to the Putnoe Walk-in Centre, I would like to take this opportunity to respond to the concerns raised.
As Dr Parry Okeden stated in the article, the current GP educational sessions have been running for more than a year and the Walk-in Centre is part of the cover provided to allow practice staff in Bedford to attend these valuable meetings.
Your article reported that the Walk-in Centre was ‘filled up to bursting’.
However, our records show that 30 patients in total attended during the three hours and that only 20 more patients attended that day compared to any other weekday.
On that day of the latest educational session we had two doctors and two minor illness nurses on duty and to accommodate any rise in patient numbers, we arranged for an extra doctor to be on duty.
These numbers give an average of 2.5 patients per hour per clinician, giving approximately 15 minutes per patient – well within manageable numbers.
At no time was the reception full, nor were patients faced with a longer wait than normal. Patients attended evenly throughout the afternoon and there was no sense of chaos.
I would like to point out that we receive very positive feedback from many of the patients who use the Putnoe Walk-in Centre, stating how much they value the service we provide, particularly at weekends, when over 200 patients attend and 90 per cent are seen within one hour.
A great deal of hard work goes into providing this high quality service and I would not want patients to believe that the centre could not cope on this occasion.
Dr E Ochola Partner, Putnoe Medical Centre
Colour doesn’t matter
Sir - My name is Harry Beard. In my class at Bedford Modern School we have been discussing the white poppy.
My personal thought is that red poppies appeared on Flanders field so why do we need to change it.
There are just some busybodies who don’t know what they are talking about.
We only wear poppies for a few days or weeks each year.
Who cares about the colour of the poppy as long as I’m there for a minute’s silence to thank everyone involved in the war for keeping England English and for risking or giving up their lives for the likes of me, ‘the next generation’.
Harry Beard Bedford Modern School
Religious by its nature
Sir - Sorry, KS Northwood (letter November 20, 2011), the Remembrance Sunday ‘ceremony’ of which you speak is, in fact, a Remembrance Sunday Service.
That means that it is, by definition, religious.
If Christian services make you feel ‘uncomfortable’, you are not forced to attend them.
T Fisher Harpenden Close, Bedford
A lack of toleration?
Sir- I felt really saddened to see the letter from KS Northwood in last week’s Bedfordshire on Sunday.
Surely the whole point of Remembrance Day is to think about the people who gave their lives for this country – a very good proportion of whom would have been Christian.
It is very telling that KS Northwood states he felt ‘distinctly uncomfortable’ and like an ‘unwelcome intruder’.
Like too many people today he or she expects everyone to think about his or her feelings and is not prepared to accept or tolerate the feelings and beliefs of anyone else.
Mr D Earl Mortimer Road, Kempston
Why exclude holy book?
Sir - In his letter outlining how Remembrance Day services should be changed to conform to his own beliefs, your correspondent KS Northwood states, ‘A different dignitary could be invited to say some moving words each year, words of their own devising, rather than just read out of a holy book’.
Why must these restrictions be imposed? Why must the dignitary devise their own words? Perhaps their sentiments are well expressed in the words of poets, writers or service personnel.
Would it not be insensitive to ban them from using the writings of others to express their feelings? Why should people not use the words of a holy book if that is meaningful to them? Many, for example, find comfort in words such as ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me’.
How unkind to prevent people from speaking words which are precious to them.
Having excluded those who want to use the words of others, and having excluded those who want to use a holy book, KS Northwood declares that such an event would be welcoming and inclusive! Not in any reasonable understanding of the words inclusive or welcoming.
A Rome Pinchmill Way, Sharnbrook, Bedford Free Schools concerns Sir- Richard Fuller MP has invited the Education Secretary to put pressure on local authorities to co-operate with any ‘Free Schools’ that might, without even a pretence of consultation, be foisted upon them.
Perhaps, in a spirit of localism, transparency and accountability, he could follow up this democratic initiative by persuading his Right Honourable Friend to break the rigid code of Omertà that cloaks the entire Free Schools project, and share with our borough council, who have no evidence of any need for additional school places, the required ‘robust evidence of parental demand’ that has led the Free School to badge itself first as Kempston, then as Bedford and Kempston, and finally(?) as Bedford Free School, and to hold recruitment events as far afield as the athletics stadium.
Charles Baily Sidmouth Close, Bedford
