AIBU?
Give me strength, the NHS is on its knees and Therese Coffey issues this.....
DevaleraSpawnOfSatan · 15/09/2022 12:15
wigywhoo · 15/09/2022 17:06
Lovesplasticstraws · 15/09/2022 17:00
It saves time in the long run. Minister sets out their drafting preferences. Civil Servants use it when drafting correspondence for said Minister to sign. Standard practice and avoids things being returned for redrafting.
Exactly- and @donquixotedelamancha civil servants will be keen to use the preferred style so will have asked her, when she first became a minister years ago, what her preference for all sorts of things was. How she likes her coffee, how she likes data presented - question >>> Answer. People here seem to think, rather than deal with substantive business this week she has instead called a meeting to launch her style guide! Not so!
CaptainCorellisBagpipes · 15/09/2022 18:57
@Technonan You said;
Sometimes you really need that Oxford comma. From The Times, on a documentary by Peter Ustinov: 'Highlights of his global tour include encounters with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demi-god and a dildo collector.'
😆
Try this - "I helped my uncle Jack, off his horse."
vs "I helped my uncle Jack off his horse."
Oxford or not, that pesky little comma has a lot of power.......😏
GreenLunchBox · 15/09/2022 19:52
JauntyJinty · 15/09/2022 12:58
She does, but while we're on a thread about punctuation pendantry - why did you put Chemistry in inverted commas as if you don't think it's a real thing?! 😂
GreenLunchBox · 15/09/2022 12:49
Does she really have a PhD in 'chemistry'? That seems... unlikely
Haha, I just meant Chemistry is a preeeeeetty big subject 🤪
Worriedaboutethics · 15/09/2022 19:56
@DevaleraSpawnOfSatan
vote for these brexiteer tories and this is what you get.
also let’s let bankers get plus x2 bonus salary and more saying we want to attract such bankers. Actually no. We should not want such greed. If they are that good pay the salary.
just a shameful bunch of people.
beggers belief.
Clavinova · 15/09/2022 20:33
Worriedaboutethics
vote for these brexiteer tories and this is what you get
The Times today have reminded readers of Labour's Liam Byrne;
Liam Byrne, a minister under Gordon Brown, issued a notorious 11-page guide called “working with Liam Byrne”
2008
If Mariah Carey's minions at times find the singer's diva demands trying, they might spare a thought for the aides of the cabinet minister, Liam Byrne.
www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/nov/17/liam-byrne-minister-diva-news
No surprise that Liam Byrne was recently suspended from the Commons for bullying a former employee.
walkingonsunshinekat · 15/09/2022 21:01
Clavinova · 15/09/2022 20:33
Worriedaboutethics
vote for these brexiteer tories and this is what you get
The Times today have reminded readers of Labour's Liam Byrne;
Liam Byrne, a minister under Gordon Brown, issued a notorious 11-page guide called “working with Liam Byrne”
2008
If Mariah Carey's minions at times find the singer's diva demands trying, they might spare a thought for the aides of the cabinet minister, Liam Byrne.
www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/nov/17/liam-byrne-minister-diva-news
No surprise that Liam Byrne was recently suspended from the Commons for bullying a former employee.
Whilst we are on the subject of diverting the thread..... Wasn't Priti Patel also found guilty of bullying?
But she had a far more lenient and crass boss
JackandSam · 15/09/2022 21:06
ClumpingBambooIsALie · 15/09/2022 12:44
I don't know your role, but not even in phrases like "In meeting today, Nurse Specialist X, Dr Y, Mum and Dad, and patient"? Or would you make the effort to rephrase just to avoid an Oxford comma?
Bestcatmum · 15/09/2022 12:40
I work in the NHS and have never used the Oxford comma. I would never use a comma before 'and'.
I presume this is for official documents rather than writing patient notes and so on. I'm sure it doesn't affect most of us.
I've seen some shockers in the notes though that always make me laugh such as pussy instead of purulent. His penis was pussy was one of them, we all fell about laughing.
Usually it's present at meeting: Dr x (cardiology). Dr y (pediatric nephrology). Sally (mum). Bob (step- father). Sarah (OT). No real need for the ands or comma's. NHS notes are generally only full sentences when they'll be sent to the patient! Often read like a telegram used to and with lots of short hand and acronyms.
ClumpingBambooIsALie · 15/09/2022 21:13
JackandSam · 15/09/2022 21:06
Usually it's present at meeting: Dr x (cardiology). Dr y (pediatric nephrology). Sally (mum). Bob (step- father). Sarah (OT). No real need for the ands or comma's. NHS notes are generally only full sentences when they'll be sent to the patient! Often read like a telegram used to and with lots of short hand and acronyms.
ClumpingBambooIsALie · 15/09/2022 12:44
I don't know your role, but not even in phrases like "In meeting today, Nurse Specialist X, Dr Y, Mum and Dad, and patient"? Or would you make the effort to rephrase just to avoid an Oxford comma?
Bestcatmum · 15/09/2022 12:40
I work in the NHS and have never used the Oxford comma. I would never use a comma before 'and'.
I presume this is for official documents rather than writing patient notes and so on. I'm sure it doesn't affect most of us.
I've seen some shockers in the notes though that always make me laugh such as pussy instead of purulent. His penis was pussy was one of them, we all fell about laughing.
Only notes I've read are my own (probably different speciality to you though), from several different parts of the country over a couple of decades, and they're very often full sentences in many places. Not always, but often. Guess I was just surprised you were able to confidently state you'd never used an Oxford comma over a whole career. I believe you, it just surprises me you can be sure.
Shpaniel · 15/09/2022 21:46
I’m curious at the comments who think this is helpful, along with how MPs would like data presented. A policy doesn’t improve the outcomes for Ms Smith on the street because it uses certain grammar conventions and why are there not standard conventions anyway? What options for data presentation are we talking? Anyone with basic statistics should know what type of charts are used to represent various data types and unless you’re attempting Purdue Pharma level misdirection on the scale points and ranges, I’m wondering what preferences MP can express for data representation so they can actually understand it?
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