Normal Life - when ?

[kes]

Just visited local doctors as wife has been unwell with deep seated chest infection. Arrived exactly on time. Reported to the 'covid window' told to wait.
Wife stayed out of wind near surgery door, expecting a nurse to emerge, eventually she had to return to the car 45 minutes later someone came out to fetch her. Half and Hour to take blood samples and talk about asthma which is not the problem, mystifying. To cap it all they had a delivery of new furniture whilst having their carpets replaced - 2 vans and no-one could get in or out. Maybe it was a bad day but only one person seeing a nurse for 1/2 hour is 14 patients. Doctors are only talking to patients.
If this situation applies elsewhere it's a poor show for anyone who hasn't caught Covid but is battling another problem.
Sorry to be controversial but one new problem seems to divert everyone's attention and focus.

 

[McKenzie]

I think it depends where you live. We can still see the doctor the same day if the issue is deemed appropriate.

 

[nun_hunter]

Well after 10+ years of the Tories destroying the public sector you're not going to get much better. Yeah "the economy" looked good on paper and big business was doing well but normal people are worse off. Still it'll all get better once the Tories sell off the NHS to their mates and to keep Trump happy.

 

[Rasputin]

NHS is a crock of rubbish. Hopefully this disjointed handling of the pandemic and associated services sees it broken up or at least radically overhauled. Even before covid getting a doctors appointment was murder unless of course it’s the obligatory flu shots or whatever else they are peddling and getting a kick back from.

 

[Tim.243]

NHS is a crock of rubbish. Hopefully this disjointed handling of the pandemic and associated services sees it broken up or at least radically overhauled. Even before covid getting a doctors appointment was murder unless of course it’s the obligatory flu shots or whatever else they are peddling and getting a kick back from.

Spoke to my doctor this morning, app for Thursday, my very dear friend is in Broomfield hospital with his text reply that the staff and doctors are making him very comfortable with the serious condition he has.

 

[downwind]

NHS is a crock of rubbish. Hopefully this disjointed handling of the pandemic and associated services sees it broken up or at least radically overhauled. Even before covid getting a doctors appointment was murder unless of course it’s the obligatory flu shots or whatever else they are peddling and getting a kick back from.

That opinion does not reflect the NHS treatment and care that I'm receiving in Cornwall/Devon. Having been diagnosed with cancer in August, I have nothing but praise for the whole system that is caring for me! From GP, practice nurse, consultants, support nurses, dental care, even receptionists, all have shown nothing other than care and efficiency in dealing with my situation.
@Rasputin please don't tar all the NHS with the same brush.

 

[Farmer_J]

I phoned our new docs yesterday morning at 8:05am to book an appointment. Told they’re doing telephone apps only, that’s fine. Doc called back at 10.00am to go through a few things as I’ve been getting constant headaches last couple weeks. Asked if I could come in a couple hours later to do BP check and ophthalmic exam. No waiting straight into examination room. Checks done, quick chat, deems it stress related tension headaches and I’m out the door again whilst adhering to all COVID measures. Some surgeries just do it right and some sound like they’re lacking. Like most services you get good and bad unfortunately, but to tar all the NHS with the same brush is very short sighted.

 

[Hornet 6]

Its a mixed bag, one local hospital is crap, while another cant do enough for you.
Unfortunately 6 weeks ago I was attending a pre surgery check before a minor operation when they found I had extremely
high blood pressure, surgery postponed, without seeing me my doctor prescribed medication, a week after back to doctors for a blood pressure check.
Still very high, medication doubled, weeks later back to hospital, my doctor prescribed more medication. after week back to hospital and blood pressure is a fraction lower, bu no real change. Hospital calls my doctor, doctor doubles my medication yet again. Warned by hospital to not exert myself, stop when ever i am short of breath and they will see me in two weeks. Blood pressure so high the hospicsay warn I could easily have a heart attack, yet doctor doesn't need to see me apparently.
To sum up I'd say if you are healthy with nothing at all wrong then the NHS is good as can be expected under the present circumstances.
If on the other hand you have something wrong your'e up **** creek with a broken paddle.


Neil.

 

[User00025]

The NHS overall is as good as it can get.
All you need to do is reckon 350000 a year coming in over ten years. 3.5 Million more patients to cover with no further facilities.
There's the problem.

 

[Ade8mm]

Got so fed up with the local surgery a few years ago (Impossible to make an appointment etc) we signed up with a Private Dr. practice See him within 24 hrs max. but usually same day. As many visits as you like. Me wife and son. £700 per year for the three of us. I know a lot of people cant afford it but you can bet they manage to fit in a couple of holidays a year etc . (Its only the cost of a couple of pairs of high-end wellies for some people!) He was very busy over the lock in as people who would normally never countenance private medicine sought him out due to their nhs doctors not seeing patients! (Which goes to show people can find the money if they see it as a priority.)
Yes I know we all pay tax towards the nhs etc but there is a choice unless you want to put misguided principles before your health.
Just saying..

 

[glasshalffull]

Your think it's bad now we'll just wait until after the B word when medication will either become unavailable or be too expensive to be used.
In my opinion the NHS was ruined by the 1990s reforms introduced by Ken Clark after the Thatcher commissioned report in 1987. That's when GPs (GP funded community healthcare) pay tripled from 33k to 100k pa overnight and many could afford to go part time and later retire early with their bank accounts full. But best not to get me started on that one I feel my BP rising already
Normal life when a working vaccine readily available.

 

[Chanty Wrassler]

Well after 10+ years of the Tories destroying the public sector you're not going to get much better. Yeah "the economy" looked good on paper and big business was doing well but normal people are worse off. Still it'll all get better once the Tories sell off the NHS to their mates and to keep Trump happy.

Remember that your GP (like your dentist, optician, pharmacist, chiropodist etc) was never part of the public sector. They are all private sector.

 

[Spix]

Remember that your GP (like your dentist, optician, pharmacist, chiropodist etc) was never part of the public sector. They are all private sector.

Our local very rural GP Surgery suffered a weekend power cut a few weeks ago, no backup generator and they lost their entire stock of vaccines, including all the winter flu jabs. I spoke with a very elderly neighbour at the weekend who was genuinely concerned about the situation but mercifully the Surgery phoned today to say that they have been resupplied … after 26 days. Such are the demands on our health service. We often talk about and rank our health care highly in comparison to other countries, very often with no direct experience of what we are talking about or comparing.

Not knocking, just stating facts.

 

[nun_hunter]

Remember that your GP (like your dentist, optician, pharmacist, chiropodist etc) was never part of the public sector. They are all private sector.

Yes but we have access via the NHS so it shows how badly things are run (medical checks on renewals etc) when you put private companies and individuals in charge of something that we all pay for and should have access to.

 

[FrenchieBoy]

Our doctor's surgery is only seeing patients for "Special Cases" otherwise it's a telephone consultation with the doctor, patients have been told not to attend if they think they might have Covid. However the practice nurses are doing blood tests by appointment where necessary. I have to say that our Doctor's Surgery is normally very good but these times of Covid are interfering with so many of the medical services throughout the country.
Our local hospital is trying to catch up on appointments - I have to go tomorrow to see a consultant about my hip and knee!

 

[Glade]

NHS is a crock of rubbish. Hopefully this disjointed handling of the pandemic and associated services sees it broken up or at least radically overhauled. Even before covid getting a doctors appointment was murder unless of course it’s the obligatory flu shots or whatever else they are peddling and getting a kick back from.

Well your comments are making my blood boil!!!!

My daughter a sister on high dependency unit (hdu), is working 13 hour shifts, they are that short staffed she rarely gets a break. After a night shift and on a sleeping day she is often phoned and asked to come in at short notice.

She is physically and mentally exhausted! She has pressure sores all around her face from the PPE. She is along with her colleagues nursing patients with very serious ailments, which include heart, lung, kidney transplants, and Covid patients!

She is also tasked with having to be the last person to hold the hand of a dying person before having to inform a relative of their death!!!!!

I spoke with her this morning and my beautiful young girl was sobbing and telling me she has a bad back because of having to turn heavy unconscious dead weight patients, so they can breath!!

DON’T YOU BLOODY WELL SLAG OFF the NHS!!!!

A very angry G.

 

[User00025]

Well I certainly can't complain. I had an operation on my leg to fuse joints due to arthritis in a totally crap wounded leg. The op went ok, everything was screwed back together but whatever the reason the bone won't fuse and there's a lot of grief with it. Back to surgeon after two years. I am now half way through four months of ultrasound every night to try and induce bone growth. I have had isotope implants into my blood and all sorts of scans done. It may be that there is infection so back for blood abstraction infusion with nuclear gunge and reinjection for further scans to see if there is any infection.
In any other country the bills would be astronomical. All I can say is "Bless you NHS personnel".

 

[Freeforester]

More of a mid management organisational issue than a deficient front line imho.

 

[Rasputin]

Well your comments are making my blood boil!!!!

My daughter a sister on high dependency unit (hdu), is working 13 hour shifts, they are that short staffed she rarely gets a break. After a night shift and on a sleeping day she is often phoned and asked to come in at short notice.

She is physically and mentally exhausted! She has pressure sores all around her face from the PPE. She is along with her colleagues nursing patients with very serious ailments, which include heart, lung, kidney transplants, and Covid patients!

She is also tasked with having to be the last person to hold the hand of a dying person before having to inform a relative of their death!!!!!

I spoke with her this morning and my beautiful young girl was sobbing and telling me she has a bad back because of having to turn heavy unconscious dead weight patients, so they can breath!!

DON’T YOU BLOODY WELL SLAG OFF the NHS!!!!

A very angry G.

God forbid she’s having to do work whilst doing a job of her choosing! What’s next soldiers getting upset because they get sent to Afghanistan ?

It also must be nice knowing that she’s in a job for life no matter how currently unpleasant the situation is whilst millions of others face uncertainty of the likes never seen before.

Whilst I have no axe to grind with frontline workers as they are only doing there job. The whole organisation is riddled with inefficiencies that hold it back. Not to mention the obvious disparities in available care between post codes which is disproportionately unfair to many.

After seven years without the NHS coming back to the UK “free healthcare” system was a shock to the system at how poor it’s got.

 

[Hayduke]

That opinion does not reflect the NHS treatment and care that I'm receiving in Cornwall/Devon. Having been diagnosed with cancer in August, I have nothing but praise for the whole system that is caring for me! From GP, practice nurse, consultants, support nurses, dental care, even receptionists, all have shown nothing other than care and efficiency in dealing with my situation.
@Rasputin please don't tar all the NHS with the same brush.

Good luck Downwind.
My father died of cancer a month ago he was under the care of a Devon hospital. He was told he was in the hands of the best unit in Europe, and should have had a few more years. He did not get the scans he should have had, he did not get all the treatment he should have had, he did not get the care from the hospital consultants he should have had. They lied. They think they are God, some of them are a---holes on £130,000 a year, who spent most of lockdown with their feet up at home.
The system is disjointed, they can be tardy and crap at communicating with different teams.
If you have a question, if you feel you need a scan, treatment, whatever, hound the consultants and registrars like your life depends on it. Because it probably does.
On the other hand. The care from local GPs, hospital nurses, care team was first class. GPs and nurses are Golden, absolute treasures.