Feeling a little let down.

[dartmoordog]

I will be 63 next March, so although not old, not a youngster either. Over the last three years or so, I have notice a deterioration of my right eye, obviously the shooting eye! Well it has got that bad, I have lost all confidence in taking the rifle out and gave up my gun at my little self help game shoot, my last Deer was a lovely Dartmoor Stag a year ago.

So off to the optician two weeks ago, to be told it is total fcuked with a rapidly developing cataract, an easy fix so no worries. Got a referral letter, rang up the NHS appointment number, eye department, to be told it will be at least a year, possibly more, to get it done. I cannot wait a year, it is bloody awful. So I am going Private at a cost of around £3500, I have no choice.

After working, paying taxes and NI since 1974, now I need the NHS, it is not there for me. I feel let down. Apart from a few Xrays, stitches and minor breaks over my playing career, I have had little to do with the NHS, so hardly a burden.

To say our NHS is broken is an understatement, it is totally not fit for purpose anymore. Come this February, it will be two years since my wife was told she would need a knee replacement, she has been in the system since, still waiting and in pain every day. Just not good enough, talk about broken Britain.

 

[Grannysmith]

I feel your pain mate,
Nhs is not fit for purpose!
My wife was knocked down by a car and had major injuries to her foot which u!timately resulted in amputation of toes
They left her on a trolley in agony for 23 hrs before i kicked up such a fuss and threats that they did something and operated.
And she had been a nursing sister for 37 years!
And that was before the covid crisis! So they have a yellow streak which needs adressing!
Good luck with the eyes mate it will be worth every penny
Steve

 

[Rasputin]

I will be 63 next March, so although not old, not a youngster either. Over the last three years or so, I have notice a deterioration of my right eye, obviously the shooting eye! Well it has got that bad, I have lost all confidence in taking the rifle out and gave up my gun at my little self help game shoot, my last Deer was a lovely Dartmoor Stag a year ago.

So off to the optician two weeks ago, to be told it is total fcuked with a rapidly developing cataract, an easy fix so no worries. Got a referral letter, rang up the NHS appointment number, eye department, to be told it will be at least a year, possibly more, to get it done. I cannot wait a year, it is bloody awful. So I am going Private at a cost of around £3500, I have no choice.

After working, paying taxes and NI since 1974, now I need the NHS, it is not there for me. I feel let down. Apart from a few Xrays, stitches and minor breaks over my playing career, I have had little to do with the NHS, so hardly a burden.

To say our NHS is broken is an understatement, it is totally not fit for purpose anymore. Come this February, it will be two years since my wife was told she would need a knee replacement, she has been in the system since, still waiting and in pain every day. Just not good enough, talk about broken Britain.

That's shameful. My father had the same thing a few years ago iirc he had to wait around 9 months but it obviously wasnt as severe as yours. Iv said it before and I will say it again the NHS is an absolute disgrace and funding it in its current form will be the ruin of the UK. Its wholly unsustainable.

£3500 does seem like good value though we just had our old border terrier's done wasnt much change from £10k for them both and the damn thing then went and snuffed it three weeks after the OP. Sods law. Thankfully insurance picked up the tab.

 

[Alantoo]

Curious with cataract operations...I remember 30 odd years ago an add for a charity organising them in clinics in the "Third World" asking for £12 per op and them taking minutes...

My father had to give up furniture making for his last 5 or 6 years and just make a living turning bowls on the lathe (which he could do by feel) because they said his cataracts had to be "ripe" before they could operate...turns out not to be true...

But the difference when he had it done eventually was staggering...galling as it may be, I am sure you will find it money well spent.

Alan

 

[Fair Hill]

Sorry to hear about your eye troubles dartmoordog but at least you will get it fixed.

I know it's no consolation to you but waiting lists here in Ireland are a lot worse, the average waiting time is two and a half years while some people have had to wait five years.

Two independent politicians one from near me and the other from west Cork have helped thousands of people here get it done quicker these last few years by organising buses to take them to a private hospital in Belfast, the operation must be paid for upfront but the cost of it is fully refunded under the CBD (cross border directive) scheme. Basically under our health service rules once you have a referral from a specialist you are entitled to have an operation in any other EU member state if it means a shorter waiting time. It'll change after Brexit and some other hospital will have to be found but maybe there might be something similar available with NHS. I honestly don't know but I do know a lot of people here in Ireland are not aware that the CBD is available.

The lads run a great service that has shamed the government, the bus leaves for Belfast early Saturday morning and each patient can bring one friend for company while there is also a carer/supervisor on the bus. Appointment with the resident specialist Saturday afternoon, dinner and music and dancing in the hotel that night, breakfast, operation and back on the bus Sunday afternoon. Travel and accommodation is not refunded but only costs about 160 euro.

The good news is you'll be like a new man after the operation, it'll change your life.

NI hospital hoping to double the amount of cataract patients from the Republic next year

A private hospital in Belfast is planning to more than double the number of cataract operations it carries out for people in the Republic of Ireland.

www.irishexaminer.com

 

[oowee]

Third world price not much different now. Wife has booked in for both eyes Dec getting a discount deal (I guess) having two done at £6400. They say less than 10 mins per side. They do throw in free laser surgery fine tuning if required post op.

Curious with cataract operations...I remember 30 odd years ago an add for a charity organising them in clinics in the "Third World" asking for £12 per op and them taking minutes...

My father had to give up furniture making for his last 5 or 6 years and just make a living turning bowls on the lathe (which he could do by feel) because they said his cataracts had to be "ripe" before they could operate...turns out not to be true...

But the difference when he had it done eventually was staggering...galling as it may be, I am sure you will find it money well spent.

Alan

 

[Feugh]

What do the SD collective feel is the answer to the broken NHS? Taxes are not going down and the money being put into the NHS is not decreasing either. IMO (based on not enough knowledge, which is why I'm seeking more), medical technologies allow more and more procedures to be possible, and if the NHS was to be "fully" funded (i.e. all people got all procedures or necessary drugs without a long waiting list) the cost would be prohibitive.
I don't know the answer. Some would say that we should go to a similar system to the USA, but I'd hate to see those unable to pay just being left untreated. Conversely, I'd also not be keen on taxes going up considerably because I'm keen to save some money and retire at some point in my life. Those two things don't really work well together.
My Mum is going through something similar to you, Dartmoordog, but with a knee replacement. Like you, she has always paid her taxes and has contributed generally to society, but is now on a long list for an operation. The cost of a knee is quite considerable so she has chosen to just wait.

 

[Kjf]

What do the SD collective feel is the answer to the broken NHS? Taxes are not going down and the money being put into the NHS is not decreasing either. IMO (based on not enough knowledge, which is why I'm seeking more), medical technologies allow more and more procedures to be possible, and if the NHS was to be "fully" funded (i.e. all people got all procedures or necessary drugs without a long waiting list) the cost would be prohibitive.
I don't know the answer. Some would say that we should go to a similar system to the USA, but I'd hate to see those unable to pay just being left untreated. Conversely, I'd also not be keen on taxes going up considerably because I'm keen to save some money and retire at some point in my life. Those two things don't really work well together.
My Mum is going through something similar to you, Dartmoordog, but with a knee replacement. Like you, she has always paid her taxes and has contributed generally to society, but is now on a long list for an operation. The cost of a knee is quite considerable so she has chosen to just wait.

Get rid of the 10 managers they have for each department , who then pay external consults to do there jobs

Simple,

Very , very simple

They are just postmen who kick it down hill till it hits the external contractors , who deal with EVERYTHING to do with the job anyway

I know coz I'm one of the contractors , it's shocking, me and my teams do there jobs for them ,as the " client" they provide absolutely no input what so ever

Get rid of these high level muppets and put the cash towards caring/fixing people

Rant over

Kjf

 

[VSS]

Recent care I have received from the NHS has been outstanding, to be honest!

 

[tozzybum]

Burton hospital cost 20 million to build, 5 million was for the officeaccommodation
And I'm being monitored for my cataract, 3 years of "monitoring " and counting.

 

[Feugh]

Recent care I have received from the NHS has been outstanding, to be honest!

Same, but that doesn't detract from the fact that there are long waiting lists for certain procedures, and those have a significant impact on people's lives

 

[Kjf]

Recent care I have received from the NHS has been outstanding, to be honest!

I agree Tim, the front line staff are awesome

But there's a lot of money wasted , that could be used for getting the waiting lists down and employing more front line staff and surgeons etc

Kjf

 

[Rasputin]

What do the SD collective feel is the answer to the broken NHS? Taxes are not going down and the money being put into the NHS is not decreasing either. IMO (based on not enough knowledge, which is why I'm seeking more), medical technologies allow more and more procedures to be possible, and if the NHS was to be "fully" funded (i.e. all people got all procedures or necessary drugs without a long waiting list) the cost would be prohibitive.
I don't know the answer. Some would say that we should go to a similar system to the USA, but I'd hate to see those unable to pay just being left untreated. Conversely, I'd also not be keen on taxes going up considerably because I'm keen to save some money and retire at some point in my life. Those two things don't really work well together.
My Mum is going through something similar to you, Dartmoordog, but with a knee replacement. Like you, she has always paid her taxes and has contributed generally to society, but is now on a long list for an operation. The cost of a knee is quite considerable so she has chosen to just wait.

IME the best way to move the NHS forward is to move to a Swiss style system.

This would involve paying a monthly health insurance fee as an individual (pick a figure say 200 pcm) depending upon how much you use the service this can be refunded to your tax at the end of the year but more importantly Employers need to be incentivized to pay their share of a health insurance policy (which would be ironic considering the size of the NHS workforce) after all companies benefit from a healthy workforce more time at the desk = more revenues = more tax to HMRC. However mentally we have become so entrenched in this NHS nonsense that governments fear even talking about change let alone acting on it.

We also need to stop taxing on income at source and move to a tax on consumption of goods/services model. For instance this year because of Covid I have used exactly the same public services as my next door neighbour ie roads, bin men, etc yet I will pay x3 the amount of income tax he will pay for having used the same amount of public infrastructure. If I had paid the same tax as him I could have spent any additional monies creating jobs and tax reciepts atm its just a tax receipt.

Alternatively we go down the Scandi route and keep throwing money after bad till were all taxed out. Joyous.

 

[Kjf]

I will be 63 next March, so although not old, not a youngster either. Over the last three years or so, I have notice a deterioration of my right eye, obviously the shooting eye! Well it has got that bad, I have lost all confidence in taking the rifle out and gave up my gun at my little self help game shoot, my last Deer was a lovely Dartmoor Stag a year ago.

So off to the optician two weeks ago, to be told it is total fcuked with a rapidly developing cataract, an easy fix so no worries. Got a referral letter, rang up the NHS appointment number, eye department, to be told it will be at least a year, possibly more, to get it done. I cannot wait a year, it is bloody awful. So I am going Private at a cost of around £3500, I have no choice.

After working, paying taxes and NI since 1974, now I need the NHS, it is not there for me. I feel let down. Apart from a few Xrays, stitches and minor breaks over my playing career, I have had little to do with the NHS, so hardly a burden.

To say our NHS is broken is an understatement, it is totally not fit for purpose anymore. Come this February, it will be two years since my wife was told she would need a knee replacement, she has been in the system since, still waiting and in pain every day. Just not good enough, talk about broken Britain.

It's a shame the decent folk have to shell out hard earned mate

But your eyes are worth it

I hope it all goes well mate

Kjf

 

[Tom D]

£3500!!!!
£28 here......https://www.sightsavers.org/cataracts-charity/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAhs79BRD0ARIsAC6XpaW0dC1RMOXbhsTHk1b-tx-cdrMPEZUKfZ5-StlXWSExXS64F2I4yIUaAgXtEALw_wcB

It's a super simple operation, I would have thought £300 - £500 would be a sensible price in a western democracy... its so sad how we'er ripped off these days.

 

[Ooops]

Curious with cataract operations...I remember 30 odd years ago an add for a charity organising them in clinics in the "Third World" asking for £12 per op and them taking minutes...

DMD this may well be the way ahead. Check out what's available in India. They have an entire system dedicated to tourists going over specifically to have medical procedures.

I don't have any first hand experience of it but I'm let to believe that the services and facilities associated with this are very good. And if there's any where that knows about cataracts its going to there.

 

[VSS]

Same, but that doesn't detract from the fact that there are long waiting lists for certain procedures, and those have a significant impact on people's lives

Yes, I agree, and I have suffered those long delays in the past, to the extent that eventually I gave up and lived with the problem (nothing major, just some bashed-in bones in my face which affect my breathing to a certain extent).
However, my recent experience, following diagnosis of a long-term degenerative condition a year ago, has been nothing short of outstanding..

 

[User00025]

Sorry to hear about your problem Darty.
I had to wait 12 months for first one six weeks for second. Also had corrective laser work after 12 months. A brilliant surgeon.
Whatever we say or feel about the NHS we all know the two reasons for its problems.
The first is too top heavy management wise due to PC requirements.
The second is an extra Three and a half million people coming in over ten years, paying nothing in, and consequently the lack of new buildings.

 

[243varmint]

Sorry to hear about your eye troubles dartmoordog but at least you will get it fixed.

I know it's no consolation to you but waiting lists here in Ireland are a lot worse, the average waiting time is two and a half years while some people have had to wait five years.

Two independent politicians one from near me and the other from west Cork have helped thousands of people here get it done quicker these last few years by organising buses to take them to a private hospital in Belfast, the operation must be paid for upfront but the cost of it is fully refunded under the CBD (cross border directive) scheme. Basically under our health service rules once you have a referral from a specialist you are entitled to have an operation in any other EU member state if it means a shorter waiting time. It'll change after Brexit and some other hospital will have to be found but maybe there might be something similar available with NHS. I honestly don't know but I do know a lot of people here in Ireland are not aware that the CBD is available.

The lads run a great service that has shamed the government, the bus leaves for Belfast early Saturday morning and each patient can bring one friend for company while there is also a carer/supervisor on the bus. Appointment with the resident specialist Saturday afternoon, dinner and music and dancing in the hotel that night, breakfast, operation and back on the bus Sunday afternoon. Travel and accommodation is not refunded but only costs about 160 euro.

The good news is you'll be like a new man after the operation, it'll change your life.

NI hospital hoping to double the amount of cataract patients from the Republic next year

A private hospital in Belfast is planning to more than double the number of cataract operations it carries out for people in the Republic of Ireland.

www.irishexaminer.com

Maybe that's why the UK has long waiting lists EU members coming to the UK for treatment pushing UK residents down the list....
Sorry if that's out of line but that's what it looks like.....

 

[Fair Hill]

Maybe that's why the UK has long waiting lists EU members coming to the UK for treatment pushing UK residents down the list....
Sorry if that's out of line but that's what it looks like.....

There is no long waiting lists for private treatment so there is no disadvantage to UK residents for Irish people to travel and get the operation done in a private hospital.