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Post by MartinT on Jun 17, 2016 10:32:14 GMT
It seems common to hear NHS bashing in everyday conversation and I wanted to say something positive about our wonderful welfare system.
In my area, my hospital consultant and my GP can share all my medical history online. Everything is shown live onscreen to me, including results of blood tests and scans. They can call up retina, CT and MRI scans and talk me through the issues (mind you, it can be a little scary for the unprepared). I get a lot of care being an ex cancer patient and the cost of tests and scans is not inconsiderable. Indeed, I can almost feel the local area power droop when they fire up the MRI!
My two consultants are world authorities (they work with other hospitals like Chicago) and really nice people. The nurses are great and my hospital (Basingstoke) is really quite cheery compared with many. The overall level of care I have received has been superb. I get my meds free, too, being diabetic.
I have paid considerable NI contributions over the years but even so, I frequently marvel at our welfare system, especially when I compare notes with my sister living in Houston. I really wouldn't still be here without them.
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Post by zippy on Jun 17, 2016 10:40:41 GMT
Recent family experiences have strongly suggested that the service you get depends very much on where you live.
I was ambulanced (is there such a word?) to A&E last year, and was warned that there would be a delay in getting someone to see me as they were so busy.
There was a delay - 10 minutes to be seen and maybe an hour or so before they found a bed for me on a ward.
Now compare that with my sister in South London, again ambulanced to A&E recently who ended up waiting several hours before she could be seen, and then had to spend all night in A&E because there were no ward beds free.
I have no quarrel with any of the NHS staff who are almost always kind, courteous and do their best, often it seems against the odds and I agree with much that MartinT says.
I could rant on about what I believe is wrong with the NHS, (e.g. 3 weeks to get a doctors appointment) but that's for another time.
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Post by Tim on Jun 17, 2016 10:50:08 GMT
If you go to A&E in Poole, it's never less than a 4 hour wait. They are apparently closing it and will send everyone to Bournemouth, which is a similar wait at the moment, I dread to think what it will be if they do close Poole!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 11:35:32 GMT
I'd agree with the majority of what Martin says too. My nearest two hospitals are either Reading or Basingstoke but tend to go to Reading as that's where the majority of my appointments are.
As some of you'll remember I was diagnosed with a serious heart condition last year and have been in and out of hospitals every since. Luckily Reading is rated as having the best Cardiac unit in Great Britain by quit some margin which is extremely good for me. The level of care I've received has been exemplary and I genuinely cannot fault them and in fact only have praise.
I had an issue where I was rushed to Milton Keynes A&E last September due to my ICD (Pacemaker/Defibrillator) playing up and although they offered excellent care they didn't understand the device at all and gave some incorrect advice, but it appears that not all hospitals or GPs have been brought up to speed on these devices or conditions.
GPs on the other hand. It took until I had Pneumonia and nearly died before the seriously looked at the symptoms I'd had and referred me to a Cardiologist. It has taken me quite a while to get over that, but I guess we just have accept that GPs are so busy and under huge pressure that it hard for them.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 17, 2016 11:45:44 GMT
I could rant on about what I believe is wrong with the NHS, (e.g. 3 weeks to get a doctors appointment) but that's for another time. Yes, I do find that my GP's surgery is pretty inefficient and it can be difficult to see one in a reasonable time. However, on the few occasions I am there I am appalled at the number of 'no shows' displayed on the statistics counter, not to mention the queue of sniffly/sneezy people who are told (many times) to go home because they have simple flu/hayfever/whatever. It's these people who make the waiting much longer than it need be. |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 17, 2016 11:47:43 GMT
Luckily Reading is rated as having the best Cardiac unit in Great Britain by quit some margin which is extremely good for me. The level of care I've received has been exemplary and I genuinely cannot fault them and in fact only have praise. Good for you, Paul. Similarly, Basingstoke is a centre of excellence for cancer. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 14:00:03 GMT
I could rant on about what I believe is wrong with the NHS, (e.g. 3 weeks to get a doctors appointment) but that's for another time. Yes, I do find that my GP's surgery is pretty inefficient and it can be difficult to see one in a reasonable time. However, on the few occasions I am there I am appalled at the number of 'no shows' displayed on the statistics counter, not to mention the queue of sniffly/sneezy people who are told (many times) to go home because they have simple flu/hayfever/whatever. It's these people who make the waiting much longer than it need be. People go straight to a GP these days for the slightest thing. I changed GPs in my surgery last year after everything that happened and he gets vocally very frustrated by this type of behaviour and I can see his point. |
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Post by Slinger on Jun 17, 2016 15:40:51 GMT
My wife has a congenital heart condition. Her life has been saved, literally, by NHS staff on many occasions over the years. She too has a pacemaker/defibrillator fitted and attends The Royal Brompton & Harefield which I always understood to be #1 cardiac unit, but perhaps that's changed.
Because of the wonders of science her visits to The Brompton have been cut down in number as they can now monitor her pacemaker remotely 24/7 if needs be. Alternatively, if she feels that she has a problem she can ring the pacing unit and do a manual upload of data to them for a very quick diagnosis.
NHS? I love it. Yes I've hung around in hospitals waiting to be seen on occasion but all the time they get the big stuff right for the missus I'll live with that.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 17, 2016 16:52:03 GMT
Really good news stories, Paul & Paul.
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Post by speedysteve on Jun 17, 2016 17:56:40 GMT
My 80 yr old mum fell over and broke her hip outside her village Co-op.
A staff member helped her and they went across the road and fetched her GP who administered what he could and got her into a wheel chair and back to the surgery. The ambulance came, stabilised her and took her to Poole. That's where the fractures are dealt with.
Next day she had a shiny new hip and was up walking.
Within 4 days she was home. She had all the mobility and help aids needed supplied.
There was a bit of a mix up with her pain killers so I had to go and fetch them but no big problem.
She is very happy with the accessibility to her GP, as is my 86 yr old dad. A small Boots opposite the surgery dispenses - perfect!
As good as, or better than what they had in Winchester and just a short walk away from them.
There are other stories and in general pretty much as good as above.
We are blessed with the NHS IME so far. Hope it can keep going.
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Post by davidf on Jun 17, 2016 19:02:03 GMT
Ended up in hospital last week with what turned out to be kidney stones. Got there about 7:30 on the Monday evening, and after giving a urine sample and hanging around for a bit, I was then asked to give a blood sample - this was then around 8:30. The blood sample was taken to a nearby hospital (about 25 miles away) and awaited the results. That came through around 11:30, and kidney stones were confirmed. I was asked to pop back about 9 in the morning for a scan. Got there about 9:15am. Managed to get a scan around 11:00am. Waited on the results of that until 2:45pm. Left about 3pm.
I have no idea whether that would be classed as swift service or not as I don't generally frequent hospitals (last time was blood poisoning almost 30 years ago). Now the time it took wasn't really that much of an issue (even though for the almost 6 hours I spent in the hospital on Tuesday, the scan and the results accounted for about 12-15 minutes of the whole thing - the rest was waiting), it was the fact that for the 10+ years I have worked for my current employer, I have NEVER taken a day off ill, and now that record is tarnished with a day that I wasn't even ill on, as I felt great on the Tuesday!!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 19:13:29 GMT
Ended up in hospital last week with what turned out to be kidney stones. Got there about 7:30 on the Monday evening, and after giving a urine sample and hanging around for a bit, I was then asked to give a blood sample - this was then around 8:30. The blood sample was taken to a nearby hospital (about 25 miles away) and awaited the results. That came through around 11:30, and kidney stones were confirmed. I was asked to pop back about 9 in the morning for a scan. Got there about 9:15am. Managed to get a scan around 11:00am. Waited on the results of that until 2:45pm. Left about 3pm. I have no idea whether that would be classed as swift service or not as I don't generally frequent hospitals (last time was blood poisoning almost 30 years ago). Now the time it took wasn't really that much of an issue (even though for the almost 6 hours I spent in the hospital on Tuesday, the scan and the results accounted for about 12-15 minutes of the whole thing - the rest was waiting), it was the fact that for the 10+ years I have worked for my current employer, I have NEVER taken a day off ill, and now that record is tarnished with a day that I wasn't even ill on, as I felt great on the Tuesday!! No problem, take it as Annual Leave  |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 17, 2016 19:21:08 GMT
A medical appointment doesn't count as being off sick, not in any place I've worked at.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2016 19:52:48 GMT
A medical appointment doesn't count as being off sick, not in any place I've worked at. Very true, but you could just choose to take the day as annual leave, I've done that a couple of times in the past to avoid taking a sick day. |
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Post by roy on Jun 17, 2016 19:55:03 GMT
Ended up in hospital last week with what turned out to be kidney stones. Had one of those little b******s last year (or in my case a big b****** - 2 cms) dealt with very efficiently by King Georges hospital, Goodmayes - good old NHS (again). |
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Post by Chris on Jun 18, 2016 19:57:45 GMT
+1 here for very good NHS service.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jun 19, 2016 8:33:04 GMT
The NHS has pulled me out of the fire on a number of occasions.
Excellent in many ways. PITA in others, A&E queues being beyond sensible.
What I pay for the dogs at the vet gives an indication of the large amount of money we would pay if there was no NHS.
'Course I've paid a *lot* in NI as an employee and employer.
For those that don't know employees pay NI. Employers also pay slightly more NI - employee tax
The black / white question so often asked
Should we give the NHS more money or cut services ?
Neither
Make it more efficient. There are massive improvements available, they just need to be found.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 19, 2016 8:50:22 GMT
It's an entrenched organisation and very difficult to make radical changes to. Slow but sure pressure is the way, but I don't want to see doctors or nurses shafted while it's happening.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2016 11:32:33 GMT
Should we give the NHS more money or cut services ? Neither Make it more efficient. There are massive improvements available, they just need to be found. Yup, there is sooo much wait from both a cost perspective but also time, processes and procedures. They need to spend some time and unfortunately money on streamlining their services. |
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Post by MikeMusic on Jun 19, 2016 12:22:18 GMT
'All' they/we need to do is to look at continuous improvement as a way of life. Huge change of mindset required If it ain't broke it needs improving  |
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