The NHS

[David Gwilliam]

The NHS comes in for a great deal of criticism. Among the hundreds of thousands of employees there are inevitably some "bad apples". No doubt among the millions of patients dealt with there are some tragic errors. However, I feel the other side needs to be highlighted.

I spent most of the day at the Leicester Royal Infirmary - the Leicester dugout can be reassured that I will still be laughing at them this season. The day began well with "What do you like to be called?" - "David"; this is an important question for my generation. I saw six people. All were thoroughly professional, respectful and friendly. I was tested by four machines; each must have cost a great deal of money.

It seemed to me that money for NHS machines is a better use of my taxes than bonuses fgr RBS executives. I also reflected that one of my political heroes Aneurin Bevan would have been proud of the way the people I met respresented his National Health Service.

 

[fox58]

The problem with the NHS is that it's a big cumbersome machine, when you to get to the service end, in the majority of cases the treatment received is entirely what would be expected. However, getting the patient from referral to treatment is where the systems falls down. The 18 weeks they have to complete this is easily achievable, but the cogs turn so slowly that hospitals are still failing to clear the backlog

 

[OldGit]

The NHS comes in for a great deal of criticism. Among the hundreds of thousands of employees there are inevitably some "bad apples". No doubt among the millions of patients dealt with there are some tragic errors. However, I feel the other side needs to be highlighted.

I spent most of the day at the Leicester Royal Infirmary - the Leicester dugout can be reassured that I will still be laughing at them this season. The day began well with "What do you like to be called?" - "David"; this is an important question for my generation. I saw six people. All were thoroughly professional, respectful and friendly. I was tested by four machines; each must have cost a great deal of money.

It seemed to me that money for NHS machines is a better use of my taxes than bonuses fgr RBS executives. I also reflected that one of my political heroes Aneurin Bevan would have been proud of the way the people I met respresented his National Health Service.

David, as someone who seems to have spent more time in the hands of the NHS than not over the last couple of years I would echo completely what you say. Sadly it is being dismantled bit by bit, and I fear my children and grandchildren may not have the same experience available.

 

[fitz]

David, as someone who seems to have spent more time in the hands of the NHS than not over the last couple of years I would echo completely what you say. Sadly it is being dismantled bit by bit, and I fear my children and grandchildren may not have the same experience available.

They saved my life, helped to bring my two children into the world, and gave great care for my step dad until he sadly passed away in July. I'll be gutted if it ever goes, the government may not care as it'll only cause pain to the lower classes though. As a family we're currently enduring the bad side of the NHS though, my wife as an employee has been treated like utter crap...management in certain (I'm sure not all) trusts are negligent in their care for both patients and staff.

 

[pork pie fox]

They saved my life, helped to bring my two children into the world, and gave great care for my step dad until he sadly passed away in July. I'll be gutted if it ever goes, the government may not care as it'll only cause pain to the lower classes though. As a family we're currently enduring the bad side of the NHS though, my wife as an employee has been treated like utter crap...management in certain (I'm sure not all) trusts are negligent in their care for both patients and staff.

I am in the same situation.

 

[Cate Fox]

Two friends and one family member work for the NHS and echo the same sentiments of being treated like crap... they seem to feel they need more and more management on a daily basis who do nothing, under-perform and instead of being sacked get moved into another role. This money would be more wisely spent on securing the services of additional Doctors and Nurses, so that they are not spending £1500+ on a bank nurse to cover a public holiday.

On a plus note, I had to have some treatment earlier this year after a bit of a scare and I cant thank them enough for their wonderful care and understanding; they really deserve better.

 

[Matt_B]

Two friends and one family member work for the NHS and echo the same sentiments of being treated like crap... they seem to feel they need more and more management on a daily basis who do nothing, under-perform and instead of being sacked get moved into another role. This money would be more wisely spent on securing the services of additional Doctors and Nurses, so that they are not spending £1500+ on a bank nurse to cover a public holiday.

On a plus note, I had to have some treatment earlier this year after a bit of a scare and I cant thank them enough for their wonderful care and understanding; they really deserve better.

I think the nhs is like many public services; education, libraries, fire service etc, in that the front line people are doing their best and genuinely care about their vocation and service despite lack of support from higher up and the public.

 

[fitz]

I think the nhs is like many public services; education, libraries, fire service etc, in that the front line people are doing their best and genuinely care about their vocation and service despite lack of support from higher up and the public.

The lack of support from the public is driven by other forces. People resent schools for charging them for taking children out of term time for holidays, even though many school headmasters are content with it if it's not excessive. Our media portrays strikers as slivers and people who fancy a days shopping rather than people standing up to their rights. We live in a country controlled both directly and indirectly by utter ****s.

 

[fitz]

I am in the same situation.

Our situation is a farce. Wife in trouble for refusing to take a violent and aggressive mental patient out for a smoke on her own. Staffing levels were lower than legally required and she was 6 month pregnant...even taking pregnancy out of the equation she's not allowed to do that. I really wish I could bring myself to sue the ****ers for lost income.

 

[David Gwilliam]

My praise was for people on the front line draining me of blood , sticking me in a head case so I felt like a Star Wars stormtrooper sticking leads on my chest and ending with a professor who was determined to talk to me as a human being rather than a case study. I was impressed with them all. The complaints seem to be about the managers and on them I cannot comment.

 

[fitz]

My praise was for people on the front line draining me of blood , sticking me in a head case so I felt like a Star Wars stormtrooper sticking leads on my chest and ending with a professor who was determined to talk to me as a human being rather than a case study. I was impressed with them all. The complaints seem to be about the managers and on them I cannot comment.

And you're right David, frontline are brilliant... Beyond that it's shaky hand ****ers and absolute bellends

 

[pork pie fox]

And you're right David, frontline are brilliant... Beyond that it's shaky hand ****ers and absolute bellends

Bang on.

 

[Mawsley]

I have little in the way of positive contribution to this thread. Both mine and my son's treatment has been woefully inept.

 

[Brown Nose]

I have little in the way of positive contribution to this thread. Both mine and my son's treatment has been woefully inept.

Yep, I'm with you on this. Most of my dealings with the NHS have been appalling with Doctors and Nurses being lazy and incompetent. I have come across some very good people in the NHS, but this feels like an oasis in the desert rather than the norm. I've paid to see a Consultant privately and got a completely different service to what they provided under the NHS. It bewilders me that these people give so little and take so much and are treated as heroes for it. As with so many other things, we are far too easily satisfied. Just one example is the total lack of continuity meaning that, unless you're very fortunate, you hardly ever see the same person twice. The NHS is too big and bureaucratic.

Fundamentally, the NHS is a wonderful idea ruined by government control and exploited by its suppliers and employees. It is also miles from the best possible healthcare available. Our drug availability, procedures and preventative care are third rate at best. We could treat people so much better and save many, many more lives if we genuinely treated the NHS as a unique opportunity to put health care first. Instead, we look enviously at countries like Cuba whose health care system pisses all over ours at a fraction of the cost.

Just take end of life care as one example. Anyone who has seen a loved one through this will have seen some great people, often hospice or charity people and some total idiots. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-28580508

Or their random provision of emergency care: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-27828544

If your experience is good, you're lucky and I'm pleased for you or more likely, you are simply grateful and compromising.

 

[Matt_B]

Yep, I'm with you on this. Most of my dealings with the NHS have been appalling with Doctors and Nurses being lazy and incompetent. I have come across some very good people in the NHS, but this feels like an oasis in the desert rather than the norm. I've paid to see a Consultant privately and got a completely different service to what they provided under the NHS. It bewilders me that these people give so little and take so much and are treated as heroes for it. As with so many other things, we are far too easily satisfied. Just one example is the total lack of continuity meaning that, unless you're very fortunate, you hardly ever see the same person twice. The NHS is too big and bureaucratic.

Fundamentally, the NHS is a wonderful idea ruined by government control and exploited by its suppliers and employees. It is also miles from the best possible healthcare available. Our drug availability, procedures and preventative care are third rate at best. We could treat people so much better and save many, many more lives if we genuinely treated the NHS as a unique opportunity to put health care first. Instead, we look enviously at countries like Cuba whose health care system pisses all over ours at a fraction of the cost.

Just take end of life care as one example. Anyone who has seen a loved one through this will have seen some great people, often hospice or charity people and some total idiots. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-28580508

Or their random provision of emergency care: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-27828544

If your experience is good, you're lucky and I'm pleased for you or more likely, you are simply grateful and compromising.

Little of what you have mentioned is the fault of the front line staff.

 

[Cate Fox]

Yep, I'm with you on this. Most of my dealings with the NHS have been appalling with Doctors and Nurses being lazy and incompetent. I have come across some very good people in the NHS, but this feels like an oasis in the desert rather than the norm. I've paid to see a Consultant privately and got a completely different service to what they provided under the NHS. It bewilders me that these people give so little and take so much and are treated as heroes for it. As with so many other things, we are far too easily satisfied. Just one example is the total lack of continuity meaning that, unless you're very fortunate, you hardly ever see the same person twice. The NHS is too big and bureaucratic.

Fundamentally, the NHS is a wonderful idea ruined by government control and exploited by its suppliers and employees. It is also miles from the best possible healthcare available. Our drug availability, procedures and preventative care are third rate at best. We could treat people so much better and save many, many more lives if we genuinely treated the NHS as a unique opportunity to put health care first. Instead, we look enviously at countries like Cuba whose health care system pisses all over ours at a fraction of the cost.

Just take end of life care as one example. Anyone who has seen a loved one through this will have seen some great people, often hospice or charity people and some total idiots. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-28580508

Or their random provision of emergency care: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-27828544

If your experience is good, you're lucky and I'm pleased for you or more likely, you are simply grateful and compromising.

I'm far from compromising.

 

[OldGit]

I'm far from compromising.

I didn't think I was either. But what do I know?

I even enjoyed the Commonwealth games.

 

[fitz]

I even enjoyed the Commonwealth games.

Was there any horse dancing? If there wasn't horse dancing then I feel I've made the correct decision in not watching any.

 

[Cate Fox]

Was there any horse dancing? If there wasn't horse dancing then I feel I've made the correct decision in not watching any.

Well if you count the stomping that the crowd were doing to "500 miles" then yes, there was horse dancing.

 

[bocadillo]

Little of what you have mentioned is the fault of the front line staff.

I had four years of pain because my GP would not accept that I had a debilitating pain in my lower leg and foot; he said that a certain amount of pain had to be accepted as one gets older. I told him that if I pressed behind my knee the pain got worse; he told me not to press behind my knee. I was fortunate to see a locum on the nth time I visited the surgery. He arranged for me to see a specialist, who organised an investigation of the problem. I was found to have a tumour in the nerve-sheath behind the knee. The specialist told me that there was no expertise with my condition this side of London and referred me to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanwell. I was successfully operated on by an Italian chap, a fan of Inter, who knew the story of Željko Kalac's contribution to our 1996 play-off victory - but never dreamed that he would ever meet somebody who had witnessed it first hand. He was appalled that I had spent so long in pain before reaching him and suggested that I should make a formal complaint. Four years with zero action but only six weeks from referral to freedom from pain.

My complaint was dealt with promptly. There was no record of me ever having visited the surgery with leg pain until the time I saw the locum. My GP had no recollection of any such visit. I no longer have the same GP.