Three letters NHS

[PurpleDragon]

Since we moved from England to Scotland, I have been continually amazed at how much better the NHS service was. We never had any problems with waiting lists, or NHS dentists. My MIL has a lift threatening condition that is very rare, but they found what was wrong and have treated it, and now control it successfully.

Since we moved from central to north east, we have lost the NHS dentist. The children are treated on the NHS with our dentist, but I am private. I just make sure I clean my teeth at every opportunity LOL

My son has been poorly since he was three and his treatment in both central and north east has been second to none. We had a couple of appointments cancelled due to staff holidays, and I wrote a stroppy letter, which was addressed straight away, and we were offered more than I had asked for in the letter.

When we lved in central, we often had to wait a week for a GP appointment, and the receptionist was a nightmare to get past. Here, you phone and I've never had to wait more than a day. They see the children the same day, unless you specify that it is something that can wait.

On the other hand, my sister (when she first took ill) couldn't get anyone to take her seriously. She knew she was ill, but couldn't get past the GP. Eventually she demanded the tests she felt she needed, and paid for them herself. The tests howed up her illness, but unfortunately too late to do anything about it, and now she is in (private) care home, partly subbed by the govt. My Mum wants to move up here with me, since Dad died, but she can't because we can only find two care homes up here that are specialised enough to look after my sis, and they have long waiting lists. I'm in a right panic about it, because when Mum dies (which she will at some stage of course) then sis will bee stuck down in England with no visitors and little hope of getting a place up here.

[the.fee.fairy]

If it wasn't for the NHS, i wouldn't be here today.

Nearly 25 years ago, i was born 9 weeks early. They told my mum that if i'd been born 20 minutes later, i would have been stillborn. They gave her anaesthetic in the lift, and i was born as soon as they reached the operating theatre. i was in intensive care for a week, and then i was kept in a special baby unit for another 3 weeks.

If it hadn't been for an NHS hospital, i wouldn't be here.

As far as i see it, everyone makes mistakes, you make mistakes, i make mistakes. Doctors and nurses are human too. Yes, it is more disastrous when they make mistakes, but maybe instead of critiscising them, its about time people looked at their working hours, their working days. If we weren't forcing overtired staff to work ridiculous shifts for such little pay that they have to sign up for overtime to be able to survive, then maybe the health service would be in a better state.

I understand that there are a lot of people who have been let down by the NHS, but the only other option is to pay for your care. Meanwhile, go to an A&E dept on a friday or saturday night and see what happens to the staff - come pub chucking out time, they get abused and yelled at by drunk people who insist on being seen. Its not a nice job for any of them, but they do it so that genuine cases can be seen and treated, so that peoples lives can be saved.

[PurpleDragon]

I agree with you that the staff do have quite a hard time of it.

The thing is - the NHS isn't working. Yes, it helps some, yes it lets some down. But the funding isn't there, and until we stop building bombs and sending our chaps off to fight in stupid wars over oil, there won't be the funding either.

It isn't the NHS staff that are the problem - it is the pen pushers, the senior management, the government, and basic greed

[the.fee.fairy]

i wholeheartedly agree with you that we should stop the arms building and plough it into the country's failing health service.

The problem is, its just that: a service. Its optional.

And...lets face it, the stupid government aren't going to spend the funds properly if they had them - they'd start giving the apple peeling lessons, and how to boil an egg classes rather than putting it into treatment!

[wulf]

As far as I'm aware, funding for the NHS has increased a lot under the present government. However, from ground level experience, a lot of hospitals are really struggling (the one where I work, Lewisham Hospital, being no exception).

I do have a strong suspicion that a large part of this is down to the fact that the organsitions that are meant to be supporting point of care services like hospitals and doctors surgeries seem to be more concerned with meaningless statistics rather than actively supporting the organisations under their "care" in delivering a steadily improving excellence of service.

I think one rule that would help would be if anyone who is involved in dealing with budgets and rules for NHS organisations had to rely on NHS healthcare for themselves and their immediate family. They would have an incentive to get it right because they wouldn't be allowed to trust their health to expensive private options while leaving Joe Public to suffer the results of their short-sighted meddling.

Wulf

[Stonehead]

I think one rule that would help would be if anyone who is involved in dealing with budgets and rules for NHS organisations had to rely on NHS healthcare for themselves and their immediate family. They would have an incentive to get it right because they wouldn't be allowed to trust their health to expensive private options while leaving Joe Public to suffer the results of their short-sighted meddling.

An excellent idea - and extend it to politicians as well. It's amazing how many politicians go private for their healthcare - I suspect if they were required to use the NHS or lose their seat, then there would be a marked improvement in the NHS.

In fact, why leave it at that? All politicans should be paid the national average salary, only receive London living allowance comparable to average rents and only get travel allowances for bus, train or economy air over genuinely long distances. (I might allow free bicycles!!) Ministers could get a little more to reflect what they should be doing, but not too much. That would sharpen minds and lead to change!