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Post by Clinton Cool on Mar 23, 2021 23:16:34 GMT
I'm lucky in that I've not had much call on the NHS over the years. When I have I've experienced indifference, ineptitude, 3 different people asking exactly the same questions. Queues, the inevitable delayed appointments. Generally, a performance that suggested that the organisation was a complete shambles.
All that changed over the past few days. I missed a call from the local surgery last week. On Saturday I received a letter asking me to call the surgery as I was to be the lucky recipient of a COVID injection. I didn't respond. I went fishing this afternoon, forgot to take my phone. On my return there were no less than 3 missed calls from the surgery. I was half way through my post fishing coffee when the phone went off again. The lady from the surgery was very friendly. Her tone was what I would have expected had I received a call from Cardiff telling me I'd won a million pounds on premium bonds. Fair play to her, it must be difficult for folk to keep up that act when they spend all day doing the same thing. Anyway, she seemed a bit disappointed when I didn't take her up on her kind offer. I was diplomatic, as I was when I rejected the opportunity of having a free 'smart meter' installed. Rather than tell her I didn't want a concoction of cream cheese and unknown animal faeces injected into me (or whatever it is) I just told her that, for now, I've decided not to have the injection, but thank you very much for all her trouble.
Anyway, this is a big heads up for NHS Wales or at least, my local surgery. My view, based on experience, that the NHS is a really piss poor organisation but I'm more open minded now. Perhaps the NHS around where I used to live deserves my previous conclusion, but it's not like that everywhere.
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Post by ianali on Mar 23, 2021 23:45:03 GMT
Seems there is a bottomless pit of money for anything covid related. Other treatments are simply cancelled or postponed(for how long who knows). I know of two people who have had to go private for treatment. Can’t see it improving anytime soon. Covid has become so feared that everything else is now deemed a problem that can wait.
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Post by Clinton Cool on Mar 23, 2021 23:56:25 GMT
Nobody has commissioned a study yet, as far as I know, to compare the numbers who have been saved from dying of Covid/ suffering long term Covid problems vs. the number of people who have died/ will die/ will suffer long term negative health outcomes because of the delay or cancellation of their diagnosis/ treatment because of the obsession with Covid.
They should get Oxford University on the job. They were able to convince people that migrants earning £17K make a net contribution to the U.K. coffers while Brits earning £25K are a financial burden. The result, if they were tasked with this, could be more or less anything.
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Post by JohnV on Mar 24, 2021 7:06:40 GMT
Unlike you ricco and ianali I have obviously been looked after by a totally different health service.
I have at several different times of my life received unbelievably good and fast treatment for life threatening conditions.
My wife received the same 5 star service on three occasions over the years. Treatment that it is doubtful could have been bettered anywhere however much you paid (although the food could have been better and there were a couple of brain dead HCA's)
As regards during lockdown, I have only a few examples from during lockdown from personal knowledge/experience. The surgery that I am registered with has been very good at keeping in touch with me regarding tests etc (although for my regular blood pressure tests they accept a weeks worth of morning and evening self tests instead of a visit) I certainly could have no complaints there.
Three friends and three acquaintance of mine have had serious medical problems during this pandemic. All received very fast and excellent treatment and follow up. One friend was severely injured in an accident and suffered life changing injuries. The emergency response was stupendous and could not have been bettered and his treatment and now follow up physiotherapy has been first rate. Another friend began to suffer odd symptoms and was immediately sent for tests, which then became extensive as they then required various scans etc (the last of these during the last lockdown)
The third friend of mine who needed the NHS did a phone consultation with his GP and as a result was sent for testing (within a week) these showed he had prostrate cancer (early stage) for which he has already started treatment.
Oddly this was the same diagnosis as an acquaintance of mine from "darn sarf" who has now completed his radio therapy and is recovering, again quickly sent for tests after a phone consultation and rapidly into treatment (again fortunately early stage).
the other two acquaintances, one was a heart attack followed by fitting a stent and the other was an operation on his tear ducts.
Out of all those, only one had a slight delay (the tear duct operation) but that was only short. all the other received first class care with no delays.
All in all (with some reservations over the behaviour of some GP practices) I believe the NHS has done sterling work through a very difficult time
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Post by ianali on Mar 24, 2021 8:02:16 GMT
Unlike you ricco and ianali I have obviously been looked after by a totally different health service. I have at several different times of my life received unbelievably good and fast treatment for life threatening conditions. My wife received the same 5 star service on three occasions over the years. Treatment that it is doubtful could have been bettered anywhere however much you paid (although the food could have been better and there were a couple of brain dead HCA's) As regards during lockdown, I have only a few examples from during lockdown from personal knowledge/experience. The surgery that I am registered with has been very good at keeping in touch with me regarding tests etc (although for my regular blood pressure tests they accept a weeks worth of morning and evening self tests instead of a visit) I certainly could have no complaints there. Three friends and three acquaintance of mine have had serious medical problems during this pandemic. All received very fast and excellent treatment and follow up. One friend was severely injured in an accident and suffered life changing injuries. The emergency response was stupendous and could not have been bettered and his treatment and now follow up physiotherapy has been first rate. Another friend began to suffer odd symptoms and was immediately sent for tests, which then became extensive as they then required various scans etc (the last of these during the last lockdown) The third friend of mine who needed the NHS did a phone consultation with his GP and as a result was sent for testing (within a week) these showed he had prostrate cancer (early stage) for which he has already started treatment. Oddly this was the same diagnosis as an acquaintance of mine from "darn sarf" who has now completed his radio therapy and is recovering, again quickly sent for tests after a phone consultation and rapidly into treatment (again fortunately early stage). the other two acquaintances, one was a heart attack followed by fitting a stent and the other was an operation on his tear ducts. Out of all those, only one had a slight delay (the tear duct operation) but that was only short. all the other received first class care with no delays. All in all (with some reservations over the behaviour of some GP practices) I believe the NHS has done sterling work through a very difficult time Interesting. Same NHS, such different experiences. Postcode lottery maybe. |
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Post by patty on Mar 24, 2021 8:38:33 GMT
Unlike you ricco and ianali I have obviously been looked after by a totally different health service. I have at several different times of my life received unbelievably good and fast treatment for life threatening conditions. My wife received the same 5 star service on three occasions over the years. Treatment that it is doubtful could have been bettered anywhere however much you paid (although the food could have been better and there were a couple of brain dead HCA's) As regards during lockdown, I have only a few examples from during lockdown from personal knowledge/experience. The surgery that I am registered with has been very good at keeping in touch with me regarding tests etc (although for my regular blood pressure tests they accept a weeks worth of morning and evening self tests instead of a visit) I certainly could have no complaints there. Three friends and three acquaintance of mine have had serious medical problems during this pandemic. All received very fast and excellent treatment and follow up. One friend was severely injured in an accident and suffered life changing injuries. The emergency response was stupendous and could not have been bettered and his treatment and now follow up physiotherapy has been first rate. Another friend began to suffer odd symptoms and was immediately sent for tests, which then became extensive as they then required various scans etc (the last of these during the last lockdown) The third friend of mine who needed the NHS did a phone consultation with his GP and as a result was sent for testing (within a week) these showed he had prostrate cancer (early stage) for which he has already started treatment. Oddly this was the same diagnosis as an acquaintance of mine from "darn sarf" who has now completed his radio therapy and is recovering, again quickly sent for tests after a phone consultation and rapidly into treatment (again fortunately early stage). the other two acquaintances, one was a heart attack followed by fitting a stent and the other was an operation on his tear ducts. Out of all those, only one had a slight delay (the tear duct operation) but that was only short. all the other received first class care with no delays. All in all (with some reservations over the behaviour of some GP practices) I believe the NHS has done sterling work through a very difficult time Interesting. Same NHS, such different experiences. Postcode lottery maybe. May be a postcode lottery and also there are several 'key' symptons that generate or should generate a more rapid response I think perhaps many people have 'sat' on their worrying ailments due to fear of Covid Its really heartening to read that in some places the NHS is working well There are huge waiting lists for non urgent treatments which I hope they will now address Down here its a mixed bag.. |
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Post by ianali on Mar 24, 2021 8:44:42 GMT
Interesting. Same NHS, such different experiences. Postcode lottery maybe. May be a postcode lottery and also there are several 'key' symptons that generate or should generate a more rapid response I think perhaps many people have 'sat' on their worrying ailments due to fear of Covid Its really heartening to read that in some places the NHS is working well There are huge waiting lists for non urgent treatments which I hope they will now address Down here its a mixed bag.. My post wasn’t intended to knock the NHS. Of the two cases I spoke, one was an eye op that would have seen the persons sight lost(in one eye) had it not been operated on privately. The other was a small cancerous mole. Probably not life threatening. These should have been treated by the NHS. |
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Post by patty on Mar 24, 2021 9:18:52 GMT
May be a postcode lottery and also there are several 'key' symptons that generate or should generate a more rapid response I think perhaps many people have 'sat' on their worrying ailments due to fear of Covid Its really heartening to read that in some places the NHS is working well There are huge waiting lists for non urgent treatments which I hope they will now address Down here its a mixed bag.. My post wasn’t intended to knock the NHS. Of the two cases I spoke, one was an eye op that would have seen the persons sight lost(in one eye) had it not been operated on privately. The other was a small cancerous mole. Probably not life threatening. These should have been treated by the NHS. I didn't read it as knocking the NHS... There has been cases missed here that should have had treatment promptly.. Some places are better than others ..like with all services. |
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Post by Jim on Mar 24, 2021 9:22:49 GMT
Unlike you ricco and ianali I have obviously been looked after by a totally different health service. I have at several different times of my life received unbelievably good and fast treatment for life threatening conditions. My wife received the same 5 star service on three occasions over the years. Treatment that it is doubtful could have been bettered anywhere however much you paid (although the food could have been better and there were a couple of brain dead HCA's) As regards during lockdown, I have only a few examples from during lockdown from personal knowledge/experience. The surgery that I am registered with has been very good at keeping in touch with me regarding tests etc (although for my regular blood pressure tests they accept a weeks worth of morning and evening self tests instead of a visit) I certainly could have no complaints there. Three friends and three acquaintance of mine have had serious medical problems during this pandemic. All received very fast and excellent treatment and follow up. One friend was severely injured in an accident and suffered life changing injuries. The emergency response was stupendous and could not have been bettered and his treatment and now follow up physiotherapy has been first rate. Another friend began to suffer odd symptoms and was immediately sent for tests, which then became extensive as they then required various scans etc (the last of these during the last lockdown) The third friend of mine who needed the NHS did a phone consultation with his GP and as a result was sent for testing (within a week) these showed he had prostrate cancer (early stage) for which he has already started treatment. Oddly this was the same diagnosis as an acquaintance of mine from "darn sarf" who has now completed his radio therapy and is recovering, again quickly sent for tests after a phone consultation and rapidly into treatment (again fortunately early stage). the other two acquaintances, one was a heart attack followed by fitting a stent and the other was an operation on his tear ducts. Out of all those, only one had a slight delay (the tear duct operation) but that was only short. all the other received first class care with no delays. All in all (with some reservations over the behaviour of some GP practices) I believe the NHS has done sterling work through a very difficult time I hope your mate with prostrate cancer doesn't take it lying down. We had occasion to visit A&E last week, Noreen had fallen twice, bumping the back of her head in the same place. Compared to normal times it was quiet and efficient, she was checked over, didn't see the need for the proffered Ct Scan. While we were there I got my wrist xrayed, the one I damaged falling off the bike, just a bad sprain, no broken bones. It'll be right in a few months. Same about 9 months ago when she fell and cracked a bone in her hand. Most people masked up, apart from a couple of inconsiderate twats who wore their masks under their noses. Sat well away from them. Obviously part of the unthinking, unquestioning flock of bse riddled sheep who readily believe all the russian propaganda they read on the internet, rather than fulfilling an anarchic desire to be responsible and protect society in general, without being told to do so. |
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Post by peterboat on Mar 24, 2021 9:51:49 GMT
I have posted on here before about my positive NHS experiences, On Friday the Cardiac consultant is ringing me up to talk over my latest test results, this is one of the things I hope carries forward after the pandemic is over. Why would i want to drive to sheffield struggle and pay to park and then wait in a place full of sick people? If I need to see him no doubt I will, if i need more tests no doubt they will happen, The NHS overall has done very well considering the pandemic which for me is very real
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Post by patty on Mar 24, 2021 18:58:29 GMT
I think the plan to have the tests pre see consultant is good..should cut wait time down and I think that unless physical exam needed then consultations can be virtual so long as the client is able to communicate and understand response
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