Amazing NHS

[Deleted member 1258]

Whenever I've needed their services I've been treated promptly and well, they're superb.

 

[johnnyb47]

I've just been watching a video clip on the BBC news website about the pressures on the Royal Blackburn Hospital. It's focused on the A&E department and is truly shocking..Hand on heart I don't think could cope with all the problems working in such an environment..From what I can see ,it's a constant supply of people being admitted and the staff are just simply overwhelmed by the volumes. Can you honestly imagine going to work in that environment day in day. You've really got to have something special about you to do a job like that.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I've just been watching a video clip on the BBC news website about the pressures on the Royal Blackburn Hospital. It's focused on the A&E department and is truly shocking..Hand on heart I don't think could cope with all the problems working in such an environment..From what I can see ,it's a constant supply of people being admitted and the staff are just simply overwhelmed by the volumes. Can you honestly imagine going to work in that environment day in day. You've really got to have something special about you to do a job like that.

I've just watched that, & it's like us almost every day
We're ranked as one of the 5 busiest in the country, apparently!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/c/health-38885775

I've been there long enough, as have a few others, to remember when we were very surprised if there were more than 5 patients in the department, when the day-turn cam on duty at 07:00

Now, it's gob-smackingly surprising if there's less than 20

 

[Saluki]

I have never had a bad experience with the NHS and have no idea what the press are on about. Yup, they are overstretched and over managed but the front line staff are excellent. Hubster dialyses 3 times a week and he says that the place is spotless (as you would expect), the dialysis nurses are excellent, reassuring and wholly professional. He goes to a nice little dedicated unit in Launceston.
Without the NHS he would be long in his grave, as would I probably after racing horses and motorbikes in my youth. I am deeply glad that I don't live in backwards thinking country like America.

I don't think that the general public help the NHS at all. Last time I had to take Hubs to A&E, which was 2003 (he was in a lot of pain and I thought he had broken his foot, turned out to be gout and we felt a bit foolish but they did tell him that he had kidney issues and made an appointment to see a renal specialist), there were people waiting who just couldn't wait to see a GP. There was a lady who was saying that she couldn't see her GP until Tuesday and she had a sore throat. A teenager with a sprained ankle who insisted on being X-rayed even though she could walk on it unaided, 'it was her human right' and a bunch of young women who mad a massive fuss when they thought that they had waited quite long enough and 'their place' had been taken by a bloke on a stretcher, covered in blood who had been run over by a RLJ-er at a pedestrian crossing. I seems the RLJ-er had been a transit and did the poor chap a bit of damage.

Love the NHS and it should be much better looked after.

 

[wheresthetorch]

The NHS have treated me and my family with expertise and compassion many times. We'd be sunk without it, and I would be living every day in intense pain. I'm truly grateful to all those who work for the NHS.

 

[ColinJ]

I hope he didn't say, 'you'll only feel a little prick?'

They have clearly been told not to say that any more. I have been injected or had blood samples taken at 3 hospitals, 4 health centres and by various district nurses and every single time I was told that might feel a 'slight scratch'.

It amazed me that it was felt necessary to display a notice in A & E which basically explained that patients were not seen in strict order of how long they had been waiting. Serious cases would be dealt with before moderately serious, and them before minor cases. People with trivial problems should go away and make appointments with their GPs. You would think that was all very sensible and obvious, but clearly some members of the public don't see it that way!

I was visiting my sister in the Midlands and was feeling ill. We went to Northampton General and at A & E reception they asked why I was there. I told them that I was fairly sure that I had a pulmonary embolism. (If it were true, then that would definitely be in the serious category.) The receptionist asked if I had any medical training. I said no, but I'd have a major PE 9 months before so I knew what it felt like. I was getting very short of breath so it appeared to be happening again. She took that seriously and fast-tracked me in front of 2 lads who had injured themselves in drunken falls. (They were too drunk to complain about my 'queue-jumping'! )

I had blood samples taken in well under 2 hours. I got the positive results back from the lab within another couple of hours and was then admitted for observation.

The next morning, I had all the tests and scans I needed and was seen by a consultant. He got me started on heparin anticoagulants, made an urgent appointment for me with my GP back home, and discharged me.

Everything was done very quickly and professionally. The only complaint I have is that the hospital could not access my medical records electronically. I had to explain to the consultant the details of my previous PE because the Northampton hospital could not access records from the hospital at Halifax that had treated me the first time. I don't know if the NHS I.T. systems have been brought into the 21st century yet; that was 4 years ago.

 

[AlanW]

As much as I would love to agree with the sentiments about how good the NHS is, my view at the moment is somewhat different, sorry.

I was told last June that I would be having my op in 4 to 6 weeks time. To be fair, its not life threatening but my situation is getting worse and is starting to create a life style change in order to accommodate it.

As August approached I contacted the hospital and said that I had a holiday booked at the end of August so was looking for some idea of a time scale. Told that the consultant was also on holiday and the op would be after August, fine by me.

So I waited....and waited and still nothing?

Contacted the hospital again at the end of September, said I was top of the waiting list and would be contacted straight away if a cancelation came in.

So once again I waited....and waited and still nothing?

Contacted the hospital again at the start of December, told that would get back to me in a week. Which they did and offered me three night stay in hospital during Christmas week, but not to worry if I didn't want that date, as they also had the first week free in January too. So I politely declined the Christmas date as we had family staying with us during the festive period, and waited the January date to arrive.

At the end of the first week of Jan still nothing, rang the hospital, told it would probably be March or April now unless I could get another referral letter from the GP. Saw my GP on Monday 9th Jan and he wrote a second referral letter while I was there and said the hospital would get it the next day.

So once again I waited....and waited some more and still nothing?

Needless to say I've contacted the hospital yet again last week. The good news is yes they received the more urgent referral letter from the GP on 10th Jan, but now they will not even give me a rough date and that the waiting time will only get worse?

So much for being given a time scale of 4 to 6 weeks back in June 2016!

 

[ColinJ]

Nope. There are national systems (both actual and proposed) - but the various local health economies think they're 'special' and 'unique', ignore the national systems and put their own local systems in place. It's an ongoing headache for national providers such as my organisation and the NHS tertiary providers, as we try to deal with 100+ different systems. eDischarge is a case in point (although I have to admit its not helped by NHS Digital changing the process half way through).

Blimey ... There needs to be somebody with enough power and gumption to knock heads together until they see sense and comply!

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

There was a lady who was saying that she couldn't see her GP until Tuesday and she had a sore throat. A teenager with a sprained ankle who insisted on being X-rayed even though she could walk on it unaided, 'it was her human right' and a bunch of young women who mad a massive fuss when they thought that they had waited quite long enough and 'their place' had been taken by a bloke on a stretcher, covered in blood who had been run over by a RLJ-er at a pedestrian crossing. I seems the RLJ-er had been a transit and did the poor chap a bit of damage

Yes, get them all the time
It doesn't help when GPs send patients, & tell them, that they are a 'direct admission'
Said patient presumes (as GP hasn't/doesn't want to explain) that all that means id that the relevant speciality has agreed to accept them, BUT, there's no bed, so tthey'll be waiting in A&E for a bed - and may be bumped back due to medical priority

Younger ones are worst, the oldies are more stoical about waiting

We keep asking about this poster for the waiting room, or making our own

It amazed me that it was felt necessary to display a notice in A & E which basically explained that patients were not seen in strict order of how long they had been waiting. Serious cases would be dealt with before moderately serious, and them before minor cases. People with trivial problems should go away and make appointments with their GPs. You would think that was all very sensible and obvious, but clearly some members of the public don't see it that way!

Everything was done very quickly and professionally. The only complaint I have is that the hospital could not access my medical records electronically. I had to explain to the consultant the details of my previous PE because the Northampton hospital could not access records from the hospital at Halifax that had treated me the first time. I don't know if the NHS I.T. systems have been brought into the 21st century yet; that was 4 years ago.

As some people still think................



And, as some people still treat it
We have fit/healthy people wanting an Ambulance home, less than a mile! (the quoted 6 hour wait surprisingly doesn't put them off)

Others want food/tea within 30 minutes of arriving, claiming they've not eaten/drunk all day (sorry, but if you're a 25 year old, in fairly good health, & can't fend for yourself............................)
Others, again, acquire Hospital Induced Paralysis. & can't do a thing for themselves (despite walking in, or walking out to smoke)




Nope NHS IT is bad, ours is - we have Windows 89

 

[classic33]

They have clearly been told not to say that any more. I have been injected or had blood samples taken at 3 hospitals, 4 health centres and by various district nurses and every single time I was told that might feel a 'slight scratch'.

It amazed me that it was felt necessary to display a notice in A & E which basically explained that patients were not seen in strict order of how long they had been waiting. Serious cases would be dealt with before moderately serious, and them before minor cases. People with trivial problems should go away and make appointments with their GPs. You would think that was all very sensible and obvious, but clearly some members of the public don't see it that way!

I was visiting my sister in the Midlands and was feeling ill. We went to Northampton General and at A & E reception they asked why I was there. I told them that I was fairly sure that I had a pulmonary embolism. (If it were true, then that would definitely be in the serious category.) The receptionist asked if I had any medical training. I said no, but I'd have a major PE 9 months before so I knew what it felt like. I was getting very short of breath so it appeared to be happening again. She took that seriously and fast-tracked me in front of 2 lads who had injured themselves in drunken falls. (They were too drunk to complain about my 'queue-jumping'! )

I had blood samples taken in well under 2 hours. I got the positive results back from the lab within another couple of hours and was then admitted for observation.

The next morning, I had all the tests and scans I needed and was seen by a consultant. He got me started on heparin anticoagulants, made an urgent appointment for me with my GP back home, and discharged me.

Everything was done very quickly and professionally. The only complaint I have is that the hospital could not access my medical records electronically. I had to explain to the consultant the details of my previous PE because the Northampton hospital could not access records from the hospital at Halifax that had treated me the first time. I don't know if the NHS I.T. systems have been brought into the 21st century yet; that was 4 years ago.

The system in use round these parts isn't up to scratch, yet, to allow that.

 

[fossyant]

There are plenty of people who go to A&E that shouldn't be there. I remember being wheeled past lots of people outside X-ray and getting dirty looks as I was straight in the scanners after breaking my back.

I had fantastic care. I was wheeled straight into Resus where they attended to me - no normal A&E. Once they had established all the tests, and decided if I needed emergency surgery, I was finally wheeled straight to a ward. I did nearly lamp two rude old men in our ward. Demanding consultant's time, when it was obvious they were dealing with the poor bloke next to me that had nearly died a few hours earlier. One old man just had a broken arm.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I've worked out roughly that the hospital treatment i've received off the NHS in my life has cost around £80,000. That's way more than i've paid in tax,so yes i suppose the NHS is amazing.

 

[Globalti]

My BIL (who I've mentioned on here a couple of times) retired last Friday after 3 years as Chief Exec of a big hospital in the south. He is 56 and I've known him for a good many years. He is an absolutely star bloke and was, unbelievably, a popular CE because he started as a nurse (which is how he met my sister) and worked his way to the top. He didn't want the CE job because, as he said, it was too political and not as hands on as the deputy job he held but nobody wanted the job and in the end he applied because, as he said, "If I don't do it, it won't be done right and my life will just go on getting more difficult."

I can honestly say I have never seen a bloke under as much mental strain as him; I could tell you things in evidence but they are private. They do not involve drugs or alcohol though! At the start of the cuts he told me he was expected to sack hundreds of his colleagues and ever since then the strain has been immense. As he said, you have to be right on top of the game because everybody at every level wants to have a pop at you. Despite this the hospital was well-rated and he was liked by almost everybody, from the cleaners up to the consultants. He is shining example of the quality of people who work for the NHS and we won't hear a word said against it, even though we accept that it has its failings and can be patchy in places.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

We've had some bad ones over the years
The Chief Executive who was in post, when I started left not long after, & went to another Trust, turning them to several million pounds into the red, in less than a year
The present one seems to have some sense, & actually spends time on the 'shop-floor', speaking to staff, to find out problems

Digressing somewhat, Sorry;
1. On the non-exec side, we used to have a Peer of the Realm as Chairman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Lofthouse,_Baron_Lofthouse_of_Pontefract

He was definitely a nice guy, I've had many chats with him, when he was on his rounds, & wasn't heading to some meeting or another
If you showed any interest in engineering of any type, or local history, he was your man

2. We have quite a few Consultants who are cyclists/triathletes
Phil, a Cardiologist competed in the Etape Du Tour/road-raced (& has bikes from; http://aureliuscycles.com/ )
Another Cardiologist, Hazel, is a good runner, & experimenting with triathlons
Paul, Cardiologist, is another good rider, but social/commuting (don't think he races?)

Anaesthetist, Paddy, is a fairly decent triathlete, & improving
I can beat him on a mid-distance fell-race, but he's faster than me a ParkRun

Tony, AE Consultant, has ridden the White Rose Classic, & Etape du Dales

 

[ColinJ]

I am rewatching 'Can Gerry Robinson Fix the NHS' which I found on YouTube - HERE.

I would be interested to hear what those of you who work in the NHS think of that programme. I found it quite interesting.