Protect the NHS, part 2. Reduce avoidable hospital admissions.

[Deleted member 26715]

The NHS is one of the most wonderful things that has ever come out of any UK Government, but it does need a overhaul, from the outside appears too top heavy, too much privatisation (money before health), again only from the outside too much waste, illogical working practises which even those working there don't comprehend.

I haven't a clue how to do it, but surely as we are paying some managers 6 figure salaries they should be able to work it out, we pay a huge amount of money to it, £134 Billion from a quick Google search, which broken down is only £2000(ish) per head of population.

 

[DCBassman]

Abusing it? Have you required an operation or any really serious treatment within the last few years? Its not unusual here to wait 2 years plus for non emergency surgery. You wont even get the chance to abuse it because you wont even be treated. I don't think many people do abuse it honestly. Yes you might get people not turning up for appointments but thats usually due to lots of different reasons not wilful abuse or people being difficult.

My wife was a trauma nurse for decades. As much 75% of the waiting room in a big A&E doesn't need to be there at any given time. When a really big emergency happened, a nurse and a doc would go around quickly, and weed out those that could come back later, go to a GP, or not need any treatment. Education needed. Don't go to a GP for things you can do yourself. I could go on. I have relied on the NHS a great deal as I have aged, so don't imagine I don't appreciate it. And yes, I too have had to wait a long time for some things, others not. Luck of the draw sometimes.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Don't go to a GP for things you can do yourself.

This is a difficult one, as I have known people die because "it's only a little lump" " I'll get better, I'm just under the weather" but do agree with the amount that are there when they shouldn't, but that is today's society, just like ringing the Police when they've locked their keys in the car, to the selfish that is an emergency.

 

[icowden]

I haven't a clue how to do it, but surely as we are paying some managers 6 figure salaries they should be able to work it out, we pay a huge amount of money to it, £134 Billion from a quick Google search, which broken down is only £2000(ish) per head of population.

There are no NHS Managers earning 6 figure salaries, unless their post is outside of the National Payscales (this can happen, but it is usually at the arms lengh bodies like NHS England, NHS Digital etc). The simple way to save money is to actually have a sane government with a long term strategy. NPFiT for example is often written off as a failure, but in some areas it worked reasonably well.

We are now reduced to "internal markets" where no-one shares and no-one talks to each other. For example NHS England have invested in clinical hubs for Child Health Data to improve communication between Trusts. This is a multi-million pound project. However they did it without working with NHS Digital who are about to bring online a multimillion pound project to improve communication of Child Health and other data between Trusts...

Poor procurement is an issue as is the number of tech companies producing substandard products, which then means the NHS have to pay to remediate and work around issues.

Then you have the issue with Pay Caps that were brought in to avoid the rising costs of Nursing. As these are indiscriminate they apply across the whole NHS. The result is that anyone with advanced IT Skills has moved to the private sector or become a contractor. The NHS then recruits contractors for Projects rather than using in house staff as they just don't have any, and ends up paying more than they would have done if they could offer market rates.

 

[Kingfisher101]

My wife was a trauma nurse for decades. As much 75% of the waiting room in a big A&E doesn't need to be there at any given time. When a really big emergency happened, a nurse and a doc would go around quickly, and weed out those that could come back later, go to a GP, or not need any treatment. Education needed. Don't go to a GP for things you can do yourself. I could go on. I have relied on the NHS a great deal as I have aged, so don't imagine I don't appreciate it. And yes, I too have had to wait a long time for some things, others not. Luck of the draw sometimes.

The thing is if people actually had better access to G.Ps and dentists on the NHS then they wouldn't be getting so desperate that they ended up in A and E. Something small can end up being life threatening if its not treated in time. Also when they set up non emergency drop in medical centres these need to be in places that the majority can get to like the City Centre or on major bus routes. Here people dont go to them often because they cant get there.

 

[mjr]

Also when they set up non emergency drop in medical centres these need to be in places that the majority can get to like the City Centre or on major bus routes. Here people dont go to them often because they cant get there.

Yes yes yes! This is so widely overlooked and when I raise healthcare transport links in various consultations, I'm told something like "it doesn't matter because everybody drives" which firstly is demonstrably untrue with some parts of the borough having <50% of households having access to a car; and secondly, sometimes when I've been ill enough to need urgent care, I either could not drive, or probably should not drive (due to muscle spasms once) and I doubt that's so rare.

Heck, I think I couldn't even get to my GP or dentist and back in less than half a day if I didn't use a car or a bike and I'm only 2½ miles from the edge of town, so there are plenty of homes more remote than mine.

 

[fossyant]

Well I'm out MTB'ing in the dark tomorrow down some of the best local descents we can chuck into a quick two hours. Hoping to avoid A&E as I've not ridden these descents in the dark (I know them well in the daylight) ! Got my best lights charging. Just got to watch out for rabid weresheep !

 

[Drago]

Ive given up both shark wrestling and mercenary work until the Covid crisis is over.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I’m trying to give up dancing naked on motorways in the rain during lockdown.

 

[Drago]

I’m trying to give up dancing naked on motorways in the rain during lockdown.

What, even the bacofoil clad thunderstorm dance?

 

[classic33]

Abusing it? Have you required an operation or any really serious treatment within the last few years? Its not unusual here to wait 2 years plus for non emergency surgery. You wont even get the chance to abuse it because you wont even be treated. I don't think many people do abuse it honestly. Yes you might get people not turning up for appointments but thats usually due to lots of different reasons not wilful abuse or people being difficult.

You'll not have been in an A&E in the early hours then. I've seen staff hit, requiring treatment, and spat at(often the person doing the spitting has no other means of hitting out). And still they treat them.

Worse thing is, there's some staff who have known it no different.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What, even the bacofoil clad thunderstorm dance?

Yep even that with the pith helmet on

 

[DCBassman]

The thing is if people actually had better access to G.Ps and dentists on the NHS then they wouldn't be getting so desperate that they ended up in A and E. Something small can end up being life threatening if its not treated in time.

Totally agree with that. Got to have good access.

 

[Brooks]

We need far better access to G.Ps than we currently get, prior to lockdown it was 3 weeks wait for an appointment at mine.Surgeries need to be open longer hours and have blood tests available two or three times a week. They should really be minor injuries centres that would take the pressure away from the local A&E.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

We need far better access to G.Ps than we currently get, prior to lockdown it was 3 weeks wait for an appointment at mine.Surgeries need to be open longer hours and have blood tests available two or three times a week. They should really be minor injuries centres that would take the pressure away from the local A&E.

They are now cost centres with so called business managers in charge, providing health care is now secondary, making money is their primary function it now seems, so many layers of red tape have been introduced the Russians would be proud.