The NHS...

I think we should still be extremely proud of what we have, but it needs serious revision as it simply cannot cope as things stand.

I'm not thinking specifically about funding as it's a given that we'd rather see the money from Trident, etc. channeled into our public services. I'm more thinking of how WE - the service users - can help.

I work in the sector and see every day how thousands of folks abuse the service with unnecessary demand. We are genuinely destroying it with our Me! Now! At my convenience! culture. And usually for ridiculously minor ailments / injuries that could be treated at home with a little common sense.

So, is there a case for those of us who can afford it (which is a lot of us!) paying a nominal fee to see our GP's and paying for prescriptions. Maybe this would encourage us to become a little more focused on our own health... and it would also allow those who really need seen to get their Doctors full attention for longer?

What do you think?

 

Proud? It's a * shambles man. GPs are pretty useless as well.

 

Are you kidding we're moving very quickly into a profit before people society

Albeit a family guy quote, it still very relevant to what the thinking is of governments worldwide

 

Proud because it has exceeded it's intentions and is still reasonably viable.

And that's what I'm trying to explore.... solutions rather than problems.

Why is it a shambles... why are GP's useless... and why do people get so negative about a service that we essentially get for little or now't?

Are we not fortunate to be able to have 24/7/365 access to medical assistance?

 

So what's your solution?

 

Well for me, being told my back/leg pain was mechanical and refusing to give me an mri. When i first went i'd been in pain for a few months, they gave me a phone number about muscle pain and didn't even examine me.

Then did 7 months of physio, told them i was going private for an MRI then they said they would give me one "for peace of mind". MRI came back, was misread at first saying there was nothing wrong then when checked again they said i had a slipped disc. Also GP ready to give me medication which would have interacted with other stuff i was on till i pointed it out to them. Seen her checking google as well for answers.

You'd be better off going on WedMd half the time than going to see them.

 

Who are these people that go to the hospital for every little thing? Bar half an hour in AnE one night about eight years ago getting my lip stitched (sucker punched by my ex-gf, couldnt believe it) I havnt been back in hospital since I left it as a baby. Do people really overuse the service for minor problems to a massive extent? Its a last port of call for me.

 

A lot to admire about the NHS. Last time I used the Hospital was about 3-4 years ago. I tore ankle ligaments. I was happy to just rest up at home, however the team physio was insistent on having an X-Ray done because of the possibility of a break. It was late Saturday afternoon so I knew that it would be busy. Got taking quickly and had an X-Ray done within 30mins of turning up. I then had to wait an hour maybe 2 to be seen and what an eye opener it was, in terms of other sights. Eventually cleared to leave about 8pm that night. About 4 hours after turning up.

I sometimes wonder what people expect from hospitals and the staff. In my experience, I knew what to expect before entering. So having to wait a few hours, didn't bother me.

The NHS provides a service for which we are very fortunate to be recipients.

 

Didn't intend for this to develop into an investigation of individual *-ups / gripes, but I'll bite...

A slipped disc comes under the umbrella of 'mechanical', so you were diagnosed accurately.

It's a very common complaint (most adults have them at some point in life) and they usually resolve themselves with conservative treatment and physio. So again, you were treated correctly in the first instance. *, you were given 7 months of physio which probably ran into a cost of a few hundred pounds for the NHS!

MRI / surgery is only recommended if there are 'red flag' symptoms present and you would have mentioned these in your post if you had them as they are VERY obvious.

You then got your MRI when you said you would go private. Sounds to me like the GP didn't want you wasting your own money on confirming something that was pretty obvious, so did you a favour. So there's another £750 - £1000 spent on you.

Then there's the meds you received - likely to be another £100 or so.

So what exactly is there to * about and denigrate an entire service for here? Perhaps it's that sense of unreasonable entitlement I was alluding to in my opening post? You have a very sore back and legs... welcome to the human species club!

So the GP didn't pick up on a contraindication in drugs... do you honestly expect a GP to know every contraindication out there for every med? That is simply unreasonable!

And you're right with your closing statement... if it's not life or death, then do a little research yourself into what it may be!

 

Mate, you would not believe it! There are folks out there who make daily / weekly contacts for very minor self-treatable ailments, and they MUST be spoken to or seen just in case!

I'm very confident in suggesting that a significant number of GP / A&E contacts are clinically unnecessary.

 

Haha calm down, you'd think i insulted you the way you're rambling on. How else am i meant to judge the NHS than on personal experience? Working in hospitals for years as well, could tell you a lot of * up *.

Slipped disc, disc pushing on nerve, that's not mechanical. No amount of physio will heal a slipped disc. Now i understand MRIs aren't giving out, but after 7 months of Physio and no improvement (with a month or 2 of pain before i even went to the doc) then surely they should be looking at some other idea? As for physio costing hundreds, was in and out each time for 10 minutes and giving new exercises on a print out, top class service there.

"So the GP didn't pick up on a contraindication in drugs... do you honestly expect a GP to know every contraindication out there for every med? That is simply unreasonable!" - Well if I never picked up on it i'd probably be dead so aye i expect them to do their job.

Very sore back and legs, haha * off mate. Was off work for 2 years, could barely walk or anything, not to mention the numbess and pins and needles from the nerves. Had to get nerve root blocks straight into my spine, so * off with your patronizing *.

You make a post, ask a question, i answer it... and you turn in to a greeting faced wee lassie because the mighty NHS can do no wrong :smiley-laughing002:

 

I haven't used the NHS probably since i had my braces when i was 14/15 years old, so 8 years ago. Yet i know its there whenever i might need it in the future.

 

Mate, the NHS is riddled with regular balls-up's... and sometimes on spectacular scales. I wouldn't even attempt to defend the service for any of them. If the contraindication you alluded to would have indeed killed you, then you should be reporting it as that's as serious as it gets (and every GP should be aware of fatal contraindications).

Sorry if I touched a nerve (pardon the pun!), I was just pointing out that your initial reply was perhaps an example of that sense of self-entitlement that we've come to expect and which I believe is playing a hand in crippling the service, because as far as I'm concerned, you were treated appropriately.

PS - you're speaking to someone who was variously on crutches and morphine for a number of years due to 5 herniated discs in my lower back and assosciated nerve damage. I've also had (steroid) injections into my spinal canal, so yes, I know how * painful it is and how hopeless it can leave you feeling.

But I also know that in most cases of spine degeneration, you just have to suck-it up and let your body sort itself out... just like the billions of other folks on the planet will have to do at some point in their lifetime. Bear in mind that most of them will not get the physio, meds, or sophisticated spinal canal injections that you and I got, and perhaps then there's an argument that our NHS is not as as * as some would purport it to be?

 

Fair enough man. I did complain to the head of the surgery about my over all treatment and the medication stuff, he agreed with me that things should have been done different.

Maybe it is self entitlement but just because the service is "free" doesn't mean we shouldn't expect some decent standards. Part of the problem will be what you said with everyone going to docs/a&e for slight things, means the people with actual problems have to go through a lot of bullshit just for a diagnosis or some treatment.

 

Agreed we are ,in the main, lucky to have the NHS. I have explained a bit of my thinking and why in the "how would you vote thread".

I'm not sure that by just chucking more money at the NHS this will improve things. It needs to undergo a total top to bottom review. I would start by having a return of the old style Matrons and not just pay lip service to this idea ,as was done a few years ago.

I agree, people do expect far too much and in many cases the same ones it seems constantly waste time/resources/appointments etc. (I did read a survey conducted that highlighted this but cant find it now or would post the link).

On the point of people failing to keep appointments ,I would definitely charge them for that , unless there is a very good reason not to do so.
I have no problem if the prescription charge was reintroduced for those who could pay it. For those less fortunate maybe a £2/3 charge. These charges would be added to the NHS budget and not used to reduce the money given to them.

I would not support charging to see the doctor/GP ,for the vast majority of people, however something needs to be done about the repeat visitors and those who turn up at A&E with a sore pinky demanding they get seen right away.

The only problem with all this is inevitably the accusations of being a tory * or wanting the NHS privatised gets flung at anyone who dares to suggest things need to change.

 

Haven't used it since I was 14 and that was for acne treatment. The treatment which I was given the doctor told me it would cost £2000 if I went private. I am greatly indebted, not had a spot since I finished the treatment at 15.

Its not perfect but it does what it say's on the tin. I think the problem is people have far too high an expectation.

 

People would suddenly miss it if they had to pay for their own care. Just looks at the USA for example. It would create greater divide between the poor and the rest. It's harsh in a rich country where ill people can't even afford medical care and insurance.

You'll only often hear of the negative things, but I'm sure we all know someone directly who has had life saving, or changing, surgery that they otherwise couldn't have.

I also agree too many people use their doctors and hospitals for matters they really shouldn't. People like to "just be sure" but half the things are common sense and trivial.

I've only had to go near the doctor once in years and it was for physiotherapy. The wait would have been over 4 weeks which isn't great, but I get private medical care through my work. So I used that not to hog up a space for someone. It was also just a week for an appointment.

It certainly could be better, but everyone needs to reduce the burden on them. They've done everything they can to discourage people from going to hospital and doctors with all the helplines, but people always seem to require assurance.

It'd be interesting to live elsewhere long term to see how the rest compare.

 

Would we get a tax relief if we have to pay?

 

My GP is a gem.I suppose it's just a matter of luck.