Hospital chaos and the NHS

[tjh290633]

It's always been a post code lottery

Before we had postcodes, how did we say "It's not exactly the same everywhere in the country"?

Scott.

40 years ago I guess we referred to counties (if we needed to)

Where I come from, the Hundred of St Briavels has an important meaning in the qualification to become a Freeminer.

TJH

[Tedx]

It's always been a post code lottery

Before we had postcodes, how did we say "It's not exactly the same everywhere in the country"?

Scott.

40 years ago I guess we referred to counties (if we needed to)

What did we call it before we had the Lottery?

[Dod101]

I was not intending that this thread become another rant about the NHS. I was simply commenting that my local hospital seemed well under control and calm yesterday so they are not all chaotic.

Dod

It's always been a post code lottery

I was in our local A&E for a bit today after our big kid woke up with a very swollen tongue (she's been in a couple of times for anaphylaxis to weird stuff - mangoes in particular have it in for her!) and with her history the GP told us to not risk it.
Home in two hours after bloods, Covid test and a visit by the ENT team; looks like this nasty strepA that's going about has set up stall in her tongue (peri-tonsilitis style)

Anyways she slept the rest of the day as you should at 18 and I went through the nuances of DADGAD tuning on the back deck with her younger sister (as apparently that's back in fashion )

I wouldn't want to extrapolate my experience to others' though
- we were lucky in that that bits we needed were free when we needed them and the staff do a great job of being pragmatic rather than dogmatic with the processes

I hope you are well Dod - I need my book recommendations

Thanks. Re books, I am reading Orhan Pamuk's 'Nights of Plague' so it is not entirely off topic. A good very long read about the plague in 1901 on an Ottoman Empire island off Turkey. Unless you really like words and a slightly convoluted story I would not entirely recommend it but I am enjoying it.

Dod

[Itsallaguess]

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Source - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/03/matt-cartoons-january-2023/

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[GrahamPlatt]

https://metro.co.uk/2023/01/20/the-nhs- ... -18117910/

[GrahamPlatt]

https://twitter.com/MichelePaduano/stat ... 46464?s=09

[Rhyd6]

Your Matt cartoon was very apt for me last Friday as I was indeed kept waiting in an ambulance overnight before being admitted to A&E here in North Wales. I was finally admitted after an eight hour wait. I can't fault the nursing/medical staff for their kindness and dedication but the admin side was a total shambles. I won't list all the little niggles which were totally annoying but not life threatening but there were three incidents which I found particularly annoying. Firstly there was a patient (male) with dementia who kept wandering around the female wardd, he was apparently looking for his wardrobe which he assured us contained 6 good suits. He was hotly pursued by a nurse who, in addition to all her normal work had been told to keep an eye on him. He couldn't be sent home because there was no-one to look after him, they couldn't find any care/nursing home for him so he was stuck in hospital bed blocking, The second incident was a woman who had her operation cancelled, no-one's fault but she asked 10 people to contact her husband to let him know in order that he could come and collect her. No-one contacted her husband, she couldn't get a signal on her phone and was very distressed. Luckily my OH had come to collect me and he asked if her husband had whatsapp, he did so my husband contacted him. At 1.15pm I was told I could go home but would have to wait for my prescription to be sent up from the pharmacy but that it wouldn't be available until 6.00pm. When I asked why the delay, I was told that the pharmacy doesn't deliver prescriptions to wards until after it closes at 5.30pm. When I asked if we could go and collect it ourselves I was told this was allowed but no one had volunteered this info.
Despite asking numerous questions I wasn't told exactly what is wrong with me just that I'll be called in for further tests, of course no-one could say when this will be!
R6

[stewamax]

Apropos of problems with mobile phones in wards, I was visiting a close relative in a major hospital every day for a couple of months and found that it was a common occurrence for patients to be admitted with their phones - but somewhat inevitably without the chargers. So ordered a comprehensive set of different phone plugs plus a couple of multi-purpose chargers, labelled them with the Ward number and gave them to the charge nurse.
Problem solved and hugely appreciated - went up like a Chinese 'weather' balloon.

[servodude]

labelled them with the Ward number and gave them to the charge nurse.

How very apt

[CliffEdge]

Because of brexit there aren't enough intelligent people in this country capable of performing at the level required to do the highly skilled jobs required in the NHS, medical and admin, (and probably the same is true in other semi professional occupations).
Maybe ai will come to the rescue?

[XFool]

Most doctors think ministers want to destroy NHS, BMA boss says

The Guardian

Philip Banfield says health service is in state of ‘managed decline’ and may not survive next ‘five or 10 years’

"Most frontline medics believe ministers are seeking to “destroy the NHS” because they have starved it of cash and mistreated its staff, the leader of Britain’s doctors has said."

[Adamski]

Most doctors think ministers want to destroy NHS, BMA boss saysi]"

Doctors unions are very militant. they're asking for a 35% payrise.

With the country's credit card maxed out, there is no more money, so when labour get in, it'll be a huge wealth transfer from private to public sector. Interesting times ahead

[Dod101]

Most doctors think ministers want to destroy NHS, BMA boss saysi]"

Doctors unions are very militant. they're asking for a 35% payrise.

With the country's credit card maxed out, there is no more money, so when labour get in, it'll be a huge wealth transfer from private to public sector. Interesting times ahead

Why on earth would anyone want to destroy the NHS? It is far from prefect and no doubt needs a complete overhaul. From the patient's point of view I guess not much has changed in the 75 years since it was established.

Dod

[Lootman]

Why on earth would anyone want to destroy the NHS? It is far from prefect and no doubt needs a complete overhaul. From the patient's point of view I guess not much has changed in the 75 years since it was established.

I doubt that anyone really "wants to destroy the NHS". But to achieve that "total overhaul" itself probably needs a full-blown crisis.

In that context some level of benign neglect could be seen as tough love.

[XFool]

Why on earth would anyone want to destroy the NHS? It is far from prefect and no doubt needs a complete overhaul. From the patient's point of view I guess not much has changed in the 75 years since it was established.

I doubt that anyone really "wants to destroy the NHS". But to achieve that "total overhaul" itself probably needs a full-blown crisis.

In that context some level of benign neglect could be seen as tough love.

Slowly, slowly, catchee monkey?

"Benign neglect" --> Collapsing service --> Dissatisfied public & Loss of support --> Provide 'solution' --> Privatise it!

Surprised?

[pje16]

Well not too bad where I live
3 (NHS staff) came round to see me today and 2 more tomorrow, all booked by them, not me

[6Tricia]

So glad to hear that you're being well taken care of pje16. (Thumbs up!) We need more smilies here!

Tricia

[pje16]

[88V8]

I doubt that anyone really "wants to destroy the NHS". But to achieve that "total overhaul" itself probably needs a full-blown crisis.
In that context some level of benign neglect could be seen as tough love.

Slowly, slowly, catchee monkey?
"Benign neglect" --> Collapsing service --> Dissatisfied public & Loss of support --> Provide 'solution' --> Privatise it!
Surprised?

Sajid Javid... remember him... thinks it needs an (unspecified) revamp as he said on WATO at 7.50 but no one dares publicly slay the sacred cow.

I think 'free at point of use' has become a mad idea, unfortunately no one will get elected by saying so.

V8

[Lootman]

Sajid Javid... remember him... thinks it needs an (unspecified) revamp as he said on WATO at 7.50 but no one dares publicly slay the sacred cow.

I think 'free at point of use' has become a mad idea, unfortunately no one will get elected by saying so.

In the US it is often said that the Social Security system is the "third rail of American politics". it is going broke but no politician dare suggest reform. Touch it and die.

In the UK, the NHS is the third rail of British politics. Instant death for any politician who tells the truth that it is doomed. So instead they just keep quiet and let it wither on the vine.