Are you worried?

[merehazle]

  And have you any suggestions how to help matters?     As record A&E waits show NHS is cracking under pressure.

So far we have had a very mild winter.  We haven't yet had a FLU outbreak. Christmas drunks. Or even riots.

Someone said he visited his hospital for an outpatient appointment, the digital display stated that I,761 people had missed their appointment the previous week. I wonder what the national figure might be?

Ambulances were turned away from from A&E departments 113 times in recent times while the number stuck in queues soared. A woman was kept waiting for 35 hours at an A&E.  Well most know where you live matters too.

It does seem the UK operates a World Health Service the service is mostly totally free EXCEPT for British Nationals who are required to pay for it. 

[023mjc]

Yes I'm very worried. I think a lot of the problem lies with the fact that It's so difficult to see a doctor these days. Here where I live, it would be easier to get an audience with the queen.

Recently, my husband had a very tiny injury to his thumb - just a tiny cut - but it got infected and started to look nasty. He phoned the doctor, couldn't see one for 2 weeks,and the earliest appointment for the nurse was 5 days. After 3 days he had a huge red streak from his thumb to his armpit. On phoning the doctors again, he was told to go to the hospital. He had to go three times for antibiotic injections, as pills would not have worked fast enough because the infection had become too serious

So a trip to A&E, and 2 trips to the injection clinic, all because there was no other help available. If situations like this were taken out of the scenario at least some of the problem would be resolved.

[saasher2012]

I'm afraid it does seem as though it's going to get worse & nobody seems to be able to come up with a workable answer to it !.

[evoman3957]

The trouble is all the things that DON'T kill you, knackered knees, backs, ankles, wrists, elbows......joints in general; seriously effect your quality of life ( what you can or can't do ). So, by finding cures for the things that do kill you, it allows you to not be able to do anything..........for longer; great if you like watching TV. As older people are regarded as a "burden" anyway ( never mind the lifetime of contribution they've made to society ), when they get sick; they obviously feel it could be the ailment that finishes them off. So instead of going through the GP route, they go to A&E; to get it diagnosed / sorted out, quicker. Then of course you've got your Drunks & Druggies, your hypochondriacs, your self harmers and suicidal people, traffic accidents, all other accidents, gang related injuries, sport related injuries, work related injuries, etc. etc. etc. etc.............................the answer..............??????????????????????

People = Problems

No People = No Problems

[merehazle]

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@023mjc wrote:

Yes I'm very worried. I think a lot of the problem lies with the fact that It's so difficult to see a doctor these days. Here where I live, it would be easier to get an audience with the queen.

Recently, my husband had a very tiny injury to his thumb - just a tiny cut - but it got infected and started to look nasty. He phoned the doctor, couldn't see one for 2 weeks,and the earliest appointment for the nurse was 5 days. After 3 days he had a huge red streak from his thumb to his armpit. On phoning the doctors again, he was told to go to the hospital. He had to go three times for antibiotic injections, as pills would not have worked fast enough because the infection had become too serious

So a trip to A&E, and 2 trips to the injection clinic, all because there was no other help available. If situations like this were taken out of the scenario at least some of the problem would be resolved.

---

' The infection had become too SERIOUS.' My God what next?  Obviously the care was not good enough.   It seems Cameron thinks it is.   And the rich can live longer.

After our GP surgery introduced their new appointment system which makes it almost impossible to see a GP within a reasonable time frame. Patients are now told to phone the surgery and ask for a telephone call from a GP to assess if you need an appointment.

There is no indication of what time the GP will call, and if you miss the call you have to restart the whole procedure.

I  DON'T wonder if Cameron, and his millionaire cabinet would put up with that?  

[bankhaunter]

It does seem to depend a lot on where you live.

In my doctors surgery, you may have a wait to see a particular doctor but I've never failed to get a same day appointment to see any doctor.

On one occasion I saw the doctor, had an xray at the hospital and saw the doctor again to discuss the results all within three hours.

The thing with missed appointments is interesting, research has shown that missed appointments can be reduced by having signs saying how many patients turned up for their appointment rather than how many didn't, it's brain mainipulation people like to be in the mainstream.

Also they can be reduced if the patient themselves write down the appoinment time rather than it being done for them.

[wskneil]

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@bankhaunter wrote:

The thing with missed appointments is interesting, research has shown that missed appointments can be reduced by having signs saying how many patients turned up for their appointment rather than how many didn't, it's brain mainipulation people like to be in the mainstream.

---

But how would the people who miss their appointments see the sign?

[bankhaunter]

But how would the people who miss their appointments see the sign?

They wouldn't miss every apointment and there are those that would see it and not miss a future appointment.

[merehazle]

---

@evoman3957 wrote:

The trouble is all the things that DON'T kill you, knackered knees, backs, ankles, wrists, elbows......joints in general; seriously effect your quality of life ( what you can or can't do ). So, by finding cures for the things that do kill you, it allows you to not be able to do anything..........for longer; great if you like watching TV. As older people are regarded as a "burden" anyway ( never mind the lifetime of contribution they've made to society ), when they get sick; they obviously feel it could be the ailment that finishes them off. So instead of going through the GP route, they go to A&E; to get it diagnosed / sorted out, quicker. Then of course you've got your Drunks & Druggies, your hypochondriacs, your self harmers and suicidal people, traffic accidents, all other accidents, gang related injuries, sport related injuries, work related injuries, etc. etc. etc. etc.............................the answer..............??????????????????????

People = Problems

No People = No Problems

---

Indeed.  And:

What is inescapable is that medicine keeps people alive longer and longer, we are simply expanding the amount of geriatric infirmity. The original old age pension was calculated on the presumption that many would not even live long enough to claim it, for instance. And originally there were around 12 taxpayers for every pensioner, now there are around 4 for every pensioner and falling. The population of the country is at an all time high. And we know what control our precious politicians had (and have) over that? Then they no doubt will be able to afford the private option. Not so worrying for some

Nearly one- in-five secondary school aged children are obese, as are a quarter of adults - up from 15 per cent twenty years ago. Unchecked, the result will inevitable be a huge rise in avoidable illness and disability, including many cases of type 2 Diabetes. UK estimate already costs the NHS around £9 billion a year. Yes, they say obesity is the new smoking, and it represents a slow-motion car crash in terms of avoidable illness and rising health care costs.

[bankhaunter]

 Nearly one- in-five secondary school aged children are obese, as are a quarter of adults - up from 15 per cent twenty years ago. Unchecked, the result will inevitable be a huge rise in avoidable illness and disability, including many cases of type 2 Diabetes.

And yet when any government attempts to tackle the problem they are accused of creating a 'nanny' state.

[malacandran]

It's a matter of common observation, that we see a lot of fat people on the streets these days.  But most of them, seem to be fat ladies.

There don't seem to be as many fat men.  

Why would that be?

[merehazle]

Well...there is no need to get personal.  Looks about even to me.

[023mjc]

Why would that be ?

Because you haven't looked in my street.

[lambsy_uk]

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@023mjc wrote:

Yes I'm very worried. I think a lot of the problem lies with the fact that It's so difficult to see a doctor these days. Here where I live, it would be easier to get an audience with the queen.

Recently, my husband had a very tiny injury to his thumb - just a tiny cut - but it got infected and started to look nasty. He phoned the doctor, couldn't see one for 2 weeks,and the earliest appointment for the nurse was 5 days. After 3 days he had a huge red streak from his thumb to his armpit. On phoning the doctors again, he was told to go to the hospital. He had to go three times for antibiotic injections, as pills would not have worked fast enough because the infection had become too serious

So a trip to A&E, and 2 trips to the injection clinic, all because there was no other help available. If situations like this were taken out of the scenario at least some of the problem would be resolved.

---

This is part of the problem. You shouldn't be going to the Doctor with a cut thumb, the Doctor is there to make diagnosis and then direct and prescribe as necessary; you don't need a diagnosis for a cut thumb. If one has failed to keep the cut clean and so it has become infected then a trip to A&E or a Walk-In centre should be the first ponit of call.

Of course he had to return 3 times for injections because the infection had spread in the time that all the faffing around had taken place! So rather than keep the cut clean or seek appropriate medical attention early; the wound was allowed to get infected and then medical attention was sought after a long wait which led to a serious course of antibiotics being required meaning a big burden on NHS recources where little or none should have been required!

If the Doctor didn't have to see people with cut thumbs then perhaps the waiting time for serious illness requiring diagnosis could be cut! By being part of the prolem you will hinder solutions!

[margaret*e]

It would also help with missed appointments if they didn't send the letter out with a date AFTER  the appointment.

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

Missed appts should be about 90% solvable.  Ring the patient the day before to remind them (as most dentists do).  Give them a number to ring on the morning if they are too unwell to keep it.  Have a list of those who can come at short notice to fill any of these gaps.  You will always get a few falling through such a net, but it would be a whole lot less than now.

Or have a reward system for those that keep their appts.  A voucher for free hospital parking or jumping up the waiting list by 10 places or something.

[calibra101]

Fine those who fail to inform or turn up for appointments on a regular basis. If I did that at my dentist I can be fined 75 quid.

[merehazle]

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@calibra101 wrote:

Fine those who fail to inform or turn up for appointments on a regular basis. If I did that at my dentist I can be fined 75 quid.

---

Well presumably you, and others would try not to do that.  That's part of her point.

We owe the elderly everything IMO. The ederly put most in and quite rightly most of the NHS budget is spent on them as they need it more than younger healthier people. 

Government cuts have affected social care for the elderly so that they are just dumped in A&E and that puts pressure on the NHS. Social care is that important.    

I would love to know the NHS's annul spend on Common Purpose training. It's beyond belief that mostly these people are employed on such disgustingly high salaries at the expense of patients and staff on the front line, except to make life hell for the nurses and patients.

If this government wants to leave office with at least one successful action, it would be to ban employing these people at such high wages and using agencies. Have proper professionals on board of trustees who have medical training and understanding of care patients.  The patients should be top priority, then the nursing and medical staff. 

Drunks cost us about £3 billion a year. And should pay and be given a criminal record. Especially if they damage hospital equipment or assault staff . Long, long overdue IMO. They have a choice. Others don't.  

[evoman3957]

If you sorted out the Scumbags, Bums & Parasites from the rest, the remainder would be able to enjoy one on one nursing care; with Billions of Pounds left over. For those that ask who decides who the Scumbags, Bums & Parasites are, i would say "Therein lies the problem..............some people can't tell the difference any more".

[023mjc]

Lambsy, I think you are being unfair here, in suggesting that my husband didn't keep the wound clean, or seek treatment early enough. My husband is fanatically clean (to the point of being over the top sometimes) but infections do happen occasionally no matter what you do. To seek "appropriate medical attention" as you put it for such a tiny injury would have been rediculous and he would have been laughed out of the surgery. No one goes running to the doctor for every little thing like that. As you say we didn't need a diagnosis - we diagnosed it all by ourselves.

It was washed, germoline and plaster applied,and repeated for a couple of days. Only when,and as soon as, he realised that it was becoming infected, did he try to see a doctor (or nurse, didn't mind which) to get some antibiotic pills. As far as the infection was concerned he did "seek appropriate medical attention early". Any earlier - for a tiny cut on his thumb - would have been inappropriate. The doctor doesn't have to see people with cut thumbs, but he should see people with infections.

As no one (not even the surgery nurse) was available for 5 days we feel that the "appropriate" help was denied us, and this is the reason the infection spread and became serious. The long wait for treatment and the "faffing around" was all down to no medical help being available at the local level.

He wouldn't have dreamed of clogging up the doctors surgery with such a small complaint (would you?) so treated the cut himself - as we all would, as I'm sure you must have too, and only went to the hospital when two requests to see a doctor for the infection had failed. What else do you suggest he could have done. He could have just died I suppose - and avoided the "big burden on NHS resources altogether. So, being ill is part of the problem. Really ???