NHS - safe in Labours hands?
Posted by: Steve G on 07 June 2005
After two full terms in office and throwing loads of cash at the issue I think Labours blaming all the woes of the health service on the tories is wearing a bit thin. Fortunately (and fingers crossed) I and my family haven't had a great deal of cause to use the NHS however recent experiences haven't looked very encouraging.
My wife is a science teacher and yesterday at school she got a small piece of glass from a microscope slide lodged in her thumb. The school told her that as it was glass she'd have to go to the casualty department at hospital to ensure it was all removed ok. So after school at 3pm or so she headed off to hospital to get it looked at. On arriving there the casualty department was posting an average 4 hour wait time and that turned out to be approximately how long she had to wait for 5 minutes with a doctor.
4 hours average wait at casualty on an average day (from what I've heard 4 hours is about the best that can be exected at that particular hospital) - is that normal elsewhere?
After the doctor had seen her she was told to go home, not to eat anything after midnight and to return to the hospital (not casualty this time) at 8am this morning for the glass to be removed. Well it's 11am now and she's sitting in the ward, taking up a bed (for a bit of glass in her thumb!) and they can't tell her when she'll be seen - or even if she'll be seen today (someone mentioned 11pm tonight as a maybe!). Is that a sign of inefficiency, overwork, underfunding, incompetence or that they really couldn't give a shit?
Where on earth is all this extra funding going because from this limited exerience it's not to front line services? We used this same hospital 13 years ago and 9 years ago when my kids were born and it seemed better run and in better condition then than it does now. At that time there were other hospitals with A&E departments servicing our area but now, as part of the labour led Scottish Executives restructing plans, it's the only one.
My wife is a science teacher and yesterday at school she got a small piece of glass from a microscope slide lodged in her thumb. The school told her that as it was glass she'd have to go to the casualty department at hospital to ensure it was all removed ok. So after school at 3pm or so she headed off to hospital to get it looked at. On arriving there the casualty department was posting an average 4 hour wait time and that turned out to be approximately how long she had to wait for 5 minutes with a doctor.
4 hours average wait at casualty on an average day (from what I've heard 4 hours is about the best that can be exected at that particular hospital) - is that normal elsewhere?
After the doctor had seen her she was told to go home, not to eat anything after midnight and to return to the hospital (not casualty this time) at 8am this morning for the glass to be removed. Well it's 11am now and she's sitting in the ward, taking up a bed (for a bit of glass in her thumb!) and they can't tell her when she'll be seen - or even if she'll be seen today (someone mentioned 11pm tonight as a maybe!). Is that a sign of inefficiency, overwork, underfunding, incompetence or that they really couldn't give a shit?
Where on earth is all this extra funding going because from this limited exerience it's not to front line services? We used this same hospital 13 years ago and 9 years ago when my kids were born and it seemed better run and in better condition then than it does now. At that time there were other hospitals with A&E departments servicing our area but now, as part of the labour led Scottish Executives restructing plans, it's the only one.
News just in: my dad (who's got terminal bone cancer) saw the doc on Tuesday for his checkup, and had an anti-cancer implant on Thursday. I went home on Wednesday night for a family meal, and he looked so ill it was horrific - and I really thought the cancer had overtaken him.
It turns out he's got MRSA. Quite HOW when he was at a GP's, and the last time he was in hospital was months ago, is beyond me, but it just goes to show that seeing the doc is bad for your health.
And we PAY MONEY for this. I just hope he pulls through the MRSA itself, as he needs that like a hole in the head
It turns out he's got MRSA. Quite HOW when he was at a GP's, and the last time he was in hospital was months ago, is beyond me, but it just goes to show that seeing the doc is bad for your health.
And we PAY MONEY for this. I just hope he pulls through the MRSA itself, as he needs that like a hole in the head
quote:Originally posted by Tim Jones:quote:Originally posted by Berlin Fritz:
Steve, It would have been interesting to hear what spin had been put on the same story if it'd happened in London last week, and not conveniently in Scotland, innit ?
Fritz Von Bangin agains't brick walls as per usual
'Conveniently'? Huh? This is the end of the slippery slope you're on with this 'spin' mentality Fritz. The world isn't the way you want it to be in order to justify your unsupportable opinions, so you prefer to imagine the alternative. Try banging your head harder.
I'm sorry that there isn't a London A&E horror story for you this week. I'm sure one will be along sooner or later, but perhaps (just perhaps) the A&E service might actually be getting better. Are you prepared to consider that possibility?
Tim
All Bloody Lies I reckon ?
Now where have I seen those great wise words before ?
Fritz Von Maybe you should get Doctored yesen Sen'or ?
Fritz Von Maybe you should get Doctored yesen Sen'or ?
Brilliant Logistics innit: I wonder how many Trust Managers etc have such problems ?
Fritz Von Prescott Where are you `?
Fritz Von Prescott Where are you `?
Especially Spanish ones, in my experience they want to see the colour of your dosh (I speak from bitter experience, insurance or not). Actually doing it yourself is very different from what the lads down the lodge tell yers, I reckon ? but I'm only guessin:
Fritz Von Take lots of yer own Gin (Quinnine)
Fritz Von Take lots of yer own Gin (Quinnine)
Quite right Our Bruce, My memory is excellent strangely enough, so we don't want to waste time being 'Provoked' all over again about the same subject do we ?, besides getting going on targets by Our Mick will only rile Our Nigel into his bleedin Strongbow antics once more, innit.
Fritz Von E111's, UB 40's, 1033's, give me a DB6 anyday:
Fritz Von E111's, UB 40's, 1033's, give me a DB6 anyday:
I like this idea of taxing private healthcare.
It's like being charged for a pint of lager in a pub you walk past and don't enter because it's a bit of a dive, only to be charged again for the pint you actually drink in the next pub.
If you go private you are still paying for the NHS even if you don't use it, so why should you be charged more for something you are not using.
The next time somebody walks past the taxi rank I'm going to charge them double flag fare (£1.85 x 2) for going onto the bus station 100 yards beyond rather than getting in my taxi.
It's like being charged for a pint of lager in a pub you walk past and don't enter because it's a bit of a dive, only to be charged again for the pint you actually drink in the next pub.
If you go private you are still paying for the NHS even if you don't use it, so why should you be charged more for something you are not using.
The next time somebody walks past the taxi rank I'm going to charge them double flag fare (£1.85 x 2) for going onto the bus station 100 yards beyond rather than getting in my taxi.
I've had a lie down, and am feeling better now thanks. 
I recall my ex GP (Here) who I was with for some 20 years, about 6 years ago telling me about how they all had to be more business-like accountable, online computer etc, tec, to follow every little item of day to day practice. Although he saw the logic in it (innit) he (as were meny other GPs here), cracking up with the extra beaurocratic bullshit (the gist of which is similar to UK I believe). He basically overnight had to run as a business, bring in extra staff (there's alot of vacancies for nurses/secretaries and few qualified or willing to take it on, low wages too) (Dentists, now that's different ballgame alltogether).
Dear old Mick bringing up the GP factor again, totally running the NHS funding theme off the road, just to get back on track like, innit.
Fritz Von Don't forget the limes our Mick & yer Scouse translation booklet for Spain
Ps: That Doc went Private & Specialised in his field taking it all over the country rather than just one place, etc, I now go to a practice which is run by two women (one Chinese) and they deal with everybody (even me):
and it's very hectic, though by UK standards normal I would think, in fact probably less patients ?
Dear old Mick bringing up the GP factor again, totally running the NHS funding theme off the road, just to get back on track like, innit.
Fritz Von Don't forget the limes our Mick & yer Scouse translation booklet for Spain
Ps: That Doc went Private & Specialised in his field taking it all over the country rather than just one place, etc, I now go to a practice which is run by two women (one Chinese) and they deal with everybody (even me):
and it's very hectic, though by UK standards normal I would think, in fact probably less patients ?
What about highly trained & successful ex Post Office Management/Consultants (Who've been paid for & trained like the NHS through the Public purse), they may retire early, and then find lucrtaive Consultancy work (through past contacts & experience-like Senior Politicians I may add)and then have the Gall to slag off certain 'Professional' aspects of other parts of the Public Sector that they don't agree with, rather High Order Hypocricy I tally, is it not ?
Fritz Von Military for instance (We'll train/pay for your education (all levels) and you sign the dotted line (initially) for ex number of years (sounds pretty good to me). If you decided to break the contract or want to leave early (for non acceptable reasons) you have the privelege to pay us (the State) some of it back, innit. (Sounds fair enough to me, why not take it a bit further & actually impliment it on a wider scale). I know this idea is not entirely new, but actually implimenting it would be !!!
P.S. AS many of you folk will know, certain ex employees (even some BBC) in certain sensitive areas (May not by Law) work in that field for say 5 years with other firms etc, that'
s also why one only gets a lovely number with the likes of the Patent Office for a short few years (the likes of me that is, talking from experience):
Fritz Von Military for instance (We'll train/pay for your education (all levels) and you sign the dotted line (initially) for ex number of years (sounds pretty good to me). If you decided to break the contract or want to leave early (for non acceptable reasons) you have the privelege to pay us (the State) some of it back, innit. (Sounds fair enough to me, why not take it a bit further & actually impliment it on a wider scale). I know this idea is not entirely new, but actually implimenting it would be !!!
P.S. AS many of you folk will know, certain ex employees (even some BBC) in certain sensitive areas (May not by Law) work in that field for say 5 years with other firms etc, that'
s also why one only gets a lovely number with the likes of the Patent Office for a short few years (the likes of me that is, talking from experience):