The NHS should not be above criticism.

Although I think it will take a while, when we do get back to running normally, I envisage there being ‘incentive’ operating lists running.
These are done at the weekend when we normally only cover emergencies.
They are paid at a slightly higher rate as an incentive to staff to work on their weekends off to clear the backlog.
Personally I don’t do them as I struggle to cope with full time hours at my age now, and the ‘incentive’ is a paltry amount, but there are always staff willing to work these.
I suspect clinics, scans etc will do the same so hopefully everyone waiting will get done as soon as possible

Yes, another one here saying thank you for all your work flaxseed. Routine work is starting up again here and my GP says that while non essential operations have had to be put on hold (which is understandable) emergency surgery has continued.

I think the situation varies across the country. While we are definitely on the downward curve at the moment other areas, especially those in areas of deprivation, are still being hit hard.

I’m being patient re the postponing of elective surgery as I understand the demands on the service, which is why I was astounded that this new problem is being fast-tracked.

In the hospital where my sister works they have moved most of the admin staff out, into an unused part of the hospital away from the main buildings. They are “working” a rota of 2-3 days per week , taking it in turns to come into work /stay at home . She said that they are still doing virtually nothing at all except for sending letters of cancellation , as the dept she works in is not seeing any patients. Of course like all public sector she is being paid in full.

Our small hospital has a skeleton staff at the moment (there were virtually no cars in the staff car park on Tuesday) . They only have a very small ICU of 7 bays . Just wondering how they will cope when all the people who have had appointments cancelled need to be seen?

Flaxseed - thanks for your post and for your work

Admittedly, I have skim read most of the thread, but as an NHS nurse, I can assure you we want elective work back as much as everyone else.
Within days, our dept (operating theatre) was turned into a makeshift ITU and the majority of our staff were redeployed. Those of us left have covered the 24/7 emergency theatres. The number of staff to cover these had to increase as general anaesthetics are ‘aerosol generating procedures‘ which entail donning full PPE and needing extra staff as ‘outside runners’.
Testing was introduce far too late so lots of staff were off for 7 or 14 days self isolation. Staff who did catch the virus were off for much longer as they were too weak to return to work. We sadly lost a member of staff to the disease just this week.
So, in response to an earlier post, the ‘other‘ departments couldn’t possibly have carried on functioning.

Apart from emergencies, we did have one functioning theatre for very urgent surgery, which was well utilised and other urgent work has been shipped out to some of the private hospitals nearby.
Very slowly, our dept is starting to look more normal, and elective patients are being swabbed with a view to start surgery over the next couple of weeks.
With regards to the Nightingale hospitals, I do know that a junior dr relative was to be seconded to the one.
So, I can only assume that surrounding hospitals would have been depleted further in order to staff those.
I hope those of you who are awaiting treatment get it very soon.

I'm somewhat upset myself! Shocked even

The sounds like great prioritizing Furret although I am sorry to hear you are unwell enough to need such attention. Much easier to do if those of us who can talk on by Skype can take up less of their time.

GGumt I agree about limiting face to face appointments and using Skype when possible. I rang for a telephone appointment by my GP didn’t like the sound of what I was describing and insisted I come to the surgery. The upshot is I should hear from the hospital within the week for an appointment, or if not then get straight back to her.

Sorry Jane10 I only started reading today at page 4 and missed your post yesterday.

Great service Callistemon

And, added to which, my lovely consultant drove miles out of her way to bring me my medication because the volunteer driver had let them down.

It's those little moments that I'm missing Callistemon!

A member of the admin staff at the GP surgery helped us through the very complicated process of setting up online repeat prescriptions yesterday. I am not a complete dummy when it comes to this kind of thing but it was so complicated that we needed help. It did turn out to be quite amusing.

I kept apologising and then, success achieved, I apologised for taking up so much of her time when she must be busy and she said "don't worry about it, I 've really enjoyed it, I haven't had such a laugh in ages!"

Trisher it was me who put in a word for the admin staff.

I apologise sincerely Lucca - my italics might have inferred I was being aggressive. I wasn’t. Honestly!

Casdon thanks for your post about admin and support staff. There seems to be a lack of understanding on this thread about how much the pandemic has impacted on those staff, some of whom have been unable to work from home but have been in the hospitals helping things run smoothly. All of whom have extra workloads because of what has happened. They are the people cancelling appointments and trying to reorganise clinics, organising work rotas and ensuring there are enough staff at all times. It may seem of little importance and they may be people who are underrated and attacked by some but the NHS couldn't run without them. As one of them said to me "I can't be there on the front line, but I can make sure that the people who are, are properly paid for all the hours they put in."

I think when people start bringing personal opinions to an discussion to the detriment of listening to others then that is the issues. This ‘it’s my opinion and I’m entitled to it’ does nothing to move the discussion on. That’s simply being entrenched in your view.

Lucca, I think this is the big divide in society (and on GN). One half offers an opinion backed by their view and experience of the world and their cultural bias (upbringing generally) and gets very cross if it is not accepted as equal to fact as they feel their life experience slighted. The other half offer their view based on facts and evidence and get very cross if it not seen as a perfectly relevant way to discuss and is not valued for their life's learning so as to be able to offer it to others.

The "evidence-based" arguers decry the value of the "it's my opinion so it's equal to fact-based opinion" arguers and the "it's my opinion so it's equal to fact-based opinion" arguers take an attitude to life that puts evidence and the use of fact as something to be seen as lower than their experience.

Generally the "it's my opinion so it's equal to fact-based opinion" group put the value of personal liberty at the top of their list while the evidence-based arguers put the value of care and the need to minimise harm at the top of theirs. Both have the other on their list - just not at the top.

I am not sure how you can get such different cultural perspectives to agree, to be polite to one another, or to value the views of the other. Some may but many don't.

Luca totally agree. I’m appalled at the deaths of Covid and understand whywenhadnto protect the nhs. A girl I was talking to is a nurse at a main hospital where I live. She said their standing around waiting for patients to come in her department she Said they are cleaning door handles to keep busy.mp she is working one week on one week off full pay because there’s nothing for them to do. She says they come around the departments with free food sandwiches fruitJuice chocolate Etc. She says she feels so guilty when so many are struggling. We will see a huge cases,of deaths due to cancer patients and people that haven’t received treatment they were due.

It is good to hear that physical appointments are taking place where needed but I do hope we don't lose what we have gained. The use of technology - a text, a skyped (or similar) appointment, etc., - should continue where appropriate as they must be saving a lot of time and money.

The issues with the NHS before Coronavirus were not just that it has been receiving reduced funds for the last 10 years or so but that we have a tendency to build on what we have while expecting to keep the existing system. The "everyday" must be continuously streamlined so that the exceptional can happen. Then, as the exceptional becomes every day, we must surely accept the streamlining of that service too.

Urmstongran I did try to explain why I think people become rather heated that’s all but you came straight back with the slightly aggressive “it’s called an opinion “

Incidentally I have a face to face consultation with my GP this morning so these are going ahead.

I had my RA annual review during a friendly and thorough discussion on an arranged phone call with my GP. He was also happy to discuss in detail the shielding letter they sent me (six weeks into lock down)
My routine bloods are usually done at the Rheumatology department which is closed. I didn't want to go to our local hospital and our GP practice agreed to do them. I arrive with my blood form, phone in and the nurse phones me when the previous patient leaves. Nurse then escorts me through the staff entrance so I don't have to go through the reception area.

Next week, I'm having my six monthly RA review via a video conference with my named specialist nurse.

I feel fortunate that I'm continuing to be properly reviewed in these difficult times. I know the department cancelled all new patients for the first 12 weeks, as did other departments. They were unhappy about this but accepted that people responsible for managing the response were doing their best in unprecedented circumstances.

No one is above criticism. The OP should remember that the dental service is to all intents and purposes privatised and has been for many years. My dentist told me that reluctantly he was moving to a private system for financial reasons. I now pay a chunk every month for my dental cover. Im fortunate to be able to afford it because friends who stayed in the NHS system get nothing like the service I do. Mind you - like everything else, its closed currently.
Private hospitals are closed - my daughter was due to have surgery the week lock down started. She was doing this privately because her NHS surgery had been cancelled four times in the previous several months.

I agree by the way with those who say it's important to talk about these things without getting overly cross. (I try)

Lucca I get your point and it’s very frustrating isn’t it?

I think when people start bringing personal opinions to an discussion to the detriment of listening to others then that is the issues. This ‘it’s my opinion and I’m entitled to it’ does nothing to move the discussion on. That’s simply being entrenched in your view.

Thanks, trisher and SueDonim. That makes sense.

Casdon, I’m not necessarily disagreeing with you, but posts about ‘some people’ aren’t very helpful. They make me feel like I did at school when the Head said ‘Some people are letting the school down’ or similar in assembly. Everyone except the offender wonders if they are being singled out.

If you were referring to my post, I completely understand that the NHS is underfunded and that staff are making difficult decisions. That understanding is not incompatible with my post, which acknowledged that I am not a medic, and was asking a question.

If you were not referring to my post, please understand that this is what happens when people make vague insinuations? People waste time worrying in case they have given offence. Far better to be direct.

Try what Lucca?