Some good things should result from this awful *Covid* experience. Where would you like to see improvements ?

There are far fewer people using A&E because theydon’t want to be exposed to COVID. This makes me think that many people use the facility just because they can’t get a doctor’s appointment immediately. Let’s hope these people understand what A& is really for.

You’re right Tweedle24, some nonsensical things do happen. There is no local freedom, because everything that is purchased for the NHS has go through a procurement process at Regional or National level, which is intended to be cheaper, but often isn’t. - audit requirements!
On a similar topic it always upset me that the NHS in an area couldn’t support local business by for example buying fruit and vegetables from local farmers when in season, or getting items printed by local companies - the Regional and National contracts didn’t allow that to happen.

You’re right though, there is always a risk of mismanagement both locally and politically, particularly of such a very complex organisation.

Breaking news

RIP Captain Tom Moore

SuRu

I think that the triple lock pension should be abolished and other non-means tested benefits for older people e.g. fuel allowance should be abolished. Money saved could be spent reducing national debt and investing in new industries and training young people.

The big problem with means testing benefits for older people is that those of us who went without expensive overseas holidays etc. to pay into our pensions ans save for our old age so as to ensure we are not a burden on our kids will be penalised for it, yet those who earned the same or more during their working lives but spent it as they went along (which they had every right to do) will get subsidised by the taxpayer. There is no natural justice in that. If benefits in old age were based on lifetime earnings, then okay, but it is wrong that those who have saved and gone without when younger should be penalised now for having done so

Laurensnan

And if you don't let me hug people in your brave new world I don't want to live there.

What a wonderful opportunity to imagine Utopia you have given me Gangy5.

NHS - total reorganisation, including GPs. dentists, A & E, nurse training, hospital administration.

I would like to see far more home trained nurses and doctors so that we don't have to rely on poaching trained professionals from other countries. I would also like to see a return to on the job training for nurses - having to have a degree means very many people with the compassion and practical skills needed for nursing don't even get a look in.

Education - another complete overhaul.
I would like to see the age for compulsory schooling raised to 6, and proper preschool education (preferably in separate purpose-built premises rather than attached to existing school buildings) for children between 3 and 6 that values their unique qualities and capacity to play over the need to get them ready for school.
At the other end of the scale I would replace GCSEs with a broader school certificate which could incorporate some exam results, but would mainly be of a narrative nature.

Town centres - redevelopment of town centres into mixed developments with housing, shops, offices, entertainment venues, schools etc all in close proximity. This would reduce the need to commute.

Community -an end to the divisions in our society. Everyone should be valued for who they are.

Casdon That is interesting. Perhaps England should take some advice from Wales.

You are quite right about funding but, sadly, with such a huge organisation, there will always be mismanagement of finances and resources.

I was talking last year to someone who works for the NHS, supplying equipment to hospitals and community services. She said it grieves her to see how expensive are items which could be bought much more cheaply from a local store or supplier. When I was a ward sister, if I wanted a small item, like for example, a couple of clipboards for patients’ notes, I could pop next door to the local stationers and buy them with petty cash. She said this is no longer allowed. I would have to fill in forms, which would go through several departments before arriving in the central depot where, it would be packed up and transported to its destination. Then it would signed for and delivered to the ward. This is madness in my opinion.

I would like to see our NHS properly managed and funded! I worked as a senior nurse in the NHS before retiring and my career spanned just over 30 years. Both my parents worked their entire careers in the NHS, my Mum as a nurse and my Dad as a biochemist. If they were alive today, they would be horrified at what has become of our beloved NHS! The cuts to services and staff over the years have been utterly detrimental! ?
The NHS has always had its problems, but it has never been in such dire straits as it is these days! I myself have been a patient in hospital a few times recently, and I am far from impressed with the care and treatment I received! ?
I could write a book on my grievances about the NHS, so I will stop right there! I don't know what the answers are, but proper management and funding would certainly be a step in the right direction!

You’re describing the Welsh health system Tweedle24, except that here it also includes all primary care services, including the GPs (still contractor status rather than employed though). Experiments are being run now to manage health and social care as a unified service, and it will probably come quite quickly. What’s a real problem is the lack of people who want to work as carers in the community, and that jeopardises the system working effectively because discharging patients from hospital is very difficult when no care is available.

I think that government interference is a huge problem in the NHS. Most NHS managers started their careers as clinicians, so they do know what they need to do to improve systems, but are constantly buffeted by political whims and direction changes (which is a huge contributor to the bureaucracy to meet the requirements placed on the service to produce information).

Fundamentally the issue is funding, the NHS is full of people at all levels who are trying very hard to do their best, as demonstrated through the pandemic. It’s convenient to politicians to blame local managers, and many of the public blindly believe them without seeing that as the smokescreen it is. My wish for the future is that politicians stop blaming the NHS and start supporting it properly.

listened to people commenting on young people and saying what a raw deal they have had, social life gone for a burton, of course its a shame but all age groups have suffered in different ways, my husband and i are in our 70s , and , like most have not seen grandchildren for ever, who knows how much longer we have left, youngsters have their lives in front of them and there really is no excuse for some of their behaviour , selfish springs to mind,

Of course, that is yet another can of worms. Should people have to sell their homes for social care, or should taxes and NI contributions be increased to pay for free care? I don’t have an answer to that one but, others might.

You could always ask a Scot

Many years ago, the Health Authority in this area employed both the hospital and community nursing staff so it was all one budget and worked really well.

After one of the countless reorganisations that changed so they became two separate entities. I have always remembered how well that worked and have long thought that all medical, nursing and social care should come under one umbrella. Unfortunately, that is very unlikely to happen because of the contracts that doctors were given in 1948 to keep them on board for the new NHS. That is not a criticism of the doctors, by the way, just an observation.

However, I can see huge advantages in having nursing and social care being being one unit. Being completely radical, unless people wish to pay for private care, I see no reason for agencies to subcontract to the NHS. Currently, if home care (not nursing) is required, the carers come from private organisations. According to financial situation, clients may, or may not, have to pay for that care.

Of course, that is yet another can of worms. Should people have to sell their homes for social care, or should taxes and NI contributions be increased to pay for free care? I don’t have an answer to that one but, others might.

There's lots but I'll start with something very simple ....no longer shaking hands with people or hugging people we don't love , valuing people's personnel space and washing hands frequently
Infectionss such as Flu, stomach bugs and simple colds have gone down. The measures have had a positive effect on many illnesses which I hope people will carry on with.

I think working from home will continue to be an option for many when the pandemic is over, along with other flexible ways of working. My DD has been working from home much of the time since last March although she has had to go in to work for some activities when the Orchestra she works for had work going on, such as supervising aspects of recording sessions. She would not want to work from home all the time though as she misses seeing colleagues etc but she likes the flexibility it affords, along with not having the commute.

Less business travel would be good for the environment as will less commuting, but working from home can be stressful for some, especially if they have limited space for a home office.

Meetings being held online all the time reminded me of a mug I saw with the slogan 'I've just survived a meeting which could have been an email!' I so nearly bought one for DD as she often complained of unnecessary meetings. I think businesses will become smarter now they know things can be done differently.

The number of people losing jobs and the many now reliant on food banks will hopefully stir reviews of the welfare systems in the UK. Having to wait weeks for benefits, when applying for universal credit, is unacceptable. It has always been so, but now that the experience has become so much more widespread I hope there will be an appetite for changes to be brought. People on benefits can no longer be accused of being lazy or unemployable as so many are losing their jobs, especially in retail in the high street, which has been decimated as people go online to shop. I hope the government will bear that in mind.

I hope we all learn to appreciate how well we had it before this and don't take life and what we are lucky to have for granted ever again. I will see my friends as often as I can, no more excuses when I can't be bothered to go. Also take a good look around us and stop rushing around. I've had lovely walks, listening to the birds singing cos the traffic not as busy and I wish it could just stay like this.

Shake up the admin and waste in the NHS. Pay nurses better salaries, think about moving away from nursing degrees.
Get our industrial base re-tooled to move away from Chinese imports.
Find a way to make the big global companies, such as Amazon, pay their full taxes in the countries of purchase.
Persuade our GPs to move away from telephone consultations as soon as possible, post covid.

We should value all generations from cradle to grave.

Stop and think what each generation needs after this pandemic. We are going to have to adopt far more creative and practical solutions when tackling issues such as work, NHS, environment etc

It should not just be for the profit of a select few.

I would like to see a much fairer distribution of wealth. There are trillionaires who have benefitted from these lockdowns. They need to pay far more tax. There needs to be more support for apprenticeships and vocational training.
There needs to be a removal of management consultants and top flight accountants from public service institutions such as the BBC and the NHS. These overpaid people are impacting heavily on the budgets and on the heads of those that actually do the work. The reinstating of Matrons on hospital wards. The NHS and BBC are the jewels in our British crown, how much we have appreciated them in a world of fake news and during a global pandemic. More education of children in life skills, like how to grow their own food, making do and mending, managing money, DIY, how to have successful relationships, how to nurture children, learning a musical instrument, encouraging creativity, but most of all teaching them how to be compassionate and kind before anything else. Instead of looking after number 1. People taking turns to be stewards of their street. I know this is all a bit utopian but not impossible. Compassion in Farming. The abandoning of HS2. Making life better where we are rather than jetting around the world escaping from where we are. I was staggered that 25 million of us were travelling in the early months of 2020. I'm sure we've been sent to our rooms to reflect on what we've done and how we can improve things. Let's not miss this golden opportunity to turn things around and change before its too late.

What an interesting thread.

WW010 I agree with your comment about blaming others. We're a' Jock Tamson's bairns.

jane1956

people stop buying junk from china hit them where it hurts in the pocket

Stop laying blame and accept responsibility. (As a nation). We’re part of a big world. Not isolated within it.

kjmpde

i would like to see better trained staff - despite checking that the NHS appointment had the land line as the primary contact the covid testing team rang the mobile which is only turned on for emergencies. the message was not seen till 12 hours later and told it was too late. the contact team had 2 telephone numbers but only one was used . When i used to work i would use all telephone numbers to try and make contact. These people are not trained well at all -.

Completely agree. I’ve experienced the same issues.

Realism is what’s needed here. We’ve had enough of lies and misdirection. I totally agree with you.

Universal Basic Income. Read Rutger Bregman - Utopia for Realists. It’s eye opening. So so many benefits for society. Been trialled too and found to be successful.

If we don't focus on global warming mitigation, we will not have enough food. I think that must be the first consideration or we will have nothing left to focus on!

If we want to become carbon neutral we need to support our natural marine and terrestrial ecosystems and manage pollution & farming so we eat less meat but have enough dairy, meat & fish for a balanced diet. We also need to eliminate fossil fuel use and exploit the biofuels we can readily produce to support energy production for everyday living, manufacturing and travelling.

Population is at its peak so our grandchildren will see empty houses as the population drops (our generation is nearly a fifth / 20%, of the British population) and there will be fewer old people so less need for care homes and more effective emphasis on healthy living. The NHS will be able to refocus on preventative medicine and health care when needed.

I wonder if most grans think I'm being too serious. I prefer to think I am just being down to earth and realistic.

Place more value on nature and the environment. We have lost 60% of UK wildlife sine the 1970s, perhaps we we will come to realise that continuing to concrete over large swathes of the countryside, whether it is for HS2 or lorry parks is not the way forward.