Has anyone else experienced an improvement in the changes made by NHS since the start of the pandemic.

I’ve found the telephone consultations useful as I haven’t had to physically visit the hospital as often as before. Sometimes they have to be face to face, but not always. Also I like that blood test clinics are now by appointment instead of queuing for ages at a drop in clinic.

I agree about the blood test too. Also the drive through COVID test before admission was superb.

i have recently spent 20 days in hospital and have been home for 10 days, all the staff were brilliant (some junior doctors not so great), the problems the staff had was getting the right things to keep the ward running, basic kitchen items, my son and another patients son had to bring sugar so the whole ward could have tea, butter so the bread was not going in the bin, vegetarians had the choice of quorn curry 5 nights in a row or nothing to eat. i am not a fussy eater but most food was inedible, i ended up living on crisps and biscuits, as no visiting my son wold hand in a bag with things but not allowed to use the fridge so no sandwiches or anything that will go off in a hot ward. doctors telling me off for not eating, i said okay, you come here at meal time and sit and have a meal with me....none of them did. the staff were constantly saying sorry all the time, the nurses looked so tired as most of them are doing each shift alone when there should be two of them. i would love for some of the higher up office managers to spend a week on a ward and take note of what it is really like. i can't praise the staff enough for my care and what they have to deal with on a day to day basis.

Everywhere, hospitals, surgeries, clinics are so much cleaner.

They should have been clean anyway but, in many cases, they weren't.
I hope the attitude towards cleanliness continues.

I broke my arm last October and couldn’t have asked for better care. From 111, to A & E, the fracture clinic, x-rays, telephone physio, follow up calls by my GP and a precautionary bone scan. Everything ran like clockwork. No waiting round or delays at any stage.

Saying that, I broke a small bone in my hand 4 years ago and the service was just as impressive.

I had superb care following two fractures about eight weeks apart. A and E then the fabulous fracture clinic for follow up appointments. Brilliant. Amazing staff.

I think all nhs staff are brilliant and they can’t wait to get back to normal times. I had a text in Friday saying I was in high risk category for booster jab went online and had it yesterday at 10am less than 24 hrs after the text. If it’s there and offered take it I went to the nightingale hospital Washington in and out and excellent care. Can’t praise them enough!

Our practice is exceptionally well organised. Emergency appointments are arranged on the same day. When I needed an non-urgent appointment, the GP himself arranged it as I had asked for him especially.

I have no problem with phone or zoom appointments ... it is a better use of everyone's time. Helpful to me as I live about 35 minutes drive from the surgery and it is a windy narrow road - very difficult during tractor season! I have had no difficulty getting face-to-face when necessary.

I agree about the absence of quite basic things on hospital wards - like staff! Also standing aids and the like. When my OH was in hospital we had to wait hours to get him out of bed as we were waiting on two members of staff and a standing aid all being available at the same moment!

The NHS has improved its treatment of patients since I was a nurse (I qualified in 1953)
I was always interested in infection control and immunity, and the increase in knowledge is amazing. I was in an assessment unit for a few hours and if the standards there typify the NHS then the NHS has improved especially since covid. My bed was opposite a large wall chart detailing infection control methods. Staff wore effective maks and wash hand basins were evdrywhere,

All this efficiency did not detract from the kind and understanding attitudes of staff at all levels. I got lovely tray set with water, delicious shepherd's pie (I has a choice) and a milk pudding in a sealed container. The resident medic took ample time and care to explain to me what was to happen
Comunications between different members of staff seemed to run smoothly and effortlessly.

All this was accomplished without the old quasi- military discipline I remember.

Luckygirl, I wonder if yu could advise about my telephone appointment with a GP .

The hospital doctor had told me I shouls check with my GP about 1. a discrepancy on my note about an allergy and 2. maybe changing my BP med as I have oedema in my legs and feet.

The doctor who rang me spoke very fast. He had a foreign accent Pakistani I guess. He did not have my notes in front of him(I asked) . I had to ask question after question to find out what I was to do about monitoring my own BP. In the event he told me to phone results of my twice daily BP reading to the surgery which is impossible as the receptionists no longer take that sort of phone call. The Doctor did not begin to explain why I should change to another of the same family of BP meds.

Bad luck, is all I can say!

All my phone appointments have been very successful and helpful. I am sorry to hear that you did not have the same experiences.

It is good to hear that things are improving for some of us. Hopefully the lessons learned will carry forward. All of my family members that work on NHS front line are on their knees. I hope our new Health Secretary will recognise their sacrifices.