A snapshot look at NHS services in your area

Thank you for your good wishes, I've been t-total for 35 years but I've sure felt like a few of these this past week..

Wow, Tanith, what a scary thing! I'm so pleased your DH is on the mend!

So glad your DH is ok Tanith and thinking of you too Alea

Perhaps you ought to tell Jeremy Hunt, Alea. He's the one who says doctors do not work weekends.

Him and the entire readership of the DM, I would guess (and not excluding maybe a GN or two?)

Yes, I was one who did mention it on a thread a while back, but that was my experience when in hospital. The consultants/senior doctors were never available at weekends.

I'm glad to hear that this isn't the case in other parts of the country, especially in the emergency departments (and I can't fault our local A&E when DH was admitted on his last admission).

Oops sorry, Ana didn't mean to imply you were a whinger or a moaner (I would say it outright, not "imply"!!)

I was one of quite a few, as I remember, so I certainly didn't think you were singling me out, Alea!

Just saying that it is not a myth that consultants and senior doctors are very often unavailable at weekends. I did post a link at the time but can't remember where it was from now (not the DM!!).

Oh dear I read the Daily Mail and one of the mysterious GN'ers probably.

I am saddened politics has reared it's ugly head it was such a nice thread

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104334

A debate on no confidence in Jeremy Hunt on Monday 14th September in Westminster Hall.

You can't win, POGS...sigh

It's very important. It's to do with how the whole of the NHS works, which I think is what this thread is about.
It wasn't me who introduced politics into it.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-34171683

I hope Calais gets sorted out before this starts happening.
Anyone live in Kent?

Ahem! I think it was the pointed reference to Jeremy Hunt which introduced politics into it.
My comment about "whingers and moaners" was Not aimed at any political persuasion other than the denigrators of the NHS.

That was party politics. Politics is about people.

It was pretty obvious what POGS meant.

I think the thread did show up things, before the politics came into it.

Alea and Tanith- my goodness, what a scare for both of you- so glad to hear the NHS turned out to be brilliant on those occasions- and all the very best for the future, Do keep us informed.

Now sorry, I didn't get back to you- I've had visitors from the USA since Sunday, and have not logged on- too busy cooking and travelling all over the place visiting and catching up, etc.

I am surprised no-one Google the issues re the decreasing of hours worked by Junior doctors and the increasing number of part-timers or non practising doctors causing havoc with shortfalls. And especially the massive issues caused in some countries re young women studying to be doctors- with no intention of ever practising- but for accessing better marriages within their cultural/religious background. This is particularly the case in Pakistan, where the vast majority of medical students are female, with a large % never going on to practise. As said, those interested might wish to do A Google search. And this trend is increasingly reflected in some medical schools in the UK too- with many going very part-time or who never practise once married.

And especially the massive issues caused in some countries re young women studying to be doctors- with no intention of ever practising- but for accessing better marriages within their cultural/religious background. This is particularly the case in Pakistan, where the vast majority of medical students are female, with a large % never going on to practise. As said, those interested might wish to do A Google search. And this trend is increasingly reflected in some medical schools in the UK too- with many going very part-time or who never practise once married

I am afraid that I regard this comment as sexist, racist and completely unacceptable.
The inclusion of Pakistan has no relevance to the NHS and in any case cannot be verified without facts and figures. I am horrified that such a comment can be made -just looking around the Acute Stroke Unit at least 2 doctors including 1 registrar are women who (to my eye) appear to be from Asian or N African backgrounds, not to mention many of the nursing staff. At least 2GPS in our practice have Muslim names (can that exist? I am making an assumption I realise, but at least 1 of them wears a scarf)

I googled 'women not practising medicine' and the only result that came up which applied to the UK was this article
www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2532461/Why-having-women-doctors-hurting-NHS-A-provovcative-powerful-argument-leading-surgeon.html
The more observant GNers will note that it is in the Daily Fail and it is written by Professor J Meirion Thomas, who has been excoriated for his views in Pulse, Private Eye and by Dr Rant.

Surely having women GPS who work part time is a whole lot better than NO women doctors or fewer doctors altogether because child care is an issue?

GJ I find your attitude towards female doctors deeply insulting.All junior doctors, whether male or female, study and work incredibly hard.Female doctors have every right to have children and return to work part time, just as female teachers do...or any profession for that matter.
I would question your point that, these days, GPs work less hours...practices are incredibly busy, usually because they are understaffed.You are still living in the age of Dr Findlay and Doc Martin...things have changed, keep up.

I cannot believe that any woman would work her socks off for five or six years to obtain a medical degree and then not bother to practise.

The predudices are showing GrannyJ.

Junior doctors (not talk about GPs) used to work up to 140 hrs in the 70s- the maximum is 50 now- so do the sums (I think it may be up to 70 including on call- will have to check). GPs used to do their own on-call and visits- often 1 night in 3 or 4, + 1 week-end in 3 or 4- on TOP of 'normal' hours- they very rarely do now.

Never ever said that women should not be allowed to work part-time, EVER- I said that if the GVT calculated the number of GPs required to cover the population (and this without including the population increasing faster than expected) based on them working full-time- the short fall is massive.

A practice having 5 GPs 20 years ago will often have double that now, with several part-timers, and on top of that, on call at night and week-ends will be done by outside doctors. That is NOT sexist, nor anti-equality- but looking at the reality on the ground. With all the baby boomers retiring now, we are facing a massive short-fall. I do keep up, very closely actually.