Gosh!

sarahhellenwhitney May I point out that the NHS is NOT free, we have all paid N.I. over the years, our prescriptions are not free, ophthalmic and dental services are not free, likewise podiatry.
I am not complaining as DH has had hundreds of thousands of ££££ worth of care, but the average person does not necessarily cost the NHS as much. Me for instance.
Other European countries, and I only have experience of Germany here, have insurance schemes which are deducted at source from wages/salaries but also offer next day diagnosis and/ or one stop treatment centres, single rooms in hospitals and an enviable status for nurses and doctors.
So our NHS is not the only viable system and many people might prefer to pay a reasonable amount into a compulsory insurance scheme rather than be forced to choose between weeks of waiting to see a GP, months of waiting for hospital treatment, cancelled operations and sadly in many cases, scruffy even dirty or inadequate hospital facilities and the astronomical prices charged by the private sector for plumped pillows and flowers in private rooms (oh and queue jumping)

We are going to train 5000 new nurses and many new doctors as well. This is brilliant because I have taught many Six-formers who were caring and compassionate, sensible and would have made fantastic nurses or doctors but several could not get onto a training course due to lack of spaces. I am so pleased that now more of our caring young people who want to train to become doctors or nurses will be able to. I used to get so frustrated when we constantly hear we must allow endless immigration because the NHS needs them as we don't have enough doctors and nurses. The answer to train more is so obvious.

I have an irregular heart beat some of the time. I had suffered for about 3 days and been told in the past to see a doctor after 24 hours. I then phoned my GP practice on a Friday afternoon latish but within their times. I was told off by the receptionist and the Doctor for leaving it late on a Friday afternoon. My heart beat was missing a beat then double beating. It was ok as in a rhythm apparently. I had to defend myself and said I didn't do it on purpose quite the opposite waited hoping it would be right itself. I don't want to go back now. It just feels uncomfortable. I still pay tax and have done for over 30 years. So I contribute.

sarahellenwhitney, the GNer you accuse of moaning and groaning on an earlier thread had just sat with her mentally ill son for 22 hours in A & E, for most of that time in a bleak corridor to avoid the screens in all waiting areas showing graphic rolling coverage of the Vegas shooting. I'm sure he wouldn't be the only one who could have been upset by this, and the NHS should get feedback on such issues.

Jane my surgery is like yours. If you need something that is fairly urgent you get an appointment that day. If you wish to see a specific doctor you may have to wait longer, but if it's urgent a doctor will certainly see you in most at surgeries. If you are really unwell any doctor will do, you don't need a specific one.

My GP Surgery is very good, yes you can wait over a week to see your GP if it's routine but the other week I had a fall & grazed my leg. My neighbour had dressed it but it was becoming more infected so she rang Surgery & requested a home visit, a GP came & said I needed to go to Hospital that afternoon. I was taken by Ambulance (no blue lights) & spent 4 days in Hospital. I have nothing but praise for Nurses & Doctors. Lots of tests to trace source of infection, eventually found I had a urine infection, sent home with antibiotics. I have always had wonderful treatment on NHS & have nothing but praise for this wonderful service.

So much praise for the much maligned NHS. It's good to hear that it's not just me that's feeling lucky.

Has anyone else been handed an evaluation form to fill in before leaving the consulting room? It was difficult to tick anything other than excellent when under the beady eye of the doctor.

After 3 days of what appeared to be a cold, my DH woke early in the morning clearly very ill with a high temperature, respiratory problems and in distress. The ambulance arrived within 15 minutes with a kind, professional and caring crew of 3. We were in A & E within half an hour. X Ray's were taken, antibiotics pumped in and an oxygen mask fitted. He had pneumonia. He was home four days later and is well again. I can't thank the NHS enough. We can and should pay more for this wonderful service but there does not seem a way that this can be done.

Mawbroon . I don't know what cloud you are living on so I will remind you not all have paid NI contributions that will give NHS care and a state pension, free prescriptions and free eye tests on reaching the age set to receive a state pension. I would in no way deny those who through no fault of their own not have paid into our system.What of those who have been without work, chosen to stay at home to look after a sick relative ,or due to health reasons are unable to work Does the NHS say'Sorry 'no NI contributions no treatment'?
Even those coming from abroad on holiday or looking to live in the UK The NHS treat the sick regardless .It would be so nice were the world without violence so it is unfortunate these terrible events are shown on A&E TV s Would you wish the NHS employ someone to change channels to suit the unfortunate who have to use our services. We have a choice. If you find another country which offers you better then I ask what is stopping you from living there.

G.P.s seem to vary terrifically. No idea why. After a fall some weeks ago I have been attending hand therapy. I can't say it has achieved much but today there was a sign up saying that 174 people had failed to turn up in August. (For their appointments). 10 per cent. This is shocking that so many can treat the N.H.S.in such a cavalier fashion.

Ooh sarahellen that was a quite uncalled for rant against MawBroon!
I agree re the TV though. I imagine that a busy A&E had one or two more patients in extremis and who needed a great deal of attention and had to prioritise people over facilties! That's before the drunks are factored in!

Our surgery has become partners with another in a village about 15 minuets away. It's much easier to get an appointment now. I love the NHS, don't know what we would do without them.

Our surgery is awful. First appointment is three weeks away unless it is urgent. You can call early morning get asked all sorts of questions by the receptionist and they decide if you should then be triaged by a doctor on the phone. Once you have got to this stage the doctor decides if you should go in for an emergency appointment or not.

On the other hand I saw the consultant ref having a hip replacement on a Friday afternoon. He said he would put me on the waiting list but to carry on losing weight till the time of the op. Two weeks later an appointment came for pre op assessments the following Tuesday. Husband filled in a form to say I could go in with 24 hours notice in the case of a cancellation. Thursday the phone rang and asked if I was available on the Friday. Consultant came and saw me pre op and I said that he had not given me much time to lose weight as it was three weeks to the day since my initial consultation. He said you would not have got better treatment if you had gone private. So no complaints about our local hospital in this caseand thanks to the person who cancelled and thought to ring in.

It depends on where you live, I suppose. It was always a nightmare in London to get an appointment due to the sheer capacity of people living there. Now that I am living out in the sticks I get an appointment same day, on-site pharmacy etc. Can't complain. The only downside is that I live 25 miles away from the nearest hospital, whereas in London I was never further than a couple of miles!

Had my first EC chemo yesterday, as a preventative measure for agressive breast cance, although I have had 2 surgeries to remove the tumour, and the 2nd time they got it all.

I was given I'm told the best anti sickness drug (Aprepitan) as I have had lots of problems with my stomach and oseophogus. So far no nausea or vomiting, although my tummy does feel out of sorts. I also have a dreadful headache, eye ache,really strange sore throat and aches and pains. I couldn't sleep although I'm exhausted,which could be due to the steroids they've given me.

It's not asbad as I expected, but I'm aware it could get worse, and also I'm told they are changing me to a different chemo drug half way through called Docetaxel which is also a strong does. Herceptin will be given alongside these chemo drugs.

I live alone, but do have 2 very supportive children, and my lovely daughter stayed with me last night. Its very scary as if your temperaturegoes above 38 degrees they send an ambulance and your straight on intravenous antibiotics.

Sorry for all the lengthy info !

I don't use the Drs services often as I'm very fit and well so I haven't had to test the system. I use Vagifem(hrt) so I go periodically.i work and am organised so I never need an urgent appt.
A friend of mine, a practice manager, is always telling me stories of missed appointments and patients who leave repeat prescriptions to the very last moment on a regular basis.
Maybe we need to blame some of our practices shortcomings on the quality of their patients.

yorkshiregirl all good wishes for a speedy recovery but also that the treatment turns out to be less traumatic than it sounds.

Good to have the OP from Jane as a reminder that the majority of NHS workers are committed caring people who do a sterling job.

When we complained recently about a woeful A&E experience, we also said what wonderful work everyone seemed to be doing. We could see the problems we encountered were due to a lack of resources, not people failure.

The majority of staff do go above and beyond.

In recent times, where we have had to voice concerns over my DS' care on an acute mental health ward, we have seen that there is a palpable level of stress in some workers. At night there are only 2 members of staff on duty and lots of problems seem to occur then. I feel sorry for any staff, in any public sector role, where the funding, the staffing and the expectations are all unrealistic and place people under strain.

NHS GP provision varies hugely according to area and surgery. I was fortunate to be registered with a practice for a number of years where it was always possible to see someone on the day if needed. Appointments with GP of choice within a week. Then I moved to a different town. The system for urgent appointments is to telephone between 8.30 and 9am. It is not permitted to request an appointment in person until after 9.30am. It is hard bordering on impossible to get through on the phone before 9am. It is common to hear that all appointments are gone and to phone back between 2 and 2.30. This can go on for days. Checking for an appointment with my GP of choice I was told none available in the next month and to phone each day in the hope of a cancellation. The doctors and other clinicians are excellent once accessed. The receptionist and admin staff unfailingly polite and apologetic. The reality is doctors have left and cannot easily be replaced in this area as it's not 'popular'. So yes, the NHS is still excellent at providing care when it is possible to access it, but it is hugely under resourced and some areas struggle more than others. It's hard to comprehend the frustration many of us feel if your surgery is stable and well resourced.

I entirely get your point cornergran. I posted in surprise due to expecting the sort of thing you mentioned. Maybe our practice is currently OK but may well deteriorate if staff leave.

Good luck with the treatment Yorkshire girl. Keep fighting and let us all know how you are doing.

Thank you for your best wishes

Thank you x

Two members of my family are hospital consultants. The hours which they work are astronomical, the brickbats which they endure seem to me to be endless, yet they get up early and work late every single day always putting their patients first irrespective of their own and their families' needs as they have done since entering the medical profession almost thirty years ago. Neither of them see patients on a private basis and neither of them have had a pay rise for almost ten years. Between them they own their house (mortgaged) plus one ten year old car.

It is so nice when I read of compliments for the NHS from appreciative patients and their families.