Today at the doctor's ...

Barmeyoldbat Quote [You were very lucky Grandad, I had an urgent appointment for Weston General Hospital and it was cancelled three times. I went back to my Dr and was seen at the BRI within 2 weeks. [End Quote.

Barmeyoldbat, the Bristol BRI has now taken over the running of Weston Super Mare District Hospital as part of the BRI structure which already now incorporates Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol Dental Hospital and Bristol Children's Hospital. That the staff were telling me is making a huge difference to the operation of Weston as the BRI is not only a large hospital in its own right, but also a very large teaching establishment which will undoubtedly help with staff retention which has always been a major problem at Weston District Hospital since it originally opened.

It has only been a few weeks since Bristol BRI took over control of Weston District Hospital but already judging from my experience at Weston major improvements have already come about it would seem.

The medical services i received at Weston and by way of my GPs at Clevedon Medical Centre could not have been better provided.

Certainly, other patients my wife and I spoke to in waiting rooms etc were all saying their medical provision had also been excellent at Weston.

I think I always ask them how they are.
Perhaps it's different living in a small community.

What a nice gesture jura.

I think our NHS does a really good job, and when it doesn't it's often due to lack of investment or staff, and usually both. I think we should treasure it whilst we still have it. It's always thoughtful to give thanks for good treatment, so that the staff feel valued because morale is very low at the moment.

Quite frankly nothtatoldyet I was quite shocked by your attitude.

Some years ago after a spell in hospital my consultant was ill during the period I was having follow-up appointments. When I saw him again for my sign off he asked how I was and I was able to say much better but how are you? That seemed to take him so much by surprise he didn't have an answer.

At my local supermarket they are told to tell us to' have a nice day' at the end of a transaction. I usually reply 'you too'. One young lad answered me 'Yeah, right' ! I don't think that's in their script!!

Quite right, Jura!

It's right to treat professionals as people not authority figures.

I’ve visited South Africa a few times and I’ve noticed they always reply to the question “ how are you” with “I’m good thank you, how are you?” and they genuinely seem interested in the reply.
I’ve started doing the same and it’s amazing how touched people can be to be asked about themselves, especially those in the care and service industries. Good manners cost nothing and can make a difference to someone having a bad day.

To be honest I’ve never thought to ask my GP how they are. It’s never crossed my mind, I usually want to get in and out our Drs like most others are so busy they hardly look up from their screens. Whereas the consultants that I see have more time. And I always ask how they are,been going for several years

I had a wonderful GP for 22 years, I used to take last appointment if I could, we had brilliant discussions on a variety of subjects. I did usually see him as he knew my medical history & my family. I have moved twice in the last 8 years, my present Surgery I usually see whichever GP is available but have had emergency appointments within hours of requesting sometimes only minutes.

I don't actually ask how they are but will always thank them for seeing me & if necessary arranging a referral. When I've been in Hospital I'm always as polite & co-operative as possible to all the staff, it certainly helps as you're not viewed as a "flipping nuisance"

You were very lucky Grandad, I had an urgent appointment for Weston General Hospital and it was cancelled three times. I went back to my Dr and was seen at the BRI within 2 weeks.

Just for the record the excuse for cancellation was the first one, he was away on holiday. The second he was on a training course.

My neighbour went to see her GP about her varicose veins. He rolled up his trouser leg and said "You should see MINE!" ... and that was pretty much the end of her appointment!

Oh yes ...always ! usually the doc (never seen the same one twice so far) says ok thankyou ….or says nothing ! I don't mind at least I am being cared for ! and it is not only the UK where you wait three or four weeks for an appt...same in France..and there we pay the doctor 25 euros each visit (some is returned from the CPAM health system) and we have to have a top up insurance …..had excellent care there and now think I have had excellent care here since I came back to live here. I was even sent to the Urgent care centre ...I did say I didn't think I needed to waste their time, and apologised when I eventually saw the doctor (4 hours ...but I took a book so no worry, and had a chat with a few people ..passed a nice afternoon doing nothing !) and she said it was totally the right thing I had been sent as they thought I may have had sepsis (luckily I didn't but was given anti biotics and told to see my GP at the next available appt.....what good care is that ! I have to add my small local hospital has received an outstanding accolade which is wonderful !

She is there to do a job for which she is paid
When they achieve that i might consider asking after their health...
No i will not
What mext, so i have to be everyones social worker now !
I hate fake interest or inane comments
'Have a nice day'
As if i care ...

I recently changed GPs . At the end of a long appointment during which we discussed my lifestyle including my job (I work in a care setting) as well as my medical condition he said, "thank you for caring for our old people, I often think we value too highly people who, in the great scheme of things, are not so very important to society and ignore the workers of real value because they're usually poorly paid and therefore not influential in the eyes of the world" I was so shocked I cried!

Nearly a year ago I was in the Critical Care ward. The nursing and care there was superb, They have an excellent rating and deserve it - doctors and nurses. From being on A&E and during the following months receiving chemo and radiotherapy I have had excellent care and support, and continue to do so. Talk about team work! Yes, I have to wait sometimes when appointments do not run to time but at the point of care they are magnificent.
This is Ipswich hospital I am talking about.
My local GP surgery is very busy and have a triage system when you phone in - sometimes waiting in a long queue. You cannot choose which doctor you will see and sometimes see a nurse practitioner or are told there are no more appointments that day. If it's urgent you are sent to a local clinic where you wait in the old fashioned way for a doctor to be free.
They all do their best but it's at the GP point I see the most
pressure and struggle.

We can wait 5-6 weeks to see any doctor unless it is an emergency.

In answer to Callistemon, yes, in Scotland, if you can wait, you may see the same Doctor in your surgery. In answer to other posts, yes, we sent a bouquet of flowers to my Dad's Social Worker, and I always send or have brought in for me, thank you cards at the end of a hospital stay.

Yes, definitely! I worked in the emergency sector and situations were few and far between when any patients actually addressed us like we were human beings. Don't get me wrong, often they were very sick but to have someone who is poorly and being taken to hospital ask after those taking them was so moving.

jura2 Quote [sparklefizz- and it just shows how terrible the NHS has become- sad. No wonder doctors, nurses and care staff are in such a bad way. ]End Quote.

Jura2, I would agree with your perception of the NHS at the present time. However, my experience of the service in over the last ten days could not in any way have been better even if it had been provided by a private medical service.

I was attending to the usual bathroom obligations a week last Sunday when i became aware of what seemed a very serious problem with my waterworks. I rang my GP at 9am the following morning and was booked for an "urgent" consultation at noon that day.

On seeing the doctor i was given a thorough examination and was informed there was a potently serious problem and she would refer me to Weston Super Mare District Hospital on an urgent basis. In the meantime, i was given very comprehensive information on what i should do if the problem deteriorated further while waiting to hear from the hospital.

That was Monday, and the Hospital rang on Wednesday and stated I was booked for a series of test the following Monday at 9:30 am. Following those tests, i had a consultation with a senior physician and i was advised to return to the hospital for further very intrusive tests that afternoon a 2:30pm. With that carried out, i was then informed to attend the hospital again two days later for a CT scan at 6pm in the evening.

Yesterday, the hospital rang to say that having drawn all the test together they believe that surgery was not necessary at this point in time and that medication over a three month period may resolve the issue. I certainly felt i had dodged a tumour bullet which had been the great fear and with that, I could have danced all around Sainsbury's car park which is where we were when we heard the news.

I am now Booked to see my GP again on Tuesday for a further consultation and the start of the medication treatment. However, I cannot speak highly enough of the medical service i have received over the last ten days, all carried out by NHS staff who were very caring, professional and dedicated to their professions.

Weston District Hospital has received much adverse national publicity in recent months for having to close it's A&E department for night time admissions due to staff shortages. However, I sincerely believe that despite their problems the staff and service provided could not have been better provided at any other medical facility in the world.

Our great national NHS treasure, that's the way it should be, and for the vast majority who obtain its services truly the way it is.

Just wonderfull.

I often ask others, even if they are "serving" me how they are!
checkout operators... as another example..
yes, why not ask doctors/nurses... we are all human

Don’t you sometimes think we are part of the fire? Too often not looking after ourselves, letting politicians deprive NHS of funds, letting staff take the blame, allowing successive governments to tinker badly with reorganisations which take billions in £ and masses of staff energy away from patient care. I have lived near my local practice long enough to know some of the backgrounds of my local GPs but my own never complains and after decades I know little about her. She is overworked but always tries to reassure me that she won’t let stretched resources compromise my care. Of course at times my care has been compromised! Her eyes filled with tears when I showed distress at recent health problems. The specialist hospital nurse who I saw regularly for a chronic condition retired and I sent a thank you letter. The team were shocked - folk complain but rarely thank. The letter was on the staff board for months. When I praised the A&E staff for their treatment of my terrified and angry brother, the letter went to the Chief Executive. Praise is rarely given even when felt and that lowers staff morale. Complaints on the other hand... But i can understand that, when I worked in the NHS I thought folk were pleased to be getting well and away or struggling and didn’t want to look back.

I'm amazed that many of you mention "your GP". Do you manage to see the same one each time?

Our GP is a wonderful and will go above and beyond for her patients . I may wait a little longer to get an appointment with her but it's worth the wait . I'm not at the doctors often but to show our appreciation we have bought her flowers and pot plants in the past . At the end of the day she is human to .

My GP once said , as I was leaving, 'Come back and see me if the problem doesn't go away'. I said 'You don't mean that!' and we both collapsed in a fit of giggles, as she said 'I'm supposed to say it to you'.
Fact is... they don't want to give a cr*p service, but with so many years of underfunding and lack of resources, they know they are just fire-fighting....and the fire is spreading.

A colleague once asked how the GP was on a visit and was rather horrified to get a resumé of his private life (quite an eye-opener)

When I went into see my Dr, he said sorry xxxx I am a bit late but I am having an awful day. Forgot what I went in for!