NHS - oh dear!

Even when you get an emergency blood test as I did last Friday
you still wait.
My Dr saw me 2 hrs after id made a call to the surgery.
We are lucky in that we can walk to a drop in centre from the surgery.
urgent blood test done on Friday ( 1/2 hr after seeing Dr.
The test was back with Dr Tuesday. He still hasn’t looked at it 🤷‍♀️

Gin Even big efficient companies sometimes have major structural reorganisations. I have experiencedthis in several international companies I have worked with.

There is no reason why a rising poplulation should pressure on any service, unless it is a sudden onrush - like refugees fleeing insurrection etc.

In this country the population rise has happened over about 40 years. This has given successive governments plenty of time to see the need and plan and build the extra facilities and train the extra staff.

petra

Even when you get an emergency blood test as I did last Friday
you still wait.
My Dr saw me 2 hrs after id made a call to the surgery.
We are lucky in that we can walk to a drop in centre from the surgery.
urgent blood test done on Friday ( 1/2 hr after seeing Dr.
The test was back with Dr Tuesday. He still hasn’t looked at it 🤷‍♀️

I have frequent blood tests, most of which are done at the GP surgery. The samples are the sent off to Addenbrooke's Hospital. I have an app called "MyChart" and the results of most tests are available and accessible 12 hours later. Some tests take longer as a result of the actual procedures used in testing.

I know what the various results mean - most of them are nothing to worry about. However, when there has been a worrying result, I've been contacted withing 24 hours.

M0nica

Gin Even big efficient companies sometimes have major structural reorganisations. I have experiencedthis in several international companies I have worked with.

There is no reason why a rising poplulation should pressure on any service, unless it is a sudden onrush - like refugees fleeing insurrection etc.

In this country the population rise has happened over about 40 years. This has given successive governments plenty of time to see the need and plan and build the extra facilities and train the extra staff.

I agree! And it wouldn't have been difficult to see that many of the changes would result from an ageing population, which has multiple conditions and different needs from 70 years ago, when the NHS treated far more infectious diseases.

Exactly, but it is nothing new. DH started secondary school in a brand new school that was too small before it was even opened because the local authority planned it for the number of secondary school children at the time the school was first planned and completely ignored the huge bulge of post war children already overloading primary schools.

Jaffacake2

Finally had my appointment with gp today. Numb foot,leg ,pain behind eye,balance problems and weakness in arm. GP has referred me on 2 week rule ? brain tumour. Sent me a text to say I need urgent blood test. But first appointment at surgery is in 6 weeks time. You couldn't make it up !!
Managed to book blood test at hospital next week. Feeling that even if I have brain cancer some bright spark will tell me that treatment won't start for another 6 months.
Beyond caring now,it's taking too much of a fight .

@jaffacake2, I posted this last week but didn't know how to link it. So sorry for what you are going through. I don't want to worry you, but I had a similar problem last year. I lost feeling in my foot that spread up my leg. GP refused to take me seriously. Reluctantly put me on a 30 week waiting list to see a neurologist. My symptoms escalated so I had to go private to see a neurologist, luckily covered by my husband's insurance. Even that was a month wait. He rushed me off for a complete head and neck MRI scan. Result, I have spent the last year being treated for a grade 4 brain tumour. If I had waited for the NHS I wouldn't be here now. Please make sure you get it checked out. Go private if you can afford to.

Deedaa

I have also found 111 very good. In fact I probably wouldn't be here now if it hadn't been for a doctor I spoke to on 111.

I am currently trying to sort out my prescription. Last month I was told I needed a review for my repeat prescription. I booked a telephone call and spoke to a lady who introduced herself as the prescriber. After more or less sorting out one of the meds I asked about the other two that needed reviewing. "Oh that's been done" she said. Like an idiot I took her at her word. This month I turned up at the pharmacy to be told that there was nothing for me because my repeat prescription has been cancelled! Fortunately the surgery receptionist was able to organise another review, an emergency prescription and a telephone call from a doctor. If the receptionist can sort this all so quickly and simply why does the rest keep falling apart?

I had much the same thing happen with my repeat prescription, given conflicting information.

I’m not sure how this discussion came round to migrants. The comment about too many people, not enough services was nothing whatsoever to do with migrants. I think this obsession with migrants is most unhealthy. Just saying.