Well done NHS!

I agree with you Whitewave. In my experience, the weak link is at primary level. The appointment booking system has been dreadful and records aren't always accurate. The latter has improved since I've had full access to all my records. I went through them all and sent in a list of corrections. My diabetes nurse is brilliant, but the physio is worse than useless.

I’m glad so many are having a positive experience. My Drs surgery is brilliant. However, my hospital experience is not. After being put on a two week cancer pathway in June , my consultant following an investigation beginning of July said I was to have an operation within 28 days . Had MRI beginning of August. After hearing nothing at all my Dr gave me a pathway nurse phone number. It turns out I have accidentally been taken off the two week pathway and the results of MRI (that came in the day before I called ) have been also put on two pathways when they can only be one ..and I still haven’t got them either from the original investigation tests. I was told I would be rung the next day and it is now three days later…

I was invited for a health check at local surgery and subsequently told my cholesterol was high and I needed a GP apt. First available phone appt was 5 weeks ahead. Spoke to trainee GP who said before statins cd be prescribed I needed a liver function test so that any deterioration could be seen after 3 mths. Said she wd phone a script thro to phamacy when the results arrived. The liver tests have been shown on screen as normal for well over a week now but still no prescription.
Phoned surgery to ask but had recorded msg saying they had reached their limit of calls for the day so ring 111. Needless to say I didn't bother.

I had ruptured an intervertebral disc and could not walk, let alone get upstairs. Friday afternoon, so only 111 available. Receptionist went through pages of a template and said a nurse would call me back. Some hours later a nurse called and went through all the identical questions and askem me if I could get to an urgent care centre. Answered no, as it was dark, I couldn't move, let alone drive and DH can't drive after dark. Okay, a doctor will call within 2 hours. Fours hours later no phonr call, so rang again. Said they would chase up the doctor. After another hour, doctor rang, said he could not prescibe anything without me being seen, gave appointment for the following morning. Managed somehow to get into the car, DH drove to the hub, only to find it locked up with no lights on. Asked the occupant of a nearby car who assured DH that someone would turn up. Eventually a chap cycled up and unlocked the door. No one in there, but longish wait in the waiting room before being shown into a consulting room to see the occupant of the other car, the doctor! The drug he prescribed induced horrendous side effects which took two weeks to subside. Eventually went to see a private osteopath that the local GPs used to refer to, and he worked miracles.

Our local surgery has gone down the 'fill in an online form' route, with the advice that you will be contacted within two business working days, so fill it in on a Friday and you will get a call the next Wednesday!

I hope yours is good news.
I've had bcc (skin cancer ) twice now, the last one I had to fight to get the results as my appt was cancelled, then I was just forgot about, it wasn't untill I kicked off that they told me it was another bcc, and I'd need a procedure (mohs) to get it sorted. I now have to wait another 6 months. But at least it's going on the right direction. I think it's just luck of the draw, or where you live tbh. Good luck with yours though.

I was away from home when I noticed a change in vision. Called 111, referred to local A&E and seen really fast. 3 hours later I'd had numerous tests at the eye clinic on site and a diagnosis (not serious) and an appointment for treatment to follow. Very impressive.

Hello Growstuff ,
I’m very happy to hear of the excellent treatment you’ve had.
Can you tell us where you live so we can relocate??
No such service here (North)

Found NHS service fab for myself & husband, had all our procedures we needed during Covid & after- not so much for my dad, given a blood transfusion meant for another patient, hardly an apology from the hospital

Last year I had nothing but praise for the NHS. After a nasty bug that refused to go away, sudden onset of shallow, painful breathing. Rang 111, ambulance arrived quite quickly, I was blue-lighted to hospital, straight on 2 different ABs for the pneumonia, which was followed immediately by pleurisy, meaning a drain in my lung - I was in for 3 weeks.

I have to say it came as a shock for someone who’s been lucky enough to rarely even need to see a GP. But the hospital and all the staff were brilliant. I made a donation to the hospital charity afterwards, with our very grateful thanks.

Another one here who hasn’t seen a GP, or needed to, for about 10 years. I was told I had an irregular heart beat when I was a ‘mature’ Mum having my last baby (now 32) at 40, just recently become quite aware of my heart beats, feet and ankles very swollen and feeling breathless at times. After a few weeks of this finally rang GP, very helpful receptionist and a call back an hour or so later from GP who arranged blood tests for the following week. The results were on my NHS app next day and another GP rang me the following day to advise referring me to our Heart and Chest Hospital. Had referral letter (electronically) next day then an appointment for just over a week later for ECG, ECHO and Cardiologist.
Now on various meds and another ECHO booked in 2 weeks time as hopefully my heart will be behaving a bit more normally so they can take the measurements they need. It’s all a bit of a shock but honestly couldn’t ask for more prompt appointments etc, very surprised given all I’ve read. Weirdly both my sisters who are just a little younger than me have also had heart issues recently that mean we are all suddenly on similar meds, obviously familial but not hereditary it seems.
As others have said if it can work in parts it’s not completely broken but probably under resourced (look at the vacancies) poorly managed in parts AND the care system totally needs sorting out without pumping public money into the profits of private companies.

Same here. I continuously have good experiences with the NHS. I am in Hertfordshire . I wonder why some doctors say that the NHS is broken.

If you had asked me ten years ago I would have said our NHS is brilliant, but no longer. Last October my dentist noticed a suspicious discoloration inside my cheek and referred me on the 2-week pathway for cancer. I told him I had private medical insurance but he said there was no need. Five weeks later and no word from the hospital so he rang himself and they told him it would be 11 weeks! I went private, had biopses, CT and MRI scan all costing £3 grand. I got my cancer hospital appt two weeks later and a good job I had already had the private treatment cos it was cancer and rapidly growing. So no thanks NHS. That said, I've had the cancer treatment on the NHS and everything via the hospital has been marvellous. (Don't know the outcome yet).

It was oral cancer and badly affected my ability to eat/drink/swallow. The hospital prescribed liquid food and medications but my GP would not sanction them cos they were too expensive. He suggested I use a mortar and pestle to grind them up! I tried this but the tablets became gritty and caused choking. I bought my own liquid meds where I could, spending around £200 so far.

Additionally, some prescriptions took nearly two weeks from request to being available due to stock shortages at my local chemist. I had to contact the cancer team and do a 40-mile round trip to get the drugs from the hospital. I was often prescribed liquid food in flavours that I could not tolerate (they burnt my mouth) despite telling them. I learnt that the fruit flavours that I couldn't tolerate were the cheapest so I was basically left to starve. I lost over two stones due to this. I learnt that cancer treatment destroys good as well as bad cells and your body needs extra nourishment to repair the good cells - which I was denied. Again I bought my own, spending around another £300. The nutritionist at my local cancer centre was horrified but could do nothing about it.

Both my husband and I wear compression stockings for different reasons. We used to have Doppler scans every year to see if the blood flow was working and if necessary be prescribed different strengths of stocking. The NHS no longer does Doppler scans. My husband has severely deformed toes and toenails and possibly a fungal nail infection. Podiatry is no longer available on the NHS unless you are diabetic.

I hear all you say about good points - and I agree some elements are superb - but it is not what it was and in some cases it is downright dangerous.

Oh, I forgot that I was diagnosed (after 14 hours overnight in A and E) with Atrial Fibrillation in March. I was referred to the Cardiologist for assessment but in the meantime was prescribed drugs to control the symptoms. The average wait time was 6 weeks. It is now September and no appointment. The average wait time is now 26 weeks FROM NOW.

Lucky you, the NHS nearly killed me by failing to diagnose sepsis for 8 days following a c section. Thanks to the months of antibiotics after (plus the operations to cut out the necrotising fasciitis that developed in my wound because of the delay in getting antibiotics) I developed gallstones. It’s now been 5 years of pain and 4 years waiting for an operation to remove my gallbladder. I’m just hoping it doesn’t develop into pancreatitis or gallbladder cancer etc. Thankfully my pre-existing conditions become exempt in a month on my private health insurance and I’ll hopefully not need to interact with the ‘good old’ NHS for a while after that.

I am lucky enough to belong to a brilliant health centre. In January I had a very frightening occurrence- a lot of red flags. I posted it in line at 10.00am. At 10.10 the surgery rang as they had a cancellation for 10.50. I saw the doctor who was very thorough and sent for a test kit which arrived 2days later. I was seen by a consultant at the local hospital the next week and had a further procedure there a week after. I was so impressed.

Madmeg

If you had asked me ten years ago I would have said our NHS is brilliant, but no longer. Last October my dentist noticed a suspicious discoloration inside my cheek and referred me on the 2-week pathway for cancer. I told him I had private medical insurance but he said there was no need. Five weeks later and no word from the hospital so he rang himself and they told him it would be 11 weeks! I went private, had biopses, CT and MRI scan all costing £3 grand. I got my cancer hospital appt two weeks later and a good job I had already had the private treatment cos it was cancer and rapidly growing. So no thanks NHS. That said, I've had the cancer treatment on the NHS and everything via the hospital has been marvellous. (Don't know the outcome yet).

It was oral cancer and badly affected my ability to eat/drink/swallow. The hospital prescribed liquid food and medications but my GP would not sanction them cos they were too expensive. He suggested I use a mortar and pestle to grind them up! I tried this but the tablets became gritty and caused choking. I bought my own liquid meds where I could, spending around £200 so far.

Additionally, some prescriptions took nearly two weeks from request to being available due to stock shortages at my local chemist. I had to contact the cancer team and do a 40-mile round trip to get the drugs from the hospital. I was often prescribed liquid food in flavours that I could not tolerate (they burnt my mouth) despite telling them. I learnt that the fruit flavours that I couldn't tolerate were the cheapest so I was basically left to starve. I lost over two stones due to this. I learnt that cancer treatment destroys good as well as bad cells and your body needs extra nourishment to repair the good cells - which I was denied. Again I bought my own, spending around another £300. The nutritionist at my local cancer centre was horrified but could do nothing about it.

Both my husband and I wear compression stockings for different reasons. We used to have Doppler scans every year to see if the blood flow was working and if necessary be prescribed different strengths of stocking. The NHS no longer does Doppler scans. My husband has severely deformed toes and toenails and possibly a fungal nail infection. Podiatry is no longer available on the NHS unless you are diabetic.

I hear all you say about good points - and I agree some elements are superb - but it is not what it was and in some cases it is downright dangerous.

That is shocking to hear. So sorry to hear that you have had to endure all that. Hope you get well in the near future 😔

growstuff

The point I was making really is that the NHS can still be excellent, so the system itself isn't at fault. Nevertheless, when things go wrong, questions must be asked and the system should be accountable. The occasional mistake is unavoidable, but why can't all services be as good as the best?

Brilliant to hear BUT i caught covid mid pandemic, never seen a doc, spoke to NHS online, they said rest give it time. One lost job and almost 2 years later STILL cannot get appointment, still not well enough to walk more than the width of the small house, lots of weird and frankly embarrasing issues, sleep 3/4 of a day daily, no choice. Still get told, on rare occasion I manage to speak to a human, gotta give it time. I can't afford to give it any more time and honestly, wish I wasn't here anymore. My son would get a lot more help if I wasn't here. He can't get further ed help as I have no not low earnings, and i cant claim anything without docs backing... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

MibsXX
There are long Covid clinics/hubs that you need to be referred to . I would change to another Drs surgery if you are being so badly treated. You may find CoQ10 helps. Recovery can be a slow process but most people do see vast improvements if not always recovery. Hope you get some help soon

I had a similar experience with NHS 111 a few weeks ago. No sooner had I spoke to a clinician on the phone they'd booked an immediate appointment at Primary Care - where the waiting time was 4+ hours for walk-ins - on arrival I was seen almost straight away and we were on our way to a pharmacy with a prescription.

After the last few years of not being able to get through on the phone to book an appointment for a medical problem I had, Our GP brought out a new system where you went online and filled in a form outlining your illness.

If it was classed as urgent they got in touch the same day by phone or text or the next day for unimportant problems. Twice in the last four weeks I have had to fill in this form and have had a reply, once by text and once by phone the same day I sent in the form. My problem was sorted out.

The only problem I can see is if you are not computer literate and do not have a smartphone or computer because then you have to ring the GP surgery, wait for your call to be answered and then the receptionist has to fill the form in over the phone then you have to wait for a reply via a phone call or text message on your phone. Some people do not have mobile phones and cannot get a text message on a landline so have to wait for a phone call from the GP.

With being computer literate I find the new system wonderful as there is no worry about feeling ill and having to choose between not being able to get a GP appointment or to go to A & E. I don't know how it would work if I was really ill such as vomiting etc. would I have the energy or even the patience to go online and fill in a form. But, this was the first time I was able to make contact with a GP about a medical problem in years.

I didn't say the whole NHS system needed reform #growstuff but it's clear from my experience and those above who recount bad experiences that it needs serious attention from Labour after years of being run down by the Tories.