How dare brexiteers jeopardise my daughter's life!!

Sallywally1
There are a multitude of jobs which come under the NHS banner, therefore your claiming to work for the NHS is ambiguous and could mean anything from cleaning or office based clerical stuff to being a consultant.
It's a meaningless soundbite to encourage those with dulled faculties to believe you have knowledge that we do not have...which is nonsense.
The horses mouth you mention is again, nonsense as you came away from that encounter without asking or knowing why he came to that conclusion and any reasonable person would have asked for factual reasons as to why he could make that assertion.
To come away without knowing any more than one person's empty take on the (future?) dearth of some medicines, is extreme folly.
Your post was void of any verifiable substance.

Several people have mentioned switching manufacturer of certain drugs. Recently there was a problem with the supply of HRT. Listening to some GPs talking about this it became clear that it isn't as simple as just switching. Some women have to try several types before they find one that actually helps them. When I had HRT nearly 30 years ago, the choice was between medication made from pregnant horses urine or synthetic. I hope they don't use horses' urine now.

That’s true of most drugs I think. I have learned that over the past few years with DH and his need to stop one drug and try another.

NewNanny It's all very well the government providing extra ships to bring in medication - that doesn't solve the problems with the ports.

How many of you remember pre EEC days when on returning to the UK we had to go through customs and stop at the green light? Imagine that multiplied by the massive increase in volumes of cars in addition to the freight. Of course, you could always bring in more wine than the permitted amount and go to the red light. Much quicker.

Any news about the flu vaccine? It's nearly time to get it.

Actually, very well put GabriellaG54 @ Wed 25-Sep-19 10:18:09

I thought similar on reading her post. It was slightly disingenuous and the conclusion tenuous at best.
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Urmstongran I have just read your post above. GabriellaG54 is absolutely correct, people saying they work for the NHS but not clearly saying what they do can give people the impression they are a Nurse, Midwife, Brain Surgeon etc. All the scaremongering isn’t helping because we haven’t even left the EU yet and where drugs are available they are still coming into the country. Those produced in the UK are mostly available. Has anyone considered that a shortage in some areas could be because we are getting better at diagnosing and NICE are approving more medication? I think I have access to more drugs as a Nurse Practitioner/Prescriber and I’m better at diagnosing. Patients are also more aware of what’s available thanks to the www and Dr Google. Sorry to go on but I work at the coal face so to speak and I do know what’s going on at the moment

but I work at the coal face so to speak

Using GG54's criteria, GrandmaJan, your post is about as valid as Sallywally's.

MaizieD I have mentioned already on this thread what I do but just to clarify. I work as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner at a GP surgery so I see patients daily, diagnose and prescribe. My qualification allows me to prescribe Controlled Drugs such as Oromorph etc. I’m a Nurse, Midwife, Health Visitor and have worked as a Senior Nurse in hospital. Read my previous conversations and I think my post is valid

Dinahmo some HRT is still produced from the urine of mares.

GrandmaJan I have no reason to disbelieve what you're saying. However, my experience is that GP surgeries and pharmacies don't always communicate as well as they should.

About five minutes ago, I came off the phone from my local pharmacy because there has been a delay in one of my repeat prescription items - again! They referred me back to the GP. This happened last month and there was a three week waiting list to see a Nurse Practioner or GP. This would have meant going without diabetic medication with no explanation as to what was going on. I did eventually get an emergency appointment (taking up time which should have been available for genuine emergencies) and a new prescription was written.

Worryingly, the GP surgery was unaware that there were shortages and delays, so wouldn't/couldn't give me an explanation or strategy for avoiding future problems.

Yet again, there have been problems this month. Yet again, I was referred back to the GP and I'm about to go to my surgery and stamp my feet. I really hate having to do this, but I hate even more being treated like a mug, whose health doesn't really seem to matter in whatever is going on.

For health professionals to deny there is a problem isn't causing patients not to worry!!

PS. I realise this is probably not Brexit related.

PS. This has absolutely nothing to do with better diagnosis and approval of more medications!!

Great reassurance GrandmaJan thank you. I for one would be hugely reassured by your posts.
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growstuff I cannot explain what is happening in the area you live in but it’s certainly not my experience. We regularly talk to Pharmacists and have a Pharmacist attached to my GP practice (part time) who updates us all the time. If a patient was having the same problems as you are I would be speaking to a Consultant in hospital. Hospital pharmacies sometimes have drugs we can’t get hold of in the community as well. Your GP not knowing about shortages astounds me especially as daily Emails inform us of any problems and I make sure I constantly update myself regularly.

I'm glad your area works well, but please don't patronise me by claiming that it's the same in all areas.

A very good friend of mine is a GP and she has told me that the practice spends hours (when it could be treating patients) trying to sort out problems with medication shortages.

In my practice, the GPs don't even sign off repeat prescriptions. The receptionists (or whatever they're called these days) do it. The GPs themselves don't have time to check the availability of medications for the 12,000 patients on their list. The first they know about it is when there's a problem.

I am on long-term medication and have been for years. I really don't need the hassle of contacting my GP (they don't accept emails) every time there's a problem. As I said, there's a lengthy waiting list to speak to anybody (even on the phone) who can help.

It sounds as though your chalk face experience isn't valid for all areas.

growstuff I’m not patronising you at all. I have friends who work in NHS Trusts around the country and they feel the same as I do that things are working well. Not many GP’s accept Emails so I’m unsure why you mentioned that to be honest. From what you have said your GP practice isn’t that well run especially if you have a waiting list to speak to someone. If a patient needs to speak to a doctor or nurse they do so the same day and that’s the same in the practice where I work and my own GP practice. GP’s have a responsibility to their patients and if that means checking every repeat prescription so be it. The buck stops with them. I can’t speak for all areas but if I were in your position I’d be looking for a new GP.

Because you mentioned emails!

All I can say is that you don't speak to the people working for trusts where things don't work well.

I am really quite angry that you don't seem to think my experience is the truth or important. I can assure you it's very real - and I know other people who have experienced the same.

The other GP in town is reputedly even worse. I've been with the same practice for 20 years and have never had the same kind of problems.

The practice does have appointments on the same day, but they're intended for emergencies. There are hardly any prebookable appointments available - ever!

It seems to me that doctors should be seeing emergencies, not wasting their time chasing up medications.

BTW It isn't just this practice. My friend works for another practice and also spends time trying to source medications.

PS. The Advanced Nurse Practitioner in the practice also denies there are ever problems and fobs people off, so I refuse point blank to see her.

I voted to leave and think that as we live in a democracy that the majority vote, which was to leave, should have been upheld. The health angle is just one point among many pros and cons and it is pointless to debate on just this issue in isolation. Others will have had concerns for employment, industry moving abroad, immigration and everybody which have different feelings according to THEIR priorities which I suspect will depend on which part of the country they live in and what their occupation is along with their personal health circumstances.

I do not feel that sniping at the leave voters who turned up at the polls achieves anything apart from making the remainders feel better by lashing out verbally.

I am disappointed to see this debate thread aggressive.

growstuff the Emails I mentioned were professional Emails a GP recieves not from patients. I can’t help it if you’re Nurse Practitioner isn’t very good, perhaps you should direct your anger to the Practice Manager.

I am a remainer, I do not want to crash out of the EU, but I am also a pragmatist and I do not believe the horror stories we are hearing about medicines etc.
I am shortly going to have to start radiotherapy. I have heard reports that the isotopes are not going to be available after Brexit. However, I am not going to worry about this until it actually happens. Nobody knows for certain what is going to happen, all we can do is speculate and there is no point to that.
I do wish though that they would sort the mess we are in out and get on with it. As an aside maybe we should have a cross party committee headed by Ken Clarke to get us out of the EU and alleviate everyone's worries.

dragonfly46 good luck with the radiotherapy . Try and eat and drink as much as you can during treatment. Hope it all goes well and remember you will be a priority for treatment no matter what happens

I am very pleased to hear that dragonfly46 will be a priority (& rightly so).
However what happens to those not deemed to be a priority, will they just be left to fend for themselves?

Goodbyetoallthat I’m not exactly sure what you’re referring to exactly but if you’re worried about how the NHS will treat you, then I don’t think anything will change. If you’re not classed as priority you’ll go on a waiting list like most patients