How the NHS wastes money.

The nhs have supplied my daughter with expensive computer equipment so she can work at home on days she chooses too. She can work perfectly well at work, why spend this extra money to give her a home work station too. Seems crazy to me🤷‍♀️ However convenient when children are poorly as she can then still work instead of taking carers leave!!

Kate1949 I didn't mean you were lucky, because nobody should have to wait all that time to see a doctor. The whole system is broken, and it isn't to do with lack of funding. I hope your husband soon feels better.

I realise we were lucky HVDY. It turned out my husband had an awful virus. They saw incoming patients more or less straight away to assess the urgency. DH lay in the seats with me holding a bowl in case he was sick (sorry). It's not just the people waiting in A&E, ambulance crews come in every five minutes bringing more people, most of whom were not left in A&E. There were only one or two who voiced the occasional complaint. Most were patient and understanding. There was a lady who appeared to be living in A&E with bags of possessions around her. We were there all night and she lay down across the seats and covered herself with a blanket!

Going back to the original post.
Was that Hospital a PFI build /control one? If so it costs a small fortune to sort the smallest problem, they over see the work with their staff.
The Hospital I work in is a PFI build with an eye watering mortgage, and on costs.
We wanted a wall clock for our office wall (as naked below elbows, no watches) we were quoted well over £200, we questioned it but given some cock and bull answer that clock will be on the Hospital clock system and covered for about 10 years.
I bought one from IKEA for £2.. We used a Hook and put it a notice board done!

Kate1949 without knowing why your husband was in A&E, 8 hours isn't unusual at all. My local hospital (QMC in Nottingham) had patients waiting for up to 50, yes, 5-0, hours the other weekend. There are far too many people using the system now (many of whom have never paid into it nor ever will)

My brother was disgusted that my husband had to wait 8 hours to see a doctor in A&E and was treated on a trolley in the corridor until they found him a bad. Brother said 'Its disgusting. Complain'.

I explained that it really wasn't like that. The wait for the doctor, although awful as my DH was feeling very ill, was unavoidable. As for being treated in the corridor, he was on a clean, comfortable bed, drips attached, constantly checked on by lovely staff and tea and toast brought to him when he could eat and tea for me.

My family has been using nhs hospitals and other resources rather too frequently this past couple of years. The pressure on A and E and ambulances is ever present.
The quality of care, the compassionate professionalism of staff from the ancillaries through to consultants excellent.
Apologies for going all Pollyanna on a thread aimed at raising endless complaints about imperfect management of some things.
It sounds as though admin is an issue. I was told my cardiologist is to lose his secretary, as are other consultants. It’s cost saving - who is to answer calls from patients, organise their diaries etc? It can’t be a positive move. I can’t imagine my senior lawyer friends in private practice will lose their excellent secretarial and admin support to ‘save’ money

Indeed petra. I worked in the Civil Service for many years. It was the same there. I'm not sure the NHS needs to hire large venues and pay for buffets for meetings. Why not have a half an hour break and bring a sandwich?

I also have a relative who works in a hospital. She is in charge of a store and is horrified at the amount of waste, so put in suggestions for reducing this. These were ignored.

Kate1949

A family member worked in admin. In the NHS for many years. She said the amount of waste and unnecessary spending would make you weep.

You only have to work in any nationalised industry to see the obscene waste.
I tried to beat the system when it came to my own department but it’s pointless.

I don't think this thread is a criticism of the medical staff more about management of funds available.
I don't believe this one incident means that all maintenance staff are wasting time and money.
There is wastage and people being paid disproportionately. My friend who is a senior dietician is being paid much less than the diversity officer as an example.

I certainly think we need a new model for the NHS ( based on actual skills in organisational management)

I think I probably agree with you, PN. I've read report after report on the NHS which include the recommendation that management is lacking, both in number and skills. Years of ideological cutting of the NHS budget has imposed managerial duties on staff who are not qualified and/or don't have the time for them. Of course it's a nightmare of waste and inefficiency in some quarters.

We are paying for the 'small state' ideology that has dogged us since 2010.

TerriBull

I'd just add whilst attending hospital for my broken arm saw a myriad of medics, of varying ethnicities. All were wonderful, with a good command of English, that was my experience, others may be different.

Overseas staff had to take an English examination before they could work for the NHS, including those whose first language was English.

I don't know if that is still the case.

TerriBull. I agree. My DH was blue lighted to A&E last year. We saw many nurses, medical staff of all nationalities. They all spoke English and were wonderful. We have had a lot of dealings with the NHS over the years and have no complaints.

I'd like to know more about the how's and why's of interpreters before condemning or applauding them. I presume it includes some UK citizens ie no insurance from abroad.

Hate to think of serious conditions like cancer or other conditions where life threatening decisions have to be made, or end of life care, SW conferences on what it to happen after hospital care wise, decisions on DNR, are at stake, without some support where strictly necessary.

I'd just add whilst attending hospital for my broken arm saw a myriad of medics, of varying ethnicities. All were wonderful, with a good command of English, that was my experience, others may be different.

To be fair to Bathsalts I've had medical professionals that I have struggled to understand twice which is not a lot, but in the main I'm grateful for the treatment of my ailments and the last Indian doctor to attend me was very gentle and kind. What does annoy me is interpreters and all these leaflets that just end up in the bin! I know someone with permanent residence in Spain ( pre- Brexit). They had to take out medical insurance when moving there and pay for their Spanish interpreter, it was either 12 or 15 Euros each time for interpreter services. They had no Spanish relatives who could interpret for them. Personally, only my opinion, here it's a service people should pay for. Interpreter services should not be free.

Kate1949

A family member worked in admin. In the NHS for many years. She said the amount of waste and unnecessary spending would make you weep.

I can believe that.

PoliticsNerd

Primrose53

Another hospital visitor told me today of something he witnessed recently.

He works in the building trade himself. He was visiting an older relative and stayed 4 hours. He said there was an NHS maintenance man looking at a small hole in an interior wall. He had all his gear with him including a tub of filler. He put a barricade around his work area, put a sign up, did a lot of looking at it. Went off for a break. Had a chat to everybody who passed by. After 4 hrs he finally put some filler in the hole!

The visitor had a few words with him and they talked about various sites they had worked on. The NHS guy said “This job is a doddle. Best one ever. Nobody on your case, take as long as you like.” The visitor said that was a 15 minute job maximum!

There is an out of order toilet on my husband’s bay. The loo was leaking and they had to remove it and take up all the flooring. 10 days so far and it’s still not useable because “someone ordered the wrong loo.”

This is just one hospital. 😥

Gossip, which is all this thead is, isn't evidence. The OP contains zero facts.

I certainly think we need a new model for the NHS ( based on actual skills in organisational management) but what value is this he said/she said?

This is neither "News" or "Politics" it's just "Chat"

You could always ask for the thread to be moved to Chat, PoliticsNerd if you don't think it's either News or Politics.

Or Health?

A family member worked in admin. In the NHS for many years. She said the amount of waste and unnecessary spending would make you weep.

Casdon

These incidents need to be reported, hopefully the person who related the story did so. We all have a responsibility when we see something amiss.

This, for the filling man.
The toilet one more problematic - what complex plumbing system it may be connected to.

Granmarderby10

HowVeryDareYou I don’t know many NHS hospitals and clinics there are in the Uk but that figure quoted divided between, say just the bigger hospitals doesn’t seem all that much over two years.

If you were a Japanese tourist and you had a stroke and lost your speech and were sent to hospital here you wouldn’t think it a waste of resources to have the practical support from someone who speaks your language and could liaise on your behalf ..would you?

If I had any illness in another country, I'd expect my travel insurance to pay for anything I needed - and anyone coming here from another country should have to do the same.

Iam64

TerriBull

I was relating what the doctor told me a year ago, I presume he knew what he was talking about.

I might be wrong but - many patients demand paracetemol on prescription, cost over £9 when they can buy it for pennies. That may be what the doctor meant
After a fracture, I was discharged with a codeine prescription and advised to buy paracetemol

I thought there had been a clampdown on prescriptions for items like paracetamol that can be bought very cheaply in supermarkets.

Maybe other items, too. When I had shingles, the GP told me to buy a stronger painkiller that you can’t pick up off the shelf, from a pharmacy counter.

However, how many times have you seen a doctor or nurse you can't understand

Never. However I did understand the kindness of a Syrian consultant when my father was very ill and the empathy of a Phillipino nurse when I nearly died.

PoliticsNerd

Primrose53

Another hospital visitor told me today of something he witnessed recently.

He works in the building trade himself. He was visiting an older relative and stayed 4 hours. He said there was an NHS maintenance man looking at a small hole in an interior wall. He had all his gear with him including a tub of filler. He put a barricade around his work area, put a sign up, did a lot of looking at it. Went off for a break. Had a chat to everybody who passed by. After 4 hrs he finally put some filler in the hole!

The visitor had a few words with him and they talked about various sites they had worked on. The NHS guy said “This job is a doddle. Best one ever. Nobody on your case, take as long as you like.” The visitor said that was a 15 minute job maximum!

There is an out of order toilet on my husband’s bay. The loo was leaking and they had to remove it and take up all the flooring. 10 days so far and it’s still not useable because “someone ordered the wrong loo.”

This is just one hospital. 😥

Gossip, which is all this thead is, isn't evidence. The OP contains zero facts.

I certainly think we need a new model for the NHS ( based on actual skills in organisational management) but what value is this he said/she said?

This is neither "News" or "Politics" it's just "Chat"

It’s not gossip, it’s fact. I am spending half of my life in hospitals at the moment unfortunately. I have seen a steady stream of workmen attempting to fix the toilet in my husband's bay. I have seen 4 men in there all holding clipboards and doing very little. 11 days and still no toilet!