The NHS and other true stories

Just back from an amazing Cropredy festival. For the first time I was in field 6 which is much closer to the stage. We were still a wee bit away but I managed reasonably well with the help of a stick and Marian, who made sure that I was fed and watered. If you have never been to a festival I can highly recommend this one - you can even stay in Banbury and get public transport to the field.

A quick answer to a couple of comments. To the person who hoped that I could still play my lovely mandolin - I'm afraid that I neither own, or can play, the mandolin, lovely or otherwise. I can manage around three chords on the ukulele though! Please let me know who you are and I'll maybe see you in Shrewsbury!

I was also asked if I had changed my lifestyle. After speaking to the rheumatologist I have not changed what I eat, although I am trying to lose weight by eating less. I don't drink as much as I used to, especially beer, although I have not given it up entirely as I still go to our whisky gatherings. I have tried to pour smaller drams though. As far as recommended exercises, I am still waiting to see a physio.

Before we left for Cropredy I received a copy of a letter which my consultant had sent to my GP. The gist of the letter was that after my scan my lungs were no worse, which was good news. The final sentence was that I was doing well on Methotrexate - which I am not as I am still in quite a bit of pain.I emailed the consultant about this and they got back to me and said that the last comment was based on a telephone call I had with a nurse on the 7th of May. They apologised that I had not had a second face to face rheumatology appointment and that they would arrange one. The consultant kept that promise and I have an appointment for the 4th September. I'll keep you posted in a blog or two.

I have the greatest admiration for those who work in the NHS but I realise that the organisation is not perfect. I received another communication which suggested that I might point out some of the things that are not so good about the NHS and I am happy to oblige on the basis that these are observations.

My brother's partner had to wait for a very long time, and in a lot of difficulty and pain, for her replacement hip. She has now had the op and is doing well.

I have heard reports of people not being put on a waiting list because the waiting list is already too long and it would mean that targets would be missed. To my mind the pressures being put on staff to meet targets is intolerable and leads to stress and absences.

Before my wife got her hearing aids she was on a waiting list for around two years. At first she got seen regularly but now has been on a waiting list for a hearing test for over a year and has been told that there are still months to go before she is seen.

A friend couldn't wait to get her cataracts done on the NHS so she sold her car and paid to get them done privately.

I also feel that, from my experience and the experiences of others that communication, at times, could be a lot better.

Our NHS is not perfect and I think that we all know it. Throwing money at it is probably not the answer but what is? I'm no genius and I don't have perfect solutions but I think that there really needs to be some form of restructuring. For instance does the NHS really need all the managers that they currently have. Is the cash that the NHS has spent mostly on its primary function - care of the sick? I think not!

I also think that unachievable targets are a large part of the problem - let's get rid of them and get back to caring for patients. Constant press coverage about how bad our NHS is doesn't help and contributes to staff members leaving - although that is not the only factor.

If anyone has any real answers as to what to do with the NHS please send them to Sir K Starmer, 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA.

I genuinely care about our National Health Service and would hate to go down some sort of privatisation model. Look at the USA where a life saving operation can bankrupt you. We really don't want that here do we?

I know that I have gone on a bit and I make no apologies for this. Please let me know what you think in the comments and, especially if I know you, leave your name.

Thanks for reading this far and please, please share. The last post reached the giddy heights of a readership which was in excess of three figures.

In the words of a friend of mine - "be good to each other."

Cheers

Rob


Comments

  1. June Turney14 August 2024 at 11:11

    Sorry we didn’t catch up at Cropredy but did see Marian. The NHS definitely has too many chiefs and not enough Indians. They need to centralise purchasing to get more buying power too. See you in Shrewsbury.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jayne Lloyd14 August 2024 at 13:36

    Glad your at least have input from your consultant.

    There are great, caring, talented people in the NHS, dedicated to patient care I work with some great colleagues.

    The care could be great but the NHS Maxine won't allow the system to work. I bed blocked for 8 hours after a minor debris event in UHCW. I tried to leave, asking them to email my discharge notes and said I'd come back for my medication. They informed me if I left it would be considered a self a discharge and I'd not get my medication or follow ups.

    8 hours later my medication arrived. I took one of the tablets and discovered they were enteric coated (I seriously allergic to this) so I ended up back in A&E for six hours. Total waste of a bed and my time.

    He system doesn't work. It reminds me of the days of individual police forces who didn't share information - as famously assisted the Yorkshire Ripper and others to go undetected.

    Enough of my ranting though. Hope you'll soon be out of pain.

    Much love

    Jayne x

    Such a pity.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14 August 2024 at 13:40

      Maxine = Machine

      Minor debris event = minor debris event

      Jx

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14 August 2024 at 13:41

      Debridement xxx auto spell grrrr!

      Delete

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