NHS geting worse?

[Denisec4502]

I was taken by paramedics yesterday to hospital with deep lacerations to my hand after I tripped and put my hand through a glass door pane. My forefinger was slashed at the base and had glass embedded in my thumb. I was in the hospital for 4 hours, being transferred from different waiting areas, and I had 4 injections in my hand to numb the pain and was finally stitched by a doctor. Who muttered I needed to go to my docs in 7 days time to have stitches removed, and keep hand and dressing dry. I was still in shock from the accident when I got home last night. I was amazed that there were doctors/nurses/auxillaries/paramedics everywhere, but none of them were actually doing much work, just laughing and joking around and carrying paperwork from cubicle to cubicle, the patients were all totally amazed at the time were were waiting, some were actually being sick with pain, blood dripping from open wounds. I was totally disgusted with the care being given (or not as the case was). Having woken up today still in a lot of pain with a dressing that needs changing have realised I was given no aftercare advice. So I take it I will try and change the dressing myself, but the stitches are stuck on the dressing, dont want to rip them off. Is it just me or is the NHS a joke now?

[ethandron]

if you had 2 junior doctors in your family, as we do, you would have far more sympathy with doctors and hospitals generally. you have no idea of the hours they all put in above and beyond the hours they get paid for, and then get moaned at by people with relatively minor injuries.
as and when you have a real emergency in your family, just thank goodness for the nhs.

[Denisec4502]

Not moaning Ethandron, just an opinion mirrored by so many NHS contributors all over the UK ! I wish your junior doctors all the best - god knows they will need it for the years to come as NHS is drastically going downhill fast...and they wonder why MRSA is spreading so fast, the toilets were filthy (does not take a private doctor to see things like that - bet the staff dont use them). Perhaps your doctors will be good enough to practice privately, as I indeed think everybody will eventually need to pay privately for all treatment in years to come, as the NHS will be non-existant.

[Eve]

I live in Manchester and having spent time late evening/ early hours in A&E there I can honestly say I have the utmost respect for the people who work there with what they have to deal with.

I find it sad that there are often police on duty there.

Paperwork is an unfortunate but necessary part of their job, especially with today's compensation culture and resultant defensive medicine.

I am always thankful to them for when I was rushed in by ambulance with suspected meningitis, the ambulance staff, casualty staff and staff at the infectious diseases they transferred me to. My brain was swollen and they potentially saved my life and there's not much bigger than that.

[yummymum30]

I totally agree with you Denisec. The NHS is going downhill, very fast. MRSA is rife, and still hospitals dont make it compulsory for visitors/staff to wash their hands with the special soap supplied on every table!!?? Beggars belief. I would be totally scared about going into hospital now. Our local hospital Darenth Valley they call Death Valley as it is doubtful if you will come out alive. Standing JOKE in our area. But no joke at all really. What a sad sad state of affairs this country has come to. NHS used to be something we were proud of - not now. Free? What idiot thinks its free, we all pay high taxes for this bundle of *****. Seeing my doc is a joke, 2-3 day wait then all you get to see is a nurse who cannot sign prescriptions so have to go back the next day.. then stroll along to the chemists and pay nearly 8 quid for the priviledge... Still I am sure there are people who will stick up for the NHS...Denisec you are so right, there will not be any NHS soon. My boss paid for his wife to have an lump removed and had an op part NHS/part private on an NHS top-up loan card... and I am being serious !! He has paid taxes for 35 years and it has come to this !!!!! Disgusting. Pay again for what we have already paid for??? Yeah that sounds fair. Still we have to support all the malingerers who have never paid taxes and just scrounge from the rest of us.. as long as they are all OK I can sleep in my bed soundly. Goodnight.

[Denisec4502]

True. True. True. Yummymum. I rest my case. Must log off soon as I have to get up for work at 5am (even with a lascerated hand)... have got to think of all the NHS taxes I must contribute towards... to, hopefully make the NHS great again.

[Lindylou]

I work for an out of hours dental service. Guess what? People with private healthcare insurance are unable to see their provider for any emergency as there is no emergency care! They have to come and see us - the good old NHS. I can't tell you how many times patients say to me 'But I don't pay NHS charges as I am a private patient'. They get SO stressed when I say that oh yes, unless you are in receipt of benefits, you will have to pay, but you will be given a receipt (for the �12 it will cost them) so you can claim it back. If you have private care then why should you even consider using using the NHS? Unless, of course, you are in pain..... If anyone complains then I would like to be able to tell them to move to the States. No money. No treatment. You could be left to bleed to death in the gutter. (A few years ago that would be the case if you were black, as well) I know which I'd prefer. Stop knocking the NHS. It isn't perfect I know, but thank God its there! Thank you Nye.

[veritymoon]

my poor friend went to a&e three times before they bothered to xray her she had been walking round on a broken foot for 3 weeks!

[terambulan]

The docs in A&E are 'only human' very young, doing modern practicle locums & therefore allowanced but 'living - all found by NHS'. Less than 25% English - foreign workers cheaper!

Private health offers queue jumping & debatable superior nursing, using NHS nurses working extra Ptime hours. Private ensuite rooms with TV & phone, longer visiting hours. Menus instead of veg & non-veg. Same NHS practitioners with private practices. My OH bill for 1week �53k in NHS 'private care' unit.