The Madness Continues.

[Sqad]

111 which will eventually replace NHS direct, is expensive, inefficient and unnecessary and is provided as a political sop.

Do you dial 999, 111, got to a walk-in centre, go to casualty or ring your GP?

It is a nonsense.......anything to keep you away from a medically qualified person.

Some 4 years ago, the Labour Party gave the GP's a pay rise and let them off for night calls and weekend cover.........total madness.

For of a salary of over £1000,000 per annum would it be unreasonable for a GP practice of 5 to arrange one night in 5 for calls and one weekend in 5 for on call service?

The NHS is no longer the "Envy of the World" but the "Laughing stock of the World"

[LazyGun]

"The NHS is no longer the "Envy of the World" but the "Laughing stock of the World""

It absolutely is not.

[bednobs]

it would depend what was wrong - i have been to gp, walk in, miu, casualty and called nhs direct and 999 before depending on what was wrong
examples:
saw GP re a breast lump
went to the walk in on a sunday when i had celluitis that started on a sat
went to miu when my dog scratched a great big bleeding gash in my leg
went to casualty when i had a nosebleed that just wouldn't stop
called NHS direct when i spilt a cuo of tea on my baby
called 999 when daughter appeared to stop breathing

[Maydup]

I've used the 999 service, the walk in centre, A & E, local pharmacist, and the GP.

Luckily for me the response in each case was perfect. But when i called NHS Direct (now 111 service) they were worse than useless and I'd have been better off asking the question on here!

[shaneystar2]

Crikey you do hold a grudge don't you Sqad .
If I remember rightly you were banging on about the NHS then from your villa in the Med and here you are again still banging on about .You don't live here so don't have to avail yourself of the system .You get excellent treatment in a Spanish hospital apparently .
I recently had to dial 111 for my elderly neighbour .A doctor arrived within twenty minutes and she was sorted .
I can only speak from own experience of the NHS .Without them and the marvellous man who treated my husband he would be six feet under by now .
I 've had good treatment too,from A&E ,to walk in centres ,to the GP and local clinic .
It's not perfect by a long chalk but it's what we've got and we're lucky to have it .
Stop knocking it .

[woofgang]

my experience is 50 50, excellent specialist service, dreadful gp's and my current good one, terrible A and E, terrible local general hospital absolutely filthy and has been for years.
Sadly I think sqad is right about the gp contract, even the local gp's couldn't believe it when they got a pay rise and were allowed to opt out of emergency cover, I was working in the NHS then, all the negotiation was done at department of health level and the shock and outrage within the NHS was just about unanimous (GP's are not NHS employees. they are contractors)