The NHS

[Rascal]

I'm prompted to ask this after my daring to question junior doctors in another thread, and the general outrage such comments cause. It wasn't particularly bad this time, but generally, if anyone makes any negative comments about the NHS, they are treated like they've fucked the pope.

What is it that causes such reaction? Is it because the NHS employs SO many people that nearly everyone has a family member or friend or neighbour who works for them?

Any suggestion that the NHS could be improved by some change or other, is pounced upon. And god help anyone who suggests - shock horror - maybe the private sector could do some of the work!?! You'd be rounded up and shot if some had their way.

If the service the NHS gave was amazing, it would be easier to understand. But the waiting times are terrible, the availability of leading edge treatments and facilities "patchy" to downright poor. And the clinical outcomes for things like cancer, woeful. In short, it's pretty poor to be honest.

People who work there are all "angels" or "heros" or whatever. Despite the fact they *chose* to go into the profession and they get paid for doing so. They weren't press-ganged into it. But dare to suggest that some nurses are lazy sods for whom picking up crap off the floor or doing some other actually important task, is beneath them.

You go up to the average nursing station on the average ward and 3 or 4 of them will blank you for 10 minutes. If any shop treated you like that, you'd walk out. But when the NHS does it, they are marvellous.

Why no such love-in for the chemical engineering industry? How about passionately sticking up for airport security staff who do such an amazing job preventing those nasty terrorists?

Nope, the NHS is rank average at best, and the sooner people can stop romanticising and face up to the fact, the sooner we can start thinking about how we can get a better health service for all of us.

It is generally because the average person has absolutely no idea of how the NHS works, what happens behind the scenes, what is being planned for the future and how devastating the cuts have been.

It is average because democracy has allowed it to become average, voters bought into the economics of the handbag and as a result the service is suffering.

Your anecdotal evidence serves no purpose BTW, because there is no such thing as an average nurses station, I bet you don't even know why you see more nurses close to the nurses station do you?

Airport security staff generally are cunts, that is anecdotal of course.

I wrote a fair bit on another thread on how Innovation Health Manchester is working towards better patient outcomes, so saying it cant be improved or changed is utter bollox, because it is already happening, you just don't know. As for Private companies becoming involved, they already are, look at how successful outsourcing is for proof how good it is.

As for the chemical engineering, are you aware there is more to research than chemicals? Are you aware in one small field of dermatology there are currently 20 research options on the table none of which involve chemicals. Are you actually aware of anything or are you in need of a brain scan to see if yours is functioning?

 

[Rascal]

As someone who has been reliant on healthcare for the past few months for a recurring condition, I can only say this.

The NHS is a wonderful thing, but the people who work there are in my epxerience, generally negligent, disinterested and generally provide poor service.

I would love to hear about your experiences and your thoughts behind it.

You can PM me in confidence if you wish.

 

[Metal Biker]

Yes I'm asking you this. I'm not talking aboiut how do we improve the attitude of indiviiuduals. I'm asking if you think that your experiences are symtpomatic of a system that is fundamently flawed as I think you are suggesting and if so what do we need to do to improve it? With the greatest respect this is a thread about the NHS not just your experience of it.

I've no idea, because I cannot speak for everyone's experiences or their satisfaction.

All I posted was I think the NHS is a good, needed service by in my experience, which was over a three month period, the service was consistantly terrible and not what I expected. I've not made it about my experience, it's become that because people refuse to accept that people have criticisms about it and I was voicing one.

 

[Metal Biker]

I would love to hear about your experiences and your thoughts behind it.

You can PM me in confidence if you wish.

So long as it stays in confidence.

 

[Rascal]

So long as it stays in confidence.

Totally in confidence. I give you my word.

 

[journolud]

I've no idea, because I cannot speak for everyone's experiences or their satisfaction.

All I posted was I think the NHS is a good, needed service by in my experience, which was over a three month period, the service was consistantly terrible and not what I expected. I've not made it about my experience, it's become that because people refuse to accept that people have criticisms about it and I was voicing one.

Fair enough, I'm not going to split hairs with you. I note the OP hasn't exactly engaged in the debate.

 

[Metal Biker]

Totally in confidence. I give you my word.

Sent. I hope anyway.

 

[SilverFox2]

You would like to think so but I think there are variations within trusts, never mind between them. I recently had a blood test and was called back in to see my GP to discuss them. I did try to save them the time by asking for them over the phone but several weeks later I was sat in front of a different GP who wondered why I had been asked in. My cholestroal was slightly raised, but less than the last time tbey were tested when I was given diet advice, and no action was required. A wasted appointment in effect. In my experience different practitioners have different triggers for risk, I wonder how much of it is down to a safety first culture and the fear of litigation?

My experience was to have MRI flag up a high psa and a Yorkshire consultant (where I then lived) ridicule their findings as normal.
Luckily for me I now live in Spain and they reacted immediately with a biopsy which frankly saved my life by next treating the cancer quickly and effectively.
My nhs experience in MRI was brilliant not so elsewhere perhaps not due to incompetence but maybe simply age prejudice.

 

[journolud]

My experience was to have MRI flag up a high psa and a Yorkshire consultant (where I then lived) ridicule their findings as normal.
Luckily for me I now live in Spain and they reacted immediately with a biopsy which frankly saved my life by next treating the cancer quickly and effectively.
My nhs experience in MRI was brilliant not so elsewhere perhaps not due to incompetence but maybe simply age prejudice.

A bit more important to get that right than whether I should go on statins or eat more porridge.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Because it isn’t ‘shite’ nor are the people working for it ‘shite’. This is just childish nonsense.

I didn't say ALL the people working in it are shite, did I, child.