What’s the point in the NHS?

I don’t doubt that others are waiting longer. My point was that it is not true that you have to be bed-bound to be offered a joint replacement on the NHS.

What sort of "scan" are you expecting for a sprained ankle, exactly?

I had my post on another thread deleted for suggesting not real.

The American system is so much better because op would be one of those people who would get all the scans needed or not, and all the appointments because OP would have insurance and wouldn’t care that someone else wasn’t getting cancer treatment or going medically bankrupt because she would have had all the whistles and bells pulled out for her sprained ankle!!

You had an X-ray- nothing is broken, a sprain is stretched ligaments. Ligaments are left to rectify themselves because they can.
Sorry they didn’t lay down the red carpet for you and give you a pointless boot that cannot be used again or do anything to aid the actual strengthening of you muscles and ligaments because it immobilises them making them not work and extend the issue. If you want crutches that you don’t need, ask on a local fb page, loads of people probably have some that can’t be returned to the hospital because they can’t use them again or go to your local tip and see if they have a bucket full of discarded ones!
Want to do some exercises before physio - Google it, NHS have loads online- ChatGPT could find them for you!
What happened to people doing stuff for themselves before expecting everything to be done for them. You sprained you effing ankle like many people do everyday, most go “ohhh, that’s a bit sore and swollen, well I did go over on my ankle, I’ll put ice on it and see how it is in a few days” before even going to the doctors!

What absolute rubbish you talk. That is so not true. If you are going to spout daily mail/tik tok rubbish please make sure you evidence it

im 35 and the NHS has saved my life on more than one occasion, x2 emergency operations being the top two things. Maybe they save money towards more serious things rather than a sprained ankle!

I don’t know if the UK citizens are eligible for cross border or European private health scheme, where public patients can go private abroad if you are waiting over a year. My Dad had his eyes done, he was fully reimbursed by the HSE.

Well that's a well balanced article...not!
I live in France and IME the healthcare system is excellent. Not without issues, particularly in the déserts médicaux, but our government is actively implementing measures to address them. Unlike UK governments over the past several decades.

Years ago, I went to A&E with a stubbed toe. I thought I'd broken it, it was so painful. I didn't want to go, but my boss made me. It was examined, but wasnt broken, and I was dimsissed with advice to carryon as normal. I was sceptical cos it was so painful, but they were right.

DM has recently had an op carried out privately. So far, there's no improvement. She's due to have the same procedure done via the NHS. She was underwhelmed by the private team, saying that the NHS staff are better. I don't know. I think much of it comes down to who you're dealing with at that particular time and your expectations.

You really don't. And you're clearly not medical.
I am a GP with 30 years experience. And while some do have lengthy waits I have never know one to wait till they were bed bound or that being a criteria 🙄🙄 if you work for ortho then why the fuck did you think a scan on day 1 of a sprained ankle was in any way appropriate.
I really hope this thread gets back to your trust and you get disciplined your posts are vile for someone working in the NHS....unless you are working privately??!!

Even then he’ll most likely be referred to pain management as there isn’t much they can do for crippling pain.
I don’t know your financial situation, mine isn’t great, whenever I need an mri, ct, or consultant, I pay a one off fee usually no more than €250. Your GP can refer you. The consultation will put you up the list for your next step or offer medication to help. I brought DD twice as she has muscular issues.

Ok I will take the bait - whats your wondrous solution OP?

Because after 34 years of working in the NHS and working harder than ever, seeing more patients than ever, seeing more patients with complex needs than ever (which takes up time) - with less money and actually less staff (if you equate staffing to patient numbers and complexity) - whats your solution??

Because I have just googled sprained ankle and it give a huge amount of good advice and guidance - lots of people/ clinicians are advising self care and on line resources- its the way the NHS is going, as it just can’t cope with the amount of people now coming through its doors.

You’re not medical or in any way closely connected to a orthopod team. You would know all these answers if you were. If you were closely connected, you would have asked (or complained) to your colleagues. Not mumsnet.

I simply don’t believe you.

The UK government is implementing measures to address issues.

Fuck me, you really can shoehorn trans into absolutely anything, can't you?

'Next week - growing your own vegetables - but what about transwomen'?

Yeah right. Then you’d know NICE guidance for a sprain is pretty much what this doctor advised and does not include crutches and a boot. Can’t find NICE specific guidance for ligament damage but all the info I can find emphasises the importance of early mobilisation and weight bearing.

Vote Reform, I should imagine...

Well then you will have known all the answers to your questions- won’t you…. if not perhaps one of your ‘team’ can help?!

Many years ago I nearly died from an ectopic pregnancy. The NHS saved my life. The NHS delivered my two sons. The NHS gave my mum life-lengthening chemotherapy so she had longer to enjoy her grandchildren. Unless you can afford American-style health insurance don’t knock the system especially over a sprained ankle.

'Next week - growing your own vegetables - but what about transwomen'?

Male puberty means transwomen have an unfair advantage when turning soil. All implements are designed for male physique, it's an outrage nature insists on pandering to the trans "cult" by persisting with heavy soil. Something something something Mother Nature "captured" by Stonewall.

Well that's a well balanced article...not!
I live in France and IME the healthcare system is excellent. Not without issues, particularly in the déserts médicaux, but our government is actively implementing measures to address them. Unlike UK governments over the past several decades
Lucky you! My sister who has lived in France for years, married to a French man, is fighting the French system because she can't get free cover for a long term condition that puts her at high risk of cancer, even though someone with the same condition only 50kms away had no problems.

Off course, if she lived back home, none of this would be an issue, she would get all the surveillance scans and treatment without any of these battles. She's been fighting the French administration for 3 years now and is exhausted with it.

If only it was that simple. People need to stop abusing it and do more to look after their own health to bring costs down before we can pay less towards it. I'm not saying it couldn't be better managed but that needs money invested initially for savings in the long term.
More investment is needed in social care, mental health services, housing, health education to prevent and reduce the need for more intensive health care.
Mental health support, especially CAMHS, is reserved for those already severely unwell. Early support would prevent many needing costly inpatient care. Investment in housing would prevent illness (physical and mental) from homeless/damp housing/overcrowding. Bringing social care back in to the public sector and managing it properly would prevent illness and bed blocking as well as saving on costly care from agencies who are making huge profit and cherry picking the simplest packages of care.
This thread would have gone very differently without the title asking what the point of the NHS is. It's obviously got a use and we would be in a worse state without it, but there's definitely a conversation needed about how effective it is and how it can be improved.

Well is it before you know it's sprained and may be broken etc. Let's be honest most care is sub par whether urgent or not. You're lucky if you live in a less populated area where they actually provide adequate care

That's not the point! The point is that things have deteriorated in even the last 10 yrs and they shouldn't have!!