Secrets of your trade.

@ SummersB - that's exactly what happened to DS1! I had a c section and the recovery room was absolutely freezing. They didn't wrap him up much and within an hour he was struggling to breathe with low blood sugar. He was in neonatal for a week after that and I still feel sad and soppy thinking of him being all alone there on his first night in the world (I was too ill to be moved or go see him) . He just laughs when I say this as he's a strapping teenager now, but I wish it could have been avoided regardless.

ForOldLandsEye Did the Financial Services Regulator/Authority issue fines

I don't know. I wasn't party to whether the (then-)FSA even properly investigated, but the in-house dodgy dealing I mentioned was rife in the places I worked. I left the industry entirely not long after.

@buzzbobbly Did the Financial Services Regulator/Authority issue fines?

The financial services companies promoting the first versions of equity release knew it was a massive con job. Knew full well, and equally as knowingly went and sold it because there was huge commission to be made.

When the shit started hitting the fan, client notes, documents and all sorts were shredded.

All of this happened under the nose of compliance but they were bright enough never to put anything in writing.

I used to know where a lot of very large companies had their internet lines routed to and from, including several secret Government ones.

(back when the internet was a big thing and these corporations would pay thousands of pounds a year for a 2MB line)

Teacher here

We DO have favourites...and it’s not always the nice, well behaved kids. In fact, the opposite is often true. Although for most, professionalism means we don’t treat pupils unequally.

Shameless place marking - this is fascinating !

@Mmmmbrekkie, you're welcome.

Thanksv

Ah totally makes sense now

Yep gp receptionist = general dogsbody

When a patient dies, no matter who or why, we speak to them as if they are still with us. We tell them what we are doing and why, we will wash them, comb their hair and put nice clean sheets and gown on them. When flowers were allowed, we would always send them off to “rose cottage” with a flower on their chest

@crosser62

I know you posted here in the theme of the thread, but I just want to thank you for this post. My friends life support was turned off this morning, and I am wasting time and trying to find things to do until i have heard that she is at peace. To read this has made me feel even more emotional, yet soothed in a way. I am hoping that she will be treated in this same manner as you treat your patients. Thank you

Yep! It's a balancing act with a huge amount of multitasking. Before having my DCs I had a much more respected job, but it was easier.

I agree girlinthegarden . Ex gp receptionist here. Hated asking what the problem was- had to ask because I needed to book in with the correct clinician - e.g usually healthy 25 yr old with chest infection would go to nurse - 84 year old with cancer - go to Gp. The worst thing is I have to ask . And we had emergency appts on the day - and if it wasn’t an urgent issue then I’m not meant to book it - but just because it’s not urgent today doesn’t mean that patient can wait till the next routine appt which is 4 weeks away - so in my eyes if the patient thinks they needed to be seen that day then I would book them in. And then sometimes the gps would come out and shout at us for booking non urgent appts!!! Can’t win! That’s why I left.

The doctors also say it helps appointments run more smoothly if they're prepared.

@Mmmmbrekkie it's mandated by GP partners/practice managers as a way to reduce/tailor demand for appointments and otherwise signpost people.

Eg.

Lots of people book in for a GP for a repeat prescription, a smear, a pregnancy test, a sick note etc - the GPs would prefer nursing or administrative staff dealt with all that so they could see patients who needed them more.

That is utterly disgusting pump!

crosser, 'When a patient dies, no matter who or why, we speak to them as if they are still with us. We tell them what we are doing and why, we will wash them, comb their hair and put nice clean sheets and gown on them.'

That's made me cry.

A relative works in a hospital theatre and when someone is likely to die (due to an accident, someone on life support etc) they call people from other hospitals where organ donations are needed so they can come to the hospital before the person dies. Everyone waits around in the hospital and the person gets taken to theatre whilst they're still breathing ready for the 'harvest' so they can take the organs straight after they've just died so the organs are fresh and can be given to the person who needs it

That’s not quite how it happens. In certain cases where a patient is critically ill and a decision has been made to withdraw life-sustaining treatment AND the patient has expressed a wish to be an organ doner AND the family agrees, a donation can take place when the patient has passed away. This is known as controlled donation after circulatory arrest (as opposed to uncontrolled donation if a patient dies before they get to the hospital or dies following an unsuccessful resuscitation). Certain steps can be taken to optimise the donation, but these are only carried out if they don’t risk causing any harm or distress to the patient, and you would never do anything that would shorten the patients life with the goal of facilitating the donation. What does happen is that the arrangements for the donation are made before the treatment is withdrawn, as any delays after death has occurred (eg waiting for an operating theatre to become available or for the surgical team to be ready) could mean that the organs become damaged and aren’t suitable for donation any more. Depending on the hospital, this could mean that the patient is moved nearer/into the theatre complex before treatment is withdrawn. But again, this isn’t done lightly and it’s only done if it’s considered to be in the patient’s best interests.

@brew0andbiscuits the scenario that you describe around organ donation only happens when a patient is already brain stem dead had have legally been declared dead by two senior doctors.
Not for people "likely" to die, people who are not brain stem dead can still donate organs if they've died in certain places (icu/a&e) if criteria is full filled and family have agreed but they don't have teams of people waiting in case and these patients don't go to theatre to die.
I think it's important to highlight this as withdrawal of treatment in critically ill patients does not mean there is a team waiting to harvest organs. It is important that people understand the difference as there is a preconception that treatment is stopped in icu "for organs" rather than because it is the most appropriate thing to do and prolonging treatment would not prolong life.

If you eat a chinese restaurant and order rice, there is a chance it has already been served before. If a bowl comes back 'untouched' or barely used, the rice usually goes back into the pot...... Same with spare ribs, actually.

@Girlinthegarden

Why do receptionists ask why I want to see a gp?

Blood results don’t lie. Don’t say you have taken your meds when the results say otherwise

@needthisthread

It was news to me