Ads have had enough of malakas On July 4, they went crackers.

[TheGreatWave]

Slight tweak to the suggestion, but here it is.

I think the NHS must vary so much in different areas as our local services have still been good - I've had a couple of phone call/internet appointments but I appreciate this is no good for investigative stuff like MRIs. I hope everyone struggling gets sorted swiftly.

I don't do Facebook I'm afraid so I'm sorry whoever wanted a pic of my hair I'll try and get one when I get round to washing it

Thank you all so much for all good wishes for friend. You're all lovely. I can't see her as she is in area that would make me self isolate for 14 days even if they would let me in and I could get there. The irony is that if I had been a strict shielder surely I would be the least risky person ever. Sigh. We live 100s of miles apart but have always always been there for each other, she turned up on my doorstep at midnight unexpectedly when my DC was in hospital once. It's almost like a physical pain that I can't go and see her. We have each been in and out of hospital recently but always still in contact with each other (and still making each other laugh despite serious shit!) so this time feels so much worse.

Only 352 cases today. Lowest by miles. Presumably it will go up tomorrow but even so.

In defence of the NHS I self referred for talking therapies on Saturday and they phoned me this morning for an initial assessment (basically to make sure I wasn’t about to hurt myself or anyone else). Full assessment later this week.

But for anyone who actually needs a procedure doing, it’s appalling. A friend of mine had a colonoscopy cancelled in April and absolutely no prospect of it being rescheduled at the moment. Thankfully it is precautionary due to age rather than symptoms, but meanwhile they have to live with the worry.

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/practice-explains-bath-pharmacy-charging-4174836

Going to have one of the antibody tests this week to see if have had the flipping thing. Because then I'll know if DH had it too. Quite expensive but I couldn't get the fingertip ones to work anyway. So I should know the result next week apparently.

My parents seem to be getting somewhere with NHs services - but it may be becuase everything been allowed to get really bad so everyone suddenly doing stuff fairly quickly.

I'm not on FB - one of the kid's school pretty much forced me onto twitter by giving out information via a private have to have permission to join channel and only via that for a while. Never tweeted just have school sites on it.

Keep thinking maybe I should get on FB but then rememer all the people who are best kept at arms length for my well being who keep trying to get me to get it and then think no.

Been no deaths today in Wales - and the kids will have second morning in school each this week - and woke up with a purring cat on me - but I've still had enough and worried I'm not doing enough with the kids education or with them more generally.

@BubbleIsNotAFuckingVerb I am so sorry for you and for your friend. I imagine myself and my best friend in your place, and I can barely imagine how you feel right now. But your friend will understand the restrictions placed on you. I hope you are kind on yourself too! You cannot help this situation.

There was a suggestion upthread about sending video messages. Would the hospital allow that? Sorry if I'm being thick, but I know some wards don't allow personal devices?

I believe the ‘protect the NHS’ was actually a manipulator for lockdown, rather than an aim of lockdown. The NHS is something that the British people rage against but at the same time are very protective of. I can’t think of a single issue that would have encouraged mass dementoring than the idea that our ‘precious NHS’ was under real threat.

That's true, in fact the surveys showing how much more fearful the UK was than other countries, mentioned about the feeling of responsibility to the NHS and others here (more than in other countries)

Probably because those other countries did not guilt trip their public in the same way. In particular the scandi countries - they pay high taxes and expect good healthcare. (and probably the healthcare to protect the staff with good PPE as well)

@dowser Thank you, I’ve tried to suggest some things he can do but he’s just too little to take it in.

@InsaneInTheViralMembrane Oh god, your poor kiddo, and poor you. That sounds awful

@Mrsfrumble It was the neurodevelopmental team who diagnosed him and they said they’re only a diagnostic service, and more things would kick in when he started school. They did send us a load of stuff though, perhaps there’ll be something in there. I think he was a bit stressed and overwrought by decorating, all the furniture being moved and things. I did make sure to warn him and talk about it, but I think he associated decorating with a Christmas tree...!

I’m taking him for a haircut tomorrow - he HATES them. It’s going to be a ride. He has an amazon package of Lego waiting for the aftermath, courtesy of Grandma, and I’ll give him a bag of chocolate buttons too. Not looking forward to it though 😬 In a face mask and all, though at least DS doesn’t need to wear one!

Even the guardian who are mad keen on us all wearing masks to show we hate trump can’t come up with any evidence that anything other the surgical masks with ideal use are helpful. Wash your hands, don’t get too close & avoid crowded indoor spaces. It’s not fucking rocket science.

feeling of responsibility to the NHS - I worry how dangerous this is long term.

We've got family members who were already reluctant to call 999 to point GP and other medical people have felt they had to tell them off as it were and insist it done quicker next time.

Yes I wonder if that happened in other countries or not. Because all countries would have the same situation of patients being contagious and possibly putting the healthcare staff at risk...but were they given that message. Not sure. Maybe it would have seemed insensitive to blame patents for a pandemic brought in from elsewhere and that it was more the governments responsibility to protect it's citizens, perhaps.

We also have a lot os guilting from the BBC in it's news stories as well

And as mentioned upthread it seems infection control in hospitals, PPE for porters and cleaning staff was putting people at risk. Which is the fault of the NHS / gov not the public

@torydeathdrug that is beyond shit ...

I’m going round in circles trying to find out which psychiatric team ds has been referred to now - he’s now been in self-imposed lockdown for three years (ASD, severe depression but he’s 20 so obviously an adult and able to navigate the system by himself 🙄).

We’re also waiting for a CAMHS appointment for dd who was diagnosed with ASD last year - it was supposed to be in the spring but still haven’t heard anything and I suspect that they’re now just waiting for her to turn 18 in October when they can discharge her. We’re also waiting for some tests to be posted to us after a phone appointment six weeks ago (sudden anaemia) but nothing’s arrived and no one’s answering the phone when I try to chase.

Meanwhile a (former) friend who’s a GP told me she loves the new way of working in her practice... apparently they’re still seeing a few patients face to face but ‘only the ones who actually need to be seen rather than the ones who think they need to be seen’ accompanied by a patronising laugh ...

Have had a lovely time with ds2. Dragged him out to go to the beach. Tide was in and crashing over the walks😀 But it was on the turn so we got coffee and sat watching the sea from the far end on the actual beach and chatted. I went for a paddle to shock myself out of the lethargy again much to ds2s embarrassment 😂😂
The play park was open lots of little kids having fun. One solitary notice about hand sanitiser after use and distancing (as if kids were going to do that) so looks like our council are halfway sensible. Warm and sunny no howling gale or rain for first time in days

I cut my kids hair for years as ds1 had a bad experience and due to his issues wouldn't go back in a hairdressers door for many years. He needs one now but I wouldn't know where to start he is like an old English sheepdog!

@Worldgonecrazy

I believe the ‘protect the NHS’ was actually a manipulator for lockdown, rather than an aim of lockdown. The NHS is something that the British people rage against but at the same time are very protective of. I can’t think of a single issue that would have encouraged mass dementoring than the idea that our ‘precious NHS’ was under real threat.

this is so true!!

the masses "its absolutely shit, lets vote to dismantle it! no we love it, protect it at all costs!!"

Meanwhile a (former) friend who’s a GP told me she loves the new way of working in her practice... apparently they’re still seeing a few patients face to face but ‘only the ones who actually need to be seen rather than the ones who think they need to be seen’ accompanied by a patronising laugh .

What an attitude! How the hell does she know if something isnt important over the phone? I know someone who had minor symptoms, being ex nhs and used to the bs they pushed for specialist referral and they were diagnosed with cancer. It was metastasized and inoperable within a couple of weeks and after being given 6 months to live they were gone within 2 weeks. It was awful, so sad for family, so sudden and not something you would have immediately thought of as cancer. GPs are not gods.

Massive sympathy for those having a crap time at the moment.

DH and I are on holiday in a caravan and trying our hardest to enjoy it. It's our first child free break in 20 years...

We went to an English Heritage site today and after we'd got through the chicane to get to the grounds, it was a normal day out. The cafe was a bit strange but very friendly and full of families enjoying the sunshine.
We also tried going into the neighbouring town for a look round but I really didn't like it - every shop made you put hand sanitizer on and follow arrows, I just found myself feeling more and more anxious so we gave up. Strangely, M&S Cafe didn't ask for any details when we went in for coffee. I slipped over two months ago and I'm still suffering with my coccyx so can't do much of anything for too long, which hasn't helped my anxiety...

If our much-deified NHS is the envy of the world, why have no other countries tried to copy it?

I've been cursing the NHS today as well. The antibiotics the hospital gave dad don't look to be working and his joints are more swollen than when he went to hospital last week and he is in terrible pain. He had another phone consultation with his GP this afternoon - not impressed after last week's misdiagnosis by phone, but they have deigned to let him visit the surgery tomorrow. A 93yo who can't drive because of his poor eyesight and multiple health conditions. At least my brother can get him there. He has an infection that has a 15% fatality rate in the elderly. Protecting the vulnerable my arse.

Thinking back on the goverment's messaging, it's hard not to feel massively manipulated by this.

I have had bad experiences in the NHS as well. They messed up when I had something really unusual (benign tumour but internal so needing urgent surgery) they had not seen it before and just seemed focused on that I 'seemed young and healthy' and kept dismissing my pain- until I needed life saving surgery and then were pretty dismissing after when I had complications. It has left me quite sceptical and do not see them as 'angels' after that. I'm left with long term problems now, and a lot was to do with poor communication and general muddle in their systems and problems between the GP and hospital.

Imagine the stories of crap nhs care repeated everywhere up and duwn thw country...nhs the envy of the world my ass.

@wanderings and just what was that weird thing at the opening of the 2012 olympics all about
The nhs one
It was unbelievably bizarre
I felt my inner voice saying brace yourself Dowser

I truly hope that the NHS won't be untouchable after this. I want it to stay and I'd fight to keep it but I don't want it to be beyond reproach or criticism. Clinically I think it's more or less great but the layers of bureaucracy and admin drive me mad - and have been really exposed over the last few months as we've shown what we can really do when the chips are down. I would be hoping that this is a chance to reform, stop some of the red tape and redirect funds where they are most needed. Unfortunately it's going to be a brave politician who points out failures and inadequacies now that we have canonised all HCP's.