Things the NHS doesn't do

[Silverclocks]

In the last couple of months I've spent the following on necessary (?) treatment and I'm not even ill!

• ear syringing £65. I was in lot of pain, drops weren't helping, but GP surgery told me it's not done on NHS, although I now understand it can be where there's a medical need, they obviously didn't want me to know that.

• Dental hygienist £95. Apparently essential to protect the health of my gums, but not available on NHS. I'm supposed to go 4 times pa....

• Eye test/check up £70

• £50 podiatrist. Infected ingrown toenail. GP prescribed antibiotics, but told me it would keep recurring without being seen to, but the NHS doesn't do podiatry. So they're prepared to prescribe anti biotics every few months forever, but not treat the cause.

• £50 x 4 Osteopath to treat a slipped disk. All fixed now. I might have been able to get it treated on the NHS eventually, but the first step was a telephone consultation with a physio and and the wait for that was 6-8 weeks. I was in agony and unable to work.

Thankfully I was able to have all these things done, but it must simply be out of the question for so many people. It makes me want to cry.

Yes same here. In the last 3 months we have paid for;
Physio for Dh he’s had a hip replacement a few months ago but needs ongoing physio, NHS could only offer 2 sessions!!

Ear syringing for Dh. Definitely not available on the NHS. He couldn’t hear anything at all in his right ear so it had to be done.

Counselling for Dh - work related stress and anxiety from working in the NHS!!!

Oh and 6 years ago we paid for physio for me after my mastectomy- NHS offered 2 sessions

Breast cancer 5 years ago, single mastectomy.
I wanted both removed and didn’t want reconstruction: long, long history of cysts, lost count of the number of mammograms and biopsies I’ve had. When they removed the first, surgeon told me that as well as the tumour, it was “riddled” with various other then benign breast conditions.
I know that for the rest of my life, I’ll be back and forth for more of the same and just want to stop worrying.
They won’t remove it though. Annoyingly, each time I’ve seen the surgeon, he’s reminded me that they will happily perform reconstruction any time I change my mind ,which is more time consuming and costly that removal and would require further surgery in future.
Just makes no sense to me at all.

I recently paid £150 for a mouth guard due to grinding my teeth. I’m registered as an NHS patient with my dentist but somehow end up paying for private services every time I go 🤔 like yours, they always say you need to pay to see the hygienist.

Paying for private physio for DP’s shoulder as well.

And using my work insurance to see a consultant privately, taking the waiting list down from 6 months to 2 months. It’s the same doctor, just at a private hospital instead of the NHS one!

It’s a shame that we couldn’t rework the model so that there was more physio available etc. But when I’ve had physio it’s been many sessions for even a minor problem so can see that it would be unaffordable for the NHS, and there’s no guarantee that the problem will be solved.
Incidentally, £95 for a hygienist seems steep (it’s about £50 here). Same for eye test, that seems like a lot. You can sometimes get a voucher for a free one with Specsavers. Boots used to send me £10 eye test vouchers too, but not sure if they still do these.

I don’t have eye tests. I don’t go to the dentist. I don’t see a podiatrist.
I just can’t afford it.

A lot of it is so short sighted (unintentional pun) on the nhs because so much is linked with these. Heart disease, dementia all have links with teeth.

Varicose veins

My lovely parents paid £15,000 for me to get them done privately because the NHS like to insist they don’t cause pain or complications and it’s purely a cosmetic procedure. Makes my blood boil everytime I think of it. 🤬

My lovely GP completely sided with me and said it is NOT cosmetic, but obviously it’s out of her hands

I’ve also noticed nhs physios don’t do much.

They just give you a few exercises.

Private ones do manipulation, massage, ultrasound, even in a half hour appointment which is the same as the nhs. I really don’t understand this. Surely it would be cheaper to do proper physio which would cause less pressure further up the nhs.

@Mydogisagentleman, I recommend apple cider vinegar for your DH- soak cotton wool in acv each night after a wash, tape to wart and keep on for 12 hours at a time. It should go black after first or second application. After this, keep doing it each night, then file it down. It was the only way mine died and this is now 4-5 years’ back.

I tried everything- over the counter treatments and remedies, banana peel, onion, dry ice at Dr surgery, burning it (I was desperate and have a high pain threshold!).

Not the point, but try micro suction for earwax removal.

Even if NHS funding increases drastically there is going to be a severe shortage of treatment for the coming few years. I'm afraid lots of us are going to be choosing between a long wait and paying for private treatment.

The NHS has also got a long way to go in managing risk-aversion vs encouraging personal responsibility.

FWIW I understand health insurance for me in the USA would cost about £6,000 per year and the excess would be £1,000 or so per treatment. (That's a lot more than the difference I'd pay in tax between here and the USA.)

A scrape and polish is part of the NHS dental check up but many dentists refuse to do it and refer you to the hygienist. I wonder if you said couldn't afford it they just shrug and tell you to get out of the chair?

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I’ve also noticed nhs physios don’t do much.

They just give you a few exercises.

Private ones do manipulation, massage, ultrasound, even in a half hour appointment which is the same as the nhs. I really don’t understand this. Surely it would be cheaper to do proper physio which would cause less pressure further up the nhs.

Absolutely, but so many decisons in the NHS are short sighted. It's "lets save a few quid here, even though it will cost ten times that a few years down the line".

@LeftieLucy

Varicose vein treatment.

I have one in my thigh that I get infected thrombophlebitis in at least 3 times a year. But it’s seen as a cosmetic issue.

Dh is pushing to get his done too as in a similar position.

Eye tests, dentist, Boots treatment for Uti £20, Superdrug cream for menopause £25. Have used Push Dr's also I the past for weekends

TBH I gave up approaching the GP for treatment for many things years ago. I had a problem with my achiles and self referred to a private physio. Paid for one session, had ultrasound treatment and came away with a sheet of exercises. £40 well spent and treatment plan sorted much quicker than NHS. Also student DS had an ingrowing tonail. Paid for private podiatrist. The treatment on the over granulation didn't work. Then referred to GP having tried the private treatment first. Got referral for nail removal on NHS straight away. Couple of months and the nail was removed at NHS hospital within 2 months. Much quicker than if he'd gone to GP first - which was very fortunate as his op was Feb 2020 - the Covid hit so I fear he'd have still been waiting.

When it comes to physio it's the exercises that matter by far the most not the other stuff like massages and ultrasound ( the former you could do yourself)

Most people don't bother properly with the exercise though

But yes the whole thing needs looked at and probably more money , more staff , more prevention

Of course people will wail it's inefficient and pretend that other countries spend less and get more ( but proper studies rather than internet warriors tend to find that isn't true )

I’ve also noticed nhs physios don’t do much.

They just give you a few exercises.

Yeah and if you actually do the exercises you will probably be cured. That is the issue, people are lazy and want a magic wand, or a big fuss made of them. The NHS physios that DH and I have been referred to at various times have been excellent. Guess what - they 'just gave us a few exercises' - which we did as instructed and the issue resolved itself.

And someone bitching their DH can't get a tiny wart seen to - what is the matter with people these days?

@RiverSkater

A scrape and polish is part of the NHS dental check up but many dentists refuse to do it and refer you to the hygienist. I wonder if you said couldn't afford it they just shrug and tell you to get out of the chair?

Is it officially part of the check up? Years ago the dentist used to do it but not for ages now. That's terrible if it's something they're supposed to be doing.

Varicose veins are a postcode lottery and each CCG ( group of GP commissioners ) makes their own rules. It’s very wrong

@HeadNorth

I’ve also noticed nhs physios don’t do much.

They just give you a few exercises.

Yeah and if you actually do the exercises you will probably be cured. That is the issue, people are lazy and want a magic wand, or a big fuss made of them. The NHS physios that DH and I have been referred to at various times have been excellent. Guess what - they 'just gave us a few exercises' - which we did as instructed and the issue resolved itself.

And someone bitching their DH can't get a tiny wart seen to - what is the matter with people these days?

I agree, I fixed my plantar facitis (sp?) by religiously following the advice on the leaflet the physio gave me, but I'd waited 2 months for the appointment and then used a 30 min appointment for something the GP could have given me or directed me to a website.

So many inefficiencies.

Potential Andy shoving his two penneth in in an attempt to help alert: If you have warts try eating pate, spinach and onions and some vitamin or nutrient in them can help make them go. Andy had this problem and i got him the little pates you can get in places like Tesco for about 60p and it worked. He had it on toast but loves eating that anyway now haha!! Also i think we added a handful of spinach to pasta a few times. Whatever, it worked they went. He says they were really painful aswell

Andysgirl shoving her two penneth in as per usual alert : I was going to say I'm sure I've been offered podiatry on NHS but i am diabetes with bells on as in lots of complications. I do remember once years ago going to an NHS podiatary man who was absolutely lovely and rally understanding but on looming at mu feet and doing a few checks etc. Said he thought it was neuropathy so therefore he wasn't allowed to continue doing more examinations. Something about I might not feel it and it could cause more harm or something. He referred back to thr gp As he said as it was neuropathy he could tell the gp which med to prescribe but they had yo do it. I think iirc it was amitrytiline or something.

My own contribution to things not on the NHS is electronic assistive gadgets for the blind. However in fairness some are available from social services without payment.
Also teeth stuff !!!! Had a problem with a tooth they eventually said i could go yo an emergency NHS dentist but they would just pull it out.on getting there they said the tooth was saveable but needed a scale,polish a good long course of antibios etc. But they would just literally pull it out. Had it pulled out as no way could j of afforded thr private fees. I was lucky it is at the very back and the smile region i think.

I need T3 for my hypothyroidism in addition to thyroxine (T4). My previous GP prescribed it but he retired and the new one won’t. I pay to import it which costs me hundreds of pounds a year.
I also suffer with severe dry eye disease and Meibomium gland dysfunction which I’m having IPL (intense pulsed light) treatment for. It’s costing me £1,400 for 6 treatments and then, if it works, I will need to pay £200 once or twice a year to top it up.

I think that instead of moaning about what isn't covered by the NHS it's worth considering what is and what the alternative would be without it. We are incredibly lucky in this country to still largely have treatment free at point of need. Americans regularly go bankrupt or have to make the wrong medical choices because of the limited extent of their medical coverage.

What about medicines?

Now so many are on over the counter that are no longer prescribed and we have to pay for them - it’s gotten worse over the years and costs a fortune when you feel like crap.

@DownToTheSeaAgain

I think that instead of moaning about what isn't covered by the NHS it's worth considering what is and what the alternative would be without it. We are incredibly lucky in this country to still largely have treatment free at point of need. Americans regularly go bankrupt or have to make the wrong medical choices because of the limited extent of their medical coverage.

For me, it's not really complaining. I can pay if I have to, but concern for those who can't.

Plus sheer utter frustration at all the things they don't do or only do when things get really bad, that must cost more money in the long run.

I wish they would round up all the services that they struggle to offer at all or in a sensible waiting time and just say these things you have to pay a contribution for. That way possibly you might get to see someone within say 3 months but you have to pay excess but not go fully private still be supporting NHS staff. My beef is just continuing to say its all free when it is not there.
The NHS is amazing but when you are desperate and reaching for a service that isn't available why should we settle for that?
You cant just say its great don't wish for improvement.
I can't tell you the terror of having a child wailing in mental agony and the GP just saying sorry there is nothing for you except A&E and maybe a referral for 8 months time.