Want to know (part) of why the NHS is dying

[Bretonie]

54 patients on our ward round.

27 Medically fit for discharge. Awaiting care home beds, care packages, equipment at home, transport, family members to pick them up.

Remember that next time you’re asked to put a tick in a box

Two of those patients have been medically fit for over three weeks. No care homes suitable for their needs. So they stay on a busy surgical ward - also not suitable for their needs

I’ve been thinking for years that they need to re-open the old cottage hospitals and/or bring back convalescent type places where people can be monitored and have moderate level treatment without needing the high tech of a full hospital facility.

We do still have them - we outlie to their beds everyday

We do; community hospitals. Sadly they too face the same issues of discharge and lacking packages of social care.

No political party has ever championed care as a career option. The fact is we now have an ageing population and families are in mortgage debt at hideous levels so unable to care for relatives due to having to work so the issues have just become more evident

This is awful but I'm not surprised. Social care is in a terrible state. My DM died last week at home not having had a single care visit - despite having had a funding package approved. Literally nobody to physically do the care. So we did it all.

My grandad was recently moved to a cottage hospital but it's going to be closed next year.

My uncle really stalled on having him moved to a care home because he wanted the free NHS care and didn't want to have to pay the care home fees Of course after a while, they give you no choice.

Exactly, more people are living much longer lives and have more complex ailments as they age. Their families cannot afford to care for them as the majority of families now need two incomes to pay for mortgages and bills.

there also seems to be a shortage in care staff. Possibly Brexit, possibly people not wanting to return to work after covid or the fact they can get easier jobs for higher wages.

something needs a serious overhaul.

My DH was in hospital for a long time after they knew there was nothing they could do for him, while the OT tried to bully me into giving up work to care for him. I wanted him home, but I couldn't care for a bedbound patient 24/7 and keep a roof over our heads and frankly, the hospital were absolutely vile to me. If they'd have offered any sympathy or support, that bed would have been cleared much sooner. I felt like I had to represent for a fight for every conversation.