The NHS is collapsing - what can we do?

[FedUpWithTheNHS]

First of all, I am not interested to do more bashing on GPs, NHS, nurses and whatnot. I sincerely do not think the issue is with them. So let's leave it at that.

But I have been trying to get some support for myself and struggle to get anywhere.
I have family members who have been waiting months, turning into years for severe issues and they are left in pain and scared.
I read threads on here (the one on sepsis, cancer scare etc...) and it's more of the same.

The system is collapsing but there isn't a private sector to pick up the pieces. I had to wait 4 mnths to see a cardiologist privately.... And now another 6 weeks to be able to have the prescription from my GP (At more than £100 per month, I just can't afford to get said prescription privately).
It very much feels like we are left to die, from no healthcare, tbh.

So far, I have written to my MP.
I am supporting groups working against the 'privatisation of the NHS'.
I'd vote Labour but tbh, just now, I can't say theyve filled me with confidence they will actually do what is needed. Which is increasing funding and ensuring doctors and nurses are staying in the UK and the NHS (at the very least)

What else can I, we, do?
I feel like we need to start shouting. LOUD. Very loud. But I am at loss as to what else I can do :((

I work for the NHS. Yes it's collapsing.

I know @RuthW .

And I have to say, I also really feel for anyone working in those conditions.
Its frustrating and scary whatever side you are in (except those conservative politicians who have enough money to ignore it all)

Stop voting for the Tories and then being surprised when they scupper public services.

I dunno. Dd is on a year wait for a gynaecologist and to be honest I’m not sure it’s the right specialist so we’ll probably have another year wait for someone else after that. You have reminded me though I should write to my MP. Though he’s a useless tory cunt

I never voted Tories.

And I think we need to do something NOW.
I don't think that waiting for the next election and hoping for the best is the rigth thing to do. Thats what we have done as country for the last 13 years. We need more.

@QuintanaRoo , mine is too...

Ive done 30 years plus in the NHS, every day patients tell me how crap their experience has been in some sectors. I'm lucky, my area is functioning and I can still do my job but I go home absolutely knackered every night and can't carry on much longer.
Ultimately its our own fault, as a nation we voted in people who don't prioritise health. All those working class people who voted Tory 😥 coz of you know err brexit. Like turkeys voting for Christmas.

What can we actually do?? The tories are in power and they want to dismantle the nhs

I'm so confused what even the rich are meant to do as it goes tits up, the private provision just isn't there for emergency medicine right? Am I missing something

I've been waiting to be seen for a lump since November after being referred to the hospital, just got an appointment for June let's hope its nothing serious

Stop voting Tory.

Stop making excuses for the Tory party.

Stop buying into the lame excuse that all parties are the same or it would be 'worse' under Labour. Trotted out frequently by many.

Reduce the load

Lose weight
Exercise
Don't drink much
Drive carefully

I work for the NHS, although part time, never had a contract, non of the office staff seem to know what they are doing, received salary two months late after errors, they never respond to emails, after 6 months I’ve received a log in for pay slips. The manager is always out of office on progression and inclusion courses but is never available, he likes collecting courses.

The staff in the wards from housekeeping to consultants are amazing, patient, go over and above, are always short of equipment or staff, walkers and wheelchairs always go missing. Everyone chips in because a nurse might suddenly disappear having been moved by matrons office to another ward slightly less short staffed.

If it wasn’t for the staff working over and above it would fall to pieces, if they worked to rule, everything would fall to pieces and patient safety would be compromised.

Think that the workforce in general is seriously losing its eptitude. Remember those older generation folk who kept standards high and told us off for mistakes? They've retired and the dial it inners have inherited the earth. Comes across most starkly in something like healthcare where resulting suffering is particularly acute but it's a problem everywhere.

Answer? Try not to get sick. Hope to God your loved ones don't either. And lower expectations of what's out there in terms of help.

Well people could stop rocking up at A&E for a broken finger nail for a start.
I watch GPS Behind Closed Doors: 8/10 people are sent away with advice to take a paracetamol or similar - so a bit less paranoia would help too.

I guess it also depends on what the issue is and where you are in the U.K.

I currently can’t fault the care I’m receiving from the NHS. 4 weeks ago I had a routine pretreatment chest X-ray; 2 days later I had a phone call from the GP to say the radiologist who was reviewing the film wasn’t happy with something he had seen on it and their recommendation was a CT scan under the optimal lung cancer pathway.

6 days after that phone call (which included a bank holiday weekend) I had the scan and the face to face appointment with the consultant was 6 days after that. I was given a proposed plan for an MRI in 6 months time based on their impression that it’s likely to be something benign. 2 hours later I was called, by the consultant to say he had changed his mind based on further discussions and was going to arrange the MRI scan asap.

Last week (still only 3 weeks since the original X-ray) I had a call to say I had been discussed in the soft tissue MDT meeting and, instead of the scan, they now want to do a specialised procedure and are in the process of trying to arrange a face to face with 2 different speciality consultants asap to get the procedure organised. The issue at the minute is 2 very busy diaries need coordinating at short notice during a periods that is affected by half term and yet another bank holiday!!

On the flip side, at the same hospital, my twins were supposed to have 4-5 months follow up from a new consultation last May; I got a call last week inviting me to book an appointment for one of them - the first appointment is late July or mid August; not even heard about the other twin. So, a 4-5 month appointment will end up being seen around 15-16 months later😱 I’ve told them not to bother booking the appointment as we’ve learnt to cope by ourselves and it seems redundant delaying the appointment so long!!

This. It happened on our watch, we were warned but were shouted down. If you voted Tory this is on you.

I think stopping voting for the tories would be a good place to start.

I think that the GPs should stop prescribing paracetamol/ibuprofen/kids calpol/nurofen as it's available to buy from home bargains for 99p. The nhs spent £64M prescribing paracetamol for adults in 2021

Try not to get sick. Hope to God your loved ones don't either. And lower expectations of what's out there in terms of help.

Well i feel we’ve done that a lot in the last 10 years.
Reduce and reduce expectations. So now people are feeling grateful to see a GP 6 weeks later for what is a potentially very serious issue. Same with being grateful you will see an oncologist in less than a couple of months etc….

Agreed!

May I add:

Stop smoking
Self manage your conditions when able
Visit your pharmacist
Look after your mental health

All of this. But it wouldn't at all suprise me if they get in again in at the next election. The UK electorate is remarkably gullible.

@anon12093 GP have stopped doing years and years ago. My dcs were still in primary when it happened and they are now at Uni.

We need to collectively stop bashing GPs and accept the issue is political p.
Not people overusing the NHS, not doctors being crap at their job and whatnot.
But very simply that we have a government who doesn’t care about the population and its health and has been happy to throw us all under the bus fur the sake a few (million) pounds.

I should add my daughter has been receiving great care from an unrelated hospital. It’s too too heavy in managers in the trust I work in who take courses progress quickly however don’t have any actual experience.

*too top

We can admit that the NHS cannot be free at the point of use anymore and move to a model more like Australia/France or Germany for a start. Anyone who thinks Labour will transform things are delusional tbh