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'm not sure how bank staff works these days but if the NHS could create its own "agency" for bank staff it could likely cut out a load of the fees it pays to agencies for temporary staff. I seem to remember working in it years ago and a lot of money went to third parties for this kind of thing.

That’s not going to help anyone who is waiting to be assessed fir cancer, the THIN guy down the road who needs a hip replacement or me with a cardiac issue.
Not everything is down to lifestyle.
And even when it is, the And you are deciding to change your life completely, you’re not going to undo years of less ‘healthy’ behaviour in a few months.

It's absolutely nothing to do with any political party - that is just naive. It is a 1940s system that's been out of date for decades but, sadly, the population treat it like a religion so it has never had the necessary reform. It needs a proper, professional structure and a sensible insurance system to fund it. Just chucking money at the current structure would be an utter waste.

The NHS had its own agency.
Tge government t sold it to a private company and they now use the same agency staff but charge the government twice as much.

And then we are told there user enough money… yep, that’s because THEY CHOSE to increase the cost and multiply it by 2 or 3…..

@FedUpWithTheNHS

My mother in law gets prescription paracetamol, I've said to her several times just to buy it when she gets frustrated when her prescription isn't ready but she won't because she feels entitled to it on the nhs. She's had prescription paracetamol for the last 20 years.

My father in law is the same, he is prescribed aspirin which is readily available to buy yet they continue to get it from the nhs when there's no need.

Im not bashing GPs at all just making the point that by not prescribing readily available and affordable pain relief can relieve the nhs of £64M a year to go to other services.

The government are absolutely accountable for the state the nhs is in.

You need a government to support it

But if half the funding is going to support self inflicted illnesses and time wasters that's a lot of resource that could be freed up

( note that whilst it's rare that any specific persons illness can be fully attributed to their choices, at a population level the effect can be huge )

@Hbh17 looking at other EU countries, they seem to manage quite well….
Why can’t we do the same?

Plus, as I said, if there was a private sector, you could argue that we should all go down private insurance like in the US.
But we dint have a private healthcare system. We cannot see and treat all the patients that need to be seen.

That means people die. Or are left disabled, in pain etc….

@FedUpWithTheNHS oh that's terrible. hate the bloody tories!

Tbh the NHS killer was COVID. But apparently something else happened during that time, which was the people who are the worries well or use the NHS for social purposes literally disappeared. The malingerers stayed at home.

Care is hard to access. It's time to charge for GP appointments and non emergency A&E admission.

I think other European countries all do different things, including types of insurance that are very different to the us system ( wheee yes people die of easily cured problems )

Pay a little more
They tend to be less overweight
They may have a charge for turning up

Much more regulation on private health service

You're right OP in that it doesn't matter whether the government invests in the NHS or whether it's moved to a private model where the public puts that investment in themselves - it will take decades to filter through to better / newer infrastructure (buildings, better IT, more equipment, more beds), new recruits having gone through their training and been supported to thrive, patient backlogs to be worked through before starting services as they should be, other people looking at the NHS as a viable career rather than avoiding etc etc.

The public need to understand there is no quick fix. This was decades in the making and will take decades to improve once someone starts doing something. Private or not.

In the meantime - prioritise looking after your health.

Where would you take a broken finger? Surely that is A&E?

Uk 18% lower spend per head of population than eu average ?

Finger NAIL

We need to pay more tax however that burden needs to be spread much wider eg not so weighted on income. Older people are going to have to use their housing wealth (if they have it) for care in the home not just outside. I

Ah, I misread! Sorry!

It is scary but I don't know what's to be done 😕

I’ve had my surgery appointment cancelled 9 times now.

My MIL had 13 cancellations of her brain tumour op after months of misdiagnosis.

My autistic brother had to wait 8 hours for an ambulance transfer because I wasn’t allowed to take him ten minutes in the car.

Perhaps it’s time to face the fact that it DOES need privatising because it isn’t fit for purpose and hasn’t been for quite some time.

Yes, sorry! I misread! Feel silly now. Apologies.

And they have many more doctors and hospital beds per 10.000 person than we do…..

The NHS bill for paracetamol is mainly for IV paracetamol used in hospital.
Prescribed paracetamol ( in England) tablets are mainly for patients with chronic pain, often with mobility problems, who cannot manage the very strict rules on the purchase of more than one small packet at a time.
What would make a difference would be a move to the European system which would mean everyone paying a little bit more based on their income ( but nobody wants to pay), reducing the amount of waste, improving the expensive procurement system. The PFI arrangement costs a fortune and the debts won't be paid until the buildings are falling down.
There ought to be some sort of agreement that staff work for a period of time in the NHS before going off to Canada or Australia. Not thst I blame them, but we need the people we have trained here to stay for a bit.

Pay a little more - how much I wonder would it take
Better health
A small charge

Could help although seems hard to do those things

Reduce the load
Lose weight
Exercise
Don't drink much
Drive carefully
Stop smoking
Self manage your conditions when able
Visit your pharmacist
Look after your mental health

Realistically you can't tackle the above without looking at socio economic factors, after all plenty of NHS workers who are overweight, drink too much, mental health issues, etc.

Because they pay more. The NHS needs a reform and tbh people need to pay more towards it.

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.

I'm fine with this but we have an ageing population & many of them just will go for this.