Can we rely on the nhs anymore?

[Nc4post99]

I was reading a thread about a poor lady who’s been diagnosed with pancreatic and liver cancer, she’d been fobbed off with something for a long time before her diagnosis, got diagnosed in May and still nothing has been done.

there was another thread about a woman’s sister a while ago who was deathly ill losing weight and not taken seriously, i think in the end it was late stage cancer.

I was reading that our healthcare system is one of the worst now in developed nations. It’s such a sorry state of affairs. And 40k excess deaths last year. The GPs at my surgery have all lost their licences to ‘gross malpractice’ for sitting on referrals, refusing appointments. I know they are probably an outlier but all in all it’s just a really concerning picture

Then there is social care, with an older mother and a parent myself I find these things on my mind. I’m quite worried about what the future brings, things being missed, misdiagnosed, waiting lists. I’m genuinely worried one of us gets ill, needs the health service and it’s just not there the way it needs to be.

It's a postcode lottery and it shouldn't be. Between myself, siblings and parents we are all registered with 4 different practices in our area. All exceptional. All extremely on the ball with referrals. The hospital outpatients is doing all it can to meet demand and from what I can see our health and social care services here are extremely well merged.

Move to the next county (which for one of us is just 3 streets away!) and the story is completely different and more in line with the headline grabbing appalling picture the daily mail paints.

How can one county get it so right and another so wrong? Fwiw we live in the more densely populated county with more pockets or deprivation.

Completely agree with this. Yes parts of the NHS are in dire trouble, however it's also true that large numbers of people in this country take zero responsibility for their personal health and wellbeing. Partly I think because the welfare state has always been there to catch them if they fall. Sadly this is no longer the case.

To be honest, I don’t know but money will need to come from somewhere.

Everything from buildings to staff needs full investment.

Paying for medical appointments isn’t a new thing. You pay in Australia as an example. How that works, I don’t know. As I say, just because it’s free at the moment doesn’t mean it should continue that way.

I also think there needs to be something in place to deter those using the likes of A&E or ambulances when their issue clearly isn’t an emergency.

I do even with private healthcare through work

Recent CT scan from same day GP, no waiting scan and quick results

Only used private a couple of times in a two decades, it’s just easier to use NHS

My GP practice is excellent. I've had some gynae and gastric issues and each time I've been referred without question and I've been seen quickly. In fact when I went about my gastric issue I was seen by the nurse practitioner who referred under the 2 week pathway and she actually told me she was doing it this way otherwise I'd have to wait 50 weeks.

My treatment was prompt and luckily everything was ok. Had some polyps removed and had to go back another one removed by the surgeon and I only had to wait a few weeks.

i always come here for answers and now I need answers from other mums. 2 years ago I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Prior to being diagnosed I went to my GP 14 times and was given 5 courses of antibiotics, several ointments for my skin (one of the symptoms of cancer). Was told my chest was clear and for 6 months kept being told covid. I had a cough for 8 weeks and again was told covid. Breathlessness, fatigue, weight loss it was all there.
fast forward to me going to another trust I got the diagnosis. Over last 2 years I’ve had treatment chemotherapy and radiotherapy and a whole load of anxiety. I have twin girls 3 years olds and I’ve missed so much with them. Mentally I am drained and so uncomfortable with the new me.
my question is do I sue for their negligence? Their lack of care and misdiagnosing me led to the cancer progressing? Not once have the surgery checked to see if I was ok- just passed the buck. What would you do?

@Elara1989 My husband's experience was similar to yours I understand everything you say and I have been left with very little faith in the local GP and hospitals. You might get more responses and help if you start a new thread rather than post on this old one.

I've had the same, fibbed off, lost referrals, discharged being told to take paracetamol. Shocking. Complaining to PALS gets you nowhere.