NHS is absolutely appalling and I’m paying for this

[Dumbleyellowdore]

I know it’s been done to death but I need a rant.

My DS is 12 and every time he gets even a slight cold or cough he gets a hacking cough which lasts weeks and keeps him awake all night. It is so bad he coughs in his sleep. He literally coughs 24/7 and is exhausted.

This has been going on for 18 months. He caught a cold off his sister at the beginning of the month and has been coughing ever since. He’s had to take time off school and I’m worried about his attendance.

Over the last 18 months I have done econsult after econsult and only get telephone appointments for him and the doctors say he needs a full asthma assessment. The problem is there are no appointments. We have to books months ahead (only 1 nurse does it) and typically when the appointment comes round he doesn’t have a cough. Last time the nurse said there’s no point coming unless he has the cough. Come back when he has one.

I did an econsult last week saying he has the cough please can we see the asthma nurse so she can do the tests. I had a text back with an appointment. We turned up but it was with a paramedic who said he doesn’t do asthma tests and to book with the asthma nurse! What a waste of time.

I rang the doctors and explained what had happened. Said DS has the cough and can he please see the asthma nurse. Was told next appointment in February.

What sort of broken system is this? I am so sick of being forced to pay into this system every month from my pay and I can’t even get my son the appointment he needs. It’s disgusting.

I just don’t know what to do any more. I work with doctors and they have said it sounds like DS needs an inhaler which needs to be prescribed. They have told me a GP can prescribe this and it doesn’t have to be an asthma nurse. Unfortunately the doctors I work with are not GPS so they can’t help.

After another night of none of us getting any sleep due to the constant coughing I just don’t know what to do.

You're making my point for me. As I said there are fair and socially equitable single payer insurance systems - the Netherlands, France, Australia - which don't let poor people bleed to death in the street. Why does the conversation always have to boil down to "Oh don't like the NHS do you? Do you want die of cancer like in the USA???" Other systems are available and by polarising the conversation this way, we are only more likely to end up with a US style system.

We subsidise a private system (GP practices) as a taxpayer. GPs are the gatekeepers of other NHS services. We have no choice about this system. We cannot opt out of it. Even if we can afford private GPs we still have to pay for the private GPs that front as an 'NHS' service. It's the worst of both worlds.

Why shouldn't voters contribute to a debate about what can and can't be funded (I'm not talking about specific protocols that need medical expertise) by a public health system? Why can't some treatments be paid for at the point of use and others fully funded? It's quite a paternalistic attitude that 'doctor knows best'.

@Dumbleyellowdore take care with the “average range” readings for the peak flow meter.
My son has asthma, characterised by coughs with every cold especially throughout winter.

Now he uses a preventer, the asthma is well managed so he never needs the reliever.
BUT his peak flow readings when he’s unmedicated and having an asthma cough/cold are in the “normal range”, which could make you think he doesn’t have asthma.

Except when you take the peak flow reading when he’s in good health his peak flow reading is high.
In other words, what’s important is how his readings fluctuate.

And so far as I know the retest of whether it’s asthma is if using a preventer for some time (a few months?) improves symptoms.

Genuine question for you. If a child had been given a dreadful diet by their parents so they were morbidly obese, and had also never exercised, would you take away their care? Or would you care for them until they were 17 and the following day take the care away from them because they were now an adult? At what point does this kick in?

Would you need proof of exercise three times a week? What if you had other problems that limited your mobility and as a result you were struggling to exercise and lose weight? Would you be penalised for being obese in that instance?

What if you WERE exercising regularly but your regular exercise led to sports related injuries. Are you then treated or not as it’s still self inflicted? How do you unpick these things to decide who is worthy of care?

You can’t unpick it @Tiredalwaystired - and that’s the problem. Too many people don’t look after their own health and feel no responsibility to the NHS because it’s always there to pick up the pieces and it’s free at the point of need.

I get it. It's frustrating.

I had an appointment today with a consultant. I'd waited months for this. He said so your referral says x y z. Asked me all the info that was in the referral and said I need some tests done first thing so will refer me for that and there is a waiting list.

What a ficking waste of everyone's time. He had all the information already should have referred me for the tests without wasting a constant appointment.

On a separate/connected issue I had a test that shows significant issues. I don't get to discuss these results or get referral for treatment till I see the consultant for that issue. 9 months wait for an urgent referral. I wondering how much of that consultants time is wasted on stupid appointments. First time I saw her was the same thing she discussed the referral said I need MRI and stuck me on the waiting list for that.

My father just died of cancer. In his last couple weeks he was in and out of hospital a few times. Each time he had CT/MRI scans looking for/at the cancer because they didn't have the previous scan available. People are waiting months and months for these scans but he has 6 in the space of 2 weeks because they can't find the last scan and as he's got cancer he jumps the que.

So many stupid ways money is wasted.

If I get much sicker I will never work again. Possibly need carers. I've got a degenerative condition that can't be cured but with prompt treatment it can be slowed. If I'd been dealt with promptly I'd be ok ish- because I'm not I could end up costing tax payer to support me and fund care for years and years.

I really really feel for you. Firstly pls try and go private if you can afford it - don’t wait it’s been going on too long. I’ve had numerous bad NHS experiences - I’ve had to shift my whole mindset about it all as it was just so hard. My new mindset is that essentially we have a 3rd world healthcare system and unless it’s heart attack / cancer etc there is pretty much no chance getting a decent healthcare experience. It sounds dramatic but I no longer believe they will save me if I’m sick. Essentially I live life like the NHS doesn’t exist apart from an absolute critical emergency. It’s so bad that I’m tempted to move back to Australia as it’s such a worry. God bless you and keep your little one wrapped up. IF he’s old enough try tiger balm really a magic stuff x