Is there a way the public can influence improvements to the NHS?

[CantFindTheBeat]

Outside of voting at a general election and trusting in the next party to make changes?

The number of horrific posts about serious implications of understaffing/poor management, the experience almost all A&E attendees have of massively long waits and unacceptable facilities.

Is there actually anything the general public can do to band together and say 'enough is enough' ?

Doing more exercise, not missing appointments and being polite to staff when we use the NHS would probably help

Get healthier

Before the inevitable- meaning general population health isn’t great. A lot of it could be better

Leaving more capacity for that which can’t change

No idea about that but this has just reminded me of a patient who re-writes every letter she gets from the hospital and sends it back to us.

They're written in old style English and certainly do not pass the “could a ten year old read and understand this” missive. We get suggestions from her at least once a month

Get healthier, ask pharmacists if it's something minor, don't use the scarce resources unless it's essential, make sure you let GP's / hospitals know if you need to cancel an appointment rather than just not turn up

I was thinking about a more immediate call to improve acute services, to be honest.

You might like to contact your local hospital and see if you could fundraise for a vital piece of equipment.

Attend your appointments, and if you can't make it cancel them so someone else can be booked in.

Use the NHS.uk website's advice which will give you details of what service is appropriate for your current situation.

Take the medication you have been given - the full course unless you think it is making you unwell. If you think it is contact your pharmacist/GP/111 to discuss this rather than just stopping it.

Learn first aid - there are excellent resources for all ages on St John's ambulance website.

Do your physio exercises - they can only make a difference if you do them regularly.

Treat HCP staff with respect - no they are not all perfect, but they are not your staff and their job is not to give you whatever you want. It is to provide appropriate resources to individuals who have clinical need of them.

Make sure you are healthy and exercising, have a good BMI. See a pharmacist for things, listen and do the advice given.
Not everyone needs a GP appointment, an and e attendance for things.
Turn up to appointments, assist staff with being in appropriate clothing, paperwork ready etc.

Be less fat, exercise more, stop smoking and drink minimally.

I agree...the population needs to get healthier.

I think it's unrealistic to expect a world class service for everyone, every time, from the NHS, when we all know there are people who are in every 2 minutes for this and that but don't look after themselves.

Volunteer- join trust boards if you have the skills or patient representation bodies. Or stand as a local councillor.
There just isn’t enough money - these boards help determine local priorities.

As you age, do more weight bearing and balancing exercises.

Eat well.

When voting you need to accept two things - imorovement takes money, monney we will all have to pay. Reform is desperately needed, the NHS is a service not some sort of sacred relic.

Take accountability for medications, especially those on repeat. I have frequent medicine changes and always ensure I cancel right away those I am no longer required to take or may have too much of in the house already (anti-nausea for example).

Say 'thank you' - being polite goes a long way. Staff already know how long the waits are, what services has been cut and how hard it is to refer on. Shouting at them won't help.

Challenge the 'our NHS' and 'it's free' narrative, especially by politicians. It's a service, not a relic, it needs to work in practice not in theory.

Demand better coordination of public and private services - like it or not, it's already happening, we may as well demand to be informed openly about the choices.

Take responsibility for your health, don't expect others to do that for you. Stop smoking. Move.

Stop going to A&E for a broken finger nail
Lose weight
Exercise

Please attend GP /Nurse appointments or cancel them when you receive the reminder. We tend to have over 100 DNAs per month. Ridiculous.

Pressure on MP's. By writing to them
People underestimate how much of an impact this can have.
They can claim the public don't care enough if they never hear from them. But it's very difficult to stand for election and claim NHS funding isn't a major concern if you are receiving hundreds of letters from your constituency saying that it is.

I don't understand why we don't have marches to demand funding for better public services. Like the french do. Everyone here is so resigned and individualistic, it's depressing.

Agree.

You need to look at political activism. Write to MP. Organise marches. Create your own political party, you won’t win but look at what UKIP managed to achieve my getting into the media.

Agree. The Tories have successfully done a number on so many of the public though. They’ve convinced people that good public services are unaffordable and that we shouldn’t expect them. You read that sort of crap on mumsnet all the time.

OP the suggestion of trying to get on a local health service board is a good idea, occasionally they advertise.

Be proactive. There is a consultation near me about changes to maternity care and children's surgery ie. closures. Respond to those to share your thoughts, sign petitions to prevent closures rather than just moaning.
Agree with contacting your MP, if people contact them then they realise what actually matters to their constituents.
I gave my patient story to a meetingbof senior nurses at my local hospital. I was told to say what went well and what needed improving regarding nursing care. I was honest (most was great) but I had an apology from the ward manager where I had an issue and he told me what he was doing to improve things.
There are trust board meetings where they have patient stories (the good, the bad and the ugly).
Again GP surgeries often have patient groups.
I realise these are only one place but the more voices the better.

Protests? Marches?

Be more French. There’s too much apathy we just put up with bad government and expect it to change.

Perhaps you are right. I don't believe we can 'save' the system, so I may come across as depressing. I see it as realistic though. It needs tackled from multiple angles - increase funding, reduce demand, restructure, use resources already in place incl. private sector. Pressure from the public is only one part of it.