Positive NHS experience

[Pebbles16]

I know so many people report negatively about the NHS. I've had issues in the past but - in an emergency - they have always been excellent in my experience.

Tuesday - outside of surgery I had a BP test. I had three BP tests: all 200 something over 100 something. Advised to go to GP
Wednesday - slightly in denial and "thinking about it"
Thursday - decided to request a GP opinion at 7am, was called at 7.20 - basically get here now!
My absolutely favourite nurse took my BP several times, (plus bloods and urine tests) called in the on call GP, sent me to A&E with a letter.
I was in ambulatory and that was good because you sit in the waiting room and a nurse keeps an eye on you. Got called in for ECG, chest xray and 2 consultations with the doctor (he was not so great).
So that was Thursday and then my GP called me on Friday to check I was okay.

Obviously I have the most ridiculous hypertension but was prescribed medication on the day. Had a follow up appointment today and another booked on Friday.

I know so many people have terrible experiences but just wanted to say that sometimes it really works

I've recently been discharged from hospital. I had a bleeding stomach ulcer that I'd been unaware of (no pain, no indigestion, nothing) until one morning I suddenly vomited "coffee grounds".

The clinical care was excellent. a&E had me in rhesus within an hour of arrival. Camera into stomach arranged and completed within 4 hours, during which they sorted out the bleed. I had another four days in hospital on various drips all handled brilliantly.

The communication however was crap. When ever I asked (and I asked every time) what medication I was being given, the answer was a shrug and "nurse said to give it to you". Despite asking nurse what medication it was I didn't get an answer.

I was told at 9:00am by the consultant I could go home at lunch time, after I'd had an iron infusion.

Great, I texted my adult child who shuffled various meeting around so they could pick me up. We felt 2:30 was safely after lunch. All good.

At 11:30 am I asked if someone could tell me when the infusion would happen. I'm still Waiting a reply.

I've seen the reports in the news of patients being treated in corridors, and wrongly thought the hospital would be only too pleased to get me out of the hospital and free up a bed. I was wrong.

At 3:00, six hours after I'd been told I was good to go, I politely kicked up a fuss.

I eventually got out of the hospital by 5:00pm.

Clinical treatment is score as excellent, communication is score as abysmal.

In my, admittedly minimal, own experience of the NHS, I’ve had nothing but excellent care.

My mother in law has been treated for cancer and her care has been absolutely fantastic.

I’ve also only had excellent experiences with the NHS, predominantly because my GP surgery is fantastic. I’m very grateful, of course, but the real issue is that there is a such a huge variance in the level of care in different parts of the country. I also suspect, although I do not have the date to back this up, that our excellent GP provision (not just my surgery but all the local ones) is because we’re in an affluent area.

I’ve had superb care from the NHS. All the people have been kind and professional. Only one or two fools in my 36 years of using the NHS as an adult. Everyone else was great.

Yes my surgery is fantastic. We are in a mixed area - London: highs and lows. Sitting in the waiting room on Thursday there was a Dad moaning that he had to pay in cash for his son's yellow fever vaccine and had "taken him out of school" and "had no access to cash" (read into that what you will). And then you have people trying to get help with no fixed abode (our surgery gives them a shelter address so they can access the GP rather than clogging up A&E).
My parents in a very rural and affluent area have dreadful GP care which worries me a lot.

It is so annoying when you ask and they don't give answers.
I would refuse to take the medication until you have an explanation. Easier said than done when you feel rubbish.