Has anyone else noticed an improvement in the NHS recently?

[Hyroplate]

I know it's slow progress, baby steps etc but my most recent experiences are vastly improved from say, 4 years ago.

Then I would be on the phone for hours trying to get an appointment or a repeat prescription.

Now I send an electronic request and they come back to me same day, the one I just sent was literally within minutes.

Then, it wasn't unusual to be offered an appointment 6 weeks away, now it's within days.

I had blood tests yesterday. The appointment was 3 days after the GP appointment that requested it and the results are already on the App. The surgery has already been in touch re follow up.

I also need a non urgent Utrasound. It's been booked for less than 2 weeks after the GP appontment. I already have an appointment to discuss the results as week later.

My Dad had a hip replacement, 4 days after the consultant said it was required.

DP has just found an NHS dentist after being without for a decade or more.

Thankfully I don't use the NHS that much, but my recent experience seems much improved.

Personally I’ve had a positive experience this year. I got in touch with my gp with some problems “downstairs “, and had an appointment for a transvaginal ultrasound literally a few months later and had the results back in days. I’ve also requested repeat prescriptions and they’ve been ready within 24 hours (but not always). On the negative side, my sister had a stroke 12 months ago, and the consultant dilly dallied for about 12 hours from when she had the stroke to blue lighting her to the QE to remove the clot. They insisted she was having a seizure and had she been drinking. She doesn’t drink and they didn’t seem to take my BIL’s word for it that she hadn’t been. However my dad had a stroke the week before last and is in Worcester Royal. We’re very pleased with the care he is receiving there. But my sister said that despite the delay in having the operation to remove the clot, the hospital staff and treatment were excellent. Maybe its swings and roundabouts.

Still shite here (NW).

Nope. My dad fell and broke his leg. He lay on the floor for 5 hours, waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

Then he had to wait 10 days for the hospital to find a surgeon who would carry out the surgery he needed.

He’s been in hospital for nearly six weeks due to a series of infections.

Our concerns have been ignored/not acted on, on two separate occasions by two different nurses. One subsequent infection nearly resulted in losing dad. 😥

There appears to be only a skeleton staff at weekends meaning that it takes days to get blood tests back, and therefore antibiotics are delayed.

It’s been truly awful.

Some nurses and Drs have been wonderful, but sadly, they’re understaffed meaning that they end up being reactive, rather than pro-active.

Yes ! I have had GI , ENT and MSK referrals all done within 6 weeks. The fastest in years !
South east not London

I was thinking about starting a thread asking about this

Its easier to get an appointment than it was in 2019/2021/2022 when id call 100 times waiting for the call to connect

Prescriptions are easier to sort

That said, I am having a nightmare with an adhd referral so 🤷

I am in London though, won't be the same for everyone!

I live in Scotland too and agree it’s horrendous, biggest city Glasgow phoned this week for ambulance for very unwell very frail elderly Dad told no you can’t phone directly for ambulance you must go through GP they then prioritise who needs it !
Then GP told me it would be at least a 4 or 5 hour wait for an ambulance and that he would probably be in a corridor or stuck in an ambulance waiting to actually even get in to A and E for couple of hours , it’s terrible and getting worse all the time,

OMG @awaynboilyurheid that's insane.
I'm not suprised though, I'm not a million miles away from Glasgow, and my Consultant care is there, and it's getting worse and worse.