to think that the NHS could learn from private helathcare?? (mosschops fantastic experience)

[mosschops30]

I know people will say its about money ....BUT ....

after being butchered by the NHS, by being subjected to what amounts to abuse by some power hungry midwife and being constantly ignored by people, but getting PTSD and having therapy and oodles of support from my Gynae I plucked up the courage to have a hysteroscopy and mirena under GA.

Those of you that are familiar with the story will know how hard it was for me to make that decision, and how terrified I was about being a patient again.

So in I went yesterday and it all worked perfectly I was shown to my room, then my nurse introduced herself, my anaesthetist came to see me, explained what he was going to use, I asked if I had to be intubated and he said he could manage my airway if I prefered, which I did (he knew about the PTSD but said he wouldnt mention anything on the day). Then my consultant came to see me, did consent form and then i walked down to theatre with dh, my nurse and theatre nurse (in my robe and slippers provided lol funny to me as an NHS worker).
The anaesthetic was so quick I didnt have time to escape (all part of the plan he told me later), cannula was in and drugs given within 60 seconds I would say. Then I woke up in recovery about half hour later.

Now I know the room was clean, and I had my own bathroon, the menu and food was lovely, I loved the flat screen tv and robe and slippers.

But most of all I liked that everyone did what they said they were going to do, no one had forgotten how scared I was, no one questioned why dh was there with me, my nurse was constantly checking my pain levels and had no problems in getting drugs signed and administered within minutes. It was all stuff that should be done all the time by every hospital.
Every member of staff who looked after me yesterday played a huge part in my recovery (mentally and physically) they have restored my faith in the medical and nursing professions.

It was perfect

What could they learn? Hmm...well bigger budgets, patients who are more invested in their own care and who value it because they have directly paid for it, fewer tricky illnesses, higher staffing levels. Yes, you are right! It might work by george

Glad it went well for you

I don't think the NHS can learn from the private sector. I think they are well aware of what the private sector can offer patients but due to financial and staffing restraints it's just not possible to achieve such high standards. It should be but it's not.

As for a better professional level of care I wouldn't agree. In my younger nursing days I used to do the odd shift in the local private hospital and was shocked at the lack of knowledge/experience of the nursing staff on the wards.

Having said that the rooms were like hotel rooms and the staff were very well looked after, full breaks and a cooked meal - very nice!

Glad it went well though Mosschops, must be a relief for you

And just have to mention my dad who has had private health insurance all his working life but had to fall back on the NHS for his heart op last year. Couldn't fault it! Not one bit. I guess it's luck of the draw.

While I agree that some of the service is down to money, much of the OPs experience is down to communication and treating the patient as a client, rather than an inconvenience. Don't get me wrong, I have had years of experiences with the NHS, both good and bad, but, as a vet, I am often amazed by the lack of communication that goes on with patients and their relatives within the NHS- surely that is something that could be improved on?

Many many times over the years my mum was in and out of hospital while she was alive I have had cause to think that had the doctor/ nurse/ healthcare worker brought a hamster to my surgery they would have been treated more courteously and sympathetically (and often more thoroughly!)

Im well aware of that brux i work in an NHS ITU.

Im not sure this thread is quite what I expected, as I said I just wanted everyone to know it went well and I was ok.

I still believe that the basics of communicating with each other and patients can make a better experience for everyone.

I do think that my poor experience has made me a better nurse, I am obsessed with pain relief and just try to do everything I can for those 12 hours Im in work.

Its not about paperwork or all that crap, its about basic human needs, and yesterday all mine were met, and to me that was very important

The private patient I see coming through my NHS diagnostic service (out of hours, I should add!) are, by and large, being royally screwed by their consultants who are extracting every brass razoo from those patients. The number of completely superfluous and unnecessary tests they run would make you eyes water.

Can I suggest you write that to a manager somewhere? (Lives in vain hope that something will get through to the powers that be that paperwork is taking over my life)

oooh mosschops i work in an nhs ICU!!!!!
OOoh can i ask you some stuff about the kit you use??

EXCITED!!!!

You've posted in AIBU about how the NHS is worse than private healthcare. How did you expect it to go?

Yes you're right, communication and politeness costs nothing!

But do you think morale is just so low it's hard to get staff to achieve this? Genuine question, I haven't nursed for 7 years (think of doing my return to practice course) but friends have told me how bad it is locally.

No, mosschops, Q:'as I said I just wanted everyone to know it went well and I was ok' isn't what you titled your OP, it was:

'AIBU to think that the NHS could learn from private helathcare?? (mosschops fantastic experience)'

That's what we're responding to. We're all obviously glad your experience went well, but to deduce from that that private:good nhs:bad is disingenuous in the extreme.

broke you can ask, but I cant promise to know anything

nellie there are far too many managers in the NHS, nothing ever gets done, it would be a waste of my time.
On the other hand I rang the private hospital today to ask who I write to about my care and was put straight through to the director of nursing services as if that would happen in the NHS?

started a seperate thread if thats ok

The director of nursing in an NHS hospital would be far too busy as they don't get to hand select their clientele, mosschops.

mosschops haven't read the whole thread yet but totally agree that it is often (not always) down to good communication which is pretty cheap to achieve. I have had ONE doctor treating me, over the course of many illnesses and hospital stays, really well - he waa very clear about what was being done, why, when it would happen, side effects, offered me the chance to ask questions, understood my fears and so on. He worked in the same hospital with many, many other staff who were utterly shit at this. So it's not always about material resources - important though they are - it's often about paying attention to how you communicate and thinking of your patients as people with feelings and fears and a life of their own. There is no reason why NHS staff can't do this. I am a huge supporter of the NHS, which has saved my life, but I would really like to see it do better at communication.

Er where did I say one was good and the other bad, both have their good point and both have bad points.
For example NHS care at the point of emergency is excellent and we are lucky to have it.

What I was trying to get across was the point that communication between staff and patients is very important to all concerned, it doesnt cost anything, so yes the NHS could learn from that.
Now as I said I dont wish to argue about it, I know this is AIBU but really please dont take it to the extreme, because Im not that bothered. I can see that ampere and brux are going for the 'dog with bone' AIBU approach so maybe you ladeez could fight together, Im too tired

moschops...come and talk to me on other moschops thread pleeeease...

Mosschops, really glad for you.

I think the point that communication is free is a bit silly though.

In the situation you describe, everyone knew everything about your situation and planned sensitively in relation to that knowledge e.g. your file had been perused, you had probably been discussed in a multi-disciplinary etc all at the right time, ahead of your admission etc.

In the NHS, simple things like having the time to do a proper handover,conduct a proper and sensitive case history or read notes which are crucial to patient care are often at a premium due to time constraints.

Within an NHS context, I have worked within clinic with a caseload of 200 where 60 was recommended, and in settings where my work was commissioned where I had a caseload of less than 20. I am the same person with the same skills in both situations yet I have no doubt there are people who have cursed my incompetence and/or insensitivity on the larger caseload because of missing details on referrals that would have made for a more personal service or because I missed sending out a report or cut and paste recommendations. In the commissioned setting, it's all "Thank You" cards and boxes of Roses.

Communication costs too, it's just not as obvious.

Glad to see this post Moss. I have followed your story in a non stalkerish way

I hear you mosschops!
I am forever in debt to the NHS they have saved ds2's life on more than one occasion and i am naturally very grateful it exists.
However communication often (particularly in adult care) is not good. DH was taken suddenly very seriously I'll at the end of last year and I was amazed at the difference in care.

I won't go into details but I spent alot of time with the matron on the day if his discharge explaining how poor we felt the communication was.

I followed your story when you had your baby and am very pleased that all went to planfor you.

"While I agree that some of the service is down to money, much of the OPs experience is down to communication and treating the patient as a client, rather than an inconvenience"

But jooley communication, takes time which ultimately costs money.

I am sure there are some bastard NHS nurses/drs but I expect the majority are simply overworked. They cannot explain a procedure in detail if they have one minute to do it before they have to deal with the next person/issue.

I've always had fantastic treatment and communication on the NHS (and would be pretty horrified if they were spending money on flash TVs). I think if you added in emergency treatments and a priority system based on need, the private hospitals would struggle as well.

What can the NHS learn - that it would be nice to have a bit more time and money; that well people having planned procedures have better experiences than emergencies? You say communication but aren't comparing two similar sets of circumstance, so it is meaningless and quite unpleasant.

YANBU to be glad you had a nice experience, YABU to think you can draw any sensible conclusions from it.

arses that about my situation being discussed is not right. The admission nurse only flagged it up on my admission form, and then spoke to the anaesthetist, who then agreed dh could be present, I imagine the anes briefed the theatre staff on the morning.
It certainly wasnt important enough to be discussed in an MDM

As a bank worker having worked on nhs and private wards...I can add that many patients receive WORSE care than in the NHS...exactly why I'm not sure but after several discussions with consultants with PP and NHS patients, they also confirm this.
Besides the TV, nice food (with a doiley!!), private room, you are entitled to see your consultant in every appointment...but otherwise the standard of care doesn't differ.
I agree with another poster about staff being attracted to the money, however I know that places like BUPA pay less to nurses than NHS.
I think the NHS is better regulated too.
You get excellent staff in private wards and nhs wards...I think the main problem is down to staff morale and inadequate training in NHS.