NHS in a state

[Feellikescrooge]

My DF is in his mid 80's and my DM died in April and my DB died suddenly ( road traffic accident) in October. Two weeks ago he went to his GP feeling very unwell. She called an ambulance and sent him to hospital they sent him home late that night, the first I knew was a call from my DF in a taxi because he didn't have enough cash, I had only left him an hour before.

Next morning he attends his regular dialysis appointment and the staff there are so concerned they call for medical backup and he is transferred to A and E at the end of the session. Again he is sent home in the middle of the night without my sister or I being contacted.

The following day I call in at about 10 am and find him on the floor unable to get up, a man who a week before was walking 4 miles plus a day with his dog. Again he was admitted and this time he was kept in. Last Thursday he had a heart attack and was transferred to the CCU. Yesterday he was sent home, when I got there I said to the nurse he did not seem well enough and she shrugged and said that beds were being cleared for Christmas.

I insisted Dad stayed with me and heard him calling at 3am terribly poorly. He was blue lighted to hospital and is now in Intensive Care having been given the Last Rites. I know they are under pressure, my DH was a GP, but surely there is something dreadfully wrong if people as sick as my Dad are being continually sent home.

The NHS spends millions each year on the 5 a day campaign, but is unable to give 5 portions of fruit and veg to patients in hospital. Is that not the height of hypocrisy?

I'm not 100% sure the NHS funded that campaign. However meals in hospitals aren't up to standard at all. Good nutrition is imperative to recovery yet many hospitals don't provide good enough food.

I do agree with elephantspoo regarding prescriptions.
I saw a clearly wealthy looking woman in the chemist today with a child and a prescription for some excema cream. The pharmacist walked over to the shop floor shelves and selected the cream. It would have cost the women £2.99 (I looked) to buy the cream herself. But no, ten mins of drs time, plus receptionist time, plus overheads, plus boots staff time plus the £7 (?) cost to the nhs fir a prescription, and that's what £100 of nhs money wasted to save yourself £2.99. And, all because you can. And, people are doing this all the time. I expect many people on this thread do this. Come on everyone, do your bit if you can!

GraysAnalogy - Last umpteen posts. Wow, all of a sudden were the ones having a sensible discussion it seems. The 5 a day thing carries the NHS banner here in Scotland, but who knows. Certainly there is no way of getting nutrition into a hospital patient. They even publish literature telling you that you cannot bring them in food except sandwiches, sweets and cakes.

elephants

I do see a lot from Department of Health and I've tried to have a look but can't find anything at the minute. It certainly is something that needs to change, but yet again it's an issue of money.

I had to have a soft diet for 6 months when I was in hospital and I was fed the same nearly every day. It's surprising how soul destroying that was! Was almost tempted to get my own food mixer and shove a roast in there.

Have spend a lot of time in hospital of late (not me clearly) and likely to spend a lot of time in hospital going forward. The neglect of patients is disgusting. The fear instilled in patients by staff when they are helpless and immobile in a bed and don't have someone they trust to protect them is soul destroying. I can honestly say that technically all involved are proficient and trying to do the best job they can, but I cannot honestly say they care. They do not have the time or interest, yet they will happily congregate at their watering hole for hours on end and leave their patients to fester.

Reading ather similar thread, neglect by staff does not seem to be an uncommon criticism levied against clinicians.

ATM I have nothing better to do than sit in a hospital 8-10 hours a day watching the staff. It is easy to criticise when a patient ask for pain relief and it arrives 12 hours later.

There is a lot of game playing going on at our local hospital (Derby). Recently, I was in children's A and E with my son who had an eye injury and we waited the whole afternoon to be seen whilst a group of doctors and nurses chatted at the nurses station just outside of the waiting area. We think they made everyone wait deliberately as they wanted to dissuade people from coming back. Magically, you get seen just before the 4 hour target period is up.

In the spring I was sent to A and E by my GP (suspected fracture). When I got there the receptionist had a go at me because she said the GP should not have sent me, after I pointed out it wasn't my fault as the GP had sent me there she then told me I had a very long wait if I wanted to be seen. There was a sign saying at least a 3 hour wait (note not 4 as that would be in breach of their target time). I got a cup of tea and sat down - couldn't walk anywhere anyway, they saw me within 10 mins as A and E was actually empty - even though the receptionist had said I should go home as they were so busy. It would appear they are systematically trying to get people to go away if they can avoid treating them

It is easy to criticise when a patient ask for pain relief and it arrives 12 hours later

This is another point I agree with you on, something I mentioned in the other thread about bad post-birth experiences.

There seems to be a problem happening in which pain isn't being managed properly. As I said in the other thread, pain shouldn't get to the point where a pt is screaming and unable to deal with it. There's been times when I've been requested to go down to sort out morphine, when I look at the record they haven't had consistent pain medication to keep on top of the pain they're obviously going to be feeling due to their condition. It seems to be a case of wait until they're screaming then sort it. Now I know for a fact doctors, nurses, ODP, prescribers, etc etc are taught that pain management is key but this is another failing. I'm not sure why that is, but it is something I've bollocked people for in the past. Having experienced it myself, when my cannula fell out and no-one on the ward could cannulate so I had to wait hours and hours for pain relief, it's terrible.

Op. As a doctor I am horrified and saddened to read your post. His care has been abysmal.

Well my darling dad died at 1.23am today. He was a brilliant man in every way and contributed enormously to society. I don't in any way blame any of the medical staff who all treated Dad with kindness and professionalism. But reading the posts above I am surprised with the vitriol expressed against staff. However the inescapable truth is that he was badly let down and I cannot help but wonder what the situation would be if he had not been discharged. But I can comfort myself that he died holding my hand and is now with my mother and brother.
I would also like to state here and now that my sister and I would have fought over whom had the privilege of having Dad living/staying with us, the last thing we wanted was not to have dad with us. Sadly that is what happened.

I'm so sorry OP

I'm so sorry for your loss. x

So sorry for your loss OP.
Holding hands is surely a good way to go.

So sorry to hear about your father

I'm so sorry that you have lost your father Feellikescrooge.

for you OP and your loss.

Look after yourself OP, cry when you need to and smile at the good memories when you can

so sorry for your loss.

So sorry to hear that. My sincere condolences

So so sorry.

So sorry to read that you have lost your dad x

So very sorry for you x

So sorry for the loss of your father. My deepest sympathies to you and your family. x

So sorry to hear that. Take care of yourself.

Sorry for your loss