AIBU to think this godforsaken country is a shambles?

[Toysintheattic29]

THIS IS WHAT’S ON MY MIND: this country is in shambles. I’ve never seen so many homeless people on the streets; social care services unable to cope with overflowing caseloads; our precious NHS struggling to care for anyone at all (forget it if you have non life-threatening surgical needs or are elderly); train fares continually getting jacked up; rising costs; roads cracking up; broadband speeds laughably slow and the biggest con of all, BREXIT. Even in the austerity of the 1950s things were not as grim as they are now - at least we had a reliable health service and publicly owned transport systems and many members of the public didn’t have to rely on food banks.

Of course those immigrants are the main cause of our problems with the NHS struggling, overcrowded schools, housing shortage etc.
Not true. Much of Scotland doesn’t have nearly the same issues with immigration as England but we have all of these problems too. There are next to no immigrants in my area, but we have issues with schools, GPs and housing too. These things suffer because of a lack of funding, immigration is just a handy excuse for the daily mail et al to blame it on.

"Cote having watched one of my good friends with excellent health insurance spend her dying days filling in forms, writing cheques, and arguing with insurance companies. I take issue with that."

Take what you want. I watched a friend die because NHS wouldn't provide the cancer drug he needed.

I agree that healthcare is expensive and arguably unfair in the US. But it is not at all the same level of care as the NHS. It is far superior - in terms of available medication, technology, access to specialists, etc.

Well, we get what we vote for. I just hope the young people in the country never forgive the Tories.

Again Cote it’s if you have the money and good insurance and travel insurance you will be treated in the private sector

You could get better treatment here for some medical issues if you are willing to and can pay

When my brother in law had an accident within a few days his business is being sold money is being transferred this all had to be done while the family were dealing with him having a life changing accident becuase his insurance wouldn’t cover everything and they will get everything they can from you. They couldn’t understand why I was so shocked by this it wasn’t shocking to them

And if you haven’t got insurance you get appalling medical treatment

People are leaving the UK already. Worried about Corbyn getting in.

I just hope the young people in the country never forgive the Tories.

Or labour who sent us bust in the first place.

Or the older generation who gave them Brexit

Or the baby boomers who spent their future.

The younger generations have been screwed by many people. We can only hope they can make a better go of it than previous generations.

"it’s if you have the money and good insurance and travel insurance you will be treated in the private sector"

In the UK, you mean? Still not good enough. Friend who gave birth on private ward had a baby with Hepatitis B because she wasn't sent for any blood tests to check for it during her pregnancy. Every pregnant woman is checked for Hep B here in France, along with rubella antibodies, HIV, toxoplasmosis, and various other diseases.

Another friend in London spent 2 years telling GP and several pediatricians they paid privately (because GO wouldn't refer) that there was something wrong with their DS, only to be told "He is fine, you are paranoid". He turned out to have a serious genetic condition.

Yes, it's great that NHS is free but the healthcare you get is substandard for a 1st world country.

Cote its world class treatment in the US. For a few.

Hope you're in the right camp.

Or labour who sent us bust in the first place

Labour did not cause the banking crisis.

US Medical treatment ..... 101

Medicare pays for the kidney transplant
but will not pay for the essential anti rejection drugs
resulting in the implant failing, the person being back on dialysis
waiting to die young
unable to work

YAY, the land of the Free - Seattle is not exactly a poor city either

..better not forgive the older generation that fought. Many of us, me included, would never have been born if it had turned out differently.

Ageism is disgusting. And swallowing guesses about who voted what in the referendum is plain stupid.

How can you say this country is not a shambles when you have disabled people killing themselves because their benefits are cut.

I just hope the young people in the country never forgive the Tories.

I remember 1996. When housing was plentiful and affordable, even in London. Wages were high enough for even the low paid to live with dignity in London. The NHS was a health service rather than a management heavy politicised football.

In fact, all the problems with housing, wages and living standards and the growing gap between rich and poor seemed to grow after 1997. Funny that eh?

I am not saying the NHS gives great service all round I am aware it doesn’t I work within the NHS it’s buckling, in some areas treatments are very good in others it lacks. There are always horror stories no matter how good the health service is

But it’s far better than the system in the states

It’s common place to have to take out loans or have payment plans put in place to get treatment that insurance doesn’t cover that we receive free here. No one should have to be thinking about how they are going to pay for quite basic treatment when they have just had an accident or just been diagnosed with cancer it’s adds a terrible strain that is totally unnecessary

And in the US people are given medication that they are not in other countries their pharmaceutical industry is very powerful Americans are very heavily medicated compared to most countries. The costs of my dad’s medication (diabetes and treatment for post prostrate cancer) is eye watering thankfully as he now gets Medicare due to his age it’s no longer a financial worry for him

It seems that problems with the Health care system aren't unique to the UK.
www.irishtimes.com/news/health/nurses-say-2-400-patients-on-hospital-trolleys-over-recent-days-1.3345873

Just been looking at an IG account of refugees. We don't know how lucky we are.

True Dilber. But at the same time, do we want to justify a race to the bottom)

The obviously good thing about the 1950s was Hope. After enduring the war years peace gave people hope for the future. Rationing, shortage of housing, outside toilets, outside wash houses, unemployment, just some of the fantastic rose tinted views of bygone days. Of course as a woman you wouldn't be allowed in a pub unless you went into a separate lounge area, if a single parent well you may as well emigrate to outer Mongolia as you would be treated like dirt by community, fewer state benefits, some jobs you had to leave on marrying as you would be supported by husband. Medical knowledge was pretty poor by comparison, disease was rife due to poor living conditions. Oh yes 1950s were just fantastic.

lessworriedabout
What's even more worrying about the health service problems in Ireland written about in the Irish Times is that our Prime Minister ( Taoiseach) was a Minister for Health but also was a doctor working in Irish hospitals.
He knows all about it.
The problems and the solutions.
The Minister for Health in Ireland now is ( recently) married to a nurse.
He too will know the problems faced by staff.
Why we have such an inefficient health service despite so much money spent on it beats me.
At one stage people were suggesting Michael O' Leary be put in charge of the Irish Health Service but with the ongoing problems in Ryanair many are glad that didn't happen.

Better in the 50's ha ha ha ha ha. It always makes me laugh when people talk about poverty, because it's how you define poverty. In the 50's there was no help if you were homeless, there is now.I used to get dressed in front of a gas oven because there were iceicles on the insides of the windows. Family couldn't afford television, had no phone, had outside toilet. Rationing still in force. Shopped in small local shops, there were no Supermarkets overflowing with food like there are now. Rare to own a car. You were considered rich if you did. Unmarried Mothers forced to give their babies up for adoption because of the 'shame' No contraception, oh yeah sorry, if you were a catholic you used 'the withdrawel method, ha ha. This also carried on through to the 60's . When I first got pregnant in 1963, I was examined by a so called Doctor and given an internal, and I was mortified as I was so innocent. He then treated me like dirt because he thought (wrongly) that I wasn't married.His face was a picture when he realised he was wrong. I know that every generation is guilty of saying "you don't know your born" but it's true, and people like the OP will probably do the same when older. I have also travelled around the world and know without a shadow of a doubt that the UK is one of the best Countries in the world to live, despite all it's problems, that's why every man and his dog want's to live there. So pleeeeeeeeez stop putting your amazing Country down Op, and start focusing on "What you can do for your Country instead of What your Country can do for you"

Go read George Orwell's 'The Road to Wigan Pier' and you soon will be disabused of any notions of utopia in Britain's past

You are lucky.

I'm honestly thankful everyday that I live in 21st century Britain. I have a disability and get the drugs I need to function day to day without having to pay out a penny. I get an income even though I cannot work. When I needed to leave a difficult marriage, I not only had the right, but was given support to do so. I was able to apply for and be offered social housing, and housing benefit means I'm not scared of being made homeless because I can't pay the rent. Where else in the world, or when in history, would that be true?
Yes we absolutely need to stand up for the vulnerable in society, and speak out against inequality, but we need to first remember how fortunate we are.

I think we are very fortunate here

I also think we are extremely lucky to live in the UK, OP why was your one (of 2) posts so bleak? There are pages and pages of discussion here why don't you comment or join in?

ColdTatty