To have really noticed a decline in nhs

[Lime123]

Before I rant, I know it’s not the fault of drs nurses and other staff that work for nhs. They do a wonderful job under pretty stressful conditions I would imagine.

In the last year I have noticed a real decline in the quality of service offered by nhs. Up until then I had just thought it was “daily mail” type moaning by others. In last 6 months I’ve noticed:

-my miscarriage handled badly, told I needed an Erpc due to gestation BUT that there were limited slots so wait it out and hope I don’t bleed lots. If I did bleed lots rush to A and e.

-an ambulance failing to turn up for a child having breathing problems (was croup but extremely scary!) they were very apologetic but said not enough staff

-I might as well not bother with my gp. You have to call at 8am, get grilled by a receptionist and she will decide if the appointment is urgent enough for same day (in my case a lump) was told not “acute” and can I wait 4 weeks for a “regular gp appointment” if you call st 8:01 or later it’s unlikely you will get an appointment.

-a family member receiving absolutely awful advice on 111 “take paracetamol and rest” unfortunately he later required 2 operations to fix a serious health condition

-a friend having a terrible birth experience due to lack of staff and support (in particular post natal) she ended up discharging herself

There are many more. All I’ve heard are horror stories from friends lately.

I am seriously getting worried for the nhs! I’ve never seen it this bad. It’s only going to get worse surely before it just won’t function anymore.

What do people think will happen? How on earth can it be fixed?

We have a government which is systematically running down the NHS by under funding it and privatising it by stealth. There's a nationwide shortage of 40,000 nurses. Of course it's deteriorating. What's worse it's completely deliberate.

If you don't want it to continue vote for a government with pledges for a huge increase in funding and a commitment to revitalising it. Otherwise it will soon be gone entirely.

I gave birth 11 years ago - Labour government. Total shit show with very poor quality midwives and hvs a there has since been a massive upheaval at the hospital and the trust.
Not sure this is a "blame the Tories " thing.
I used to love the NHS. It feels now like a big mess that we can't get out of.

While I agree there are people who use hospital services inappropriately, there is absolutely no point suggesting they are causing the problem. If fewer people access these services, that will be used as an excuse to cut funding even further. The situation will balance out to be exactly the same, with fewer patients being treated by correspondingly fewer staff.

It would help if we all took greater responsibility for our own health. I'm diabetic and have had to make major lifestyle changes that have massively helped and reduced my levels of medication. I regularly go to my screening appointments, and take my health seriously to avoid future complications. It isn't fun or easy, but I do it. But the diabetic nurse at our surgery said that patients like me are in the minority. Most carry on as they did before and just expect the medication to be a miracle cure. I think the NHS needs to toughen up, and treatment for type 2 diabetes, drug use, alcohol abuse, smoking and general obesity all needs to be charged for if patients don't show evidence of substantial lifestyle changes. Free healthcare is a privilege, not a right and we all need to take better care of the system we have.

I'm in the South East, called the GP surgery with a breast lump (not even before 8am). I was seen that afternoon and had an ultrasound two weeks later.

It was a great experience TBH. I'm sure that staffing quite clearly is an issue but just wanted to say it's not dire service across the board.

I had a heart attack at Christmas - on a Saturday night!

Ambulance was there within 9 minutes, they saved my life.

Dh broke his leg yesterday. Busy a and e, three x rays, one plaster. Home within two hours.
Back today for another one.
I initially read that as DH had broken one leg yesterday, got that sorted, and is going back today because he's broken the other leg!

Treated at a&e and orthopaedics two weeks ago. Absolutely stellar treatment, couldn’t fault it.

Great to hear all the good news stories about the NHS. Sadly, it's getting more and more rare. And, no, I don't mean under the Tories. It's been happening for years. In my 50s, seen and experienced some dreadful stuff. I had to fight to get my dying mum out of one ward recently - she was a tough old boot (ex-nurse) and she was scared of how bad it was.
I really wish the NHS wasn't turned into a political football - it's too serious.
It's the equivalent of the US second amendment stuff - no one dare admit that it's turned into a problem. It's too sacred.

I think a lot depends on the attitudes of the staff. Nearly 16 years ago when NHS was getting a lot of funding I went to one of our local hospitals with bleeding during pregnancy - put in a bay hooked up to a monitoring machine with a (full) pot of someone else's urine on the bedside table next to my nose. Pointed it out to the midwife and she just shrugged - had to ask her twice before she'd move it as I didn't like looking at it. She then took off the blanket covering my nether regions to check me over and put it on a chair I couldn't reach and didn't draw the curtains fully behind her so anyone coming onto the ward could see my foof. Couple in the next cubicle were in for a sweep and told the consultant that they weren't prepared to have the midwife do it as she was so "unsympathetic".

Change of shift and the staff were lovely - made me a cup of coffee and brought me some of their biscuits as I was still stuck tied to the machine and couldn't get up to make one for myself.

On a positive note mental health care has improved significantly in recent years and waiting times have dropped hugely. Compared to 12 years ago I've found it relatively simple and straightforward to get acute treatment

A couple of weeks ago I found a lump in my breast - all fine thankfully. Got a drs appointment that day and 4 days later had a mammogram and ultra sound to rule out cancer. I was very impressed.

I think it is a combination of deliberate underfunding so the private sector can go in a 'rescue' (yeah, right) the NHS, and also, TBH, that we don't live in the world the NHS was designed to cope with.

For a long time everyone honestly assumed we'd just all get healthier and live longer. And yes, we do live longer, but we also have a lot of people living a long chunk of the end of their life in significant frailty and ill-health, and they don't have people available at home (as they would likely have done at the beginnings of the NHS) to look after them. Also more people are surviving who have complex conditions, which is great in itself, but very challenging to cope with. I don't know what the answer is, but it isn't privatising everything, that's for sure.

I think the ‘horror stories’ goes right along with the underfunding. It’s all designed to undermine the NHS and convince us all that it’s beyond hope and what we all need is private medicine paid for by insurance.

Nikephorus

I initially read that as DH had broken one leg yesterday, got that sorted, and is going back today because he's broken the other leg!

It was self inflicted (sports) and I may have mildly threatened to break his other one...

Well I’ve recently had surgery and several procedures before that and quite honestly, it couldn’t have gone better.

The staff were so kind and calming, they were patient and explained everything to me so I knew what was going on and

Sorry, posted too soon.

And the aftercare I’ve received has been top notch.

The NHS is being systematically and deliberately under-funded to make the case for privatisation. They are doing it on purpose and we should all be protesting loudly about it.

^

Voilà

I'm currently pregnant and I'm getting quite a heavy level of intervention and services - I'm high risk and have ongoing health problems. Had major surgery in 2016 and that was fine too. I think my family and I have often had more intensive input, partly because we have quite severe and complex conditions so we've always been under consultants. Yet I hear about other families in the area with similar conditions being refused referrals at all, but from my knowledge of them they are often more mildly affected so that explains it really, it does tend to be the more severe cases that are prioritised.

I think acute care is still pretty good. I had CS in 2007 and 2010 and the care was generally excellent (although the postnatal ward left a lot to be desired). A couple of friends have had breast cancer diagnoses in recent years and their care seems to have been prompt and of a good standard. However if you have a non-life threatening condition then it is another story. I was referred for glaucoma investigations last June after an opticians appointment picked up vision loss. It took 6 months to be seen at a clinic where I was diagnosed with glaucoma and I am still waiting to start treatment (appointment is mid-March) so my vision is continuing to deterioate.

My DM died 11 years ago after multiple complications after surgery. Her care was so concerning that I virtually camped out there for 10 weeks before she finally succumbed to MRSA. I was traumatised watching her suffer so horrifically and I still have flashbacks to some of the worst incidents now.

I had an overnight stay last November for a minor op
And the care was excellent. Same Trust. The staff were kind, attentive and were really on the ball with the 2 other ladies in my bay who had had major surgery. The cleanliness was good on the ward and I couldn’t fault any aspect of my short stay. I had been almost phobic about having to stay in hospital after what happened to my DM but it was nothing like the horrors I was worried about. My outpatient care has involved long waits and it’s taken far longer to get an accurate diagnosis then is reasonable though

DM collapsed in September. She was in bed and couldn't move so I called an ambulance. They were there really quickly and the paramedics were lovely with her. The doctors and nurses who treated her in A&E were great and the only doctor who I had a problem with was on the medical assessment ward. She told me DM would be discharged home in a couple of days so I asked her what care plan was in place as she clearly couldn't look after herself and I couldn't do it. She glared and me, sighed and said she'd have to get social services involved.

Thankfully Mum was moved to a ward where the doctors and nurses were amazing and looked after her very well. They were also very kind to me, explaining what was happening and giving me a hug when necessary. Sadly there was nothing they could do for Mum and she died the day the other doctor said she would be going home.

I'll never forget the kindness of the others though and I'm glad they were the ones looking after DM when she died.

NHS saved my life in December 2016 through quick diagnosis and itu so I think they're brilliant it's just a damn shame that they are being demoralised and starved of funds from the government.
I had sepsis and if it wasn't for an ambulance turning up very quickly and the care and dedication! of the staff I would not be here today

It definitely depends on the area. My local NHS Trust is a shambles and seriously lack the funding they need. My DC is treated for health issues under a different NHS Trust due to the nature of his issues. I cannot fault the service he receives.

Money and leadership is the end issue, I have no answers on how to address the difficulties but I still hand in heart beleive the NHS is something to be very proud of.

My gp is awful now. Impossible to get an appointment, the repeat prescription online system doesn't work, the receptionists are madly stressed and stroppy.