To be proud of the NHS

[littlebillie]

I feel we need a thunder clap on MN for the NHS of how good it is and the individuals who make this their vocation.

I can think of many personal examples of the NHS showing brilliance kindness and compassion,

I just want to say thank you

I'm so impressed with my NHS colleagues. They are marvellous.
Much of the NHS is run on goodwill of the staff.
It needs proper funding. People living longer end up with more chronic diseases - nurses and docs can't do more with less.

But the government is responsible for this, not the NHS as an institution.

It's this type of attitude that is causing it to become a holy grail political football, there are problems across the sector, its a mixture of political interference and the NHS needs reform.

If you want to kick the can down the road for your children to deal with then just admit it, but if you want the same GDP spending as the rest of europe then accept some unpopular changes are needed and when personal insurance is highlighted it can mean we are following European standards and not going down the US route.

I respect those who work for the NHS. Proud for those who I actually know working for the NHS (father is a gp)

Those calling the shots I can't be quite so proud of. The way some NHS staff are treated is vile.

Respect to the staff, shame on the powers that be.

But the Government or powers that be are not the people who have walked past my father and left him in distress all day... I’m sickened to say this but there are some care workers who are negligent. The NHS as an institution may be fabulous but that doesn’t mean that everyone who works for it automatically is.

I owe my son's life to the amazing staff at my NHS run hospital, I can't thank or praise them enough. Some people just don't realise how lucky we are to have the NHS.

Remember when that post went viral on Facebook about an American lad who had had his appendix removed in the states and the bill was $55,000? Around about that time I had to have an emergency appendectomy as my appendix was close to bursting. I was admitted to the ER thinking I was dying and within two days I'd had surgery and was out, having received amazing care and without having to pay so much as a penny. It really brought it home to me how lucky we are.

I completely agree, they are amazing we are very very lucky and fortunate to have it

It's saved my life and stuck me back together more than once. I'm all for it and would be even if I hadn't had all that help.

I've just paid out 170 pounds for an ent consult and 38 pounds for a prescription to be filled for antibiotics in Europe. However it was an absolutely brilliant appointment, very thorough and even involved a little camera having a look! Far better treatment than I have ever received from my GP.

The NHS is theoretically great, but I think is at breaking point. When I'm in the UK, trying to get an appointment with my GP is a joke. It is usually about 4 weeks away, so I have to see somebody else who has no idea of my medical history. So I think whereas once we may have led with excellent healthcare, I don't think it is good anymore, and that isn't because the people who work in the nhs don't care or work hard, it's because this government is to scared to put up our taxes so we can pay for a better service.

But I'd compare us to France, Germany, Canada, Netherlands, Italy etc etc. They all have slightly different systems, but in essence all offer universal healthcare that is, by most qualitative and quantitative measurements, better than we have in the UK.*

This. Would much prefer a European system with more choice and the ability to go elsewhere if you are dissatisfied with care.

The Commonwealth Fund says we have the most avoidable deaths of any developed country except the US. Even the NHS’s own studies have found this.

We have a home in France. Even with just an EHIC card I know where I'd prefer to be.

I also have a dd who as a teen had some MH issues. There was no NHS.

I am sick and tired of the disorganisation, the jobsworths and the plethora of HCPs who seem to think that rude and sloppy service coupled with poor communication is something the public should be grateful for. I. Am. Not.

Happy to pay more tax. For a different and better system.

I am on a lot of forums with fellow type 1 diabetics. More than once, I’ve seen people posting from the US to say that they can’t afford their contribution towards their insulin scripts. They’re trying to strictly limit food until they can afford the necessary insulin.

The nhs keeps me alive and well.

nectarines, the US system is just about the only one which is worse than ours. It’s not the only option and there are far better systems in Europe with better outcomes for patients.

I’m sorry, but I disagree. I never thought I would feel the way that I do, but I’ve had a lot of problems with the NHS. The mental health care offered in this area is especially awful.

Isn’t think it’s all that. In an emergency it can be great and it did save my son’s life but day to day, it’s not that great. My husband has a rare cancer. The NHS won’t pay for the drugs which could save him. If we had stuck with the NHS he would be dead. As it is, he’s currently well and receiving some of the best care in the world but there’s no way he would get it in the NHS.

On the positive side the NHS saved my life when I was born, saved my husband's life and has kept him alive, saved my grandmother's life, and even took the risk of operating on her a second time even though her chances of survival were slim (she was in her 80s, she's still with us at 99 now), they saved my husband's finger when he broke it in an unnecessarily complicated way and sorted out my dermoid cyst.

On the downside they completely missed my aunt's cancer until it was too late and nearly killed my grandmother when they messed up an endoscopy. I also have issues with things that happened when I was pregnant, but me and DS were, physically at least, ok.

Overall the NHS has been good to me, and I do appreciate the work they do - having a bit of insight into how and why decisions are made and the juggling of money necessary to try and maintain services due to my job makes me appreciate many of those working in it even more.

The NHS is only better than those in developing countries. There are still major problems with it, that require structural reform of the NHS. A mixed insurance and tax funded system seems to be the best option.

The NHS saved my sin’s Life at 24 hours old & continue supporting his lifelong life threatening illness with absolute dedication. I am immensely grateful.

I'm extremely grateful for the NHS, it's not perfect but a hell of a lot better than some other countries. It saved my life when I was in my 20's and now provides me with very expensive medication I would be unable to lead a normal life without. I applaud anyone who works in the NHS, I couldn't do it.

Pretty hit and miss the last ten years TBH.

When it works, it’s fabulous. When it doesn’t it leaves the people who rely on it a bit stymied.

To anyone who has actually been the victim of a serious NHS cock-up, all this directionless cheerleading for what is now a very patchy health service must be extremely irritating.

I love the frontline nhs staff on the whole.

What I don’t love is the beauracracy and behind the scenes crap and stupid systems. But I am sure that frustrates front line staff just as much

It’s at breaking point financially. The result is overstretched staff - who miss things and can’t check on each other, thereby noticing and correcting issues - more limited resources and longer waits.

The nhs nearly killed me and my son when he was born and my DH is too traumatised to consider any more children, even 2 years later. But I still wouldn’t be without it. It needs funding, and some reform, quickly.

But I'd compare us to France, Germany, Canada, Netherlands, Italy etc etc. They all have slightly different systems, but in essence all offer universal healthcare that is, by most qualitative and quantitative measurements, better than we have in the UK.
Actually it isn't and the NHS has been awarded the best healthcare in the world for the x number of years again, although a lot of it is because of it's no payment at point of entry system but still.

My parents live in France and frankly, I much prefer to deal with the NHS than the French system. My mum had suspected cancer when they found a lump. It took 2 months to get an appointment for a biopsy (actually I think it was more). Then when she got there, on the table, with lines up her arms, the consultant announced that he couldn't do the biopsy because my mum hadn't had blood tests. She waited for 2 hours and finally, they said they couldn't do and she needed to come back a week later. After that, they were told she'd get the results in a week, it took almost 3.

This is one example but I think we over value care in our neighbouring countries. It used to be excellent, but like the nhs, they are facing significant pressure with the quality of level of care affected.

My experience of the nhs has been fautless and the staff have been amazing. I recently had an MRI at my local hospital at 7am on a Sunday morning, in and out in less than 1/2 hour and the staff absolutely wonderful, even offered me a cup of tea!

I've experienced good. I've experienced catastrophically life changing bad. I've experienced "don't criticise us because we are the sainted NHS". I have what you might call "trust issues " with any NHS encounter I have as a consequence.

I am far from proud.

We do some things well. Some people have some great experiences. That does not make up for some of the horrendous shit that goes on.

I know plenty of people whose lives have been saved by the NHS staff. I know far too many people who are failed. It is not good enough.