AIBU to to really disheartened at how it seem most view the NHS

[Loubielouslonglegs]

I'm a medical secretary to a breast/plastic surgery consult in the NHS. I've seen the decline of services in the last few years and absolutely disagree with it, yet understand budget.

I've been on a thread where a poster's parent could drive herself to hospital and was kicking up a stink because she wasn't 'taxied home'.

My consultant came back from clinic shocked that one of his patients started throwing chairs and hurling abuse because he wouldn't perfom surgery unless she'd seen a psychologist.

The only time I ever get any feedback is complaints - I've been offered a post in the private sector almost 2x my 23,000 nhs wage . Now finally thinking I should put myself first x

[SnuggyBuggy]

I remember my DM being advised by other mums to dress really scruffy when seeing the orthodontist otherwise they will only offer the most expensive braces. Don't know how true it is of course.

[OhTheRoses]

I find it helpful to maintain my own re ords with copies of reports, results, scans, etc).

I agree about the middle class issue. I've had comments about my address, a chippy comment about my dc's schools.

[HelenaDove]

And then there is the attitude towards benefits clearly demonstrated by the OP.




It has taken 51 attempts for a patient to try and get through to a Virgin Care run surgery on the phone this morning. Some STILL cant get through now.


My DH has his medical review today i probably wont stop worrying until he gets home


Same surgery!

[Girlfrommars11]

@HildegardCrowe

I'm not surprised that you used to work for a medical claims company, who IMHO are the scum of the earth.

Actually the company defended the doctors.

I can only give mine and my families experience, which is that it is very hard to get taken seriously and get refered on by the gp. My ds is disabled and I have had to fight every step of the way for him. My dh couldn't get a serious illness taken seriously and ended up having to pay for private treatment. I had to go back three times just to get refered to a gynecologist because my episiotomy scar had not healed properly. I kept being told it was "normal" to be in so much pain I couldn't sit down 7 weeks after giving birth.

I'm assuming you are a doctors receptionist which is why you've taken such offence. Maybe you work for one of the few gp surgeries that actually do a good job and have nice helpful staff.

[user1465335180]

I think if it's something really serious the treatment is great, I had cancer and can't fault the Oncology dept who cured me. I will always be grateful to them

[Schuyler]

The NHS - on the whole - has decent health outcomes for people seeking emergency care. There are always exceptions, of course. If you have a heart attack or stoke, you’re likely to get access to good treatment and you can leave knowing you don’t have to face an unexpected bill. However, I cannot see how anyone can argue it’s acceptable to wait an entire year to see a neurologist for an initial consultation. I know part of it is due to the lack of neurologists in this country but I can see someone privately within a week. I’m not blaming the individuals, it’s not the neurologist’s fault nor her secretary nor the GP but it is a system failure.

[SinkGirl]

I read something the other day that infuriated me, about the rise of “cyberchondria” - people who google their symptoms and diagnose themselves incorrectly with illness.

It made me laugh bitterly as I’m sure at times I’ve been classed as one of those. Like for the 10 years I was at the doctors frequently begging for help and saying I thought I might have endometriosis. The word “psychosomatic” is littered through my notes until 2004... when I was diagnosed with (guess what) endometriosis.

And for the last decade, I’ve been begging for help with a collection of symptoms that I believed were due to hypothyroidism but as my results are in normal range there’s apparently no problem (like thousands of others, mostly women, who’ve had thyroid symptoms ignored).

But through lots of research and paying for my own tests, I’ve figured out a major problem - a serious lack of oestrogen and some major vitamin deficiencies. Now I have to take the results to the GP and ask for help - wonder how that will go?

People end up desperately searching the Internet for help because they are repeatedly fobbed off, not once or twice but over the course of years. The more you go and ask for help, the more your labelled as a problem. What do they expect people to do?

[HelenaDove]

@SinkGirl there was an article about exactly that in the New Feminist back in early June (it was a feminist takeover of the New European newspaper.


how women have to turn to the internet and alternative medicine.

[HelenaDove]

Christ........................



www.theguardian.com/society/2018/nov/06/nhs-pay-cant-cope-public-sector-minimum-wage-food-banks