AIBU to be frustrated with the abuse of the NHS

[MrsFrankCastle]

www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/health/nhs-asks-for-common-sense-after-woman-attends-pinderfields-hospital-a-e-with-broken-fingernail-1-9901334?fbclid=IwAR00MYep6y1lX4mHKqnRYCWIlamHiyfs4NMnS3WOAO4p6G_BLLoRVPM4Pdw

This case just highlights the issues we have with the NHS and being over worked. I love the NHS(I am a NHS worker) and thank god the people involved had the sense to turn this person away!

The Dr involved did say that people need to be re educated about the use of the NHS but how do we do this? Do we share stories of what we consider abuse of the NHS in the hope that other people read them and never make the same decisions?

I do find your posts here at odds with what you posted on 12 Dec last year though When you said that in your experience people (especially family) will keep taking.

Its probably because people are worried about being perceived in this way that they dont ask for help from neighbours.

I couldnt knock on the door of the violent druggie downstairs though. Believe me his likely reaction and the result would probably end up costing the NHS more money.

Because of DHs previous heart attack he is always taken to hospital if he has chest pains.

The last time i was taken to hospital was in an ambulance with a kidney infection where i had lost conciousness. Quite how i would have managed to walk i would love to know

Anyone would think people ENJOY going to hospital I do the best i can to stay out of the place.

In 2006 DHs shoes had to be confiscated because he was threatening to discharge himself two days after a heart attack which was so bad he was in hospital for a week and a half.

I remember him saying he would just walk out with his socks on.

The way some posters go on youd think ppl WANT to be in hospital

Very worrying parallel attitudes now towards NHS patients and social housing tenants. You see the same attitudes to both on these threads.

@michellelouise1982

I am utterly shocked at that, I thought the bar for admission is extremely high.

I am bipolar and went through a period of being very ill last year, there were no beds in my region so the only way I could have been admitted was to send me out of area.

@gingerkittykat the criteria are different in different areas. Unfortunately, those who decide to play the system know exactly what to say to gain admission. Sadly, it means people such as yourself miss out on beds which you may desperately need at times due to them being taken up by those who don't need them.

michellelouise1982

I've seen this when I worked on a psych ward too, especially people leaving prison. There is no transfer of care and many of them know that a MH ward provides food, free benzo's, a roof over your head and you still get benefits paid, albeit at a reduced rate. A patient once told me that another patient (who seemed normal during the week, but would always have symptoms on the morning of his ward round meeting) was in hospital to save up for a trip of a lifetime abroad! I've had guys ask "Will I get a council house now I'm mentally ill?". These people tend to be the ones that are really disrespectful to staff and other patients who are actually in crisis and could really do without aggressive behaviour in their environment. It just sucks staff time away from the people who genuinely need it, which really makes me angry. They also try to being drugs in to the ward to keep their habit going, or to make money from more vulnerable patients. There have been people I've worked with who have been left terrified and have agreed that the staff have been helpful, but the environment was not therapeutic because we've had a patient in who has been violent and aggressive in order to support the claim they are unwell, either for housing or when a court hearing is drawing near.

It was really rare this happened when I started there, but became more frequent before I left. People know that decisions are made based on risk, so that they just need to say they are suicidal or will hurt someone to get a bed. What it actually does is increase the overall risk of suicide, either because this leads to a shortage of beds, or because people who are genuinely suicidal don't want to get admitted because these people make wards unpleasant places to be.

Some people argue that this behaviour means they are "ill", which I do understand, but they are not in crisis and should not be on a MH ward.

I dont think anyone judges a genuine need for an ambulance, it is those who use it for a broken wrist, arm, to save taxi fare, they get many ridiculous calls.
People need to be more mindful of the use of ambulance service, to keep them available for use when really necessary.
The last time I was in A&E with DM a doctor asked a lady how long have you had the pain, she said about a year.