why has the health system stalled

[packetandtripe]

I am in Ireland and in fairness the government have in my opinion managed Covid-19 well. However 8 weeks in now. 2-5 year waiting lists on the public healthcare system in pre-viral times - is that gone to 10 years now? We didn't have the surge that could have happened, yet nobody can see a GP (what the fuck are the GPs doing, hardly donning masks and ventilating people), what is everyone doing. Bar emergency unit nurses and doctors, infectious disease specialists and specialist nurses, there is a whole healthcare unit doing nothing, Open to correction as to why the whole system has stalled. what is everyone doing?

It's not stalled in England although some routine stuff has been postponed and GP visits are first done by phone. Hopefully someone in Ireland will be able to comment.

I can't comment for Ireland but I'm a GP in England and we're doing the same work as before but remotely where possible. This is reduce risk to everyone, staff and patients. We are also sharing responsibility for a hot hub and seeing suspected Covid-19 patients in the community.

I imagine it's similar in Ireland, if you can't see it, it doesn't mean it's not happening...

Its not stalled in the UK since the pandemic one of my friends had to be taken to hospital after a dog bite on her hand became infected, she had an operation and has had 2 out patients appts, my DH has had a telephone consultation with his GP I have had several repeat prescriptions, due to personal reasons I cant nominate a pharmacy so I have sent an SAE for paper prescriptions which have been sent back to me within days

Orthopaedic surgeon.

It's kind of hard to do planned surgery when both of the orthopaedic wards are occupied by covid patients, every anaesthetist has been moved into the intensive care rota, and all the anaesthetic machines have been repurposed to provide additional ventilators.

Should add, that, as I've been saying for 20 years, regardless of what the system is, if you run it flat-out, it will fail more often, and more severely than if it has spare capacity, same for a washing machine as it is for a car engine, stereo amplifier or a health service.

GPs are still working as normal, it’s just that they’re sorting patients’ issues over the phone wherever possible, with appointments only being given when in person assessment is essential.

Think about it - if GPs were conducting their normal, in person surgeries, they would be seeing 20+ patients a day.

If a GP contracted Coronavirus from a patient, they could potentially spread it to hundreds of patients before developing symptoms (if they ever did - they could remain totally asymptomatic). It’s not like you can be socially distant while examining a patient, and GPs have only been given very minimal PPE - paper masks and gloves.

GPs cutting down on face to face contact protects those patients who need to be seen in person.