Shocked at how terrible the NHS is nowadays

[ConfusedBoobs]

I had a mammogram a month ago that showed I have calcifications that they don't think are cancer but they won't know for sure until after I've had a biopsy. Today I found out that the biopsy can't be prioritised as urgent and so will still be another month away. AIBU to think it's terrible to leave people in limbo like this?

We’ve never had a late or incorrect letter. All my interactions with the NHS have been great so far. They cared for both my mum and dad while they were dying. They helped me birth three children. They have treated my child for hearing loss ( and numerous other things), they were extremely kind and considerate during a late miscarriage on Christmas Day, when I was seen immediately at A and E. I could go on. I am very glad they are there. It makes me upset they are under funded and under valued.Having lived in countries where you have to pay to see a GP, it certainly prohibits people going. I think Mumsnet is full of wealthy folk who haven’t got an idea about what it is like to have to choose to eat or see a doctor.

@Hopeisallineed - Glad you've had good experiences. Mine have unfortunately all been dreadful. Being told by a paramedic to cry and beg for someone to admit my aged father into A and E as he lay on a trolley fading in front of our eyes, being cut adrift when we had an awful antenatal diagnosis, waiting over a year for an appointment the GP suggested should have been within a month. Friends and relatives in Europe are treated quickly and with dignity - some have had the same diagnosis and conditions and have always had far better treatment. The treatment I've had and witnessed first hand in Poland, Spain and France has all been superb. I'd move if it wasn't for the elderly relatives we have here and the gift that just keeps giving that is Brexit.

I can’t believe the rose tinted glasses for the NHS in Scotland!
Friend of mine is walking with 2 sticks because she needs a new knee- 2 year wait!
Mum has a suspicious skin lesion- 2 week wait just for a telephone consult, even though the doctor has seen it before and advised a recheck if not resolving. Absolutely no chance of a face to face consult until the magic phone call, and who knows when an appointment will be free to actually see someone.
Elderly relative has had hearing tests on NHS and needs hearing aids. The waiting list for that is so long they can’t even give an idea of timescale to have them supplied.
Oh, and my local GP surgery who does flu vaccs up here hasn’t been allocated enough doses for the eligible people in our area, so no date for that to be done.
This is just the stuff I know I’m sure many many others have the same.

If you don't want to wait for your NHS flu jab, most chemists (even in Scotland) are doing them for £15. I got mine a month ago by booking
at a pharmacy. I will still keep my NHS appt on 4th November as it is for covid booster as well.
I have zero rose tinted specs about the NHS anywhere in the UK. It has always been 'hit and miss' to some extent but covid has made it the worst I have ever known it.

I got my flu jab today.

You’re suggesting I pay for it because it might be the only way I get it in time. The fact that I might have to pay is an indication that the “free at the point of service” model isn’t working properly in Scotland.

Not getting at you @dotoallasyouwouldbedoneby - just waiting for the protests from those who think it should always be free.

I thought everyone was divided into bands by age. But people with certain conditions get priority. It seems a fair system on the whole. If you want to jump the queue then you can pay.

Yes it is organised in terms of need. Oldest people first unless you are extremely clinically vulnerable. If you are having a flu jab because you are in your fifties but healthy, you may wait a bit longer.

The Scottish NHS is bloody awful as well, I got a letter (well actually it was addressed to my 9 year old child) to say they are taking her off the consultants routine waiting list as she has not been seen for a while and her condition may have resolved. No lockdown has not miraculously cured her of the condition she was born with but that'll get your waiting times down.

I work for the nhs and can say the majority of frontline staff (including myself) hate what is going on in at the moment. The area I work in is quite niche so feel slightly sheltered from general adult wards and I am actually terrified what would happen if I had to be referred/ admired to adult services.

I had a biopsy for a throat polyp under the 2 week cancer wait in August. Nobodies called to speak to me and I don't know what number to call them on. Assume it's fine but... would've been nice to know I'm not dying at 26.

@julieca

Yes it is organised in terms of need. Oldest people first unless you are extremely clinically vulnerable. If you are having a flu jab because you are in your fifties but healthy, you may wait a bit longer.

I'm in my 20s and classed as vulnerable. Trust me they don't give a fuck about us either.

@Courtier sorry to hear that. But vulnerable is not the same as extremely clinically vulnerable. Hope you get your jab soon.

@Courtier

I had a biopsy for a throat polyp under the 2 week cancer wait in August. Nobodies called to speak to me and I don't know what number to call them on. Assume it's fine but... would've been nice to know I'm not dying at 26.

Its likely to be OK but chase. My relative had an emergency MRI and they lost the results. His GP said it's obvious it was a small stroke (aged 24 and healthy) and didn't bother. 2 years later the brain tumour killed him.the family sued the shit out of the NHS but its no real comfort. He was just a regular guy, he didn't deserve that. The irony is he could have easily afforded to pay for a proper health service if only someone had been straight with h. The coroner said the death was 'entirely preventable'

I echo what @Draggondragon has said about follow up. No news just not mean good news unfortunately. I have first hand experience of this with my own cancer diagnosis and saw this far too often as a nurse.

Go through PALS they can help solve this for you.

I was waiting for surgery for a while and then the pandemic hit so I was waiting even longer.

Before the pandemic, I'd receive letters for appointments that had already passed. This happened a fair few times and then I would get referred back to my GP for 'missing' the appointment. I was very unwell. Even more recently when I was due to go into surgery they had missed something vital off my pre-op so I couldn't go in on the arranged date. The admin side is a mess!

Once when I was in hospital and was very poorly and needed a blood tranfusion (or three), they'd left the blood out for two hours when it has to go to the patient as soon as it's out of the fridge (I think anyway). They still gave it to me.

I must say, when I went in most recently for surgery, the whole ward and surgery team were fantastic.

[quote julieca]@BananaBlue it makes no difference. What would happen though is insurance firms would cherry-pick easy patients. So middle-class healthy people probably would get quicker appointments and minor surgery and tests. Poorer people and those with complex health problems would wait longer than now.[/quote]
This is not true. Have a look at Germany, where everybody pays health insurance monthly based on their income and where health care is excellent.

@OP: I'm not a doctor, but possibly your biopsy is not considered urgent because microcalcifications can be an (early) symptom of bc, but quite often they mean other, harmless things.

www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/mammograms/mamm_show/calcifications

The NHS needs more money is a constant theme, and then you read this:

Trusts will be given a bronze, silver or gold award depending on their inclusive cultures in £220,000 taxpayer-funded Rainbow Badges project

On top of the already £500,000 over the last three years, contracted by NHSE, to Stonewall.

May I gently suggest, that although a worthy project, we have more pressing issues to spend money on?

[quote Knownbyanothername]@julieca we are the only country in the whole world to provide free at the point of service. Does that mean all other countries have got it wrong? The NHS is not the shining beacon people think it is.[/quote]
Absolute rubbish! I am in Australia and can get a walk in free ( bulk billed) same day appointment at any time. My son was recently diagnosed with ADHD , and a treatment plan started within five days of his first appointment. Meanwhile my mum in the UK has been told she is best going private for some treatment she needs. I know which system I prefer. We do way about $100 a year for ambo service though.

So not fully free at point of service then…

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Australia

And this is quite interesting

Quote RainbowbriteUK: Before the pandemic, I'd receive letters for appointments that had already passed. This happened a fair few times and then I would get referred back to my GP for 'missing' the appointment. I was very unwell.

Yes why doesn't the NHS use emails to contact patients with appointments? It would be far more efficient and cheaper; and the number of people without e-mail must be vanishingly small, so they can have a letter.

@BigWoollyJumpers Canada pays 4x per patient on healthcare than we do. Across the EU it is double.
I work in the private sector. I can point out waste of money in the private sector as well. That happens. But you cant pay less than other countries for healthcare and expect the same outcomes.

My friends 96 yo mum.has recently passed away in hospital (Aintree) as a result of infection caused through bedsores. How much of its hundreds of billions of pounds a year budget does the NHS throw at negligence claims?