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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be really worried about the NHS this winter

240 replies

AtlasPine · 31/10/2021 15:58

Just that really. Lots of issues around GP access, backlogs of people waiting for treatments and overstretched A&E departments. Flu season coming, Covid cases rising, staffing problems linked to Brexit and the rise of private practices offering better terms and conditions to doctors.

What can we do to support the NHS?

Vaccinations (flu and Covid) and look after ourselves as much as possible I suppose. I can’t afford private health care like most here I suspect.

OP posts:
5lilducks · 31/10/2021 17:12

Sajid, is that you?

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 31/10/2021 17:14

Don't make appointments unnecessarily. Use 101 as much as possible.

You aren't wrong but there is nothing we can do about it. Full lockdown hasn't solved anything really we are no better off now than we were this time last year. Only thing is if you are vaccinated you are less likely to need hospital treatment.

5lilducks · 31/10/2021 17:18

Use 101 as much as possible.😁

bestcattoyintheworld · 31/10/2021 17:19

Don't become ill. If you do, don't expect any help.

It's becoming like an under developed country. We'll be expected to crawl under a bush and die quietly soon. You know, like in the middle ages. Unbelievable.

5lilducks · 31/10/2021 17:19

I don't think you should use 101 for health matters 🥴

Noavocado · 31/10/2021 17:22

I'm all worried out. Have no energy left for anymore. If I get through each day at the moment it's a win for me.
No point in worrying is my new mantra.

Bringonthepjs · 31/10/2021 17:22

Full lockdown hasn't solved anything really we are no better off now than we were this time last year

Not sure where to start with this really. How many people do you think would have died without a lockdown? You seriously think we're no better off with most of the population vaccinated either?? Hmm

GoodnightGrandma · 31/10/2021 17:22

Get vaccinated.
Use your pharmacist if you can.

lonelyapple · 31/10/2021 17:22

We already do enough! We pay shitloads of tax to fund the NHS yet it's never enough. I am fed up of hearing about how we can save the NHS. The NHS should be saving us, the customers, not the other way around and if they can't do that, perhaps we can get a massive tax refund and spend that money going private instead!

SpringRainbow · 31/10/2021 17:24

@Noavocado

I'm all worried out. Have no energy left for anymore. If I get through each day at the moment it's a win for me. No point in worrying is my new mantra.
This is pretty much me at the moment.

I have no more energy to worry.

StripeyFloorboards · 31/10/2021 17:30

I am fed up of hearing about how we can save the NHS. The NHS should be saving us, the customers, not the other way around and if they can't do that, perhaps we can get a massive tax refund and spend that money going private instead!

This. So people should try to avoid being ill in order to protect the health service, which we pay for? Can anyone else see how backwards that sounds?

whatswithtodaytoday · 31/10/2021 17:33

@LadyTiredWinterBottom2

Don't make appointments unnecessarily. Use 101 as much as possible.

You aren't wrong but there is nothing we can do about it. Full lockdown hasn't solved anything really we are no better off now than we were this time last year. Only thing is if you are vaccinated you are less likely to need hospital treatment.

Er... what? How many people do you think would have been hospitalised or died if we hadn't locked down? Do you think the virus would have just stopped regardless? 🤦 Never mind the people who need non-Covid intervention that wouldn't have received it.

Ffs.

HannibalHayeski · 31/10/2021 17:34

It's been the government's plan all along.

Make sure the NHS fails (whilst paying lip service to it), and then they'll have to come in and privatise it to "save us all".

Look at the number of ministers who have spoken about an "insurance based system". I.e., something where their investors get to make fortunes at the expense of us.

(And don't expect them to cut taxes when they do)

Hapoydayz · 31/10/2021 17:37

The NHS is a shambles and its customers pay a huge amount into it for often a terrible service. Hopefully there will be more options such as private A&Es may also reduce NHS waiting times for those that cannot pay twice

HumunaHey · 31/10/2021 17:38

@HannibalHayeski

It's been the government's plan all along.

Make sure the NHS fails (whilst paying lip service to it), and then they'll have to come in and privatise it to "save us all".

Look at the number of ministers who have spoken about an "insurance based system". I.e., something where their investors get to make fortunes at the expense of us.

(And don't expect them to cut taxes when they do)

Exactly!
Draggondragon · 31/10/2021 17:47

It's easy. Stop worshipping a cruel and broken third world system and bang your saucepans over a deserving cause. The NHS is a festering pile of shit and is killing people. People like the OP romanticising it like it's some sort of sweet old grandma are a big part of the problem.

antsinyourpanta · 31/10/2021 17:54

I don't think we do pay (per person) as much as other European countries into our health service though ....however on other threads there have been numerous issues where money seems to be wasted within the NHS (evidenced from "customers"/patients or relatives and from staff within the nhs)
We hear how much time and money is wasted from people not turning up to appointments ...but on the flip side people receive a letter after the appointment has passed or have tried to cancel an appointment and that has not been noted. My elderly relative got a letter for an appointment 6 months in advance and no reminder. Its not too much of a surprise if someone in their 90s living alone can't remember that! I know these things on their own wont save the NHS but if things like that can't be fixed it doesn't give much hope for the rest of the system.

But I agree i think it will be another unbelievably stressful winter for NHS staff , or anyone needing regular health care.

itsjustnotok · 31/10/2021 17:56

@ lonelyapple we do pay shit loads of tax but I'm not sure how you think ‘customers’ pay a huge amount for it. Not everyone does and all your response demonstrates is how little people really understand about the cost each time you see a GP. Get bloods, an x-ray, give birth. I also think people don't understand how much of an impact closing A&E’s and hospitals has had on the remaining ones. Nor do we accept that it's all well and good building houses left, right and centre, we havent the infrastructure to look after the number of people because it's not even considered. On top of that the older we get the more, we have wrong with us. My grandparents have multiple health conditions and one appointment isn't enough to sort out everything because it needs more time and we have an ageing population. It's funny how people ignore it all and just say it's shit. Well it's staff have been dumped in this by a systemic failure by government and a massive expectation placed on it. No one looks at the root cause it's easier to slag it off. If it's privatised - which I really do think is the long term plan, then we will potentially see health inequality.

Aquamarine1029 · 31/10/2021 17:57

@Draggondragon

It's easy. Stop worshipping a cruel and broken third world system and bang your saucepans over a deserving cause. The NHS is a festering pile of shit and is killing people. People like the OP romanticising it like it's some sort of sweet old grandma are a big part of the problem.
I agree 100%.
itsjustnotok · 31/10/2021 17:58

@ lonelyapple Sorry I wrote the first bit poorly. Yes we pay shit loads in tax but it doesnt just go to the NHS. Approx 20% goes to them.

peaceanddove · 31/10/2021 17:58

The NHS is no longer fit for purpose. It was never designed for the scenarios we have nowadays. We could sink 100% of our GDP into it and it still wouldn't be enough.

I've recently paid for private surgery and also paid for DD to see a private consultant. I'd be happy to continue paying for private healthcare if we could opt out of paying the ££££££s into the NHS via tax.

VladmirsPoutine · 31/10/2021 18:01

The tories are rubbing their hands in delight waiting for everyone to get on board with privatisation. U.S style healthcare will be a shock to the system.

Franklin12 · 31/10/2021 18:05

NHS needs a massive overhaul. We are throwing money at it and it’s not making any difference. I was a supplier to the NHS and the waste, pontificating and running cottage industries within depts was rife.

No one made a quick decision, endless meetings about nothing, months to make a decision when a quicker decision would have saved them ££.

Does anyone know how many people actually have private insurance. I did with my last company and have brought it separately as well.

And please no one go on about the US healthcare. Plenty of middle ground options in places like France and Italy.

I think the UK is ready for a cross party robust conversation about what we do with the NHS. We certainly cannot carry on like this. No other country has a free for all health service. It’s not working.

Franklin12 · 31/10/2021 18:06

The US system is not the only option. Stop going on about it as though it’s the only choice.

elliehamster · 31/10/2021 18:07

I’ve seen a few debates here on this subject and the advice seems to be “go private”. Well if everyone did that then the wait times would be as long as for the NHS. It also puts money in the hands of the doctors who use NHS resources for their private clinics. So I don’t agree to “go private” although I can definitely understand why people do, it’s incredibly frustrating and very worrying (frightening even) waiting for the NHS.