. . . to be tired of negative threads about the NHS? Let's have a positive one

[FangsForTheMemory]

I'll start: my mum would have died five years before I was born if it hadn't been for the NHS. She contracted a rare virus and was in hospital for months, just a couple of years after the NHS was set up. Her parents would never have been able to afford the private fees.

I have a disability and got free treatment for it on the NHS. I would never have been able to afford the treatment I needed privately. My brother would have died of pneumonia at six weeks.

Anyone else?

I’m staff so biased but thanks for the thread OP. My department treats patients with specific cancers. I work with the most hardworking, dedicated, caring, competent staff and am genuinely proud of the work we do everyday. I have patients given 6 weeks to live without treatment come and hug me 20 years later. I know their families including kids they have gone on to have and miss seeing them (Covid restrictions). If you come to my department we will do all we can to make your journey as positive as possible.

My DD broke her wrist on Saturday. She was triaged, x-rayed and patched up within 30 minutes.
I was astonished to be honest, but cannot fault the service or the care she received.

The NHS at its best.

I'm reminded daily how grateful our pts are.

Its lovely.

My staff work incredibly hard in a hugely difficult and stressful job

I wish people could appreciate what the nhs really does

I found a breast lump at the end of last year. Was seen at the hospital within two weeks, given mammogram, ultrasound and needle biopsy all within the first appointment. Subsequently had a lumpectomy at a lovely local private hospital (post Covid catch up measures), a short course of radiotherapy and prescribed oestrogen blockers. Treatment all done now, though will be seen for annual mammograms. Every single person I came in to contact with was caring, reassuring and efficient. Amazing NHS!

Was just very ill and needec treatment and surgery in my local hospital. All of the staff were lovely and I received the best possible care. I was amazed at how caring and wonderful the staff were.

Sorry, my mum, my in-laws and my daughter's experiences have sorely disillusioned me.
Wish it were otherwise.

Have needed to use Gp and hospital for surgery this year. Absolutely excellent service- staff fantastic, both kind and efficient. Cannot speak for anyone else but for myself the NHS was brilliant and I am very grateful

Also staff but equally a user of nhs services for myself and my youngest son. Diff health board.

diagnosed with crohns last year, had tests (face to face with gp) gastro referral colonoscopy MRI then bad knee x ray, ortho referral and hydrocortisone injections all very fast and efficient staff all really lovely. Gp is absolutely amazing. He also saw my son, who is autistic and asthmatic and will review him whenever needed as he has a very positive relationship with him. He’s also seen camhs, physio occupational therapy, paeds and continence services face to face during covid. I can’t fault the care we have received.

My daughter had an accident and suffered a very severe and complicated break, I was warned she was very likely to have some sort of paralysis in her arm and need further surgeries involving nerves etc . An amazing surgeon somehow managed to operate and fix it so there was no lasting damage. I am so grateful to him, she was very lucky.

Was in A&E with acute chest and abdominal pain.

They were seriously understaffed and I must have annoyed the heck out of everyone as I couldn't even breathe without screaming and moaning. However, I was well looked after and given pain relief (which didn't work, but that's not their fault!) then booked in for further tests.
Got a diagnosis of gallstones and was immediately admitted for surgery. I'd expected to be put on a waiting list. Got briefly bumped for an emergency but had my op less than 48 hours after being admitted.
Everyone working on the ward was amazing. So kind, so patient. I was very well looked after - and the food was pretty nice!

When my son broke his arm, again A&E were brilliant. Very well looked after. He had six outpatients appointments too.
My other son needed eye care as he developed a very bad lazy eye quite quickly. Being under six we had to go to the hospital. They spotted the problem, began treatment and - no more lazy eye! He'll probably always need glasses, but thanks to the NHS they're free! And 21st century NHS glasses are nice, as opposed to the horrific frames I had to have as a tot.

Is it perfect? No. I have had some negative experiences with doctors, but they seem to be the exception.
Boy am I glad we have it.

My mum was diagnosed ten years ago with acute myloid leukaemia - superb treatment on NHS, including a successful bone marrow transplant (which patients from abroad - on the same ward - were paying £100,000s for). She was incredibly fortunate and actually today has reached John O'Groats, having cycled 1028 miles from Lands End at the age of 78!
Can't praise her experience of NHS enough! ❤️

The NHS has saved both my parents lives over the years. Certainly not a perfect process all the way through, but very grateful indeed

I’ve never had any issues with the NHS. Always received a very good standard of care, remarkable considering it’s free at the point of delivery. My GP surgery is excellent too, no issues getting face to face appointments and usually seen quickly.

I had a nasty fall today at 16 weeks pregnant and the birth centre told me to come straight up so they could listen in so I'd have a peace of mind. Thought that was nice of them.

My friend fell in the tube and cracked her skull last year. Top class emergency response and hospital treatment.

my sister had breast cancer- diagnosed during lock down. Treatment couldn’t be faulted throughout. All clear now

my cousin has a brain tumour. Monitored every year and treated when appropriate. Again, excellent care

Got blue-lighted to hospital at the tail end of last year (weird symptoms that turned out fine) - I could not have had a more positive experience. Everyone was lovely and make me feel so cared for. Ace follow-up afterwards too, including from my lovely GP practice.

The negative experiences are important and valid. Accountability within the NHS is vital. But, that being said, I’ve had pretty much exclusively good experiences with them across the board, for both myself and my kids. My youngest has leukaemia, diagnosed last year when she was 3, and everyone we’ve met (she’s been through 4 different hospitals at various points) has been utterly wonderful, kind and supportive and helpful and go above and beyond. The staff at her main hospital are beyond brilliant and I’m so eternally grateful to all of them - I’m sure they have bad days and get grumpy like everyone else but they are all such incredibly special people. Nothing I could ever do or say would be able to thank them enough for keeping my baby alive and being so kind and lovely into the bargain.

Saved my life (breast cancer) and my son’s life (orbital cellulois), delivered my 4 babies seamlessly and cared for me during a missed miscarriage. I’ve benefitted from using a private hospital and it was no match for the NHS.

I needed to go back on some medication that had to be prescribed by a specialist...saw GP... email sent off ...seen by specialist 10 days later....brilliant service. Thank you NHS.

Recently had a medical issue which could have been something life threatening. I was seen quickly and in person by my GP who referred me to hospital. At the hospital everyone I saw was lovely and professional. It thankfully wasn’t the thing they were worried about but I now have a diagnosis and treatment plan.

I had a TIA last year and had an ambulance ride to hospital. Everyone in A&E was lovely to me and I was admitted into a neurological ward for the night so I could have an MRI. The care I received was amazing especially as I found out I had COVID whilst I was there and they were brilliant with me. I felt so guilty that I could have infected people at the hospital but they reassured me that it wasn’t my fault and I couldn’t have known (I didn’t have any symptoms at that point). The follow up care was spot on as well.

@fuckwhatshouldido

Yes, negative experiences are valid. Poor /substandard care should always be addressed and corrected

But I also feel that some people have lost all perspective of what the nhs is for and what it is capable of.

It cant cure every ill and fix every problem. It can't save every life

I've never personally had a bad experience.

I had a severe allergic reaction during covid and I was seen in a&e within 10 minutes of arriving. The staff were amazing.

My DH has had a few health scares over the years and although we have had the occasional cancelled appointment the service has been brilliant once we attended.

It's only served me well when me or my child has come close to death and I appreciated mine and my son's life being saved. In saying this, I don't feel a healthcare system, in what's meant to a first world country, should be aspiring to purely saving people from dying.

I'll never forget the midwife that gave me a hug (during covid) and found me my own room when my newborn took a scary turn for the worst. Absolute angel.