To be scared the NHS won't go back to 'normal'? Does anyone actually know if it will?

[leafyclover]

I'm not sure if this is a case of unreasonable or not or it's just my anxiety. Also, I'm not trying to start a political bunfight nor am I NHS bashing, I'm genuinely scared.

I'm on a low income. I can't afford any form of private healthcare.

After being lucky enough to be in relatively good health most of my life, I've recently developed a gynae problem related to my births years ago. I'm in a lot of discomfort every day and it's causing symptoms which are really impacting on my life and I don't know how much longer I can continue to do my job like this.

I've been to my GP who has referred my to the hospital, but she says it will be at least 8 months, possibly even a year. A YEAR!! To even speak to a consultant?? Then presumably waits for tests etc before I even start any treatment??

I'm almost more depressed about this than I am about the condition. I remember being annoyed about waiting 8 weeks 16 years ago.. It feels so incredibly unfair and scary that I am mid 30s and could be looking at years and years of my life like this until I get treatment.

Please tell me that this is temporary backlog and things will get better..

I am so down about it and scared for the future.

I've just had my first child and I don't think I will have another purely based on the fact that I felt unsafe having to rely on the NHS. It makes me very had, I hate what this government has done.

I’m in the process of emigrating overseas and one of the principal reasons is healthcare and access to to healthcare choices. The NHS was never designed to do what it is doing now, it is unsustainable, cult like to its employees and fundamentally unfixable. It has little to do with Tory governments and everything to do with a population who take the piss due to an entitled attitude, an absolute resistance to change and reform (think weekend clinics/out of hours appointments) and as a result healthcare is an absolute lottery in this country that those of us who earn well are taxed to the hilt for only to have to face paying 9k for a hip replacement when we need it.

I worked in the nhs in early 70s. A patient aged 90 was commented on and fussed over as they were so rare.
I'm almost 70 now and the constant visits to doc and hospitals for test/ scans /xrays etc is never ending.
The prob is everyone living longer but often in poor health.

The NHS was never designed to do what it is doing now, it is unsustainable, cult like to its employees and fundamentally unfixable

Unfortunately this is 100% true. A big clue is in the number of other countries that provide universal healthcare via the same system. (Only one and it’s Venezuela, I believe).

It will never function as it should.

I come from country with mandated insurance. People are really not going to gym because they care about health care system....

It's mandated and % of your wage, if you are out of work, state covers it so it's not like you will pay more if you become sicker. You eill have to top up some medicine cost but again, if you cannot you are covered.

You could see the difference on how people view basic healthcare systems during covid messaging.
While uk run "stay home, save lives, protect the NHS" some others (where even dentistry is free basic healthcare...) run "stay home, save lives, support medical staff". Can you see the difference and what it means?

I work for you the nhs and me and my partner have family bupa now you can't risk it the NHS is on it's knees we field phone calls all day about it.

It's a sad state of affairs it really is but paying is the only way to be seen in a timely manner and even that isn't as quick as it was as so many people are doing it.