Are they all hiding in a fucking fridge?

[noblegiraffe]

The government? Where is the leadership? The reassurance that the problem is being addressed with urgency? Cobra meetings? Horrendous stories coming out of A&E departments right now.

Steve Barclay, the Health Secretary today announced on twitter that people should download the Couch to 5k app to reduce pressure on the NHS.

twitter.com/stevebarclay/status/1609957311610556416?s=61&t=rHTkCD1w_H9OmH9UB2E4UQ

Do your fucking job, Steve. And Rishi, show some leadership. You bloody wanted this job so badly, where have you gone?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64142614

What is this obsession with productivity? We are human beings with a relatively short lifespan just trying to (on the whole) earn enough money to allow us to sustain life and have some fun and enjoyment along the way.

In this country we have a social contract meaning we contribute a fair amount of money to a central pot which a body of elected people administer to provide good NHS care free at point of need, education etc. This government(and previous ones) have broken that contract by wasting billions on contracts for their mates.

The government can fuck off with their productivity and pyramid scheme style politics, until they remember why they are there they have no business making demands on the population. We are not robots who's only function is to make them richer.

Was HS2 vital spending of our taxes for example? Great in theory but who or what benefits from it, all of us, or just some of us?

I suppose what I am saying is that a root and branch evaluation of capital spending policies could be undertaken. Then vital services like NHS could take priority over some vanity projects and other non vital spending.

Talk of raising taxes is one thing, but if tax resources are frittered away on non critical things, what is the point of making more ordinary people miserable. If taxpayers SEE a benefit to them in increased taxation they will accept it more.

Target investment and spending where it will benefit most of the population. That to me is Health, Education, Public Transport, Social care.

@Piggywaspushed

Obesity , general ill health, and certain conditions are heavily linked to poverty, of course. So perhaps tackling poverty as a root cause would help.

Yes to both of these. Poverty will without question be the biggest factor in lifestyle-related NHS costs and lack of preventive care, second. Shame the governments of the past 12 years seem to have absolutely no interest in changing that.

I work in the voluntary sector and I find it shocking how different every age from about 30 up looks in the neighbourhood where I spend most of my time to the way it looks in the West London neighbourhood where I live.

Just off the top of my head, missing teeth (I see a lot of those) aren't just a cosmetic issue. They're a health issue. Surely it would be much more cost efficient in the long run to fix teeth than it is to deal with the lifelong ramifications of having not prevented or fixed them in the first place?

I agree, good dentistry, which means NHS dentistry, is a fairly cheap way to improve the health of the nation.

Thanks @Freesia41

We've no NHS dentists here anymore. There's one 20 miles away but a huge waiting list.

Went to Wrexham last summer to a charity event. Saw teenagers with blackened, rotted teeth which was so sad

I don't have a dentist. I couldn't make an appointment for me or for the DSs throughout various lockdowns and then they took me off their lists even though they had a record of me attempting to make an appointment.

The nation's dental health must be appalling.

My dm had an nhs dentist until they received a letter in December saying that the NHS dentist had left so they could no longer access this service.

There was no apology in the letter and the general tone was disparaging towards NHS dental users. They did however say that they (BUPA) would see them on a private basis.

Dm is fortunate that she can afford private treatment and had a robust conversation with the practice manager about the tone of the letter. She also told them that due to the disrespect and uncaring nature of the letter, she will be going elsewhere for her private care.

Dental care is a health issue, that it has been sidelined in this country is yet another disgrace.

@ClaudiusTheGod let's make healthy/hearty meals less expensive firstly, some of us cannot afford to buy fresh meat/veg or healthier low fat options.

Some of us can only afford the high sugar, highly processed food because its CHEAPER!

We aren't eating ourselves to death we are trying our damnest not to stave or let our children starve whilst the cost of every single food item has doubled/tripled.

There doesn't need to be a sugar tax (already is one) there doesn't need to be a tax on junk food there needs to be a reform in the food industry to make healthy, filling meals cheaper so they are accessible for EVERYONE.

Until that happens processed food is going to be the meal choice for millions.

I like the discussion is here but I'm wondering why there is so much overuse of f and s

“Fireyflies · 02/01/2023 22:46 keeping fit it great. But it is not our job to reduce pressure on the NHS . It is his job to ensure the NHS meets our needs. Which it clearly isn't doing right now. The idea that our lives should revolve around protecting the NHS was one of the most dangerous things we allowed to come out of the pandemic.”

Think this is very mid guided. Surely it is everyone’s duty to keep themselves in reasonable shape. The NHS will never meet the needs of today’s population as it is being used continuously for the most inappropriate reasons by a large margin. When the ambulance strikes were happening the level of patient being brought to a&e were manageable levels as there wasn’t a continuous stream of people who refused to even attempt to treat themselves for simple things that clog up the waiting room on a daily basis. The NHS was never set up to provide the level of services that are being demanded of it. Goodwill is currently holding it together, and staff working in the NHS have exhausted the supply of working for free, many staying longer than their shifts dictate just to try and provide safe care, this is and has been at breaking point for many years.

@piggywaspushed "Obesity , general ill health, and certain conditions are heavily linked to poverty, of course. So perhaps tackling poverty as a root cause would help."

Absolutely this. Also both over-eating and under-eating can be connected to poor mental health. Mental health services in Great Britain are woeful!

The Tories have deliberately destroyed the NHS. Lack of funding for 12 years. They wanted this and fully intend to bring in a private American style health system. So you better be rich or have good medical insurance from work to cover yourself. They couldn't give a damn about people....... well not poor people. It's all money and profits for them. If we survive this please don't vote Tory ever!! But it might be too late..... I hope not ...... But ...... I'm 68 and if I have a stroke or heart attack, I am f####d.

The Tories have deliberately destroyed the NHS. Lack of funding for 12 years. They wanted this and fully intend to bring in a private American style health system

Thing is, they've done this to education too, and there's no suggestion it's to bring in American style anything there. Maybe they're just crap at running the public sector?

So what sort of things do you believe people are going to A & E for that they could treat themselves?

I doubt anyone is going there unless they're absolutely desperate, with about 12 hour waits. 🙄

As has been said again and again with evidence to back it up, the real issue is social care. Sort that out so people who can leave hospital with carers in place can get back home or into a residential home.

Tories hate anything that is universal & free, they hate it... i don't know why but they think the individual is better placed to provide for their own needs.

But on top of this... they gave us austerity and thats the large log that broke the camels back...

You’d be amazed what comes through the doors- if it were only accidents and emergencies we might have a chance, but there is a huge amount of people turning up with long term problems, asthmatics for example that have run out of prescriptions, people that hurt their back 3 months ago etc, they are not appropriate to be attending a&e. Hence they wait a long time while actual acutely unwell or injured people are seen to first.

Nightingale hospital settings - big open wards, no medical intervention other than whatever a carer would provide at home. Bump up the pay (ha ha) and it might help the bed blocking situation in general acute hospitals until the social care issue is sorted out.

I know, I know. But something has to happen and soon regarding those not fit to go home without basic care, but not suitable for acute care either.

But he's going to make maths compulsory for all students until they are 18. That's a huge step towards fixing everything.....

The Tories have deliberately destroyed the NHS. Lack of funding for 12 years. They wanted this and fully intend to bring in a private American style health system. So you better be rich or have good medical insurance from work to cover yourself

Even less people will be willing to do care work then, if they wont be able to pay for their own medical care on a carers wage.

You can’t expect any better from tories. Just remember next time you vote!

And remember if are a woman and don’t want to share you hospital ward with a male rapist, want a female nurse to carry out an intimate procedure, or want medical treatment that accounts for the fact that men and women respond differently then don’t vote labour.

Thats happening now.. all under a Tory govt, that has been in for 12 years and its getting worse.

You do know the Tores are in power don't you? maybe you don't.

But we all pay into the NHS with national insurance. The Tories hate any collectivism - it's all based on the individual as you say. They are really nasty bastards. They've got this country on its knees and its people are in a state of misery - apart from the rich if course!