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AIBU?

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Original poster

Are they all hiding in a fucking fridge?

627 replies

noblegiraffe · 02/01/2023 22:37

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

OP posts:
Nellodee · 03/01/2023 07:45

Investing in public services is like maintaining your property properly. If you don't do it, it costs more in the long run or your home becomes ruined. Unfortunately, our government doesn't actually live in the same "house" we all do - they use private schools and healthcare. So, instead of acting like responsible homeowners, they act like slum landlords. The effects of their negligence only affect us, not them.

tiger2691 · 03/01/2023 07:45

The Government and the Tories are only interested in staying in power, for powers sake - keeping the other lot out, preventing any good and solid legislation making it onto the statute books. Their race to the bottom, lack of governance, bystander attitude and being purveyors of every increasing and widening inequality is turning the dying UK into a rotting carcass.

LittleDisaster · 03/01/2023 07:50

I do think, as a nation, we will have to recognise that the NHS can't fix everything and take some responsibility for our own health. So much of the burden on the NHS could be avoided and as medical science makes more and more "possible" we will have to recognise that it's simply not affordable.

However, it's for the government to make that happen and it won't be popular politically.

Greatly · 03/01/2023 07:50

Nellodee · 03/01/2023 07:45

Investing in public services is like maintaining your property properly. If you don't do it, it costs more in the long run or your home becomes ruined. Unfortunately, our government doesn't actually live in the same "house" we all do - they use private schools and healthcare. So, instead of acting like responsible homeowners, they act like slum landlords. The effects of their negligence only affect us, not them.

We are the only country in the world with completely free ie no supplementary insurance healthcare. We aren't a rich enough country to sustain this any more. It's not rocket science!

BabbleBee · 03/01/2023 07:50

Iam4eels · 02/01/2023 23:33

Throw money at it. They can afford it, they found billions in contracts for their mates during covid, they can afford to fund the NHS.

Streamline visas and immigration approval so we can fill staffing gaps from abroad. This will ease staffing pressures and working conditions for existing staff.

Reorganise management, especially on the non-clinical side. When I worked in the NHS (non-clinical) I had a shift manager who I reported to, I also had a team manager who I also reported to, I also had a department manager who I also reported to. Questions about the job at hand - shift manager. Leave requests, task assignments/duties, rota - team manager. Performance reviews, HR issues, etc - department manager. A role divided amongst three people that could have been done by one. This needs to change.

Run a huge educational ad campaign to show people which services they need to access and when. As part of this campaign, educate people on how to self-care for minor ailments and when to seek medical advice. Invest in out of hours GP services so patients don't resort to A&E as their only option. My area uses out of hours hubs where local practices group together and take it in turns to provide out of hours appointments to patients from all of the surgeries in the group. Put an out of hours GP service in every A&E, when patients are triaged and its not an A&E issue they get bumped to A&E.

Make mental health services fit for purpose and easily accessible, help people before they reach crisis point.

Train more pharmacists in additional services such as prescribing antibiotics where needed, renewing straightforward repeat prescriptions without the need for a GP, diagnosing and treating UTIs, etc.

Show quote history

If there ever was a need for a ‘like’ then this post needs it. 100% all of these things need to happen.

I’d add - Fund and value community nursing as much as hospital nursing. Many clinical tasks can be done in routine home visits if nurses were trained and paid appropriately for their skills.

RedHelenB · 03/01/2023 07:52

JenniferBooth · 02/01/2023 23:22

@noblegiraffe Its £17.99 for a flu jab here if you arent eligible. Im 50 in June so will have mine next winter.

Ib Englamd over 50s are free.

stbrandonsboat · 03/01/2023 07:54

The government don't need to do anything. They're achieving their goal of taking us back to the Victorian era, so it's all good as far as they're concerned.

I'm sure they're sitting in their nice warm houses sipping brandy and planning their next luxury holiday as we speak.

LittleDisaster · 03/01/2023 07:55

Run a huge educational ad campaign to show people which services they need to access and when. As part of this campaign, educate people on how to self-care for minor ailments and when to seek medical advice. Invest in out of hours GP services so patients don't resort to A&E as their only option. My area uses out of hours hubs where local practices group together and take it in turns to provide out of hours appointments to patients from all of the surgeries in the group. Put an out of hours GP service in every A&E, when patients are triaged and its not an A&E issue they get bumped to A&E.

Yes, yes, yes but it will need massive adjustment from and by NHS staff and currently they're not prepared to do it. Who are the out of hours GPs going to be?

RedHelenB · 03/01/2023 07:55

slipperypenguin · 03/01/2023 00:04

I've broken my foot. I broke it last year and this is a further fracture on top of that. I went to A&E last week and after waiting 4 hours they announced it would be a minimum 12 hour wait for everyone as they were declaring an incident as the out of hours had all had to close.

I can't bare to go back. It's now a week later and I'm sat here with a very visibly and obviously broken foot with no idea where to go unless I'm willing to go back and sit for another 12 hours.

Why didn't you wait? You've probably made things worse niw, although if you're walking on it OK the bone is probably mending by itself.

Whatnextarghhhhhh · 03/01/2023 07:56

Why is no one asking what the NHS exec team are doing about it? Amanda Pritchard earns a lot more than the PM yet there is no one challenging her.

Iamwhatiam52 · 03/01/2023 07:57

Iam4eels · 02/01/2023 23:17

The government should be front and fucking centre setting out exactly what their plan is to get through the rest of the winter followed by details of how they'll prevent this reoccurring moving forwards. Alongside thus they should be back at the fucking negotiating table hashing out a deal with NHS workers relating to pay and conditions, they should also be formulating changes to the immigration and visa system to make it easier (and more attractive) for hospital workers from other countries to come work in the UK.

Instead: silence.

It's because they have nothing. No plan, no ideas, no mandate, nothing. And they're hiding because they don't want people to scrutinise their absolute lack of a plan. Rishi is a weak PM, even weaker than Truss, and his entire premiership is focused simply on staying in post which translates as hiding from the crosshairs.

Expect the Tory-bots to show up soon though with their "but Starmer...." bullshit.

👏👏👏 absolutely this

Greatly · 03/01/2023 07:58

@slipperypenguin sorry but you are being ridiculous. Do you want a painful foot for the rest of your life? Take a phone, a drink a cushion and a blanket and settle in.

BugafterBug · 03/01/2023 07:58

Someone needs to get all gp surgeries open 7 days a week immediately to relieve some of the pressure . I imagine a large majority of those flooding an and e either can’t get seen or have just left issues to get worse till the point they need more care than a gp can offer.

Forever42 · 03/01/2023 07:59

I wonder if it's normal in other countries to do everything you can not to go to a doctor or hospital to "protect" their healthcare system or if this is just a message that's been put about by the UK government and become entrenched.

Whitewolf2 · 03/01/2023 08:00

They’re taking the NHS to breaking point so they can privatise it. We won’t ever have enough money to pay for it or improve it in the way it needs now.

LittleDisaster · 03/01/2023 08:00

BugafterBug · 03/01/2023 07:58

Someone needs to get all gp surgeries open 7 days a week immediately to relieve some of the pressure . I imagine a large majority of those flooding an and e either can’t get seen or have just left issues to get worse till the point they need more care than a gp can offer.

Bring on the GP strikes then?

GPs have such good terms they need only work PT and retire early. They're certainly not going to easily agree to working unsocial hours. That's one of the problems (one of many).

luckylavender · 03/01/2023 08:00

catandcoffee · 02/01/2023 22:42

It really depends on the area you live in.

Family member in A+E suspected pneumonia in and out in 7 hours. including tests,bloods, and xrays.

I've also had 2 very quick hospital appointments when referred by GP.

I would suggest that's an exception

BugafterBug · 03/01/2023 08:01

Forever42 · 03/01/2023 07:59

I wonder if it's normal in other countries to do everything you can not to go to a doctor or hospital to "protect" their healthcare system or if this is just a message that's been put about by the UK government and become entrenched.

Yes I think we are being conditioned to avoid accessing a service rather than that service being up to standard when needed

BugafterBug · 03/01/2023 08:03

LittleDisaster · 03/01/2023 08:00

Bring on the GP strikes then?

GPs have such good terms they need only work PT and retire early. They're certainly not going to easily agree to working unsocial hours. That's one of the problems (one of many).

Show quote history

Where we are they may as well be striking ! You can’t do an online consultation as it’s at capacity all the time , nobody answers the phones if you go there it’s empty but they say no appts and to call 111

EasternEcho · 03/01/2023 08:05

UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 02/01/2023 23:57

My family and I (in Canada) were just talking about this. Where are the protests??? Bungled Brexit, insane energy prices, double digit inflation, higher rates of COVID deaths than in most of the western world, the NHS on its knees… in France, this would cause a shortage of tyres for the number that were being burned in the streets! I understand the stiff upper lip to an extent, but enough is enough, Britons need to find their rage and actually channel it in a public and organized way. The current government is such a shambles, and there seems to be such a high tolerance level for its incompetence. It’s truly shocking to outsiders.

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I am not in the UK (Denmark) but I was watching a clip just yesterday of UK residents being interviewed who are all convinced that putting immigrants in hotels is taking the money away from the NHS. The government says "look over there...Albanians"!

Barelyable · 03/01/2023 08:08

@Endlesssummer2022
This is exactly the conversation I had yesterday. Boris Johnson cleared out all of the decent MP's (subjective,I know) as they didn't vote for Brexit! Hence we have the second or even third tier of useless gobshites in charge!

Oldnproud · 03/01/2023 08:10

Noonesperfect · 03/01/2023 00:10

Unfortunately I believe the tories want the NHS to fail so we all have to pay for our care. They make me sick! I think it's really frightening.

This, exactly.

Running down the NHS to a point where they can say, "look, the NHS doesn't work, the only solution is to make almost all health care private" has probably been their plan all along, and they have just about reached their goal now.

Significant numbers of MPs are reported to have interests, second jobs even, with private health care companies. That should speak for itself!

People really need to wake up to what is happening and yes, start protesting on the streets before it's too late, if it isn't already.

Greatly · 03/01/2023 08:12

Oldnproud · 03/01/2023 08:10

This, exactly.

Running down the NHS to a point where they can say, "look, the NHS doesn't work, the only solution is to make almost all health care private" has probably been their plan all along, and they have just about reached their goal now.

Significant numbers of MPs are reported to have interests, second jobs even, with private health care companies. That should speak for itself!

People really need to wake up to what is happening and yes, start protesting on the streets before it's too late, if it isn't already.

Show quote history

People WANT a more European type of healthcare. I wish politicians would just get on with it.

LittleDisaster · 03/01/2023 08:12

Forever42 · 03/01/2023 07:59

I wonder if it's normal in other countries to do everything you can not to go to a doctor or hospital to "protect" their healthcare system or if this is just a message that's been put about by the UK government and become entrenched.

I think in very many other countries people use medical services much less - because they have to pay for them.

It doesn't make it right, but it does mean (some) people go too easily. People don't value what they don't (directly) pay for.

Orangepolentacake · 03/01/2023 08:13

catandcoffee · 02/01/2023 22:42

It really depends on the area you live in.

Family member in A+E suspected pneumonia in and out in 7 hours. including tests,bloods, and xrays.

I've also had 2 very quick hospital appointments when referred by GP.

@catandcoffee where do you live?? Can I move in??