To ask what can be done immediately to take the pressure off the NHS?

[Twinklenoseblows]

I've been reading stories about people waiting 4 days in A&E, people being taken into A&E in the back of a van with a broken hip as there are no ambulances ,and doctors and nurses pleading for something to be done right now as lives are at risk. But what can be done that would make a difference within the next week or two?

Promises of more money and more staff will presumably take years to filter through and make a difference.

I guess what is worrying me beyond the immediate crisis is that some bright spark in government is going to say we need a circuit breaker lockdown to reduce flu and covid admissions for the next few months to take some immediate pressure off. The thought fills me with horror so I'm hoping there is something else.

E.g. as a very short term measure could some people be diverted to make use of any spare private GP capacity to try to reduce the number of people going to A&E who could instead be dealt with by a GP if only they could get an appointment. Or is that madness?

The GP shortage has been known about for years. However one of the issues causing the recruitment crisis is that it’s no longer seen as giving better work/life balance than hospital posts because of the change a few years ago to make GP surgeries open for longer, so it’s no longer a 9-5 type of job. Not easy to find childcare if you have to work till 8pm.

I agree there are a lot of time-wasters. However, relative currently working in A&E says most of their patients are elderly people who’ve had falls. Not sure what can be done to reduce those.

Stop drinking to excess, know your limits or don't drink at all.
Stop taking any illegal drugs if you take them.
Don't go into an office if you have flu, a cold, or Covid 19.

Personal steps you can take.

Isn't this what people who were against Brexit predicted as a result of losing lots of nursing staff? Both due to European workers and the UK appearing to be racist place and people choosing to go to other places.

Shame that the Brexit-ers were such doom-mongers though

*Stop paying for:

abortions
IVF
contraception
all the transgender nonsense
Drugs to facilitiate homosexual men being sexually reckless (Prep)*

Nice bit of homophobia there. Shall we stop given out the pill also in case it encourages recklessness?

Get rid of the Tories who are privatising it by stealth

Improve

Social care and population health

Personal responsibility for health

Oh and it's not just the NHS but the economy

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63623502

The get Brexit done argument seems similarly simplistic to but we just have to learn to live with it argument.

Some of it should be privatised. Other European countries manage well with a mix of insurance and govt funding.
Last year I had the misfortune to watch my FIL die in hospital and my sibling have major surgery that had complications. My FILs care was appalling bordering on negligent, and my siblings not much better.

@Cuppasoupmonster

‘You can’t say the word ‘obesity’ on here without being called a goady fucker but that along with elderly care is crippling the NHS’

we could consider euthanasia for the over 65s? It’s not just the fat and/or old though is it?
how about you have your next baby at home?
smokers - refuse them care?
People with chronic illnesses - should we be paying for asthma meds, diabetic meds -‘or should this people accept they’ll need to find a way to pay for that?

Cancel electives. That's all there is, to free up capacity in other areas of hospitals. Trusts did it every January for some years but many now feel they can't because of the covid recovery plans. But that is the only way to make emergency care safer right now.

One thing I thought might help....

There is a practice that if an elderly person falls in a care home/public setting, an ambulance crew is called to lift them.

It would make sense to have trained teams who could do this but without needing a fully trained paramedic crew and emergency ambulance. Obviously they would be trained to know when a full emergency response is required.

Quicker help for the victim and less load on the ambulance crew.

Similar to sending highways agency to clear the scene of an accident rather than expecting the police to do it.

OP as a passionate anti lockdowner from the start, I think they will use any "excuse" and this might well be one.

Why would they? Who would actually benefit from a lockdown?

The key to sorting out the NHS, is sorting out social care. Too many old people think they can stay in their unsuitable accommodation for too long and don’t make plans for the future. They end up bed blocking as a result.

Their children cannot care for them as they are geographically dispersed, have their own young children, and have jobs to pay their bills.

1. Normalise downsizing
2. Incentivise saving for care (similar to health insurance or life policies)
3. Don’t vote Tory.

I understand the fear people have but no I don’t think so either.

There’s very little chance people would comply and they won’t go there again. Sunak at least knows how much it cost. It’s up there with fairy tale spending.

I agree with saving for care but fail to see why that is acceptable and to be encouraged but general means tested health insurance isn't? Is it because you yourself aren't elderly yet?

Supermarkets could help by having offers on healthy items,
most of the deals are on biscuits, crisps, cakes and general junk food.
Its cheaper for some people to buy a McDonald’s cheeseburger than a healthy sandwich or fruit.
I totally agree that we all have to take responsibility for our own health but I do think supermarkets could help too.

The irony of course is that when we did lock down last year to ‘protect the NHS’, the NHS was in a far better place than it is now.

The headlines re the NHS are not going to get people anywhere near thinking the same action needs to be taken as last year.

Personally I’ve heard it so often it just is noise now.

This is a very sensible idea and one that could be implemented quite quickly - unlike a lot of the suggestions on here (“Don’t vote Tory”)

Veg was 19p a bag pre Christmas. Aldi and Lidl do their Super 6 deals always on fruit and veg.

I've just spent 8 weeks visiting and talking to staff at a big London hospital. They didn't strike and they aren't overwhelmed - and that's according to the nurses. So it's clearly geographically dependent.

HangingOver, what exactly is homophobic about ValK's suggestion to not provide Prep on the NHS?
We don't have to engage in unprotected, or risky, sexual activity. That's a preference.
Condoms are an excellent barrier method and widely available at a very low cost to the individual.

R4 paramedic spokesperson now just saying discharge medically fit. That’s the key part

@dottycat123

NHS staff being able to turn people away at A&E who don't need to be there without fear of complaints and investigation.

Stupid. I wasn't able to see a GP over lockdown and 111 refused to book me an appointment with an emergency dentist due to my answers to the computer's checklist. When I finally got to speak to a dental nurse she also refused to book me an appointment.

After paying for a private appointment I was immediately blue lighted to A&E with sepsis and spent a week in hospital.

If I couldn't have paid, I would have died. And that's all fine according to you, and there should be no way for patients or families to complain or investigate?Glad you're not in charge.

I think it's more of a practical issue. Longterm AIDS management is surely much more expensive than Prep. Yes condoms are effective but if people aren't using them it doesn't solve the problem - like insisting on abstinence-only sex education while ignoring the reality.