When did the NHS make a difference to you?

[tryingtobenice3]

what was a time you had a positive experience with the NHS? Or was there a time the NHS helped you or a particular HCA, doctor, nurse etc did something that made a massive difference to you?

Obviously there’s been a lot of posts on here recently about the state of the NHS- people unable to get a GP appointment, people waiting days in a&e, people unhappy with the treatment they’ve had (or lack of treatment in some cases) not to mention all the different opinions on the strikes. I’m not denying or pretending these problems don’t exist because it’s awful right now. I have so much respect for NHS staff right now- I have NO idea how you cope with it all.

I just thought it would be nice to have a thread on here with nice stories or times someone in the NHS made a difference to you. Just to have a positive thread in case it cheers anyone up or makes a difference at all.

I’ll go first- my GP surgery, which isn’t always easy to get appointments at, have been so supportive and amazing when I was unwell. I was seen on the same day and the GP was so patient and lovely meanwhile I cried because I was frightened and felt so unwell. I never felt like a burden and I’m sure she was tired and fed up and wanted me to leave so she could see her next patient, and I probably held up her day and clinic diary as my appointment took well over the time, but I never forgot how kind and sympathetic she was when I was so unwell. It made such a huge difference to me. I ended up getting sent straight to the hospital and admitted for a week and I probably would have been too scared to go had she not been so kind and supportive to me

I’m not pretending the NHS is perfect and I know this is not going to fix the problems that other people have had, and it won’t help the staff with how overworked and under appreciated, but I just thought it might be a nice idea to have a nice thread with nice stories to show nhs staff how much we really appreciate them☺️

Loads of times, not least my two births. The NHS is amazing and we are so lucky to have it.

Nearly 5 years ago I had meningitis. My Mil/FIL had to drive me to hospital as the wait for an ambulance was 4 hours.

The A&E staff and all nurses/doctors were incredible and literally saved my life.

Most of it I've had to be told because I don't remember a lot of that day, but both pil were impressed and it takes a lot for them to be impressed.

My GP's are fabulous and have not a bad word to say about them, nor any of the admin and support staff that work there.

Superb care when my grandad was dying. From GP (same practice as mine), nursing staff and hospital consultants. Marie Curie were fabulous, Macmillan were not.

Saved my life when I had peritonitis and sepsis. Some care could've been better, but I am eternally grateful to be here.

I work in the nhs and I see my colleagues going way above and beyond day in and day out. The working conditions are dire at times but most of the women (and families) in our care won't realise how bad it is. I work with some phenomenal staff, of every level.

loads, but the most recent occurrence spring to mind.

my then 18m old had been slightly under the weather when I dropped her at my MIL for the day whilst I worked. When I picked her up her breathing was chesty, she was super lethargic and sky high temp. Working for my local nhs trust I knew how horrific the wait in A&E was and didn’t feel she warranted to be seen by them, no minors locally or urgent care. Called GP at 5pm, I was an hours drive away. Receptionist spoke to duty doctor who called me back and said to bring her immediately. I explained I was an hour away at least and wouldn’t arrive until 15 mins after they closed. He said it didn’t matter and that he’d wait. And he did! Met me at the door, was so good with her, prescribes antibiotics there and then but said he’d call in the morning to see how she was. Which he did. What an absolute gem.

Twice in 6 years the first when they saved my life at 35 years old with a heart attack and 2 years ago when the fab staff at Alder Hey fixed my daughters spine with sudden scoliosis after breaking her back in 3 places to straighten the 92 and 78 degree curves In her s shaped spine she was up and walking in 5 days absolutely amazing x

The NHS saved the life of a family member and also has helped with quality of life through all sorts of small treatments.

I will never forgive the Tories if they destroy it permanently

Preventing me and my unborn baby dieing of pre eclampsia.

The nhs is truly amazing if you ever find yourself close to a untimely death. Unless you need 999 I guess right now.

I have had 3 children since and am still treated like an unexposed ww2 bomb with the last 2. Unluckily or luckily for me I was never left in active labour. Always had a student and midwife me at all times.

When I was trampled by a rather heavy horse and she tore off half my calf. 2 weeks in hospital, multiple GAs, a huge skin graft, then a DVT. Lots of outpatient appointments later and the two inch hole inside my leg finally sealed up-took 4 months. Weirdly, I had no physio and-my own stupid fault-I’ve put on weight and my knee is buggered. I really need to address it.

In 2020 when I had cervical cancer.

As soon as I was initially diagnosed everything was quick. Scans, start of treatment etc.

The chemo nurses were lovely and so were the radiographers.

I will always be grateful for the incredible team at Edinburgh and Glasgow sick kids when my ten day old DS2 collapsed with an undetected heart defect.
DS1 has a rare genetic condition and is under a number of different specialities. They have always been incredible with him.
Both my boys are ND, and with DS1 in particular, CAMHS have done such great work around his anxiety and ADHD.

I’d be dead or in huge debt at least twice without the NHS.
I had Quincy when I was a child and then an ectopic pregnancy at 21. Add in terrible glue ear which would probably have left me deaf and the agony of gallstones (which may have made me kill myself), they’ve helped me out quite a bit.

When I had PND , my GP called me unsolicited several times in her lunch hour over a period of weeks to check if I was ok. So kind - no judgemental and really helped get me sorted.

I had breast cancer, the treatment i received was amazing by all involved but particularly the radiotherapy part, appointment times ranged from 7am to 9pm, i understand they were in a shift system but still think thats fantastic service, my macmillan nurse went above and beyond and was always at the end of the phone for my endless questions and to help my anxiety, even contacting our holiday company to confirm my diagnosis to get our holiday postponed. They have also been amazing when my 82 old mum with alzeimers has been diagnosed with bowel cancer. Nothing has been too much trouble for them.

First and foremost my two amazing pregnancy and birth experiences where I was supported entirely in my wishes.

Second - they have given me an awesome career.

And just generally almost all my experiences as a patient or the parent or relative of a patient have been positive.

Emergency surgery July last year. Seen by specialty team within an hr of getting to a&e. Surgery the next morning home by 7pm the same day. Extremely grateful for the expertise and care I was given.

My gp surgery sucks. But last new years day, a&e saved my little boy with severe orbital cellulitis. A few weeks later the midwives and drs saved my baby born with shoulder dystocia, incredibly fast response and resuscitation. In recent weeks, a&e repeatedly have given my little boy antibiotics when the gp couldn't see us over bank holidays/weekends, for strep throat he couldn't shift, when he stopped taking fluids and went floppy.

I have multiple sclerosis and have a wonderful neurologist. I simply would not get treatment at all if I lived in the states (where I was born). I also had several lovely midwives here.

NHS isn’t perfect but people forget that in the US prices are inflated for profit, they have all these extra insurance people to employ etc. Having to wait to be absolutely sure something is serious is the reality for many, and very risky.

When I suffered psychosis 6 years ago and had to be hospitalised, they saw me through my darkest moments and stuck by me for the coming three years of utter, sheer mental health hell. They never gave up on me, even when I turned on them. I saw so many wonderful people, who visited my home for 3 years, who dropped everything for me, who gave me contact numbers for all hours of the day. Following this severe mental health breakdown, they’ve continued to do yearly check ups on me without needing reminding and they are always, always there to listen.

I could cry every time I think about it. They saved my life. They’ve ensured the safe arrival of my two children and they’ve been my one solid constant when family were abroad and I had no one.

I will never forget. Thank you.

In the past, they saved DD's life when she was just 9 weeks old. DH had a successful cancer operation 7 years ago.

Last month DH was on the 2 week cancer pathway and had a consultant appointment, a CT scan, a colonoscopy and endoscopy all within 2 weeks of seeing the GP. And again on another 2 week cancer pathway he has seen the GP and a consultant and is having surgery next week.

I had reconstructive Jaw surgery which freed me from a lifetime of bite discomfort and pain. It was 3 years of treatment in total as I had to have a full set of braces. It was honestly life changing and I had incredible care. I’ll never forget it.

Everything they did for DS2. We were in for a week at 1 month and nearly lost him at 4 months. It was the height of COVID and DH was only allowed in too when he was gravely ill. I had a 20 minute break every 24 hours. I was broken.

When he was recovering on the ward he refused point blank to sleep in the cot. We co slept in the fold out parent bed. No judgement from any of the staff. I was going to swap with DH for my break but he got delayed. A nurse insisted I go to the hospital shop before it shut and she would sit with DS to make sure he didn't roll off the bed. I ran to the shop and back cos I felt so guilty for her sitting there. When I came in she was stoking DS2's hair and telling him what a wonderful baby he was. She was so unbelievably loving. She then told me off for rushing back and insisted I sit in the parent room to have a proper break until DH got there.

We had every test under the sun with the most amazing specialist team and finally found out the incredibly obscure issue DS was suffering with. To put all those people together going private wouldn't be possible. He's now been discharged and his care was so thorough. I honestly don't have words for how wonderful our care was. The nurses deserve every penny they're asking for and more.

I had to call an ambulance to my son (twice) when he stopped breathing with febrile convulsion. Ambulance showed up in under 5 mins both times, blue lights to an and e, 6 or so people around a table ready to receive him… all good in the end- he’s a healthy boy upstairs snoring away 😃 (he’s grown out of them now).

My first labour lead to a crash general anaesthetic c-section, it could have been traumatic but I’ve never felt so looked after. The surgeon and anaesthetic team were so funny and reassuring… even in an emergency.

My first midwife was brilliant as well, I cried when I said goodbye to her! My alcoholic mother had just disowned me and she stepped in to be a shoulder to cry on.

@Goodluckanddontfuckitup just had a little cry at the kindness of that nurse. What a lovely human.

My GP is fab for getting appointments at so I am grateful for that.

As a family over the years we’d probably have been bankrupt if we’d of had to pay for medical care. Expensive twin pregnancy, broken elbow requiring surgery to put a plate in and to remove as on a growth plate, broken wrist needing surgery. I had a Google and it’d be upwards of 100k in U.S. Even recently someone I know went to A &E for a dislocated finger. Four hours, x-rayed, realigned, strapped up and back out.

If it wasn’t for the stories on waiting times/ strikes/ difficulties others have on accessing care I wouldn’t of personally thought there was an issue.

Saved my life - and my sister's and my DS.... threw everything at trying to save my DH. Treated me (and him) with the utmost dignity and kindness when their efforts failed and his life support was removed.
Needless to say, I don't moan about the NHS.
The system may be broken, but the staff are beyond awesome. Just amazing.