To think the NHS is beyond repair?

[NHSisfallingapart]

DS has been unwell with chickenpox. A couple of the blisters looked like they might be infected. It’s a Sunday and the GP is closed, when I rand their after hours line it just goes dead. I rang 111 for advice at noon and have been waiting for a return pcall ever since. Someone rang me a few hours ago to ask whether I stil want to speak with someone. They could not provide an estimate of when I will receive a return call and told me it’s a 24 hour service and I may be called at any hour.

AIBU to think the standard of care provided by the NHS is inadequate? I suspect DS needs antibiotics and I can’t do anything about it.

Having spent a few days in hospital with my daughter all I can say is it's fantastic. Called 111, they said A&E, we went and saw two different doctors who referred her for tests the next day when she was admitted, own room, tests tests tests (and wait wait wait). Was discharged four days later after seeing three consultants, two occupational therapists, three blood tests, an x ray, ecg, MRI done and lumbar puncture booked. I didn't have to pay anything. And yes we do pay through our taxes, but an unemployed or minimum wage earner will get the same access as a bank CEO. (Sadly her most likely diagnosis is MS, a degenerative autoimmune disease that causes lesions on the brain and spinal cord).
Sure it's flawed. But it is way better than no access at all.

@mondaytosunday well said

@XenoBitch you might not call an ambulance but there are plenty who sadly do. We see it frequently.

This is spot on. As someone who works in this service, you would be amazed at the amount of people who do not use it appropriately.

Or at all. Generations of children have got through chicken pox for hundreds of years. It can’t be treated with antibiotics.

I thought i was having a mild stroke last week
I didnt call an ambulance
Partner drove me there

Major Trauma Hospital (with helipad)
It was very very busy. Nowhere to sit

I was assessed straight away and saw the stroke team within 10 minutes
Within 30 minutes i had seen a stroke nurse, had a CT Scan and had blood tests

Can not fault them…
If it really is an emergency, You do get seen

DO NOT GIVE IBUPROFEN

Sorry I’ve not been clear. I don’t expect to be seen on a Sunday evening with this. I rang 111 at 11 am on Sunday for advice, after DS woke up pointing out one spot that was larger, redder and more painful than the others, and having taken pictures of the spots that look infected. Was told I needed to speak to a clinician, someone would ring me back but they had “no idea” when. I received a call at 8 pm (nine hours later) asking if I’d still like to wait in the queue, and they still had no idea when someone would ring. Only that it’s a 24 hour service and someone could ring at any hour. Obviously it’s not a life-threatening emergency and I’m not expecting an ambulance at the door or anything.

my hope was that someone could review the picture and provide a prescription for antibiotics, so we wouldn’t have to attend A&E or a GP surgery in person and put others at risk of infection.

@Rewind20Years thats exactly what I mean. The NHS is meant to be a system for us all, but it’s turned into a critical emergency only service. I’m glad they could get you sorted so quickly. But what about those who don’t have a partner, can’t drive etc? They could be waiting hours with stroke symptoms and then it’s already too late. That seems like a failed system to me?

Im sure an ambulance would of come @NHSisfallingapart

No. We were here before when Labour got in last time. It looked like the Tories had destroyed the NHS then. But it did recover until the Tories got in again.

Totally agree 👍

Still don't get why you couldn't have waited until the morning...

The rot set in under Tony Blair;

www.theguardian.com/society/2000/nov/11/futureofthenhs.health

I think service can be patch which is a problem. But my mum has dementia and she developed a uti on a saturday. They rang 111 early afternoon. A doctor rang back 2 or 3 hours later. They sent a prescription and the medication was collected and treatment started that evening. So I think that's quite good.
However, at 87 with a raised temperature, getting her treatment fast is really important. I'm not sure a red chickenpox spot, that they've probably been scratching, would be given too high a priority. I certainly dont think that that, in itself, is indicative of the nhs being broken or beyond repair.

NHS website tells you to contact 111 if a chickenpox blister looks sore

The nasty blister sounds like a possible skin infection, OP, not a systemic infection warranting antibiotics. Treat like any other infected blister and call the GP in the morning if you are concerned. Chicken pox itself is caused by the varicella zoster virus so antibiotics won’t help with it, either.

I agree the NHS is broken but this isn’t a good test case

@Seventytwosunsetstrip I know treatments and waiting times were sky high under the Tories last time and reduced a lot under Blair. You want us to ignore our actual experiences.

@Enthrallingstoryofstillnessandlight because an infected spot in chicken pox can turn quickly into a blood infection especially in a little one, so I rang for advice…

@poetryandwine yes but infected blisters (according to the NHS) require treatment with antibiotics to prevent them from turning into blood infections.

I agree OP this is something that can wait. You do not need a Sunday appointment.
I can always get our GP to see myself or DD on the same day, but we do not call for silly reasons. Similarly when I have said I needed a home visit that day I have always got it because the surgery know if I say this we need it. I do wonder when people get fobbed off if they have a history of ringing for stupid reasons.

Infected blisters and spots can need treatment, but rarely. The blister is the kind of thing I would show a pharmacist. I have self treated infected blister with antibiotic cream.
Please note I am not saying you do not need to see someone at all, but it is not an emergency that needs treatment on a Sunday.

It didn’t. It improved on all measures from 1997 to 2010.

www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/default/files/summary-high-performing-nhs-progress-review-1997-2010-ruth-thorlby-jo-maybin-kings-fund-april-2010_0.pdf

In 2010 it was judged the best health system in the world.

Hi, OP - I have just checked a few BHS websites. They all say that you should see your GP for an infected blister. None of them make it sound particularly urgent, and none of them mention antibiotics. (I am sure it is possible that in a particularly awful case antibiotics would be given but I think antiseptic or antibiotic ointment would often be tried first.). Good luck with this