Is this the end for the NHS?

[Gigihadr]

Looking at the news I don’t really see how this healthcare crisis is going to be resolved.

Should I try and take out private healthcare insurance now? Is it possible to get seen in an emergency privately?

It seems like there aren’t going to be good doctors/ nurses left in the NHS as they seem to be all leaving in droves for NZ/ Aus. Hoping that at least some of the better ones will go into private healthcare and thinking better to sign up sooner rather than get caught ill with nowhere to turn to.

If you can afford it get private healthcare yes.

I’ve opted in for private medical for me and my family, for the first time in my 18yrs of working life where it’s been offered. I used to think at least children aren’t let down by the nhs, even that I don’t trust now.

Well you’ll see the same doctors, just quicker.

No one should have private healthcare imo… now ofc if your life or your loved one’s life is at risk you are going to spend if you can. But one child or person does not deserve priority over another because they have more money.

We should be demanding a proper NHS service for everyone, adequately funded, and voting accordingly.

Where has anyone offered any sensible alternatives? Where has the Government engaged people to try and discuss other options, where has the government actually done anything to try and improve the situation?

Completely agree with this.

Additionally I've heard people talk about private health insurance not costing "that much". This is based on their subsidised BUPA group membership at work.

Nope. That's not what we'd be facing.

The US model, for example, is not "your work medical insurance writ large". It's frightening. Even with insurance, medical bills can be so high that you choose whether to sell your house or die. Childbirth is incredibly expensive and often not covered by employer plans.

I'd argue that we review and invest in what we have in a meaningful way. It was there and working at one point.

In my area there is a private GP who charges £180 per month for the whole family and will come out and see you whenever needed. I really really wish this had been available when I had my husband and 3 kids living with me - it would have been really convenient and quite good value for money for 5 people. £45 a week - I was spending that on a weekly takeaway.

If there's a private GP service near you, start there.

No, this was a government choice.

Well said.

Climate change is accelerating; we might not WANT to be cured of anything in five years.

Glad I'm 60.

How depressing. I’m 59. Don’t think anything like that at all

damn right it was! And it was said by many experts at the time that austerity would cause long term damage and ultimately works against society- errmmm… yes they were right!

I'm just thinking of paying for things like artificial hips, knees, cataracts, if needed rather than waiting for NHS treatment, so smaller things that can make your life miserable and are not seen as urgent. It depends what it is really, these things if needed would come out of savings.

She was talking nonsense. There are 47,000 nursing vacancies in the NHS that they can’t fill.

Rang the GPs today at 8am, they rang at 10am and asked him in straightaway, been referred for unusual swelling on the 2WW.

Good to see they can get it right when needed.

So those can will get insurance and people like me and dh? No insurance co will take me or if they do it would be more than I can afford - I have MS and am declining, slowly but surely and NOTHING can be done but manage my symptoms. I have a heart problem (faulty valve) which will require dealing with sometime, but while the normal success rate is great, the recovery time is 6 weeks or so BUT for me I've been told to double that, which would include up to 6weeks in ICU; I could go on....

Benenden can be useful for those with pre existing conditions, its the same price for everyone. It doesn't cover treatment for heart or cancer though.

For the first time in my life I have private medical insurance through work - Bupa.

For minor things it's been useful. The private virtual GP for things I don't want to bother my own GP with is useful. But last year I needed them for something acute and life threatening - they were shit and I transferred back to NHS (who, due to it being acute, were amazing). I also had to jump through so many hoops when I was really very ill. Only real benefit was they paid me £50 for every night I was in the NHS hospital!

They will give you insurance... it just won't cover your pre-existing conditions. So only new things. I'm in a similar boat - something was discovered a week before my insurance started, and it's not acute, the NHS wait is forever (well, 20 months for consultant appointment), but Bupa are all "computer says no".

It varies, not only from trust to trust, but from departments, wards.

My mum was seriously let down by gastroenterology, haematology and elderly care unit. This caused her death last Tuesday.

However, the gastro ward she was on in the days running up to her death gave absolutely outstanding care to mum and to family. Nothing was too much trouble. Even though mum was deeply sedated, they treated her with complete dignity and respect, always said hello when they came in, introduced themselves and were very clear in which care was about to be given.

Nurses and HCAs regularly checked that I was eating and drinking, and I was fed as part of the ward rounds. The food was good.

This shows me that the issue isn't funding, but management. If one ward can achieve this, then there's no reason why the rest of the hospital can't with good management.

If you disagree with me, that's fine, but please be kind with it as I'm still very fragile.

Oh, and if you can afford pmi, then get it.

@User1794537 Many people who need knee replacements have had this need caused by being in LOW PAID manual work!

Postcode lottery though. My GP surgery don’t even have any phone appointments for 4 weeks, never mind face to face. Urgent same day appointments can only be booked over the phone - catch is you can’t get through for love or money! And no use trying to go into the surgery in person, because by the time the doors open there are no appointments left! You can’t win! I don’t blame the staff, there just isn’t enough of them.

My daughter has scoliosis and a chromosome deletion...it can take some time to see a spinal surgeon so the advice is to pay privately then when you see the surgeon will transfer you over to their NHS list....not so great for anyone who can't afford this and then gets pushed further down the list and waits even longer.. my area are no longer doing autism diagnosis (unless in care, known to police etc) so again without money no help etc....it's so shocking but also so scary

For pp asking, I only know about the Dutch system. It’s insurance based but tightly controlled by the government so pricing is reasonable. Low income people are still able to access care and children under 18 are free. If you are made redundant, then you are covered for over a year (I believe).

My in-laws pay about 100€ each a month. It’s budgeted for, like rent I suppose. They can always see a doctor and have no complaints.

I sometimes drive them to hospital when I’m visiting (I’m insured for their tiny Dutch car!). Hospitals there seem clean and organised, not as chaotic as wards can be here. I’m sure the system isn’t perfect but I would be happy with a similar system here. I’ve also lived in the US (had a baby there) but it was crazy expensive and that was 16 years ago.

For balance, my ds recently had an accident in UK and a and e were very good, got him stitched up and sent home within 3 hours. We were called up the following day and asked to come back and see a specialist that afternoon. It seems different in other areas though.

Last few years with few relatives that's been our experience - varies between wards in same hospital.

Last one in it was was awful in some wards it was unbelievable - frankly the week in the offshoot ward off A&E and technically part of it waiting for a bed on a proper ward- seem to have no one in charge and I think my relative was lucky to get out alive and if family members hadn't been local and capable of visiting daily and after a few scary incidents very vocal I don't think they'd be back at home now.

Well, you have tacked your own views on re climate change. I wasn't necessarily referring to that. Or suggesting that curing illness might not be needed due to it or anything else.