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Original poster

To feel angry at celebrating the NHS

587 replies

TaylorSwifting · 05/07/2023 08:42

The NHS is falling apart and today people are all full of glee at the NHS yippee 75 years today, it’s making me so angry!!!!!!!!!
My family member has been diagnosed with cancer, 2 months down the line and has had no treatment and terrible delays for tests…..still yet to see an oncologist. 2 months!!!!!!!!! Family member only has pain management because us family have begged and fought to get it. It is an utter disgrace and I had no idea how bad things were until this awful diagnosis in our own family.
We are not alone / it hasn’t been a mistake or being lost in the system by accident! Record high cancer patient delays - this is what so many people are facing. I am in utter disbelief!
I won’t be celebrating today.

OP posts:
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11
Notonthestairs · 05/07/2023 14:04

"I actually didn't mind Rishi Sunak's idea of paying a certain amount for a GP appointment."

Did Sunak propose this?

eggsbenedict23 · 05/07/2023 14:07

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 05/07/2023 14:00

Guess you'll have to start paying insurance when it goes ( and it's going) then you'll all be moaning about that too

I'm fine with paying for insurance if it isn't too extortionate provided I get a better service. I already pay for plenty of insurances (including health) for peace of mind. I actually didn't mind Rishi Sunak's idea of paying a certain amount for a GP appointment. People in Ireland pay if they can afford it (isn't it about 50 euros which seems a lot to me but maybe not?)?

I thought it was 15

eggsbenedict23 · 05/07/2023 14:07

"To visit a GP you can expect to pay from around 45 euro up to 65 euro (in some urban areas)."

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 05/07/2023 14:08

Did Sunak propose this?

He actually proposed just charging people for missed appointments but had to row back even from that.

Sallyh87 · 05/07/2023 14:09

Celebrate the concept and the amazing people working at the NHS. Yes, no longer fit for purpose but the care I’ve received from staff (care assistant - surgeons), has been great.

I and all my friends get private insurance through work, I think the NHS needs to somehow utilise this better, as we can’t be the exception. Also, ofcourse just funding it better!

unsync · 05/07/2023 14:10

Have just had direct experience of the same injury with my father. Once in France, once in UK.

In France, we were seen in urgent care centre within 1/2 hour by a doctor on Saturday evening, who wrote up two prescriptions. One for the pharmacy for dressings, wound care equipment etc and the second for a nurse. The nurse came to the house every day, Sunday included for two weeks to clean and dress a wound until it was healed.

In the UK, mid week in urgent care centre waited for 3 1/2 hours, seen by nurse and sent home with two dressings and told to change the dressing myself every 2-3 days and remove steristrips after a week.

I know which system I prefer.

JenniferBooth · 05/07/2023 14:15

How?

There are STILL people on NHS threads who will tell you to get a taxi to hospital if you can so as to put less pressure on the ambulance service. In my area pre lockdowns a local cab firm had FIFTY drivers. Now they have NINETEEN. Because so many of them quit and never went back. Its a real struggle now to get a cab anywhere in my town. Let alone to the nearest A+E 12 miles away. So an ambulance it would have to be

Wizzbangfizz · 05/07/2023 14:18

Why do people think it is free - we all (well those of us who work) pay a fortune in tax. I’d rather pay for a service and be able to access services. There is no magic bullet coming from Labour either and our doctors and nurses are leaving in droves. More people are economically inactive and on long term sick and the people coming to this country are unskilled. I can see nothing but a bleak future to be honest.

Sweetashunni · 05/07/2023 14:35

JenniferBooth · 05/07/2023 14:15

How?

There are STILL people on NHS threads who will tell you to get a taxi to hospital if you can so as to put less pressure on the ambulance service. In my area pre lockdowns a local cab firm had FIFTY drivers. Now they have NINETEEN. Because so many of them quit and never went back. Its a real struggle now to get a cab anywhere in my town. Let alone to the nearest A+E 12 miles away. So an ambulance it would have to be

People are on out of work benefits due to covid because there are less taxi drivers in your town? Sorry you’re going to have to explain this to me

Sallywallywoowoo · 05/07/2023 14:36

The NHS is absolutely not fit for purpose. Can't see a GP, no NHS dentists, I personally know 2 people who were ignored by doctors about their cancer symptoms until it was too late to save them - one aged only 32 when he died.
I had to pay £100 to a private ear clinic to get antibiotics for my 7 year old when he had a middle ear infection so severe it was affecting his hearing because he had wax in his ear so the NHS doctor (that we waited 4 hours to see in Urgent care) couldn't see his eardrum, and "the NHS doesn't remove ear wax" he was crying in pain.
Shocking and cruel maternity care that led to unnecessary injuries for me. I could go on.
WTF is there to be grateful for?? And I don't get this idea that we should celebrate the "wonderful" staff working in the NHS either. Some of them are absolutely awful. Some of them are wonderful, sure. But you know what someone at Tescos went above and beyond for me the other day too. When are we going to celebrate all the wonderful people who work there? I honestly cannot wait for the day they finally admit it's not working and we introduce a new system. I really hope it's like the one I've used in Italy.

TheLifeofMe · 05/07/2023 14:45

I do agree with your sentiment with regards to the waiting list as I have two family members waiting for cancer treatment and it’s a disgrace that the wait has been 2-3 months and still no treatment. But, this isn’t the fault of the staff but the people in charge who are under funding the NHS and seem to want them to fail. Along with the government who all have private health care and more money than most of us could dream of. They don’t care the NHS is in crisis and they refuse to pay doctors and nurses what they are worth. Makes my blood boil.

Gigihadr · 05/07/2023 14:46

a two tier healthcare system is being developed by this government

pay privately and you will get to see and be treated by a medical consultant doctor

on the nhs, doctors are slowly being phased out in preference for pseudo doctors: advanced care practitioners, physician associates, anaesthetic associates and ‘multi professional consultant advanced practitioners’ whatever that means….

substandard health care on the nhs for those who can’t pay

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 05/07/2023 14:49

I can see nothing but a bleak future to be honest.

Sadly this ^ More and more tax income needed for health (including rocketing number of cases of mental health problems), rocketing child and adult social care needs, rocketing SEN needs plus an increase in benefit costs for long term unemployed people, and working people are struggling to afford to live without having an increase in their taxes. I think as a country we're pretty fucked.

JenniferBooth · 05/07/2023 14:57

There is a service for the NHS at Westminster Abbey today? Jesus the optics of this.

Cakesandbabes · 05/07/2023 15:01

JenniferBooth · 05/07/2023 14:57

There is a service for the NHS at Westminster Abbey today? Jesus the optics of this.

That's absolutely ulyimate thoughts and prayers

Nordicrain · 05/07/2023 15:02

Inclined to agree. I would be REALLY worried about getting seriously ill at the moment.

KnittedCardi · 05/07/2023 15:04

Badbadbunny · 05/07/2023 13:50

Has any other country had nurses dancing around with hospital beds in it's Olympic opening ceremony? No, I thought not? That was an all time low for the UK and the NHS.

Show quote history

Oh God. I'd forgotten about that. I'd buried it in the bottom drawer of memory marked "trash".

2bazookas · 05/07/2023 15:06

I won’t be celebrating today.

Why aren't you buying private health care for your beloved family?

eggsbenedict23 · 05/07/2023 15:12

2bazookas · 05/07/2023 15:06

I won’t be celebrating today.

Why aren't you buying private health care for your beloved family?

If people had the choice to take the tax money that has been spent on the NHS to be on private insurance instead.....

I think it's like this in the Netherlands

Happyfluffball · 05/07/2023 15:14

pointythings · 05/07/2023 13:23

I would advise everyone with rose tinted dreams of other systems to look at the data. The US spends a great deal more per head of population but has worse outcomes and huge segregation by ability to pay. I think we can agree that isn't something we want to replicate.

Other European countries have systems that align better with our values, but they spend a great deal more on healthcare than we do. They also haven't spent 10 years under investing and doing nothing about demographic and infrastructure issues. I would favour reform (and I work in the NHS), but people on this thread need to realise a French or German model of the same quality would cost us all more, not less.

I like the US system. I am employed and my employer would pay for my health insurance so I have no issue with lack of universal access.

Notonthestairs · 05/07/2023 15:14

"I think it's like this in the Netherlands"

Does this mean that the Nld government doesn't contribute to health and social care?

ButterCrackers · 05/07/2023 15:15

Private health doesn’t cover pre-existing medical conditions so if you have an illness you’re stuck with no treatment privately or long delays and then too late on the nhs

Happyfluffball · 05/07/2023 15:17

ButterCrackers · 05/07/2023 15:15

Private health doesn’t cover pre-existing medical conditions so if you have an illness you’re stuck with no treatment privately or long delays and then too late on the nhs

Mine does after the first year. It's with Cigna and I think it's their highest tier.

pointythings · 05/07/2023 15:18

Notonthestairs · 05/07/2023 15:14

"I think it's like this in the Netherlands"

Does this mean that the Nld government doesn't contribute to health and social care?

They absolutely do. Having private insurance is compulsory, but there is provision for people on very low incomes. There is also provision for people with long term incurable conditions to ensure their premiums do not become unaffordable. It's nothing like the US system. Taxes are higher in the Netherlands than they are here.

shropshirewitch · 05/07/2023 15:18

MariaVT65 · 05/07/2023 09:23

Yeah I don’t think it should be celebrated. I’ve had to get private help for my 1 year old because the wait is so long for treatment, for basic things like helping him walk.

The treatment I also had during the pandemic when I gave birth left me with PTSD. Yes it’s a lot of the fault of the government, but the NHS has a lot of shitty staff too.

at least you weren't then served with a bill for thousands of dollars just for having a baby on top of that