Let's turn the ( usual) NHS negativity around with your positive experiences

[Tiredallthetimeneedsleep]

Fed up with the latest negative NHS 'headline' so I thought I'd start a thread to share my positive experiences.

Had MRI booked within 2 weeks of seeing DR. Was seen on time and the staff were brilliant.

What are YOUR NHS positive stories?

This 100%.

No.

I'm sick fed up with us as a society tolerating the absolutely fucking deplorable health 'service'. What I'd like is for us to take to the streets en masse to protest at how completely fucking appalling it is.

I'm in Scotland, and scotgov has just shelved plans for several desperately needed healthcare premises. Apparently shelved for at least 2 years (translated, at least 10). They're still planning to build 10's of 1000's of 'affordable' houses though! So its not all bad!!!! 🤪😃 We've to pay through the fucking nose in income tax meekly accepting a developing world standard of health service, so thank fuck we have that silver lining of paying to house people who can't afford the affordable housing!!!! 🥳

some of these responses are sad. I work for the NHS and see and do so much good but noone ever cares about that. Thankyou OP for trying to be positive about it. It is so demoralising being constantly told how shit the ‘NHS’ are when you show up everyday and do your very best. I work so much overtime because I love helping others and bend over backwards to go the extra mile, as do so many of my colleagues. Remember there are actual human beings working for poorly funded organisations where staffing levels are shocking, doing the job of more than one person. Sometimes I think my brain is literally going to explode with the amount of risk and stress I have to hold and think about but I still show up.

I have a complex mental health history. The care from the perinatal mental health team (pregnancy + 1 yr afterwards) has been excellent.

I can always get a GP appointment when I need one, and they never make me feel rushed.

Paramedics recently saved a relative's life by doing a thorough check rather than making assumptions. And then the doctors were extremely patient with her.

@MaloneMeadow

Our clinical outcomes and waiting lists are amongst the worst in Europe, despite having very high expenditure on healthcare per person

In expenditure per capita, we ranked 13th (in Europe) in 2022. We have low expenditure on healthcare per person in spite of having an older and fatter popular than all of those who spend more.

I'd be surprised if any model would work satisfactorily with that level of understanding.

Apologies for not being an economics expert, thankfully it is nothing to do with me nor my job.

I still stand by my opinion that we cannot claim to be a first world country when we have far higher preventable mortality and morbidity rates than comparable nations. Frankly the state of some hospitals I’ve been in recently is more akin to something you’d see in the developing world, and even then it would be alarming. It cannot go on like this, we are being treated like second class citizens in our own country

Cardiology - fantastic

General surgery Day cases - utterly shambolic, all bustling around doing exactly the same thing the last person did, with me having to point out instead of asking me repeatedly for things like what meds am I on, read the notes where it’s fucking written. Also, don’t ask me, the patient, if I’ve found a bed yet - that’s your job, again, because you hadn’t read the fucking notes. 3 patients, 6 staff and the most disorganised mayhem I have ever seen. That’s not lack of investment, that’s incompetence. As a consequence of the mess they’d made, I shouldn’t even have been booked on that day as they needed 3 hours for my surgery, not the 1 they had allocated (because fucking notes). Having rearranged my life, my husband’s and sorted our kids, I now have to do it all over again in a month’s time.

Make sure you take time for yourself as well, don't work yourself to the point of burnout, nobody will thank you for your extra efforts. Our colleagues are probably the only ones that see how hard we are working. I try to stay off social media and NHS threads like this because they are super demoralising. Just try to separate it in your mind. A lot of people have had bad experiences and service, they will vent about this. It doesn't mean you personally are not doing a good job. Also, it is just a job, don't kill yourself bending over backwards, you can't fix the organisation. Once I dropped my hours and learnt to turn up, work hard then leave on time and not think about it until i go back it became a lot less stressful X

Some people struggle to understand that it isn't the fault of the staff.

My GP practice is pretty good, frankly. I've never not been seen when necessary.

If it’s people like me, we’re not ‘not grateful’. We’d just like the problems to be sorted out so we can trust in good, timely care.

I’m sure you’d feel that way too if your husband could no longer walk effectively and your child had damaged kidneys all down to the lack of timely care where issues are well communicated and you, as a patient, are properly assessed and listened to.

My child, who was failed in his first year of life and nearly died, is now on a waiting list for ADHD assessment that takes over 5 years. We’ve been told private assessments risk him being removed from the NHS waiting list. I spend two mornings a week for 7 weeks on courses that teach me nothing because I’ve already put the techniques in place to help, then I have to catch up on my work in evenings and weekends reducing my time with him. There was no way to bypass the courses, even though the course leaders, his school and the GP didn’t feel I needed them - I have to do them in order to have him assessed. I can’t not work as my employees rely on me to keep the business going to provide their jobs and we’re a small team. My son can’t sleep and it’s making his anxiety worse. The GP won’t prescribe him melatonin without a diagnosis. The whole thing is a nightmare.

Im on a 10 year waiting list for Ehlers Danlos assessment. 10 years.

These stories aren’t rare, they’re more and more commonplace. I’m not ‘not grateful’ and no one wants the American system in the UK (or no one I’ve ever spoken to), but I do want a government that doesn’t systematically tear the NHS apart. I do want to be able to help my son without everyone telling me their hands are tied. I want safe care that doesn’t cause delays and trauma from being left. I want to explain to a psychiatrist how I parent and not lose two mornings a week for 3 months relearning techniques I already use and then lose any time with my children later to try and squeeze in the work. I want a system that diagnoses strokes and rehabilitates in a timely manner, so a 30yo isn’t left permanently disabled for no real reason (NHS missed the window of recovery so now it’s a nightmare battle and we still haven’t received nhs rehab - only private physio). It’s an all round situation - the staff need a better workplace and we, as patients, need better care.

My dad had a diagnosis of lung cancer summer 2022. He had surgery sept 2022 to remove a mass on his brain. He was in and out of an and e thought the year he survived. He was seen quickly and with care/compassion. They made room for his wife and sometimes all 8 kids to be with him as and when we turned up. They gave us a year with him from his diagnosis. I'm forever grateful for all that was done for him and the time we had. He died summer 2023

Although I do wonder if In The past 2/3 year previous to 2022 if he had seen a Gp face to face we might have know sooner.

My aunt should be dead - paramedics, A&E (resus team) , ITU and medical team saved her life and she was discharged after 6 weeks in hospital.

I have a wonderful GP practice. Understanding Reception staff, great nurses and doctors. I thank my lucky stars for them. (And I'm not being sarcastic BTW, they really are amazing).

Husband diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Initial treatment worked but the cancer was back in six months. Various other treatments tried but failed, eventually he was referred to Kings College in London. They sent him to Guys who then sent him to Sidcup for radiotherapy. After that, quickly admitted to Kings for a stem cell transplant. He’s now in his third year of remission. Can’t thank the NHS for never giving up on him.
Also my sister in SA got breast cancer. No NHS there, every single bit of treatment was itemised and had to be paid for. Every plaster, needle, smear of cream, itemised and in the bill to be paid for immediately. Every single time she needed a scan she had to ring up her health insurance company and ask them to pay, they would take weeks to decided if they’d pay or not. My parents sent the money if they decided they would not pay (thousands of £’s). She died.

The NHS has many many faults but I know that they try to do a a good job.

I had a fantastic experience with a couple of nurses a year or so ago while DS was really poorly with deep chest infection. DS was 3 (now 4, nearly 5) but developmentally behind (autistic). To say the staff were incredible would be minimising the effort and lengths they went so DS would trust them. For the 4 days we were in the same 2 nurses went above and beyond any expectations. Brought him toys, a snack from their break, playing with him, interacting with him and just generally making a fuss of him so they could care for his illness without too much fuss for distress. I will never forget them and how safe they made us feel. I wish I had the opportunity to thank them properly.

NHS staff here (non clinical). Every time I see one of these threads on Mumsnet my heart sinks a little bit & I am determined not to read it … but I can’t stop myself.

For all the PP with negative experiences, of course you can share these experiences and voice your concerns. We need to be open and honest about the bits of the NHS that are not working properly if we stand a chance of improving NHS services.

However I am always stunned by posters who cannot think of anything positive to say about the NHS. Have your children and / or elderly or vulnerable loved ones benefitted from access to our free immunisation programme? What about those of us with chronic health conditions who will be receiving care from NHS services for the rest of our lives and would otherwise be isolated / disabled / disadvantaged? What about end of life care that supports families and loved ones as well as the person at the end of their lives? I can think of countless other examples & the majority of people experience at least some of these scenarios and would struggle to navigate them without NHS care.

I would also like to respectfully ask these posters what they have done to protect and improve the NHS themselves. Did you at least vote for a government committed to prioritising NHS investment knowing that you & your family would most likely need to use NHS services sooner or later?
unfortunately I think after decades of under funding and public indifference we have the NHS we deserve.

Finally those PP advocating an insurance based healthcare model (there’s always some on these threads) - those models may be great for those of you who can afford decent medical insurance, but what about those who can’t? These models discriminate against the poor and disadvantaged. Most of us aspire to fairer system where access to healthcare is based on need not wealth. You may not be needy now, but none of us has a crystal ball & unfortunately ill health and poverty go hand in hand for many.

And breath.

But the best health care systems are those in countries like France, insurance based but have none of the downsides you mention. None of the treatments or services available on the NHS are “free”.

Apologies you are correct. The NHS is however free at the point of delivery and based on an ideology of ‘inclusion, equity, equality, and accessibility to health care regardless of individual ability to pay’. Medical insurance models are not.

I suggest you look at the variety of successful insurance based health care models around the world which achieve exactly that but with far better outcomes than the NHS.

Not one developed country has chosen to emulate the NHS model.

But they do seem to work in countries like France and Germany- not all insurance models are like the US model which bankrupts people and lets them starve. But countries like France and Germany also invest more of their GDP in healthcare. We expect the NHS to pay for everything yet do not give it the equivalent resources to do so.

or Tory bot

The midwife at the John Radcliffe who looked after me whilst I was in labour. She was so fantastic I didn't even notice the epidural hadn't worked! I had a pregnancy from hell and had two miscarriages and it really was my dream birth, despite the ventouse. She was so lovely. I sent a thank you note but as it was during the pandemic I'm not sure she ever received it.

I was diagnosed with metastatic TNBC 5.5yrs ago.

I am still alive and have a decent quality of life thanks to the NHS & it's amazing staff.

Just returning home from this mornings clinic appointment where she told me I remain stable and I feel listened to and treated with the upmost care & respect.

They've got me through 3 traumatic late miscarriages and delivered our 3 beautiful DC, none of which straightforward pregnancies or births.

Am grateful to all of you that work for the NHS in any capacity.

Myself and my family thank you all.

Absolutely - that’s why we’re so desperate to improve it. We don’t want to lose it, but right now it’s a nightmare for so many trying to navigate care for serious conditions, let alone less serious ones. Things are allowed to get to crisis point instead of being treated early - and that’s not good for the patients or the staff.

I have marched so many times in protests and stood in rallies for hours trying to get the government to listen. I’ve written letters to my own MP and the relevant government ministers. I’ve voted tactically (had to vote Lib Dem in one area to do so) and moved to an area where I can now vote Labour, which is what I vote every time. (This labour is too centre for me but I’ll still vote for them as the lesser of two evils.) I’ve taken toys and books to the empty toy room at our urgent care (because there were two broken toys left). I’ve advocated for patients with MH issues.

Ive advocated for my own children and my DH. I engage in the parenting courses I don’t learn anything from (because I’ve done that learning myself when issues began), so my son can get the place on the waiting list he needs. I update the GP secretary on what I’ve been told about private referrals, so she can check and learn as they had outdated info and were encouraging parents to go private without telling them the risks (of being taken off NHS waiting lists but not having private assessment accepted - Has to fit NICE guidelines, but NHS apparently won’t recommend which psychiatrists do this assessment). I’ve kept the school updated. I’ve sent research studies to TAF to help share information, so they add to their knowledge base and give the best advice possible. I’ve found a private neurophysiotherapist for my DH, so he can access the physio he was never offered via the NHS. I’ve phoned labs to get urine culture results that the GP kept saying hadn’t arrived when actually they were stuck in a folder waiting for review while my son declined to a point he risked hospitalisation again. I’ve kept appointment letters and notes in a folder I bring to all the appointments because so many do not arrive to the relevant doctor in time and render the appointment useless without whichever results or assessment are being waited for. I ask questions and write notes to make sure we do what we need to do. I’ve contributed to every NHS review after a failing in my family’s health care and given my experiences to multiple calls from the government around issues I’ve experience (latest was birth trauma). I’ve also participated in a medical study with my son about MH and pregnancy to try to help give extra info and progress things that way (KCL).

Theres little I can do tbh. I’ve been doing things like this for years to little avail.

However, I still want the NHS and thank you and your colleagues for the work you do and have done. I just want it to be functioning properly, so my family and the rest of the UK can access the right care at the right time.

Writing a letter is a fabulous idea. Will definitely do that. I always make sure I fill in the cards at the hospital too. Do they make any difference?