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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

How would you fix the NHS?

969 replies

PinkFruitbat · 21/10/2024 07:37

The Government is asking for ideas on how to fix the NHS.

https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/

What would you do to fix it?

https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB

OP posts:
Thread gallery
16
Frustratedfatty · 22/10/2024 08:29

itwasnevermine · 22/10/2024 08:10

@Alexandra2001 meal prep like everyone else has to.

This is another problem. NHS staff are put on pedestals and they're treated as being better than the rest of the population

No we are really not. We are treated like shit by service users, the media and managers alike.
During the worst of the covid pandemic I was nursing in ICU and awaiting results of a biopsy for cancer myself. I waited 8 weeks for results due to pressures on the service (“because of Covid” I was told by the specialist nurse I had the phone call with when enquiring about timescales). I did not get any special treatment and the stress of thinking I was spending the last months of my life whilst nursing dying people, has left me a broken person and I have got very fat since that time.

Kendodd · 22/10/2024 08:36

taxguru · 22/10/2024 08:18

But we can prioritise workers over non workers. Things like routine GP appointments, routine scans, blood tests, consultations, etc. Why make it difficult for worker X to get an appointment that's convenient around his work, i.e. early morning, late afternoon, but give those appointments to 80 year old Doris who can go any time of day, with the receptionist/appointment clerk not even thinking along those lines??

It goes right through the NHS. It's fundamentally based on "it's free so you'll get what you're given" whether it's appointments, service quality, etc. It's just fundamentally wrong to prioritise NHS own staff and give them special treatment when others can sometimes be regarded as nothing but a nuisance and who aren't given any consideration at all as to their needs/other commitments.

I'd liken it to the VAT on private school fiasco - people say that private schools shouldn't exist, so that those in positions of authority would ensure everyone got good schools. Same with the NHS. NHS staff and managers etc should be treated the same way as everyone else - only then would they think about the necessary changes, only once they've suffered the "NHS experience" would they understand how everyone else suffers.

I actually think there will be a tipping point soon (globally) were we have to start prioritising the working population over the elderly for healthcare. In that, we have to get the working population back on their feet, to do all the work, because there just aren't enough of them. Example, a care worker needs a knee operation, so do one of her clients. Do you just stick her at the back of the queue, behind all the elderly she cares for, leaving nobody, to provide the care the elderly need or do you stick her at the front of the queue, get her back on her feet, and back to work. This is going to come up across all industries because of changing demographics and a top heavy society.

Alexandra2001 · 22/10/2024 08:36

Frustratedfatty · 22/10/2024 08:29

No we are really not. We are treated like shit by service users, the media and managers alike.
During the worst of the covid pandemic I was nursing in ICU and awaiting results of a biopsy for cancer myself. I waited 8 weeks for results due to pressures on the service (“because of Covid” I was told by the specialist nurse I had the phone call with when enquiring about timescales). I did not get any special treatment and the stress of thinking I was spending the last months of my life whilst nursing dying people, has left me a broken person and I have got very fat since that time.

100% agree .... the level of entitlement by patients is absurd, recent stay in Derriford... people ringing the emg bell to get the blinds opened/closed, fetch a dressing gown, hungry, glass of water.... pain relief - when they'd just been given some... all these people could walk but they treated the staff like they were their personal servants and had nothing better to do than look after their every need.

Doubtless went on to demand a manager and complain.

Thommasina · 22/10/2024 08:38

Alexandra2001 · 22/10/2024 08:05

I understand this but the fact remains.. the advice is not wrong and you re the one asking for healthcare.

Would be good if nhs staff had quick easy access to decent food, our local hospital seems to have fast food machines on every floor... the staff/public canteen is far too small, staff haven't got time to queue there and if they eat at their work stations, they'll be angrily accused of "doing nothing, sitting around eating..."

My dc works in the NHS and I'd agree with this. They have said that the majority of nurses are very overweight and move very slowly.

I'd love to see NHS staff getting regular sessions with a supervisor so they could talk openly about worries, the mental load etc.

I think that would help nurses in particular cope with the mental side which must be tough.

Kendodd · 22/10/2024 08:39

Free, and absolutely brilliant nutritionally, school meals for all children and ban 'tuck' from schools. Invest, invest, invest in child health, education and welfare.

TotteringonGently · 22/10/2024 08:41

LadyGrinningSoul8517 · 21/10/2024 09:10

I wondered how long it would be before somebody blamed us fatties.

Look no further, folks. It's not sneaky underfunding to justify privatisation for the Tories rich mates, it's overweight people being too stupid to realise it's all those donuts they're eating apparently.

Obesity related illnesses cost the NHS billions every year. For whatever cause. Sorry if that stings but it's true.

And the Tories aren't in charge anymore in case you hadn't noticed but there finally seems to be a consensus that we cannot go on with a model devised 70 years ago when life expectancy was decades lower and the population was roughly 20 million fewer. And thank fuck for that because isn't working.

Kendodd · 22/10/2024 08:41

Alexandra2001 · 22/10/2024 08:36

100% agree .... the level of entitlement by patients is absurd, recent stay in Derriford... people ringing the emg bell to get the blinds opened/closed, fetch a dressing gown, hungry, glass of water.... pain relief - when they'd just been given some... all these people could walk but they treated the staff like they were their personal servants and had nothing better to do than look after their every need.

Doubtless went on to demand a manager and complain.

And the thing is, getting up and walking, doing those little things for themselves was probably the best thing they could do for their recovery.

itwasnevermine · 22/10/2024 08:43

@Thommasina or they get access to the same weight loss support the rest of us get.

Thommasina · 22/10/2024 08:45

Kendodd · 22/10/2024 08:41

And the thing is, getting up and walking, doing those little things for themselves was probably the best thing they could do for their recovery.

Have you tried going to get yourself a glass of water or something to eat in hospital? I did last year, went into the staff kitchen by mistake and I thought I was going to be arrested! If the staff treated patients like normal people instead of a huge inconvenience then yes I agree, being encouraged to walk about would be great.

Thommasina · 22/10/2024 08:46

itwasnevermine · 22/10/2024 08:43

@Thommasina or they get access to the same weight loss support the rest of us get.

I am a psychotherapist and I have to have a supervisor to discuss cases with. It makes it possible to cope with some of the very heavy things that you hear. I think nurses should have similar.

Superhansrantowindsor · 22/10/2024 08:57

Prevention. Help people lose weight and be healthy. Make roads and parks safer for cycling and exercise. Make swimming pools cheaper and tax heavily sugary unhealthy foods to help pay for it. More drop in centres for minor ailments and advice. Make people aware just how much things cost to try and make them less entitled. Offer some incentive for wealthy people to go private.

FriendOrNo · 22/10/2024 09:03

Seasmoke · 21/10/2024 08:56

I agree with fixing social care bring needed to fix the NHS. Faster discharge of patients. I also agree with the missed appointments thing, but I had to change an appointment recently. There were two numbers to ring. One was constantly engaged and one was no longer working. This was just under the 'every missed appointment costs us £180'. I ended up cancelling another appointment and just going because I'd wasted so much time trying to cancel the bloody appointment! Why is there not a dedicated cancellation line or a text/ online service? I do agree that there should be a 3 strikes and you're out for poor behaviour across the NHS like missed appointments, calling 999 for tampons, broken fingernails and all the other stupid things you hear about and abusing staff.
(Sirry about the quote- I was going to say something relevant and now I can't get rid of it!)

Edited

I was surprised that for a blood test that I accidentally forgot about (I had missed setting the reminder on my phone) i got a text message saying I had missed it 2 minutes after the appointment...when I went for my rebooked test I apologised and asked why I got a message after I missed it and not a reminder beforehand and the phlebotomist sounded astonished and said 'i don't have time to send reminders' I was flabbergasted that this implied that she manually intervened to sending these 'you missed your appointment' but there is no automated system for on the day/day before reminders, unlike at the dentist or opticians who do. Would be good if you could be sent something that would either remind you on the day, or at time of booking can directly add entries/reminders to your calendar via qr scan or other means.

I know that people will say that older folk don't use their phones but I bet it's not this demographic that are the worst for missing appointments. Or even maybe they need to analyse who is more likely to repeatedly miss an appointment and then do something targeted about that.

Carriemac · 22/10/2024 09:04

@Thommasina sadly the reaction to you walking into the staff space is because so may nhs staff have their belongings stolen by patients and members of the public - including their lunches . Phones , bags clothes nothing is safe .

Windchimesandsong · 22/10/2024 09:21

Superhansrantowindsor · 22/10/2024 08:57

Prevention. Help people lose weight and be healthy. Make roads and parks safer for cycling and exercise. Make swimming pools cheaper and tax heavily sugary unhealthy foods to help pay for it. More drop in centres for minor ailments and advice. Make people aware just how much things cost to try and make them less entitled. Offer some incentive for wealthy people to go private.

Yes agree with prevention.

So that means holistic care - which means addressing the issues that so often prevent people having a healthy lifestyle (because lifestyle frequently isn't a choice).

Although not the only two causes, poverty and stress (both often interlinked) are major ones. NHS demand would dramatically reduce with:

More council housing, a supportive benefits system, jobs education and training opportunities, and timely access to well-funded and good public services - including the NHS but also social services and other support services.

Poverty means lack of access to affordable healthy food. More deprived areas often have only smaller convenience stores nearby that have limited stock at often more expensive prices than larger supermarkets and mainly stock unhealthy processed food. Then there's the limited cooking and storage facilities in many homes.

And it's known, through studies by medical experts, that chronic stress can cause weight gain.

One of the biggest issues is housing. As published in the BMJ, bad or insecure housing harms health. More council housing is needed asap. That will significantly reduce demand on the NHS (and reduce disability benefit need, plus save the economy billions that's currently needed for high private rental housing benefits and temporary accommodation).

Another cause of weight gain and/or poor health is NHS delays, the doctor fobbing off culture, and misdiagnoses. By the time people are correctly diagnosed and treated, they're in worse health and need more (and more expensive care). In the meantime they gain weight due to pain or limited mobility that makes exercise difficult.

End the false economy approach of insufficient 5-10 minute GP appointments that make it easy to misdiagnose or dismiss symptoms, until people are more unwell. Have prompt access to diagnostic tests.

People might claim all the above costs money. However, the alternative - the current system - is a false economy.

Thommasina · 22/10/2024 09:28

Carriemac · 22/10/2024 09:04

@Thommasina sadly the reaction to you walking into the staff space is because so may nhs staff have their belongings stolen by patients and members of the public - including their lunches . Phones , bags clothes nothing is safe .

Well I know, but it was in reaction saying patients were entitled for not doing things for themselves. Where do you even get a drink of water? No thanks to the water fountain with a spout but no cups!

Windchimesandsong · 22/10/2024 09:35

With missed appointments (and the suggestion of charging for them).

I strongly suspect the only way people who do turn up are all fitted in is due to missed appointments. I've waited over 40 minutes for GP appointments. I know of people who've waited several hours for hospital appointments. Too many patients are crammed into one day - and I suspect the healthcare providers rely on some not turning up.

Obviously also as others have pointed out, they make it difficult sometimes to actually get through to someone to cancel/reschedule. And if manage to speak to someone, messages aren't always passed on.

Separately it's often the most vulnerable people who miss appointments without being able to let the doctor know they can't make it. People with mental health struggles, domestic violence victims, homeless people, for example. How appalling to consider charging them (money many don't have) for being in terrible life circumstance. Obviously instead they need better access to good support services, decent housing, and proper help.

Papyrophile · 22/10/2024 09:36

Even hairdressers and beauticians have auto-generated text reminders in their booking software. It should not be beyond the NHS to achieve this in 2024!

UnderstandablyDisappointed · 22/10/2024 09:37

itwasnevermine · 21/10/2024 09:04

Get rid of all the middle managers.

My local hospital was advertising for a "lived experience" manager on £100k a year. To tell people what it's like to have an operation!! That's a volunteer role.

The same hospital has 15 anti bullying managers. What's that about? You're adults. You don't need anti bullying managers.

Do you have a link for the job listings for those roles, please? It would be interesting to read the job descriptions.

Thommasina · 22/10/2024 09:39

UnderstandablyDisappointed · 22/10/2024 09:37

Do you have a link for the job listings for those roles, please? It would be interesting to read the job descriptions.

That sounds a bit GB News to me.

Windchimesandsong · 22/10/2024 09:42

Thommasina · 22/10/2024 09:39

That sounds a bit GB News to me.

I'd never heard of this sort of job but just googled and found this. Salary: £75-86K

https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9333-23-1913

Job Advert

https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9333-23-1913

Thommasina · 22/10/2024 09:44

It was more the 15 anti bullying managers that I was dubious about.

I know lived experienced managers exist.

itwasnevermine · 22/10/2024 09:48

Thommasina · 22/10/2024 09:44

It was more the 15 anti bullying managers that I was dubious about.

I know lived experienced managers exist.

That's what we've been told by nurses at the hospital 🤷🏼‍♀️ but of course any criticism of the NHS is baseless

Panama2 · 22/10/2024 09:48

Concerned about charging for DNAs. I have received cancellation letters for appointments I didn't know I had. How do you prove you never received something?

Windchimesandsong · 22/10/2024 09:49

Sorry for my confusion @Thommasina

I guess that would be a sort of HR job?

ETA. I found this
https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/M9990-24-0438

linelgreen · 22/10/2024 09:53

Take some of the pressure off the NHS by allowing tax relief on private health care costs - this would encourage more to invest in these plans and reduce reliance in NHS

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