AIBU to think the NHS is bloody brilliant sometimes?

[BarbaraVineFan]

I crushed my finger on Tuesday in a silly accident. Popped a plaster on and hoped for the best, but by yesterday evening it bore a strong resemblance to ET’s finger so I thought I’d better get it checked out. Quick trip to the pharmacy, they advised 111. Called 111 this morning, got through almost straight away, was sent to urgent care.

Went to urgent care this morning and waited about an hour. While I was waiting a chap came round with a trolley giving out free tea, coffee and biscuits. Brilliant! Then i was seen by a lovely specialist nurse who checked for tendon and nerve damage and said i needed an X ray to check for fractures. Waited about 5 mins for the X ray, the radiographer sent the images back to the nurse and I was seen again within 5-10 mins to be told I had a fractured bone in my finger. She put a splint and dressing on and sent me on my way with another splint, some gauze and tape for when I need to change the dressing. At all times, everyone was kind, patient and explained everything to me, I didn’t feel rushed in any way and came out about 2 hours after I went in.

And ALL FOR FREE (I know, I know, it’s not really free, but still!). It just made me think how lucky I am not to live in eg the USA, where a minor injury like this would probably cost me thousands of dollars. Thank you, NHS!

Me!!! I have always had an amazing experience and I have used it a fair bit either children and own health.

The fact we can receive tens of thousands of pounds worth of tests and treatments and walk out without signing a thing. Incredible

I couldn't agree more. Of course it isn't perfect and absolutely has its issues but my son wouldn't be alive without it or at least, he may very well be alive but we'd be destitute due to medical expenses.

He was in hospital for 10 months. I can't begin to imagine how much it all cost.

I had fantastic treatment last year when I suddenly developed a blinding headache in my temple that simply wouldn't go away.

I got a GP appointment the day after it started and the doctor was concerned that it might be temporal arteritis. He started me on a high dose of steroids straight away and got me an appointment with a consultant the following day. I had scans and x-rays there and then and a biopsy the next working day.

The GP's suspicion was correct, too, so well done him.

Emergency treatment can be amazing - my father had a heart attack. Was seen directly by a consultant from cardiology, was on the ward that evening, had the right treatment. He was stented the next day and home the day after that. All for free.

💯% agree wouldn't be alive without it.

Imagine living in a country with healthcare bankruptcies as standard.

These people are already in the ears of our politicians and hiving off areas for huge profits 😔💙

My daughter had a quinsy sorted out by some fabulous people on Monday

I love the NHS

YANBU,

But, as you said, sometimes! Other times it is absolutely appalling.

I and my family have had very mixed experiences.

Just googled and the treatment I received would have cost between $1000 and $15,000!!

If nature/“God” (I am an atheist) had its way my DM should be dead - at least three times - but is still alive and relatively independent because of their interventions.

My MIL has never worked and, therefore never paid NI or income tax, and the cost of her healthcare and prescriptions she has received over the last 30 years must be in the millions.

Insurance covers most of it though. I had private healthcare when living abroad and it was really good. I havnt had any NHS treatment that compared. We have private cover here too as it’s just better but glad you had a good experience

FWIW we own a company in the NHS so we see all sides!

I think it is unfortunate that so many people in the UK only speak English, and as a result when they think of systems other than the NHS, they overwhelmingly think of the US system.

I live in Latin America, and this story seems normal to me, we have an insurance based system. We also do not get hit with unexpected, enormous medical bills.

Well, yes, but only if you can afford insurance in the first place!

To me, this is God-like - I know it’s an unpopular opinion, but there was a chance he was on his way out of this world and someone stepped in and you dad is still here. This really blows my mind.

I am from Ireland but have lived in the UK a long time. I regularly am bowled over by the NHS, I think it is beyond fabulous. Our local GP surgery is stellar, really fantastic. DH filled in a form for DS this morning for a relatively minor issue, they called at 10.30, he was seen at 1.30. All sorted.

I went to the GP not long ago with what I thought was a nothingburger. GP did a very very thorough assessment then sent me for a scan. The upshot is that they found one fairly minor and two pretty serious issues which are now all being dealt with for free. The whole thing has been quite worrying but I did turn to my DH the other day and said 'At least we don't have to worry for one second about what all this will cost.' It must already be in the thousands. I am incredibly grateful for it. Had I stayed in Ireland I would be in deep shit at this point.

It blows my mind too that doctors and nurses and surgeons who are just human beings are capable of such amazing, life changing interventions.

My son had an in hospital cardiac arrest caused by multi organ failure due to septic shock. He was actually gone for 17 minutes and though they did get him back, I was told that survival was unlikely. He was transferred to a more specialist hospital, he had emergency surgery, all kinds of machines to help his body recover etc all whilst they were still saying they didn't expect to survive and even with several big setbacks, he did against all of the odds. The medical staff involved in his care say he's a miracle.

Yep, I always feel very fortunate for all the care I’ve had. 2 interesting pregnancies and labours (not text book!), breast cancer treatment, surgery and ongoing care and more recently further tests for gynae cancers which they couldn’t have done more for.
Yes, I may have had delayed appointments but I’m always so pleased to be seen by someone and no one has ever been grumpy even when they’re run off their feet.
I have fed back to PALS as well as I feel we’re good at complaining but not appreciating.

The NHS have saved my arse more than once im very pleased we have an NHS.

I'm on the fence... it is brilliant in that it saved me as a premature baby, and weaned me off heroin in NICU. Then, as an adult I had exemplary care and an EMCS with my DD, and emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. Probably most likely thousands (possibly hundreds of thousands as a baby), and the very best NICU care at King's College hospital 45 years ago.

Yet.... I was also injured by a GP who prescribed an off label antipsychotic after a head injury and post concussion syndrome a decade ago, without proper informed consent about the side effects. Obviously, she was giving me the most appropriate treatment at the time, but I'm still living with a permanent neurological involuntary movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia now. 😢💔

So, as I said, my life was saved by, yet changed beyond comprehension, by the NHS.

Yes I have recently used the early pregnancy unit and was sadly found to have a missed miscarriage. They were so good, gave me options and when I chose surgical management I was in having surgery 19 hours later. I came away the same day with medication and having had lunch and dinner and lots of cups of tea.

I have been in groups online and other women in countries chose different options due to long wait times and finances. We are so lucky to have the NHS. Wait times in the early pregnancy unit were long but the minute they knew something was wrong there wasn’t any more waiting. I dread to think how much it would have cost if we didn’t have the NHS.

Yep. They held an MDT meeting for me, did an MRI and numerous scans. Operated with 2 surgeons and spent a full day in theatre fixing my endo
not to mention when I had cauda equina or the £££ drug I’m on so I can exercise without hives

Yeah, it's amazing. Also, although not free, the vast majority of people will never put more in the pot than they take out.

I've had 3 doctors appointments this year. None were urgent but I didn't need to wait too long to be seen. One of those appointments means that after some 4-5 years I've found a combination of medication that works and doesn't have such horrible side effects (I was put on something in 2014 that left me with hearing loss. I was told it wasn't possible for me to having hearing loss for the bizarre reason that I've got sight loss too)

I think it is unfortunate that so many people in the UK only speak English, and as a result when they think of systems other than the NHS, they overwhelmingly think of the US system.

I don't. I think of French, German, Spanish, Scandinavian healthcare which is everything the NHS could be if we adopted their insurance based models.

OP and others wouldn't think the NHS was quite so wonderful if they'd been waiting hours for an emergency ambulance which was queueing to hand over a patient at A&E. Or they couldn't have an operation because the ICU had no beds. Or they spent days being treated on a trolley in a corridor. Or were in agony waiting for a hip replacement.

The UK deserves better.

@ForeverDelayedEpiphany a GP wouldn’t have been able to prescribe an “off label” medication