What’s the point in the NHS?

[younknow]

I fell over at work today. My ankle was immediately black and blue and swollen, so I hobbled off to urgent care in a taxi.

I waited for four hours, I was x-rayed and told there were no breaks and a severe sprain. The doctor told me I’ve likely torn ligaments in my ankle and will be sore for three months.

I asked what sort of follow up would be given and she all but laughed at me, saying that I could get myself a support on Amazon if I wanted. I said I couldn’t even weight bear and she said I could also pick up crutches if needed. She then said I could refer to physio but “ChatGPT would give me a plan”. I asked if I’d be scanned to find out how badly damaged it is and she said there was no chance.

What is the point? Genuinely, what are we paying for when even things like this are being directed to Amazon and A.I?! I can’t believe it.

I remember 15 years ago my mum tore ligaments in her ankle and she was scanned the same day it happened, put in a boot and on crutches for six weeks, had a course of physio and consultations with an orthopaedic surgeon to discuss a plan if it didn’t improve.

What’s going on?!

I thank my lucky stars every single day.

You really don’t need to tell me how lucky we are.

My husband survived because of two highly skilled surgeons. Nothing to do with luck or god.

I also sat in ED for hours on end watching absolute time wasters completely swap the ‘emergency’ department. One example being a cracked acrylic nail?? Several off their box on drink and drugs being down right abusive.

I know the NHS is far from faultless, but only fools cannot see its value.

I live in one of these countries. It’s not free. You pay about 30€ on top of what you guys would call ni. Heavily subsidised yes. Free no.

Well, they provide very expensive medication to me every month so I can work, hold a mug, do up my own laces and not die prematurely - like my father did before they had been developed.

They provide custom orthotics so I don't end up with permanent damage to joints and tendons.

They provide free monitoring and blood tests.

Free imaging, physiotherapy, hearing aid, vaccinations. Free Mirena, basically free HRT, smear tests, DEXA scans, other medications, steroid injections.

Considering the amount I get basically for free (not counting the tax I don't even see to feel its absence), I wouldn't be hugely concerned about getting a removable cast/boot - get one that inflates, they make a huge amount of difference to comfort and reduction of swelling, by the way, as you won't need a crutch or stick for more than a couple of days because it's fully supported.

Just make sure when you take it off at night that you make a point of wiggling your toes, flexing your foot slowly and trying (it can be painful at first, take OTC pain relief) to slowly rotate it both ways.

similar story- NHS saved my sisters life at 29 when her brain exploded.., twice. The NHS is amazing

Imagine there's no NHS. You fall and hit your head. Someone asks you if you need an ambulance. What do you say? Do you know the cost? You might get billed most of a month's wages. Does this affect whether you seek paramedics?

You are aware that you could go private right?

you were x rayed as well I really don’t k law what else you want really

I'm really sorry that you've suffered this injury but your post showcases a lack of perspective. You have a minor injury. You have been assessed by a medical professional. There now really isn't a great deal that someone else can do for you that you can't do for yourself. Fundamentally, you need time to heal.

Health services have to be cost and resource effective, particularly those which are free at the point of care and taxpayer funded. An expensive scan and multiple follow up appointments might make you feel that you've received a better service but they won't actually heal your minor injury any better than self care assuming you have an avenue to seek further review if necessary. Which you do, you can return to urgent care or your GP if you have concerns.

If you in fact have a more serious injury, it will become evident with time. In the meanwhile, someone who really needs a scan and/or physio appointments can access those limited resources sooner/at all because you're not in the queue ahead of them.

If you think private or insurance based healthcare models don't also ration resources from those who can't or won't pay a premium, you are misinformed. All healthcare services around the world are currently having to manage their resources carefully because of a huge increase in demand driven by demographic shift (older and sicker populations).

You're actually highlighting a case of the NHS doing a good job not wasting resources at everyone's expense.

I’m quite grateful for it actually. It saved my life during childbirth, and I didn’t cost me a penny!

My child has had top level cancer care.

We would not be able to access this even with insurance.

We don't have to take a loan to give birth

We don't get charged to call an ambulance

And other countries care isn't all that- I know because I'm not British by birth

Two anecdotes :

A friend injured his ankle on a cruise ship. To do anything at all they wanted an immediate deposit of close to £600. He didn’t have that lying around il the insurance would refund him, so he hobbled. On return the nhs diagnosed a severe sprain. He’s had a boot, surgery and multiple clinic follow ups. He’s now been told he’ll be off work for up to a year, and given a temporary blue badge by the council (in Scotland). He sees his team every eight weeks and is following an online physio programme and free gym sessions every week.

Last year I received an organ transplant. Since then I’ve seen my transplant team every week at first and now every month. I get a whole battery of blood and urine tests, and for a couple of “slightly suspicious “ results have been given two ct scans, an ultrasound, thyroid tests, four courses of antibiotics, referrals to counselling, dieticians and skin cancer specialists- all for purely preventative care-‘ just in case.

The nhs is incredible, I have been treated politely, professionally and extremely well.

My friend went to a&e struggling to breathe and was seen & treated in minutes.

My child needed steroids for severe croup. Again... seen in 3 or 4 mins.

A sprained ankle with torn ligaments is a mild/common injury that doesnt need a lot if medical treatment and responds well to self care eg Rest Ice Compression Elevation, and will recover on its own. It doesnt need physio.

I am so heartened to read these responses.

The only people that want to run down the NHS are people that will make money via privatisation.

No it isn't perfect, nothing is. American healthcare is often subject to litigation, there is no panacea.

But everyone is treated due to their condition, not their ability to pay.

Few weeks ago, I ripped my hand open in a gardening accident. Seen straight away by emergency. Referred to plastic surgery. Had my handstitched. 3 weeks later I can go swimming again and strum my guitar once more. Cheers NHS.

When I sprained my ankle the ambulance driver took me home after treatment.

NDN is having a party now I can hear - two months ago the nhs saved her life when she had a heart attack.

If you're not happy go private, the NHS is not mandatory.

It’s not always easy to access private healthcare even if you can afford it, you often need a GP referral.

Exactly the same happened to me six weeks ago. Had an X-ray at A&E, told it was a bad sprain with torn ligaments. A tight bandage put around my ankle to stabilise it and told to walk on it regularly. The nurse who did the bandage said it wasn't broken.

A couple of days ago I had a notification of some results on the NHS app. Turns out they'd looked at the X-ray and there were signs of a break. Meanwhile I've been in a lot of pain when I walk and it hasn't been getting better. Not a single mention of follow up care.

From now on I'll be going private and managing my own care where possible. Thankfully I can afford it.

You shouldn’t have to go private for things the NHS is meant to treat.

I had to go private for a broken leg the NHS failed to pick up - if I hadn’t had insurance through work I would have been left permanently disabled.

its not free, its free ar the point of delivery

Torn ligaments do not show up on an x-ray.

They x-ray if there's a suspicion a bone has broken.

All a boot does is immobilise it.

Your mum may have had a more severe/complete rupture of ligaments. Bruising & swelling, pain on weight bearing are unpleasant but do not always necessarily indicate a more severe injury.

And I had X-rays, and 2 appointments to have my dressing changed. And some advice from a Nurse Practitioner about dodgy roof contractors.

My mum was treated for cancer, she's still here, alive and kicking.

I've had broken bones set and fixed, my sister had her kidney disease treated.

My late wife had some of her organs donated to others

But on a more general terms

"The NHS provides healthcare to everyone, free at the point of use, according to clinical need rather than ability to pay"

Essentially, one of the main things a government should do is to keep it's population healthy

What's the point of the NHS ?

Just people I know personally, and sticking to the last couple of years

57 yr old had a stroke. Ambulance. Initial assessment. Transfer to a bigger hospital. Operation on brain. ICU care. Move to high dependency ward care . Moved to general medical care. Moved to a rehab centre for 13 more weeks of care. Came home, after OT had assessed home. Equipment provided. Carers provided. Physio provided. Person is not only alive, but functioning magnificently considering the initial prognosis.

51 yr old diagnosed with a rare cancer. The whole diagnostic process took a while and different scans and tests as was tricky to diagnose. A year apart, had 2 different operations each lasting 10 hours. Recovery in hospital from that. District Nurse in once home. Chemotherapy. Drugs and injections that cost 10s of thousands of ££ a year. Person still doing well and has attended two of their dc's weddings and has become a Grandparent

Expectant Mum - all the pre natal care, then needed transfusions at birth. Went home safely with their baby

Several people who have had all sorts of ongoing treatment for life long conditions such as diabetes, and epilepsy. People who have needed hearing aids. People who have all kinds of conditions connected with aging - including, but definitely not exclusively dementia. People treated for UTIs. Person treated for dementia. Person diagnosed with ADHD and now getting life changing medication.
People getting dental treatment - and also check ups. DC getting eye tests and glasses. People getting speech and language therapy.

Person who broke their leg and was assessed, x- rayed, treated, and referred for physio.

Person who has had a hip replacement (and follow up physio)

I could go on, and on, and on.

The NHS is FAR from perfect, but asking what the point of it is completely ridiculous.

I diagnosed a 46 year old woman with 2 small children with breast cancer on Monday. She had a staging CT scan on Wednesday. She was discussed at weekly case meeting on Thursday and treatment plan made. She’ll meet with her surgeon next Tuesday and she’ll have her surgery in another 10 days or so after that.

On the NHS.

That’s the point.

HTH.