Please keep A&E for just that; Accidents and Emergencies

[Happytodayhappytomorrow]

A&E and Urgent Care centres where I live are at crisis point and it is similar all over the country.

It seems that people are going to these places to ensure that they get seen in person, diagnosed and treated all in one go rather than have telephone or zoom appointments with their GPs and perhaps wait for referrals to specialists at the hospitals.

Please, don't be the person who goes to A&E when a trip to the chemist or a phone call with the doctor will suffice.

My local NHS team are racking their brains to put systems and procedures in place to ensure our A&E departments don't crash, as they are needed for some genuine cases.

Of course, if you have an accident or an emergency, you must go to the hospital but if you even think that a chemist might be able to help, please go to the chemist first.
Likewise, try your GP. You might be surprised how quickly you get attended to if your case is urgent.

TIA

[quote XingMing]@TurquoiseLemur, I sympathize but I really don't quite understand. In my world, you just take any comfort that's offered but get on with living. However, I accept that I live in a pretty rural area, which is very different to a tower block apartment in a city. Our access to healthcare is not very different, but it should be better. And I would be happy to take myself out of the NHS to pay privately, both to free resources for those in greater need and, frankly, to get an answer when I want one quickly.[/quote]
"In my world, you just take any comfort that's offered but get on with living." ??? Whereas in MY world. . . .? You know nothing about it so best say nothing.

Many people in pretty rural areas need the NHS too.

Good luck with paying privately if you develop a chronic condition (physical or psychological). Private healthcare take very little interest in those because they don't yield a profit.

Also, what do you think would happen if you got knocked over by a bus? It's the NHS that would be sticking you back together. But maybe this doesn't happen in pretty rural areas either. . .?

The more you write, the more I think you haven't got the slightest clue.

Then you have patients who really on Google, who believe that any pain beyond dull one, any fever above 38, any rash is an emergency. People who also think they will access a consultant quicker that way.

We resorted to Dr Google because Dr NHS didn't help. Dr Google told us sudden onset, painless jaundice was a medical emergency. The British Liver Trust told us the same thing. Shame Dr NHS didn't listen really because then DH might still be here in 5 years time.

[quote Longestfewdaysupcoming]@XingMing I have a disability.

I have to see the same specialist he’s the only one in my area who looks after people like me

private healthcare won’t touch my disability with a 20 foot pole.

So I’m going to have to pay hundreds of pounds every month out of my own salary just to access healthcare?

I note you didn’t exempt people like me.[/quote]
More people nee to be reminded of this.

Private healthcare can provide a fix for fairly minor issues on the basis that the patient can pay the bill. Private healthcare companies aim to make a profit so have no interest whatsoever in anybody who has a chronic condition or disability. Which is a lot of people. And of course, someone who is in good health today might not be tomorrow. Life happens. . .

Prioritizing specific groups while excluding others is a slippery path.

@TurquoiseLemur put simply you have to hope and pray the air ambulance is available here to get you to services. The air ambulance that's not government funded nor are the volunteers.

They do a fantastic job, but I know when it's multiple casualties extremely difficult decisions must be made about who gets services.

I had income insurance in case I got ill when I worked - they refused to pay, I had insurance for private help if I got ill, same thing. Everyone told me it was a waste of money as they'd find anyway to get out of it and it was.

"Who gets TO services"

[quote Becca19962014]@TurquoiseLemur put simply you have to hope and pray the air ambulance is available here to get you to services. The air ambulance that's not government funded nor are the volunteers.

They do a fantastic job, but I know when it's multiple casualties extremely difficult decisions must be made about who gets services.

I had income insurance in case I got ill when I worked - they refused to pay, I had insurance for private help if I got ill, same thing. Everyone told me it was a waste of money as they'd find anyway to get out of it and it was.[/quote]
That sounds scary. Where are you, btw? In the UK?

I spent a short time (couple of months) once on a Hebridean island and found myself wondering what happened in emergencies. Blunt answer: if the person was lucky, they'd be airlifted to Oban (or further afield) in time. But something like a heart attack? You'd probably be gone before they got to you. (Not knocking the service, it was the nature of being on an island.) Multiple casualties would have been a nightmare.

Private healthcare companies come over as very warm and understanding. Their adverts show lovely hospitals where no-one is kept waiting and where no-one is rushed, you get a nice private room that has been nicely furnished, etc. Of course their adverts show this: they are adverts! For a business! They are not going to tell anyone the downsides

I'm in the UK but a very, very rural part of it and yes it's part of living where I do that you're reliant on such services when, for example, there's a head on car crash; they're fantastic like I said but it is frightening to know.

Our internet connections are bad at best, likewise mobiles, gov have spent millions trying to "fix it" with very little results. They can't switch radio to digital only because in areas like mine there is no digital radio possible. Emergency services are using old Nokia mobiles because nothing else will run on the 2g system that works here.

Average travel time for routine care can be hours.

I can no longer get in a car so can't have appointments, as I'd need to be assessed at the surgery which I can't get to for home appointments. Even then they wouldn't allow it as I only have a bedsit, no access to anywhere else in the house. Routine care for my conditions is hours away. Pre covid I was supposed to be discussing arrangements for my condition worsening but that never happened now I'm stuck struggling.

@Becca19962014

I'm in the UK but a very, very rural part of it and yes it's part of living where I do that you're reliant on such services when, for example, there's a head on car crash; they're fantastic like I said but it is frightening to know.

Our internet connections are bad at best, likewise mobiles, gov have spent millions trying to "fix it" with very little results. They can't switch radio to digital only because in areas like mine there is no digital radio possible. Emergency services are using old Nokia mobiles because nothing else will run on the 2g system that works here.

Average travel time for routine care can be hours.

I can no longer get in a car so can't have appointments, as I'd need to be assessed at the surgery which I can't get to for home appointments. Even then they wouldn't allow it as I only have a bedsit, no access to anywhere else in the house. Routine care for my conditions is hours away. Pre covid I was supposed to be discussing arrangements for my condition worsening but that never happened now I'm stuck struggling.

That all sounds very, very difficult. I'm sorry.

I think it's appalling that the air ambulance service is not government funded. An absolutely crucial part of emergency response in this day and age.