October Becomes November Lockdown

[BlueThursday]

New thread

I suspect this will be the second of many

Tbh dentists got utterly screwed by lockdown. They are businesses, not salaried NHS staff. They weren't allowed to work for months, then when they were able to they were hit with massive requirements for ppe, ventilation etc. Realistically the NHS rates should have been significant increased to cover the extra costs involved.

DH needed dental treatment during lockdown, he was pretty much the first person his dentist saw once able to and they were basically waiting for their mask testing to be authorised before they could see him. He's normally nhs but only private was available too

I also have a DD who desperately needs an orthodontic referal - she has sadly inherited my "not enough mouth for my teeth" problem and it has got noticeably worse over lockdown. Her last appointment the dentist basically said I'm trying to wait as long as we can but I think I'll probably refer her after next checkup.

In reality her next checkup was probably one of the first cancelled. She's probably going to end up with longer/more complicated treatment due to the delays.

That's a shame. DS had a referral but he has the opposite problem, too much mouth for teeth so all gappy. They said they couldn't do anything so that's that! He just has small teeth and all they could offer was him paying to have them all veneered as an adult. Maybe doable if just one gap but not his whole mouth.

I had 6 out when I was younger, then all 4 wisdom had to go too. We seem to just have really small jaws!

The idea of a full mouth of veneers...and the cost!

Before returning to Scotland, we had no choice with our dentist in (whispers) England, as no NHS options in our area. When our DS was born, you could sign children on (as private too) for free until the age of 5 only- we only had one (very token) gummy check at my appointment. Returning here, we were used to paying so returned to a private, who wasn’t taking on any NHS patients, but happily took DH and I as private, so DS could be NHS .
This is probably the end of free and subsidised NHS dentistry in Scotland, for those that can afford to pay. Same for eye checks and free prescriptions- I’ve assumed charges to be reintroduced across these areas in future. Unlikely to announce any such thing before elections 2021.
Let’s hope there’s provision for all, not just those that can afford to pay, in Kate’s ever-diminishing piggy bank...

That's what is peeing me off, the fact that we could afford to pay for some level of treatment, but only becasue we don't live an extravagant lifestyle. Trying to support 2 DSs through uni as they aren't allowed to borrow enough to live on, pay into our pensions like we've been told to, never claimed any benefits even when we weren't working. I don't recommend that btw, it took years to get a tax refund since "obviously" we must have been working illicitly if we weren't claiming. We were both brought up in poverty, so know what it's like, and to leave people festering without access to basic medical care is a scandal and that applies across the board, dentistry and optical work is still necessary.

Used to feck me off that we had to constantly pay for thinned lenses for DS with his -8 and more prescription as they didn't fund those, if we'd been unable to pay then apart from the aesthetics, the weight of that on a wee nose just isn't fair.

I don't remotely disagree that the current situation is ridiculous, it's barbaric that people were resorting to pulling their teeth out. I just don't really blame the dentists - the NHS rates were very low anyway and then they've had extra costs piled on top. They can't really be expected to work at a massive loss for what seems like it might be an endless time.

I think that's kind of the reality of this entire situation though (not just the dentists) - altruism only goes so far and after this long people will prioritise their own family. That goes for self isolating etc too

Agree but I think the whole model needs looking at as I think they are ripping the piss with the private work when the reality is that without training etc via the NHS they wouldn't have the work. I'm not sure what compensation they are getting but there are whole industries who have been operating at a loss for months but they aren't morally obliged to be providing a service.

I just think that scotgov are sitting there saying free this and free that but the reality is that if no-one can access it then it's just words, but words that buy them votes.

That's what they do though - oh X is available, except we will pay so far below the reasonable cost that nobody will actually provide it for that rate. Look at childcare...

yep. We already live beyond our means but will be heading for utopia after Scexit. Queue loads of the party faithful quoting where all the extra money is coming from and how we are being screwed....

I'm sure sacking off trident will pay for that Nordic nirvana free and inaccessible, absolutely.

Don't get me wrong trident costs a buttload, but haven't the savings been theoretically spent about 896 times already?

Just 896 times? 😂 about that.

Well it is possible I miscounted... it's a bit like my 10 year old when she gets birthday money and lists all the things it's going to buy

It's like those house renovation programmes on tv when they have a budget of 10k to basically completely rebuild the house and they happen to eat into their contingency by £700k and they've spent it all on diamond encrusted taps and gold wallpaper but they still don't have a loo or windows.

But they're having another baby anyway...

Ha ha, i forgot the baby. Why do they all have a new baby while having their house renovated? I get that some is just coincidence but it seems like most. Not that I can say anything, I have 2 13 months apart. It's like buses, wait 4 years to get pregnant then 2 come along right after each other...

Gah, and just realised we got our kitchen replaced when DS1 was a baby - and so I'd technically be pregnant then too - scratch what I just said... :o

It does seem obligatory especially for Grand Designs. Preferably whilst living in a leaky caravan...

Wax did you live in a caravan in the garden for 6 weeks that turned into 2 years? Wearing a Kathleen Kidston pinnie and Joules wellies looking serene and maternal a mud pit? I watch far too many of these formulaic but addictive shows.

[quote WaxOnFeckOff]On Travelling tabby you need to go onto the local tab at the top for a choice of different breakdowns, there is also one for deaths but its not updated as frequently.

www.travellingtabby.com/scotland-coronavirus-tracker/local[/quote]
I'm confused with that, as dh had a positive result and its not showing on the day he tested or the day of his results, for our area, where the test was carried out. The nearest case is 5 days later, I don't trust it really.

@Lidlfix

Wax did you live in a caravan in the garden for 6 weeks that turned into 2 years? Wearing a Kathleen Kidston pinnie and Joules wellies looking serene and maternal a mud pit? I watch far too many of these formulaic but addictive shows.

No, I'm afraid not.

I was working so was either suited and booted or covered in baby sick since DS1 used to projectile vomit. We had to live in the house while both working and having a young baby. Small house, so dust everywhere, DS1 decided at that moment to learn how to move and flipped himself off the sofa to land face first on the wooden boards that had been put down to protect the carpet. I was first trimester tired with a small baby and a full time job with DH working shifts. Grumpy as fuck or greetin every day. But funnily enough batch cooking and baking my own bread as that was easier than trying to get to the shops....

Lovely time of our lives , just as well I was already pregnant or there would be no DS2 as I would probably have chucked DH out of the house for suggesting a bloody new kitchen!!

Ah, that's better - I needed that... :o

Oh that's odd ssd. Maybe some other MI that's not worth the paper it's not written on.

I got all my children by accident, to be fair 😂

@Lidlfix

Wax did you live in a caravan in the garden for 6 weeks that turned into 2 years? Wearing a Kathleen Kidston pinnie and Joules wellies looking serene and maternal a mud pit? I watch far too many of these formulaic but addictive shows.

😂😂 that’s just spot on