NHS

This is the place where forum members can chat about anything they want - sport, hobbies etc. Anything except Keratoconus issues.

Moderator: John Smith

User avatar
jayuk
Ambassador
Ambassador
Posts: 2148
Joined: Sun 21 Mar 2004 1:50 pm
Location: London / Manchester / Cheshire

Postby jayuk » Sat 15 Apr 2006 10:44 pm

Val

Totally agree with that "job for life" comment...its sooo true...and the off sick and the alleged "flexi hours" for admin staff...its crazy!

J
KC is about facing the challenges it creates rather than accepting the problems it generates -
(C) Copyright 2005 KP

User avatar
Sweet
Committee
Committee
Posts: 2240
Joined: Sun 10 Apr 2005 11:22 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
Location: London / South Wales

Postby Sweet » Sat 15 Apr 2006 11:19 pm

Ok ... guess i should say something here about the front line in 'A & E' as i work there!

Yes we have many drunk and intoxicated patients, the hospital i work at is situated in a well known heroin community so we are well used to it. Now that we have longer drinking hours most thought that it would be a lot worse, but to be honest it doesn't need to be a Friday or Saturday night anymore as we get drunk people in 24/7 and many homeless who have nowhere else to go.

I understand why some would be thinking why should we care for them and use our resources on persisent drunk patients? But sadly no-one can classify who can and can't be treated. I know the government is getting attacked by it's views on the post code lottery with giving free drugs to patients to treat breast cancer in Wales and Scotland when most in England have to pay.

But it's like where do we stop being judgemental? We are turning ourselves into a nation where we are suing more and more people who are there to help us. Some professionals are now afraid to treat patients because of their very real fear of this, and EVERYTHING has to be documented as you never know if you might be called into court to defend your care.

I know that smokers have had a very bad deal lately with smoking in public soon to be banned. But we could go on all day, saying that if you are overweight should you get a hip or knee op as you abused your body? Or if you did a dangerous sport should you get the public emergency service out to rescue you and spend thousands treating you?

It costs about four to five thousand a day to treat one patient in ICU so the government could have a field day with trying to demostrate which patients dare i say deserve to be there and which were taking unnecessary risks on their life and so don't.

I find the NHS frustrating at times because i
am angry when i can't give the care i want to patients. It does need a major rethink but to give up on it completely would only benefit the rich and alienate the poor yet again. I do not want to be rushing in to see a new patient from an accident only to be asking for their insurance details before i can do anything!

I know it is going to take a very long time to get things sorted but small steps are being taken everyday. The list for orthopaedic operations is getting shorter, patients are being referred quicker to see a specialist and hopefully the new move to attempt to recruit more GPs will help as our primary health units are expanding.

Wales have yet to see a WIC (walk in centre) but they are essential in taking most of the frequent 'A & E' admissions from us. For those who don't have a GP or have a basic complaint or need advice we can send them across the road to be seen by a nurse or GP there. This cuts down on waiting time and will hopefully help with our four hour rule!! Scotland i'm not sure if you have any yet either? But i think you are down to have some before us!

So i will stick by the NHS, not just because i work in it, but because i think that while a hell of a lot needs to be done, it is still a much better deal than going totally private, and for those who can afford it there is still the option to pay if they wish.
Sweet X x X

Image

User avatar
jayuk
Ambassador
Ambassador
Posts: 2148
Joined: Sun 21 Mar 2004 1:50 pm
Location: London / Manchester / Cheshire

Postby jayuk » Sun 16 Apr 2006 10:44 am

simple - treatment is based on how much Tax you pay!...and for how long! :-)

Im evil!..bordering onto dictatorship!
KC is about facing the challenges it creates rather than accepting the problems it generates -

(C) Copyright 2005 KP

User avatar
Val G
Chatterbox
Chatterbox
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed 12 Oct 2005 7:01 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
Location: West Midlands

Postby Val G » Sun 16 Apr 2006 11:01 am

Sweet
I agree with most of your comments. I too would not abandon the NHS and I am too busy doing my own job, behind the scenes, to be judgemental on the front line. Yes, small steps are being taken, lets hope some large ones can be made soon!

User avatar
Andrew MacLean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 7703
Joined: Thu 15 Jan 2004 8:01 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Other
Location: Scotland

Postby Andrew MacLean » Sun 16 Apr 2006 12:26 pm

I think that the NHS is wonderful nad I agree one hundred percent with its founding principles, but I do not think that this means that the government can or ought to try to run infirmaries.

They do not run GP practices, opticians, dentists, nursaries nor even hospices. Why infirmaries?

Puzzled but not perplexed

Andrew
Andrew MacLean

User avatar
GarethB
Ambassador
Ambassador
Posts: 4916
Joined: Sat 21 Aug 2004 3:31 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
Location: Warwickshire

Postby GarethB » Sun 16 Apr 2006 12:36 pm

I agree with you Andrew, the NHS is not only run by politicians, but by acocuntants who see money as more important than people.

My experience of the NHS who have on one occasion saved my life did what what was required. I think given an unlimited budget, they would have done the same.

At the end of the day, money will not replace the care and compassion of the frontline staff who do what they do for the love of the job.
Gareth

User avatar
Andrew MacLean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 7703
Joined: Thu 15 Jan 2004 8:01 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Other
Location: Scotland

Postby Andrew MacLean » Sun 16 Apr 2006 1:59 pm

On Sweet's question about being judgemental.

I needed surgery to remove my gall bladder. Years of eating fish had chips and left me with a gall bladder full of chuckie stones that were givine me a lot of pain. They had migrated along my bile duct and blocked my pancreas, causing pancreatitis as well.

Was my condition self inflicted? Yes

So along comes a boy I know in this town. His arms are both heavily ulcerated and he has Hep C. Is his condition self inflicted? Yes.

Now one of us got non-judgemental treatment and the other got a hard time. Which was which?

(clue: I was not the one who was given a hard time).

Andrew
Andrew MacLean


Return to “Non-KC Chit-Chat”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 27 guests