nhs is a joke

eddie_2-2

I agree you should ring and speak to the Practice manager and explain your complaint. If you are going to do it, do it as soon as possible, don't leave it for a week or so.

With regards to the prescription costs, perhaps your anger would be better directed at the huge numbers of people who fraudulently claim free prescriptions
every year.

pickle

Js_Other_Half wrote:

I've had to wait several days (on more than one occasion) to get a repeat prescription for a steroid inhaler - even though I made the practise aware that I had completely run out (and yes, I know that I should monitor it better, but life happens ).

I'd just go straight to the emergency ward and ask them to do it! Having an inhaler is not something you can do without. I know this as I know someone who died from an asthma attack (in a hospital waiting room I might add!). Don't settle for can't, it's negligence if they fail to provide it. It really makes my blood boil when I hear stories like this. It is plain incompetence.

margaretclare

ariba10 wrote:

I have been in hospital four times in the last twelve years. Three times for serious operations and have nothing but praise for the service and staff.

Thank goodness we have them.

I agree. A few months ago I had a second revision of total hip replacement. This wouldn't even have been possible a few decades ago - I remember a great-aunt, my grandfather's sister, who spent the last few years of her life crippled and in agony. I'm now fully recovered, back to driving, back to walking in the woods.

Re costs of medication - my DH has friends in the USA, arguably the richest country on earth, who aren't well enough to go on working but who daren't give up because if they did they'd lose their medical insurance. As they're insulin-using diabetics they'd be dead if they didn't pay for their own insulin, test strips etc, all the things that my DH gets free. The test strips, for instance, cost £27.50 for 50 and he tests 4 or 5 times a day.

Margaret Clare

Peakma

I was talking to an old lady I know the other day,she's 75 and needs a knee replacement.Shes having to chase up to get an appoimtment to see the consultant(or who ever it is they see first) just to get the apointment to have it assesed,then she when she finnaly gets that appointment she'l have at least an 8 week wait for the op after that.Sh'es living in pain,and I find it appauling people of this age have to wait so long,when they just dont have time to wait.I think it's disgusting how old people are treated in this country.If its not bad enough that thier bodies are growing old and giving up and they have to face the frightening concept of being operated on,they have the mental torture of waiting and not knowing how long for.When I think of what that generation did for us in the war ,and this is the thanks they get in thier old age,it's shocking.

patchwork_cat

Hi
Did they say that there hadn't been a doctor at the surgery all week?

hobo28

Personally I blame the state of the NHS on a large bout of political interference and managment wasting money on pet projects.

We've got a government that is totally obsessed with targets and political correctness and NHS management who when given a huge increase in funding, instead of recruiting doctors,nurses and medical equipment decided to buy new computers instead. For example, their IT project will officially cost £6.2Billion! Thats right, billion but some say the real cost will be more like £12billion!

A couple of years ago, they introduced a computer system for GP's to book appointments at hospitals. It was supposed to handle 200,000 bookings. It did 63.

It makes my blood boil to hear of old ladies not getting hip operations or cancer patients having to wait for chemo etc. when billions are being wasted on computers which don't help at all. If there's not enough doctors now, how is an extra computer going to help????

MissG_2

patchwork_cat wrote:

Hi
Did they say that there hadn't been a doctor at the surgery all week?

Yes NOT 1 doctor all week. The doctor ONLY came in to sign the prescriptions on the day (5pm) I got mine.

charlotte46

Not only do i work in a very busy hospital operating theatre but i have recently had to have emergency surgery in order to save my life. I only have praise for my care.

All areas of the medical profession are understaffed and i'm sure that you have all heard about the job threats around the country. What we pay in national insurance does not cover the overall cost.

It is really unfortunate that people have to wait for operations but i can assure you that we perform as many as posible in the time available often working late for no extra pay.

Mistakes re appointments and prescriptions do of course happen we are only human at the end of the day. But of course no-one here ever makes mistakes!!!!!!!!!!!;)

I just wish that we could fix everyone's problems but like someone else said above 'life happens'.

If the NHS is a joke then i surgest you try living in a country without it I just know that you would be coming back here for your treatment.

Please try to think of all the good that the service does within its limitations and believe me 99% of the staff will do what they can to help you.

Sorry about the essay I always do what i can when i'm at work and this NHS has saved my life.

tanith

I had a total hip replacement 2yrs ago It took 3mths wait to see the consultant and then 4mths wait to the operation, then I was painfree for the first time in a while.... I would of had to put myself into deep debt to pay for such an operation and it looks likely I will need to other hip done soon.. if I had not been fortunate enough to benefit from our NHS , I would of spent the rest of my life either in pain or deep debt....

I have nothing but praise for it and those that choose to work in it...... I do know its not perfect and things do go wrong all the time but I count my blessings and for all its faults I wouldn't be without it.......:T

patchwork_cat

Hi
That is awful - no doctor all week - what is the point of a surgery if there is no doctor.