can we charge the NHS??

Ivory_Tinkler

I think most of us can say that we've suffered some kind of inconvenience at the hands of the NHS at some stage whether it be similar to the problem the OP experienced or simply through having to wait for endless hours at a hospital clinic because the appointments have stacked up. My father recently passed away but for the last few years of his life was treated endlessly (for "free" although he had paid into the system when he worked). He received free ambulance transport to and from the hospital as was disabled and was seen by many Consultants and Doctors who worked hard to prolong his life and give him the best quality of life they could. He would have died some 5 or 6 years ago had it not been for the NHS but we were afforded those extra very precious years until just a few months ago when we sadly lost him.

So it makes me very angry when someone complains about something like the OP has. Yes, they lost pay (although half a day for an immunisation does seem rather excessive) but it was a mistake which warrants an explanation but certainly not compensation. Maybe one day the OP will be in the same position as my late father (although I sincerely hope not) and then realise just how much can be given "for free" by the NHS when required. Compensation claims will only leave less in the pot for more deserving cases.

One poster mentioned about NHS maternity care - imagine if we had a system where a woman in labour was alloted say just 2 or 3 hours to give birth and then told, sorry your time is up, you have to go now because you didn't give birth in the given time. A labour can last from half an hour to days but the NHS is there to assist no matter how long this takes and doesn't charge overtime if it takes longer than expected!

As I said before OP, why not approach your employer and ask if you can make the hours up. Most employers these days are quite approachable when it comes to arrangements for children. The only other alternative is to subscribe to a private healthcare system but even then, if it comes to an accident or emergency, these private schemes generally rely on the good old NHS too!

pmduk

If you receive compensation for this, will it be your child whose care is curtailed because the budget has been spent on compensation? Having said that talk to the practice manager and/or senior partner about the practice's communication failures.

Equaliser123

pinkshoes wrote: »

This is a money saving forum, and I think many of you are being way too harsh and getting on your high horses. If you all feel that losing half a day's pay due to poor management is ok, then how about you reimburse the OP yourselves??

Yes, it is money saving, but I don't think it is "moneygrabbingexpert".

As I stated earlier, the NHS is a big unwieldy machine that works but not perfectly. Like any big organisation, things go wrong.

Have you seen how much compensation claims cost the NHS? £807m in legal costs alone in 2008.

What do you think would happen to the standard of service if every bludger made a claim for every inconvenience? What would the end-game be?

Our gorgeous daughter has now been discharged - 30 hours after saying she could be released subject to a (hugely busy) paediatrician's ok. The care she received being 5 weeks premature was a testament to the dedication, professionalism and care of the hospital staff.

Were we miffed about hanging around for 30 hours? Of course. But in the grand scheme of things, the health of our daughter ranks higher than being tired and jaded.

Future of the NHS? Paying for cancelled appointments and inconveniences or funding for better medical care? I know where I want my taxes to go.

Ivory_Tinkler

£807 million? Wow, imagine how many cancer drugs could be given to dying patients to give them a little extra time with their families that could fund? Imagine how many extra beds it could fund or scanners purchased? It doesn't bear thinking about does it?

Equaliser123 glad to hear about your daughter - make the most of the time you have with her as a tiny baby as it is so precious. Very best wishes to you and your family.

sweetstudent

StuntmanKev wrote: »

Hi our baby recieved his letter asking him to come into the doctors for his injections, I took the morning off of work to take him in for his injections, loosing A mornings pay, appointment was set for 11am, we got there at 10:55 and sat down waiting, 20mins went past so we checked with receptionist and she didnt have a clue what she was doing and didnt know how to use the computer or phones but said she would find out why we have been waiting for so long, after 45mins the nurse come out and took us into the room to tell us that it was too early for his injections and that we should not have been asked to go in, also found out that the admin realised that it was too early for the injections so they just deleted us off the system but didnt bother telling us.....NHS wasting our time and I lost money as I could have been at work.

Does anyone know if there is any way we could get some compensation for loss of earnings as If you miss an appointment and waste there time they would be the first to charge you.

Thanks

Kev

Yes you should charge our cash strapped NHS, and when you get what you would have earned back i bet you will be happy. But when you need NHS care, or possibly a paramedic unit then i hope you will be able to pay for there services. I for one realise that the NHS have taken a lot of criticism but they do a fantastic job and they took tremendous care of my partner when she needed a paramedic in the middle of B'ham.

pinksponge_2

I think that far too many of you on here are quick to judge. Stuntman Kev was simply posting for an opinion as he had had a hard time and so many of you had a go at him. Surely you would be upset that your babies routines had been interupted or your day had been messed around. Personally i am glad that the admin/nurse spotted the mistake or this baby could have had the injection too early which could have made it ill. As a 1st time parent myself i will be honest and say that i do not know which injection is what and when they are due. Most of us trust the NHS know what they are doing right? The fact he took the morning off work is not the most important factor, obviously the child is, but when messed about to this point it must have made him angry.
Fair enough the admin spotted the mistake but to assume he would realise this was unfair and alll this could have been avoided.
When i was in Maternity the nurses were great but thats not to say that the NHS can make mistakes at other times. I know of a lot of mistakes, some severe mistakes the NHS have made and its not fair that people are quick to back them up for this.
suggesting to charge the child is very stupid, having many people critasising is bad enough. So maybe he shouldnt ask for compensation, fair enough but no need for all this. Now i know why i do not read these very often..its like a school playground!

i hope you get the error resolved Stuntman Kev x

Equaliser123

pinksponge wrote: »

Stuntman Kev was simply posting for an opinion as he had had a hard time and so many of you had a go at him.

Hard time? I reckon you should take a trip down to your local hospital and see some of the people who are really having a "hard time" and what the NHS is doing to try and make it better for them.

If the guy had said that he was expecting compensation as the surgeon had amputated his leg during an operation to cure an ingrowing toenail, then I would agree it was a "hard time". But the guy lost out on half a day's holiday for crying out loud!!!!

Ivory_Tinkler

pinksponge wrote: »

I think that far too many of you on here are quick to judge. Stuntman Kev was simply posting for an opinion as he had had a hard time and so many of you had a go at him. Surely you would be upset that your babies routines had been interupted or your day had been messed around. Personally i am glad that the admin/nurse spotted the mistake or this baby could have had the injection too early which could have made it ill. As a 1st time parent myself i will be honest and say that i do not know which injection is what and when they are due. Most of us trust the NHS know what they are doing right? The fact he took the morning off work is not the most important factor, obviously the child is, but when messed about to this point it must have made him angry.
Fair enough the admin spotted the mistake but to assume he would realise this was unfair and alll this could have been avoided.
When i was in Maternity the nurses were great but thats not to say that the NHS can make mistakes at other times. I know of a lot of mistakes, some severe mistakes the NHS have made and its not fair that people are quick to back them up for this.
suggesting to charge the child is very stupid, having many people critasising is bad enough. So maybe he shouldnt ask for compensation, fair enough but no need for all this. Now i know why i do not read these very often..its like a school playground!

i hope you get the error resolved Stuntman Kev x

I made that "stupid" comment to the OP and I stand by what I said. The OP shouldn't ask for compensation for something as trivial as this - he may need the NHS for an awful lot more in the future and if the money isn't there because of pathetic claims then he won't get treatment will he if there is no money left in the pot. What would be next, charging the NHS for a 5 minute wait to see a doctor

As for your comment about people backing up the NHS when they make bad mistakes - where have you got that from? People have been backing up the NHS for the splendid work that they do, and of course, in an organisation as large as the NHS there are going to be mistakes, sad but unavoidable. Having seen the sterling work that they did with my late father, they get it right more often than wrong but society is now so quick to blame and try and grab a buck when they can.

pinksponge_2

shame they cudnt be the same help for my father in law during the last few months. we have obv all had diff treatments with our nhs and are not going to agree. But i know for sure it is hard when things go wrong, epecially when you put your faith in the Nhs to look after/ help you care for your babies.

i say no more

sarahg1969

Equaliser123 wrote: »

Absolutely rightly, discharging patients was low priority. However, we've now been waiting over 24 hours to be discharged.

So why don't they just leave?