Progress is...

Watty1

I had no idea tinned soups came up so fancy these days!

rtandon27

@edinburgher - haha bacon makes everything better!

@Watty1 - across the pond we are still into canned soup in a big way - Campb3lls is still alive and kicking there - most of us have pantries that we rely on during the harsh winters & canned soups and stews feature heavily.  It's one of the things I ask my family/friends to bring if they have room in their suitcases - I really do miss our chunky chicken noodle & beef stew that come ready made!  Also the condensed tomato soup - not creamy in the slightest - I've tried multiple copy-cat recipes and none of them come close to that childhood flavour.

rtandon27

In last weekend's list, I alluded to the NHS not impressing me much!  - and yet again they have proven far below expectations...

OH was referred to a urgent scan by our Doctor on a two week turn around - when I called them to follow up as they were taking there sweet time about it, they first said they didn't know anything about it - then I pointed out that they had  sent an electronic message to us and said they had contacted our doctor - which btw they had not - and then they dug his referral out (of a pile of paperwork of all things - !!!!!!) - then proceeded to tell me someone else had to do the booking - I told them that if I didn't hear back in 24 hours, I'd be going private and putting in a complaint about their ineptitude.  Well surprise surprise the booked it in within the 24 hours and even sent a letter which arrived to me yesterday...

The kicker... they cc'd a practice in our old area, that we have not been patients of for 4 years!

I'm furious - nope that is an understatement - I'm livid beyond livid!

ETA - looks like the filter does not like my sweariness - insert expletive of choice where the exclamations are!

badmemory

Different areas of the NHS seem to be so different.  My sister needing an op to keep her mobile (she is actually very fit for 70s) was told a 2 yr wait time so went private - different area to me.  My hip replacement, my GP told me to expect 9 months before I saw a consultant (this was march) & I had decided that if nothing had happened by Xmas I was going private.  I had seen the consultant, had the op & was back driving again by Sept.  It seems to really depend on what you need as well as the area you need it.

I also have an optical problem that has invovled eye scans every 3 months for the last few years at a different hospital.  Being done with no problem except for during covid obviously.

These are both hospitals in the bottom 20% of the new league tables

rtandon27

Our trust is ranked 101 out of 134 - I'm not the least bit surprised!  I'd rank them 135 out of 134 given my horrific experience since 2022!

ETA - at least the one I've been referred to is ranked 48 - but my appt is not until November!

beanielou

That's just dire @rtandon27. As i get older I find these things scarey. 

greenbee

I've just taken my mum (for what seems like the billionth time this year) to the hospital that is indeed 134/134. As it's falling down (literally ... there are more acros in the place than people) it's not surprising that morale is low and it's hard to get staff. But admissions are completely incompetent - they told my mum she had an op at 12.45pm when it was 8am (we only found out because she called the day unit with a question), and secretaries can't do anything. 

Despite having moved to the same area, I'm still being treated in Hampshire (at 101), which is a lot more efficient. And there's not much motivation to change, despite the travel involved. 

rtandon27

@beanielou - though it is many years away, I am also very worried about loosing my private medical insurance when I retire.  I'm now forcasting retiremenet based on also paying for a private medical insurance plan.  Every penny will count!

@greenbee - I feel for your mom - we have a good friend who lives near 134 and ended up having to go private for one of her children.  Also, my Mom across the pond is constantly complaining about how her healthcare there is degrading beyond recovery.  I have no clue what to do as private for her is beyond our budgets and even if she came here to live (she is also a dual citizen) she would not be covered under my private (a parental not a spouse) and would be relegated to our 101 systems which I just don't trust!

A good friend of mine who lives in the East of the big smoke looks after both his parents and relays the horrors of trying to navigate both his practice 

I'll soon be having a treatment privately at 15 in the city & am quite happy about that as pretty much any work collegue who has a major concern has had treatment though them both through the NHS and privately.

On the subject of health care, my OH had a private appointment yesterday with an amazing specialist.  That doctor ruled out one thing based on the tests, but confirmed another & given the other is something the NHS is following up on it may be another 'century' before we hear from them.  I'll be following up with Private Insurance today to ask what the options are once we have the formal diagnosis.  The specialist was lovely, patient, caring and answered ALL our questions with respect and humour.  The receptionists looked after us both before and after the appointment and we felt completely at ease in the private hospital environment.  By contrast, yesterday morning, OH was treated with incredible rudeness and disrespect when having one of the urgent tests at an NHS hosptial.  I know where I'd rather have him for treatment and it shan't be the NHS if I have anything to say about it.

greenbee

There is absolutely not excuse for rudeness and poor attitude. I completely understand that morale must be pretty low at 134 when you wonder whether the building is going to land on your head before the end of your shift (or before you get seen in A&E ), but mumbling, disinterested receptionists and incompetent admissions are inexcusable. Along with the lack of apology for mistakes.

Their admin/communications are atrocious - my consultant's secretary books my appointments and they come through in the NHS app within an hour. My mum is getting letters for appointments long after she's had the surgery.  It's sad really - it used to be a really good hospital - I was well looked after there in the past, and they saved my mum's live 20 years ago. 

So yes, I think working out how to hang on to private healthcare is (sadly) becoming more and more important.

badmemory

I haven't been near an A&E for over 10 years thankfully.  But whilst both my local hospitals are over the 100 line I have never been treated with the slightest disrespect.  One I go to I see 2 different receptions & 3 different non-doctors for tests.  I've had a scan in a hut in a car park where they apologised for having to ask me to take my bra off & showed me where I could do it in privacy, which was not required.  I suspect that it may be different if I was going to a different department, that is the only way I can explain the number they are at as I expected them to come fairly high.  Even their mental health bit doesn't seem too bad.