[OU Student]

(Original post by Deziah)
. Waiting times are bad, but that isn't purely down to the doctors. A lot of illnesses could be prevented if people took better precautions and didn't abuse their body.

Agreed. Would also help if people didn't go to their doctor for every minor issue. I've been told by a few GPs that if I have this problem again, to go to the chemist and they can give me stuff.

[Amos36]

(Original post by diamondsky99)
Hey all,

A lot of doctor hate going on yes there are many failings with the NHS but there must be many success stories that we can think of.

It's not a very pleasant one to discuss, but I'm a very open guy and as a die-hard left-winger I'm a huge fan of the National Health Service. The NHS gave me a "Preputioplasty"; which in short made sure that when I have sex some day, it won't be painful. For any guy, that's something worth being thankful for! The care I received was simply incredible, despite the fact it was only a minor operation.

On a different note, they've given my mum countless women's health operations and like so much stuff its genuinely unbelievable. They make people's lives better; what could be a nobler profession?

I LOVE the NHS, hope everyone else does too. Or I'll hunt you down...

[restoration]

I see what good the NHS does on a daily basis... Watched and helped lives being saved, and on the other end of the scale made people comfortable and given them dignity to die and looked after people in some pretty horrendous situations, yet never asked anyone about money, whereas in America that would be different

On a personal level though - Saved my life as a baby I was premature and very ill, and have since had surgeries and stuff the last being a couple of years ago all for free

[OU Student]

They saved my friends' sons life. He has Downs Syndrome and was born with a hole in his heart.

[jamesvancollier]

Gave me a reason to not feel guilty about eating really really slowly (oesonphilic oesophagitis)


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[brendonbackflip]

I've commented all ready, but I'd like to develop my point.

The NHS isn't perfect - there were aspects of care I wasn't amazingly happy about, and I did see some even worse stuff happening to others. But what I saw wasn't that their was a lack of support from the staff. The nurses, doctors and everyone else were trying and it was clear they were trying. All it is, is that despite their training, doctors aren't superheroes that can whizz in and out of cases in half an hour, and the nurses can't attend to everyone at the same time. All I saw was the lack of money. The NHS, as a whole, does it's fundamental job; if we want an improvement, we should put money into it, not destroy it completely.

[Anonymous]

This is just a small thing, but:

Because this morning I thought I possibly had skin cancer (had a painful mole oozing pus).

After seeing the new registrar GP at my surgery, I can now relax knowing that I just only have an infected sebaceous cyst UNDER the mole (she said it's quite uncommon), and that it will go with antibiotics.

Job done. Feel so much happier now.

[Beebumble]

Last month I was severely dehydrated. The doctors and nurses saw to me as quick as they could and gave me three essential drips.

When I had suspected swine flu the doctor wasn't sure if it was something more serious from the little description my Mum could give over the phone. So he came for a house call on his way home on Christmas eve and waited until he could get through to the local pharmacy to get them to drop me off medication. As it was out of his working hours I don't think he was even paid for that.

My Mum's routine smear showed up pre cancer cells. They were able to remove safely and quickly. If it wasn't for the NHS she'd probably had not have been able to pay for a smear and wouldn't known they were there until they developed. Also thanks to the NHS I was able to get vaccinated for cervical cancer so the same wouldn't happen to me.

Great thread OP!

[:)ella]

(Original post by diamondsky99)
Hey all,

A lot of doctor hate going on yes there are many failings with the NHS but there must be many success stories that we can think of.

I'll start with some recent ones from my own experience:

Recently mum went to the GP with a couple of suspicious looking moles - within 2 weeks they had been removed. Fortunately they were both benign but it was still great that the referral etc. went like clockwork.

My grandma had a fall and 2 weeks later had symptoms of a subdural haematoma (bleed in her skull) she was in hospital for a week and had fantastic care. She's also had 2 knees replaced a good 15 years ago now and it changed her life considerably.

My boyfriend receives 8-week infusions of a really expensive drug for his Crohn's disease. Nothing else but the infliximab touches it and for the NHS to fund such a new drug has completely changed his life.

Personally I've had a few issues but nothing serious. Most recently the NHS paid for me to have some vaccinations just because I was going on holiday. Saves me the stress of risking not having them and saves them the issues of if I came back with a nasty disease.

Thank you NHS

My mum has just been diagnosed with cancer.

I'm absolutely terrified, but I know that she's in the hands of the best healthcare system in the entire world. Thank you NHS

[teh_samby]

I had to have my bowel removed due to cancer, and had the most amazing surgeon, and everything went really, really well. I have nothing but praise for the NHS.

[HarryMWilliams]

They removed my sacrococcygeal teratoma, nothing but respect admiration.

[carnationlilyrose]

(Original post by :)ella)
My mum has just been diagnosed with cancer.

I'm absolutely terrified, but I know that she's in the hands of the best healthcare system in the entire world. Thank you NHS

Sorry in the extreme to hear this. Two tips - don't believe the worst until they tell you to, and don't ask questions you can't handle the answers to. All the very best to you and your mum.

[OU Student]

(Original post by :)ella)
My mum has just been diagnosed with cancer.

I'm absolutely terrified, but I know that she's in the hands of the best healthcare system in the entire world. Thank you NHS

I hope all goes well. My granddad was diagnosed with cancer 2 years ago. He was given the all clear at the end of last year. There are certain foods he will never be able to eat again though. (He had mouth and throat cancer)

[carnationlilyrose]

(Original post by Muscovite)
I'm grateful to the NHS for being the NHS

But those overpaid greedy doctors can get stuffed

If they're the ones who treated me, they weren't overpaid and I'd be happy to see them paid more, because I'm not dead.

[FuzzySheep]

I'm grateful for the CBT treatment I was given to help me out of depression. Also very grateful for the amount they do for my parents who both have health issues, they're always seen quickly and given every foem of support needed.

[Vohamanah]

• Diagnosed a hole in my heart and performed cardiac surgery when I was 5 years old, for free, done by the best paediatric cardiac surgeon in the country, which massively increased my quality of life.
• Recently saved my boyfriend's life when his hitherto undiagnosed duodenal ulcer perforated quite dramatically, causing him to vom blood all over the walls in the early hours of the morning, by performing emergency endoscopic surgery and a life saving blood transfusion.
• Still working hard at making my Mum's life bearable with her severe arthritis, always suggesting new treatments and keeping her under constant review.

Go NHS

[7589200]

Good man. Trust me, the NHS is a great thing. A system where if I fell ill I would actually be pretty assured that I was receiving the best level of care I could possibly get given our financial restrictions; a system where I knew I wasn't being screwed by doctors looking to earn more money; a system where people are trained on how to talk to me sensitively and where people not only make my disease better, but also look after me...I can't ask for any more.

Long live the NHS.

Too many complain about it and don't realise just how good they have it.

[7589200]

(Original post by Muscovite)
I'm grateful to the NHS for being the NHS

But those overpaid greedy doctors can get stuffed

Shouldn't you have a bigger problem with bankers being paid half a million pounds a year to move money from one place to another rather than a hospital consultant who makes £80k a year and saves countless lives...

I don't see the logic.

[alexlemon2]

(Original post by diamondsky99)
My boyfriend receives 8-week infusions of a really expensive drug for his Crohn's disease. Nothing else but the infliximab touches it and for the NHS to fund such a new drug has completely changed his life.

I also have crohns and I had infusions of infliximab every 8 weeks for nearly a year, I don't know how much it actually costs but i know it is thousands of pounds per infusion. I have also had thousands of pounds worth of other treatments on free prescription - and most recently an ileostomy and hemicolectomy operation which basically returned my life to normal. I get all of my ileostomy supplies (around 10 prescriptions per month) for free.

Thanks NHS

[Magnanimity]

I am grateful to the NHS surgeon who cut my grans oesophageal cancer out and gave us another 20 wonderful years with her before she passed away.

I am also grateful to my private consultant who bumped me up the waiting list on the NHS to be seen immediately as I got kicked off my health insurance for being too sick.

I am also grateful he admitted me to hospital when he did. It was about 6 months too late, but he got there in the end...

Oh and FREE PRESCRIPTIONS!!!

Oh and for giving me £16k as a student for agreeing to work as an NHS dentist for five years