Why the quality of NHS care is so poor?
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Original post by Anonymous
They took blood, checked my blood pressure and heart rhythm and that is it.I laid there for 5 hours just doing nothing.No special tests were done only the bare minimum.
Maybe you've misunderstood the purpose of A&E. It is to diagnose and manage life threatening conditions, not investigate chronic illnesses with special tests that are more appropriately done as an outpatient.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by AishaGirl
Go private if you don't like it.
The NHS is one of the best things about the UK.
The NHS is one of the best things about the UK.
Are you serious? Go private?... Sorry but the taxes people pay in this country should mean we deserve a decent quality of care. Their insurance premiums would be through the roof with a medical record of experiencing seizures which is exactly why we have the NHS.
Original post by Anonymous
They took blood, checked my blood pressure and heart rhythm and that is it.I laid there for 5 hours just doing nothing.No special tests were done only the bare minimum.
Again: no doctor or nurse assessed you? No-one asked you for an account of what had happened to cause you to come to A+E? No-one examined you other than to check your heart rhythm and blood pressure?
You 'laid there for 5 hours just doing nothing' because people with more urgent requirements came in and needed to be seen ahead of you. It's called triage, and it's essential unless you're prepared to foot the bill for a *lot* more medical staff and healthcare professionals than we have now. Yes, it sucks waiting for five hours. What would suck more is if we had to see everyone who came in the order they arrived, regardless of clinical need, meaning that people with more pressing medical issues had to go to the back of the queue. I mean, what did you think the staff were doing when they weren't attending to you - putting their feet up or something?
You have no idea how lucky you are to have the NHS.
Original post by Anonymous
If it is a long-term condition that should be dealt with medication then it should be diagnosed not left alone.
I am just very angry with our system I used to absolutely adore the NHS but now I am deeply ashamed of the NHS.How does an institution of such nobility turn into such a poorly managed institution?The NHS is great in theory but it is greatly under-funded I don't agree with where our tax money is going instead of funding our futures with education and great health care we are putting some the money towards nonsense.I am deeply outraged of how such a noble institution first started by Atlee now turned so bad.I just don't think that it is perhaps the right decision to keep it going if it is not run properly.
I am just very angry with our system I used to absolutely adore the NHS but now I am deeply ashamed of the NHS.How does an institution of such nobility turn into such a poorly managed institution?The NHS is great in theory but it is greatly under-funded I don't agree with where our tax money is going instead of funding our futures with education and great health care we are putting some the money towards nonsense.I am deeply outraged of how such a noble institution first started by Atlee now turned so bad.I just don't think that it is perhaps the right decision to keep it going if it is not run properly.
What did they tell you? A diagnosis can take time rather than given on the day of the tests.
Our tax money is not being wasted. The NHS is one of the most cost-effective healthcare systems in the world.
Original post by zayn008
Are you serious? Go private?... Sorry but the taxes people pay in this country should mean we deserve a decent quality of care. Their insurance premiums would be through the roof with a medical record of experiencing seizures which is exactly why we have the NHS.
How do you know?
Maybe we need to raise taxes to get a "decent quality of care"?
I can't believe you seriously think it's justifiable to say 'the quality of care is poor' based on one bad experience you've had. What a ridiculous argument. If you were considered a priority you'd have been treated as one, period. And what do you mean 'people are dying as a result' have you died? Do you personally even know of a single person who has died as a result of poor NHS care?
So they checked for any immediate problems and you were fine. Then they put you on a waiting list just like everyone else. There's obviously nothing urgent wrong with you so why do you expect to be prioritised when there will be people with much more pressing problems who do need immediate treatment? Just because we have free healthcare doesn't mean you're entitled to walk in and go to the front of the queue for what sounds like not a huge problem. Disgusting attitude, pay for private if you expect VIP treatment for nothing.
Original post by Anonymous
They took blood, checked my blood pressure and heart rhythm and that is it.I laid there for 5 hours just doing nothing.No special tests were done only the bare minimum.
So they checked for any immediate problems and you were fine. Then they put you on a waiting list just like everyone else. There's obviously nothing urgent wrong with you so why do you expect to be prioritised when there will be people with much more pressing problems who do need immediate treatment? Just because we have free healthcare doesn't mean you're entitled to walk in and go to the front of the queue for what sounds like not a huge problem. Disgusting attitude, pay for private if you expect VIP treatment for nothing.
NHS should be pumped with money before any kind of Killing machine or bomb is ever manufactured.
Original post by bex.anne
Yeah definitely for cosmetic surgery but I disagree for the missed appointments. The elderly and those with ilnesses such as dementia find it hard to remember, as well as those with depression. I think its a bit of a risk imposing a charge for them as there are several factors.
Now I'm sure someone with dementia would have a carer to remind them or an exception clause can be made, as for someone with depression they can call up and cancel. Someone with a medical issue willing to go on that day can be relieved to get a same day appointment. NHS should definitely charge people for missed appointments, waste of time and resources. Of course there should be exceptions if it ever did happen
Original post by Cherub012
How do you know?
Maybe we need to raise taxes to get a "decent quality of care"?
Maybe we need to raise taxes to get a "decent quality of care"?
Honestly, i think most people in this country would dish out a few quid more a month if it meant we all got the decent quality of care we deserve the only thing is, i doubt the government would fully allocate it to the NHS which would make other people angry.
I suffered from Gallstone Pancreatitis a few years ago. It's a nasty condition where you literally vomit up every sip of water you take and everything else too; all day every day. After about three days of not being able to keep a single thing down you are practically on your knees you are so weak. There is nothing that can be done other than to be admitted into hospital where you are given intravenous drips of antibiotics and fluids. I had to be admitted to the Female Surgical Ward on seven separate occasions within a few months. I needed to have my gallbladder removed, but because it had developed into Gallstone Pancreatitis, it was a Pancreatic surgeon who was going to perform the surgery. I live in Northern Ireland. There are only two Pancreatic surgeons in the whole of Northern Ireland. So it was a case of waiting. Waiting for my turn , but also waiting to see if the Pancreas would eventually settle down and stop becoming inflamed. It did, eventually thankfully. My GP surgery is literally over the road from where I live. I had been to see him once before during this period of illness. He told me that next time I take ill, to get myself over the road to him, and he will book me a bed by referring me as an emergency. So this particular morning, when I had literally not stopped vomiting for about six hours, so something nasty and black was coming up, I dragged myself over the road to the GP's surgery. Vomited all over their corridor floor, then again in the bathroom. He booked me in to the local hospital. They told me to try my very best to pack a bag and to make my way to the hospital where a bed was waiting for me. When I got there they had to do then formality of taking my bloods. My bloods were always what they called "Deranged". Once when I turned up to A and E with a vomiting bout they couldn't admit me as my bloods were normal. I pleaded with the doctor to admit me but he said he was sorry but he couldn't because my bloods were normal. I went the following day with my bag packed and the same doctor was working. He recognised me from the day before. My bloods were taken again and this time they were "Deranged" and I was taken straight up to a surgical ward. No waiting around. Sometimes if there was no room on the Female Surgical Ward I was put on the Male Surgical Ward. I didn't mind. I had a room to myself with its own bathroom and a TV. What i'm trying to say is, if you're poorly enough you will be seen right away and prioritised. And that's exactly the way it should be. Had my gallbladder removed about seven months later. Woke up with 28 staples across my abdomen. He had to fully open me up to get a good look at the Pancreas as well as removing my gallbladder. Thankfully by the time I had my surgery my Pancreas had returned to its normal size. But I have one hell of a scar. People who have seen it say, "What on earth did you have removed?" When I tell them it was just my Gallbladder they don't believe me.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by zayn008
Are you serious? Go private?... Sorry but the taxes people pay in this country should mean we deserve a decent quality of care. Their insurance premiums would be through the roof with a medical record of experiencing seizures which is exactly why we have the NHS.
Criticising a service which quite frankly is absolutely amazing, simply because you might have to wait every so often or not get the exact service you were hoping for is just selfish.
When you weigh up the cost of healthcare vs the tiny amount of money that comes from your pocket and paid into the system, you are getting an absolute bargain!
The only thing I would say is they should cut some money from defence spending and put it into healthcare but I still stand by my statement and that is the NHS is fantastic, so you have to wait a little or you get a little bit of inconvenience, big woop.
Original post by infairverona
I can't believe you seriously think it's justifiable to say 'the quality of care is poor' based on one bad experience you've had. What a ridiculous argument. If you were considered a priority you'd have been treated as one, period. And what do you mean 'people are dying as a result' have you died? Do you personally even know of a single person who has died as a result of poor NHS care?
So they checked for any immediate problems and you were fine. Then they put you on a waiting list just like everyone else. There's obviously nothing urgent wrong with you so why do you expect to be prioritised when there will be people with much more pressing problems who do need immediate treatment? Just because we have free healthcare doesn't mean you're entitled to walk in and go to the front of the queue for what sounds like not a huge problem. Disgusting attitude, pay for private if you expect VIP treatment for nothing.
So they checked for any immediate problems and you were fine. Then they put you on a waiting list just like everyone else. There's obviously nothing urgent wrong with you so why do you expect to be prioritised when there will be people with much more pressing problems who do need immediate treatment? Just because we have free healthcare doesn't mean you're entitled to walk in and go to the front of the queue for what sounds like not a huge problem. Disgusting attitude, pay for private if you expect VIP treatment for nothing.
My aunt had cancer cells in her body, went to the doctors several times for check-ups and was told it was just a bloated tummy and she needs to go on a diet with more fibre... she kept going back and after 7 months she got fed up and found out her company had health insurance for employees, she got a GP appointment and they took some tests and the results came back the next week saying its cancer and has been in her body for a year... NHS then told her she'd have to go on a waiting list for her chemotherapy and operation but her private plan covered it (with a few huge excess fees) and got her on it within a few weeks, its been 2 years and because it was found at such a late stage the chemo hasn't been as responsive as they hoped. Something so simple like running a few checks could've prevented so much, there's a lot of negligence. I dont blame the NHS or the staff, its heavily underfunded, has limited resources and had a good reputation before 2011, I've had many good experiences but the more recent ones haven't been too good. Had my aunt's company not had private health coverage, she probably wouldn't be alive today, to me that says the NHS is failing.
If you're complaining to have waited for so long you were probably not in any immediate danger, your seizure was controlled and you were not in any risk of death, you were capable of waiting around for a few hours. Doctors were busy dealing with people in cardiac arrest or in serious danger on the cusp of losing their lives. I've had the misfortune of witnessing a&e resuscitation and can tell you the quality of care is not poor considering those patients will not be paying to have their lives saved. The NHS is stretched to its limits and if you think you deserve better, go private. It's an amazing thing and should be appreciated whilst it's still around.
Original post by AishaGirl
Criticising a service which quite frankly is absolutely amazing, simply because you might have to wait every so often or not get the exact service you were hoping for is just selfish.
When you weigh up the cost of healthcare vs the tiny amount of money that comes from your pocket and paid into the system, you are getting an absolute bargain!
The only thing I would say is they should cut some money from defence spending and put it into healthcare but I still stand by my statement and that is the NHS is fantastic, so you have to wait a little or you get a little bit of inconvenience, big woop.
When you weigh up the cost of healthcare vs the tiny amount of money that comes from your pocket and paid into the system, you are getting an absolute bargain!
The only thing I would say is they should cut some money from defence spending and put it into healthcare but I still stand by my statement and that is the NHS is fantastic, so you have to wait a little or you get a little bit of inconvenience, big woop.
Tiny amount of money!!??The Uk has such a high tax rate compared to other countries and our salaries are not even that high compared to other developed countries e.g. Canada.Whose health care is almost free and better.If you are well most of the time and don't spend hours waiting around the hospital then you can't make the statements you made.Also the ambulance took me to A&E so the blame perhaps should be pointed on them not me.As they have made the judgement that A&E was the place most suitable for me.
Underfunding. It's the simple answer.
Original post by Sabby888
Oh please, go to any Third World country you wouldn't be complaining about the NHS then 
Nice to see how low you set the bar.
Original post by zayn008
My aunt had cancer cells in her body, went to the doctors several times for check-ups and was told it was just a bloated tummy and she needs to go on a diet with more fibre... she kept going back and after 7 months she got fed up and found out her company had health insurance for employees, she got a GP appointment and they took some tests and the results came back the next week saying its cancer and has been in her body for a year... NHS then told her she'd have to go on a waiting list for her chemotherapy and operation but her private plan covered it (with a few huge excess fees) and got her on it within a few weeks, its been 2 years and because it was found at such a late stage the chemo hasn't been as responsive as they hoped. Something so simple like running a few checks could've prevented so much, there's a lot of negligence. I dont blame the NHS or the staff, its heavily underfunded, has limited resources and had a good reputation before 2011, I've had many good experiences but the more recent ones haven't been too good. Had my aunt's company not had private health coverage, she probably wouldn't be alive today, to me that says the NHS is failing.
I am very sorry to hear that.I strongly agree with your point that simple check ups should be done without hesitation as they could safe lives and money.Not waiting until things became very serious.Maybe perhaps my case is not that serious but it is still pretty scary I must say and i think the NHS should provide more preventive measures for things which can lead to serious illnesses.
Original post by zayn008
My aunt had cancer cells in her body, went to the doctors several times for check-ups and was told it was just a bloated tummy and she needs to go on a diet with more fibre... she kept going back and after 7 months she got fed up and found out her company had health insurance for employees, she got a GP appointment and they took some tests and the results came back the next week saying its cancer and has been in her body for a year... NHS then told her she'd have to go on a waiting list for her chemotherapy and operation but her private plan covered it (with a few huge excess fees) and got her on it within a few weeks, its been 2 years and because it was found at such a late stage the chemo hasn't been as responsive as they hoped. Something so simple like running a few checks could've prevented so much, there's a lot of negligence. I dont blame the NHS or the staff, its heavily underfunded, has limited resources and had a good reputation before 2011, I've had many good experiences but the more recent ones haven't been too good. Had my aunt's company not had private health coverage, she probably wouldn't be alive today, to me that says the NHS is failing.
There's not enough facts here to say for definite but this doesn't sound negligent at all to me (in the legal sense). You need to remember that doctors don't want to be sued for negligence, if the doctors didn't think your aunt needed a blood test for a bloated stomach then there will be a reason why and if part of that reason is that other responsible GPs also would not have sent your aunt for bloods based on her symptoms and what she has described to them then there wouldn't be a successful claim in negligence. I also don't think one person being misdiagnosed would justify a statement like 'the NHS is failing', I can see why you'd think that when it's your relatives and obviously emotive (although I have also had family members misdiagnosed and seriously ill because of it) but I don't think that's the natural conclusion based on one person either
Original post by Anonymous
I had a seizure in December I waited 5 hours in A&E all they did is a simple blood test now I had another seizure in February and the referral to the neurologist which I got in December is for April great 2 seizures in a row undiagnosed.My GP is always fully booked a week in advance, To get simple blood tests done is a headache let alone see a specialist or do more advanced tests is really hard.I appreciate the free health care but the quality is poor and people are dying as a result.If this is the quality of care offered then perhaps the NHS should not be run anymore the government should either give it the necessary funds to run it properly otherwise they should not run it at all if they cannot provide the good quality care that our tax money goes towards.
You've hit the nail on the head there- it's funding. The NHS does not have the funding that it needs to be better. You have to wait so long to see your doctor because they have so many people they need to see and they can't reduce that number because there is nobody else to send people to- the NHS wouldn't have the money to pay them. You had to wait in A&E for so long because the people working there couldn't get to you any sooner.
I don't know if you've been in the ICU, but when I was there I'm pretty sure I saw at least two people die. That's going on while you're waiting to be seen.
I'm not saying that to make you feel bad for wanting better care or to show you that other people have it worse so stop whining. It's just nobody really gets to see all the strain the nhs is under and they just see the long waits and stuff.
A&E is basically there to make sure you aren't going to die, so if it's unlikely then you will have to sit and wait while they deal with the more likely cases. When you book in with the front desk you go onto a waiting list for triage and after that you're sorted by what kind of care you need and how urgently. At the same time there are ambulances pulling in and putting people on the same list. They wait in a different area so you won't see them, but chances are if they had an ambulance they are more urgent than you. There's so much you don't see. If you saw all the other people being seen and treated I don't think it would feel quite so bad sat there, but you don't so you can't help but feel ignored.
Once they can rule out any immediate danger it's down to your GP and they're having to deal with so many people and so many different things that they can't get to you any sooner.
But anyway at the end of the day the NHS is free and gives people who wouldn't have a hope in hell of affording medical care access to it. I'd take the NHS over the American system any day. Yeah you may have to wait around, but if it's an real emergency you get front of the line- that's why everybody else has to wait.
And yeah some people slip through the net and that sucks a whole load, but so many others would be in that same boat without the NHS.
I really wish the NHS could be better, but at the end of the day it's a blessing as it is.
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