Our wonderful NHS

Confirmed not conformed

I had day surgery for a serious eye problem last December after only being diagnosed in November so operated on only weeks after having condition conformed. Outpatient appointments efficient and caring and consultant absolutely marvellous during the operation very reassuring as a back condition also means it is difficult for me to lie still ( op done under local) .Great follow up care, worried at one point I had a side effect I was told to look out for and was seen again at clinic the same day I rung up for advice so superb care. However in the same hospital 9 years ago my DD1 had awful postnatal care after a caesarean for twins and she couldn't wait to get home . Two very different experiences . My granddaughter had an operation in GOSH and again care was superb which I guess you would expect from such a famous hospital but my good experience and daughters poor one was at our local Surrey hospital.

The NHS is staffed by human beings and in part is as good as those on the front line.
As a BC survivor ,my treatment was lifesaving and superb as was the follow up over many years.
My H has Alzheimer's, his experience over 5 years has been abysmal, he has now had a stroke and I am battling to get any follow up to his initial treatment, again superb.
Within an hour of the stroke he was being Thrombolysed but now he is at home nobody is interested in him or me.
I have had to chase up services which should have been in place when he left hospital.
The NHS, like the curate's egg is good in parts.

On the news here as the inquest has opened into the avoidable death of an 8-year old. Had to be taken to a hospital 20 minutes away as the nearest hospital (3 mins away) has had to close its paediatric A&E due to lack of qualified staff. He was discharged after an incompetent? overworked? junior doctor failed run to necessary blood tests which would have revealed a specific, treatable disease, only to die the following day at home.

Just been watching those parents saying the NHS failed them. Not so wonderful for them ?

I too think the NHS is marvellous. Like any massive business they can have issues and problems, but my family and I have always been grateful that they are there when we needed them. The idea that we lose our NHS and suffer the way so many Americans do is the stuff of nightmares. Can you imagine turning up in pain, bleeding or seriously ill and they turn you away because you have no means to pay?

Wishing you complete healing millymouge plus may you be able to enjoy and happily fill these 6 weeks enforced rest .

Having trained in the profession when nursing was a completely different ball game,I am reluctant to say much myself about the NHS although let me hasten to add that since 1984 they have been my saviours.My life has dramatically been saved on more than one occasion,so I owe them very much.

I regularly attend 4 differing Hospitals with a variety of serious problems,yesterday being the last visit whereupon I had a SCC removed (for the 7th time) and on Whit weekend I visit another for a very worrying operation.
My husband and I have witnessed a great difference with both the nursing staff and medics from F1`s to Consultants both in the earlier years of the 80`s and 90`s...........and latterly say the last 10 years.
Their burden has more than trebled I would say,and we live in an area, that in the main, has much fewer residents and industries.

Our hearts can only go out to them as they battle ever on, quite obviously against the odds,the nurses in particular proving to be our Hospital`s backbone.
Travelling in through flood and snowbound this winter for instance, and staying on doing extra shifts simply to keep those doors open and the public served, whatever their need.
They serve with a smile from morn to night..and through the night.

Life in the NHS has changed dramatically from those far off days of my training, but I am just as proud......and confident of the service they give now as they did back then... when the pressures and demands were so much less.
We should be proud of our NHS "Heroes" who continue to work in very stretched and uncertain times.

The atmosphere is one of great uncertainty here locally as we have just received the news that a brand new state of the art Hospital offering complete care is to be built between our nearest and another some 50 miles up the road.That means 4 of our now General Hospitals will become community hubs.
Within less than 24 hours over 25,000 signatures demanding that these plans be urgently revised is fast gaining momentum, as it is obvious change is inevitable.............BUT we want what is best and what is right to meet our community`s future needs.

Hats off to those that continue to diligently give of their best .............from a very grateful heart.

Reviving this thread -
I think I had a bit of a moan about the NHS a few weeks ago, when we had some difficulty registering after returning from abroad.
But I must praise them now - last night I had to go to A&E at Luton hospital because of one of my various physical problems. We got there at about midnight, it wasn't too crowded. Most cases were babies and young children who had separate facilities.
There was a big racial mix, as you would expect in Luton, but everyone very respectful to eachother. and the staff were wonderful. A few people with obvious emotional problems.
Back 'home' at 2am, reassured by a young doctor that we were right to come. He gave useful info. for the future and said to come back if the same thing happened again.
Another point - I went with no means of identification, no medical reports etc. I could have been an illegal immigrant, but I was given the same care as everyone.

Is it painful? It makes me wince just to read it!

Have just come home from 2 days in hospital having my elbow wired. Should have been a day case but getting me round from even the lightest anaesthetic is a problem!!!! You could not fault the treatment I had. It was marvellous. But it is so nice to be home again, although I shall be reliant on DH for the next 6 weeks at least!!!!

Thanks dj I will add comments.
Just remembered how great the NHS were in the summer when DGS had a sudden and completely unexected asthma attack while we were staying in an isolated country cottage. From the woman on the phone, through the lovely paramedics (who promised him a flashing light) to the hospital staff. Great care and committment.

Trisher, there is a thread like that.
It's called NHS and is on the news and politics forum - for anyone who wants to take trisher's advice.

I'd never heard of bronchiolitis until GS2 had it when he was 18 months old. DD drove him to A&E and a doctor was waiting for her when she arrived. Sorted out in a few hours and sent home to continue treatment there.

Called the GP this morning for DH who'd had D&V all night. As all his other problems are a worry the GP sent out the surgery's paramedic, which is something I didn't even know they have! She was great, went through all his medical history and symptoms, phoned the GP to get his opinion and decided he'll be fine as long as he doesn't get dehydrated. Pleasant half hour and a much happier DH!

We have reason to be very grateful, too. Earlier this year baby grandson was in hospital 3 times with bronchiolitis - the first time it was so bad he was in the ICU for a week, sedated and tube fed. The care was exemplary - he was wired up to various monitors and someone was keeping an eye on them all the time.
We were so thankful to all the staff.

I think we have to differentiate between the NHS and the staff who work in the NHS trisher. I certainly applaud their efforts and made that quite clear in my post.

But to think that the organisation that is the NHS is alive and well when in fact it is struggling to cope, is just burying our heads in the sand.

Had a long telephone call from orthopaedic registrar yesterday evening and we went through all the options. Because I am quite an active person they feel surgery would be the best option for me and I should be admitted within the next 36 hours for surgery. Will just have to stay in one night, and then they will book me in for physiotherapy. Don't think you can get much better than that for first class service.

Would the people who want to post negative things about what is happening to the NHS like to start their own thread saying that. It would be good if we had one thread where we acknowledge the work of the NHS staff and let's celebrate having it. I'll willingly add things to a thread about how much under threat it is. But here I just want to shout my THANKS as loudly as possible.

I agree trisher, we are very lucky, but bit by bit, slowly slowly the nhs is being sold off to private business whose aim is to make a profit, not for the nhs but for themselves.

On top of that the nhs is paying out many times over for the ppi debts taken out over the past few years. Our local hospital and some staff are run by virgin. Yes, that virgin.

Morale of staff is at an all time low so its a credit to them that they continue to provide such good service. one day we will look up and find the nhs is gone and we will miss it.

Got to agree with you millymouge. From the paramedics to the doctor we saw on Christmas Day I have met an amazing bunch of people who work their socks off and provide an amazing service. Nursing assistants, nurses, physiotherapists, doctors, radiographers and kitchen staff worked through the holiday and did so with a smile and a kind word. Thank you to them all. (If GNHQ want to post something on facebook please can it be this thread? The NHS is a jewel and the people who work in it are heroes. They deserve to know we appreciate them)

I can only talk from personal experience but the good NHS provision and care we have received this year alone has been gratefully accepted and appreciated.

Our experience of NHS provision and care has varied widely over the years and I can honestly say the colour of the government is not necessarily a factor .

I hope your elbow is not playing up millimouge and you are coping with the faff of it all OK.

Seven hours in our hospital would probably be a good day, I have done this several times while feeling utterly wretched with DVTs and PEs.

My husband collapsed beginning December was rushed into A & E I arrived there a 7.00p.m. and left at 3.00am, standing room only. My hub was on a trolley for 20 hours before a bed was found, eventually one was, but no ward to put him in. Found a ward in another hospital, from then on his treatment was wonderful, staff very caring and considerate, He is in his 80's.
I only have praise for NHS for all that they do under difficult circumstances. Thank you NHS. I live in Essex.

I don’t agree with the title at all. It should read ‘our wonderful NHS staff’ because it’s only those who are holding it together. There are A&E’s where people are waiting overnight in corridors. Surgery has been cancelled over December and January to allow hospitals to cope with the extra influx of patients expected over the winter.

Tell those patients whose operations have been cancelled that it’s wonderful.

Anyone who followed that series called Hospital or watched the programmes about the ambulance services will know the reality. Anyone who has a relative needing support for MH issues knows how dire it it.

I agree. To be able to go to anyone in our NHS and not to have to consider whether our insurance will cover the costs or whether we have enough in the bank ourselves is a very precious thing and one that we take too easily for granted. The staff are wonderful even those who are so stressed they don’t appear as such immediately.

I agree with the title of the post, based on my own experience earlier this year. A & E treatment on a Saturday, referred to Sunday morning clinic (thank you Jeremy Hunt), series of scans on Monday and Wednesday operation the following week, cancelled that day but done the following one, excellent care in hospital.

Hurray for our fantastic NHS I have always been treated so well by every doctor and nurse I ve ever seen I just pray Brexit doesn’t take away all the lovely European workers who keep our hospitals afloat