Who hates the NHS

NanaDana

Kuensberg was reporting the results of research carried out by the King's Fund, according to which the public gave the NHS its worst rating since records began 40 years ago. Only 29% of those surveyed said they were satisfied with the NHS. However, 90% still agreed that the service should be free and available to everyone. I feel that where quality and availability of NHS service is concerned, it's a bit of a postcode lottery. In the case of DH and I, we're among the lucky ones, and are happy with what we've experienced here on Tyneside. It's no exaggeration to say that neither of us would be here today without it. Yes, it's badly underfunded and under-resourced, and I'd gladly pay more tax if I could be assured that it would go directly into NHS coffers.

Last year I had a lung tumour discovered early and treated. This probably extended my life, giving me a better chance of long term survival. I was treated with care and dignity by all the staff involved. I too live on Tyneside.

IMO, it’s been underfunded for years. What is more the operating systems are subject to change, hoping the system will improve for us and the medical staff. This rarely happens. What is needed is joined up writing, not each authority going in its own direction. It boils down to poor senior management or lack of this precious resource. As these senior managers seem to be paid extortionate amount for no good reason. There needs to be far more listening to the staff who actually do the work.

I still pay a small amount of tax but I’d be very happy to pay more into health, education, social care and utilities if services were vastly improved. We’ve lived for far too long being told that low taxes are best. The result is many privatised once public services that don’t work and still public services that are falling apart.

I think that there are many like me who not so much hate the NHS, but are fearful of it. A few years ago I was finally diagnosed after 38 years but I cannot forget those years and as the last consultant said all the relevant health information was always in my notes. Did anyone ever read them? I avoid going unless I have to, but now have other health problems related to the one no one ever bothered with. I really hope that there is a different system for my grandchildren and others- one that is at least more accountable. I really hope this one does not survive in its current form.

I love it when it responds with urgency when there is a need and it really helps.

I get infuriated with it when I or anyone I know gets poor and bad treatment from it, when elderly people are treated as if they and their problems do not matter

Henetha The NHS is not 'darn good'. I have just been looking through various lists of best health systems and in many of them we are not even in the top 10. In a ranking of countries with free public health systems we were 7th and one of the things letting us done was 'limited accessibility' in other words, long waiting lists and restrictions. Another ranking, which put us 4th overall, ranked us 9th for 'health care outcomes'

Accessibility and Healthcare Outcomes are aspects of care I would consider key, getting the medical care you need, when you need it and knowing that you will come out the other end really well.

In my mind the health system in this country needs to have a radical and complete review about how it runs from top to bottom. It should be done by a group of people, half of them from other countries that have deep knowledge of how health systems across the world are run.

Funding will not come into it, we have a free health system in this country, as do many other countries - and that is immutable.. However efficiency in the running of the health system for both patients and staff will be at the core, and with that comes efficient finance and accounting systems.

Conferences for this, that and the other. Not in-house but large venues hired with outside caterers providing lunches.

I have had the best and worst of our NHS, a blue light trip to A&E with a campylobacter infection that had gone on to my heart, I was seen and on a drip within 20 minutes.
It was a life saver, the aftercare was poor, I was in a room alone as I was infectious, I was either forgotten about or ignored.

My worst experience was straight after surgery for thyroid cancer having a male patient put a knife to my throat and threaten to kill me.
The hospital dealt with this very badly, the ward was poorly run and the staff out of their depth.

Gosh Sago. How awful.

Sago

I have had the best and worst of our NHS, a blue light trip to A&E with a campylobacter infection that had gone on to my heart, I was seen and on a drip within 20 minutes.
It was a life saver, the aftercare was poor, I was in a room alone as I was infectious, I was either forgotten about or ignored.

My worst experience was straight after surgery for thyroid cancer having a male patient put a knife to my throat and threaten to kill me.
The hospital dealt with this very badly, the ward was poorly run and the staff out of their depth.

Sorry to hear that but pretty much what my niece said. She was in a very serious RTA and broke her neck with multiple other injuries.

She said the surgeon was superb but the nursing staff were very poor and did not bring medication to any of the women on time and they were all in severe pain following dreadful accidents. Sometimes it was hours late. They rarely left the nurses station and never just came to ask you how you were or check on you. She said hygiene was awful but I won’t go into detail about that. She was there for 6 weeks and said she saw some very poor nursing.

18 months down the line and her follow up care is also poor. Appointments get cancelled at the last minute, sometimes she turns up and they claim it was cancelled.Often they are double booked. She has received letters saying she failed to attend which she has never once done. She receives phone calls about referrals she made a year ago and has almost forgotten what they are for.

Husband went to eye hospital for a detached retina operation 2 days ago. He was prepped for surgery then sent home as they didn't have time to do it. Serious consequences in delaying it. He's obviously upset but more annoyed that his optician didn't spot it 10 days ago. Making noises about reporting etc. Any advice?

I don't hate the NHS, wouldn't dream of it, but there is too much incompetence due to overly complicated systems.

I do wonder why the words "love" and "hate" have to be used at all. My personal experiences of NHS care have been few (touch wood) and always positive. My mother spent 70 years of her life under NHS care and certainly wouldn't have lived the 94 years she did without it. Her care wasn't always perfect. When things weren't good we complained politely but firmly, and always with the concept that we wanted things to work better in the future. I do know that the last three months of her life spent in a ward filled with older people recovering from fractures, she had a high standard of care, from some dedicated staff. There was the odd problem person, but most of the people we encountered were hard working and caring. The NHS isn't some sort of faceless behemoth, it's composed of thousands of people and some of them do an excellent job and some of them don't. Perhaps though if they were properly paid and things were properly funded there might be a lot more excellent staff.

Our SiL says he no longer trusts the NHS and has recently taken out private health care insurance for the family.
What a sad reflection on our once-proud NHS.

When my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer 9 years ago, yhe NHS were fantastic. He had 37 consecutive days of radiotherapy. We were sent to a private hospital (under the NHS) as the consultant said it was nearer to our home. He had scans, follow up appointments all at NHS hospitals. At no point were we kept waiting more than 10 minutes after our appointment time. Appointments were never changed. He couldn't have had better care.
His brother however, who is in a poor state of health (only in his 60s) has been treated appallingly.

henetha

The NHS isn't perfect but it's darned good. We take for granted that we can have everything from babies being born to life saving surgery and it's free.
It needs more investment, more staff, and a good shake up, but we are still lucky to have it.

I have really benefitted in the last few years and so have my siblings and in laws.

My feeling as well Henetha. It could be improved but needs a very strong person to do it. There would be a huge outcry!

I would like MPs to be told they must give up all private healthcare and rely on the NHS like most of the population, it might focus their minds rather more.

I was in hospital overnight this time last year. I was wide awake all night because I was in a lot of pain and expecting to go down for surgery at any moment.

The nurse on the station outside my ward and within full sight. Put her head on her hands and slept for three hours, and spent the rest of the time on the phone to friends and family.

Now a do understand a night nurse taking a short nap, I know they are not meant to, but, it can be difficutl to stay awake, but 3 hours? How was this even possible, were it not for lack of supervision and oversight?

Romola

Our SiL says he no longer trusts the NHS and has recently taken out private health care insurance for the family.
What a sad reflection on our once-proud NHS.

Just hope he doesn't have any long term problems or major operations then, Because the care you get is limited and when you reach the end of that budget you finish up back in NHS care.

I was told recently that in USA health insurance is not available to over 80 year olds. Cannot believe this is true. Anyone know, please?

Kim19

I was told recently that in USA health insurance is not available to over 80 year olds. Cannot believe this is true. Anyone know, please?

I wouldn't be surprised - particularly for new policies. I know that my mum struggled to get travel insurance when she got to 80. She managed to get it, but the choice was very limited, and she is in good health for her age.

I certainly don't hate the NHS but i do despise the waste of so much money. Too many managers, paying too much for items and services because a manager somewhere was taken out to lunch and given a brown envelope. I think it is deplorable that a P.A to a consultant is paid more than a nurse ( Why does a consultant need a PA)
No, i don't hate them but the organisation is in a mess.

I always thought Consultant PA was a block of time, usually 4 hours, in which contractual duties are done,such as direct clinical work, teaching etc, usually 10 per week totalling 40 hrs. Not counting on call duty.
Do you mean medical secretary, or is that term passe now?

Glorianny Even if paid health care doesn't deal with long term conditions, it will pay for you to be seen promptly when a condition starts, pay for all the preliminary tests and get you started on treatment, so there is much to gain.

I am not thereby advocating paying for medical care or the NHS charging. But having been at the receiving end of the NHS a number of times over the past year and still waiting the doctors decision on a scan taken 6 months ago. I can see why so many people now do it

grannypiper

I certainly don't hate the NHS but i do despise the waste of so much money. Too many managers, paying too much for items and services because a manager somewhere was taken out to lunch and given a brown envelope. I think it is deplorable that a P.A to a consultant is paid more than a nurse ( Why does a consultant need a PA)
No, i don't hate them but the organisation is in a mess.

I’ve never known a consultant to have a PA, they have a medical secretary. They are paid at Band 4, work Monday-Friday, whereas nurses start at Band 5 and work unsocial hours. Nurses get paid considerably more.

M0nica

Glorianny Even if paid health care doesn't deal with long term conditions, it will pay for you to be seen promptly when a condition starts, pay for all the preliminary tests and get you started on treatment, so there is much to gain.

I am not thereby advocating paying for medical care or the NHS charging. But having been at the receiving end of the NHS a number of times over the past year and still waiting the doctors decision on a scan taken 6 months ago. I can see why so many people now do it

My sister in Germany, having problems with her eyes, cataracts. Within 3 weeks had first eye operated on, 6 weeks later the other. She is able to ring consultants sec to arrange surgery, and is given dates, how I wish. She has had more surgery in last year, they won't even x Ray my knee.

Kim19

I was told recently that in USA health insurance is not available to over 80 year olds. Cannot believe this is true. Anyone know, please?

Once someone reaches state retirement age in the US, they are eligible for Medicare, which is a public insurance scheme. It’s divided into several Parts for different services, and each comes with costs, co-pays and deductibles (what we would call excess). Parts A and B, which are the core elements, have no upper age limit.

You can see details and costs of Medicare here www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs

Medicare Advantage and Medigap are basically private insurance designed to cover some of the costs associated with Medicare, and, as far as I know, provided you meet the conditions - paying for Part A and B Medicare, paying the private policy premiums, enrolling within a set period (6 months maybe) of registering for Medicare - there is no upper age limit for these policies either.

I think we should be able to be realistic about the NHS. I personally have had good and not so good experiences, successful operations and one which left me worse than before. But the NHS is underfunded and the staff work under very difficult conditions at times. I shall continue to take them as I find them.

Underfunding is a relative term. Run as it is at the moment the NHS is a bottomless pit for money. But I remain doubtful whether the current NHS can possibly be run well or efficiently.

It has a superb emergency service, I do not just mean A&E, I mean response to critical care, but on all routine matters, it leaves a lot to be desired. I do not know the answer, but I do think that a full review of how we run, and how other countries run - and fund (no, I do not mean any kind of privitisation) their health systems could lead to root and branch changes that would benefit all of us, staff and patients.