The NHS is quite good - My Post Emergency Op Post
Discussion
Well my foray into NHS emergency healthcare came to light over the weekend. Not what I was expecting on my week off!
Friday working away in the bowels of my boat, cramped position etc, finished at 6pm with a "dead leg" went out for the eve & its still there, went to bed & kept awake by my very dead looking & feeling cold numb leg
9am called 111, diagnosed with possible DVT over phone, paramedic sent to confirm, sent by amulance to Yeovil, 11am Diagnosis of "somethings not very right" 12am I'm on my way to Taunton hospital under blue lights in an ambulance
1pm & a quick check by two doctors who agree its an arterial issue. Straight on the CT scanner, 15 mins later confirmed large blockage behind knee. Told I'll be in surgery tonight! 9pm I'm wheeled into theater & 2am I'm waking up in the ward with a large shark bite on my shin! Looks like its related to an old knee dislocation from years ago.
Bloody hell, quick, efficient, sent straight to right people for know how, dealt with by right people. In & out in 48hrs including full emergency surgery. Not bad at all, I'll even excuse the dinner tonight. Thats assumimg they let me go in the morning but hoefully yes.
Thank you to the NHS staff top job so far, as I'm sat in my own ward room eating my grapes to the NHS
If you want the graphic scar photo's I can do that too
Friday working away in the bowels of my boat, cramped position etc, finished at 6pm with a "dead leg" went out for the eve & its still there, went to bed & kept awake by my very dead looking & feeling cold numb leg
9am called 111, diagnosed with possible DVT over phone, paramedic sent to confirm, sent by amulance to Yeovil, 11am Diagnosis of "somethings not very right" 12am I'm on my way to Taunton hospital under blue lights in an ambulance
1pm & a quick check by two doctors who agree its an arterial issue. Straight on the CT scanner, 15 mins later confirmed large blockage behind knee. Told I'll be in surgery tonight! 9pm I'm wheeled into theater & 2am I'm waking up in the ward with a large shark bite on my shin! Looks like its related to an old knee dislocation from years ago. Bloody hell, quick, efficient, sent straight to right people for know how, dealt with by right people. In & out in 48hrs including full emergency surgery. Not bad at all, I'll even excuse the dinner tonight. Thats assumimg they let me go in the morning but hoefully yes.
Thank you to the NHS staff top job so far, as I'm sat in my own ward room eating my grapes to the NHS
If you want the graphic scar photo's I can do that too
Good to hear the OP is on the mend.
When I broke my leg many years ago, by 'broke' I mean 'Smashed into three main bits with dozens of smaller bits and one shard of bone missing the femoral artery by 10mm'
My leg was repaired by one of the best consultants on the planet at the time and a months' worth of round the clock care for the princely sum of £5 a week in NI contributions
When I broke my leg many years ago, by 'broke' I mean 'Smashed into three main bits with dozens of smaller bits and one shard of bone missing the femoral artery by 10mm'
My leg was repaired by one of the best consultants on the planet at the time and a months' worth of round the clock care for the princely sum of £5 a week in NI contributions
When I went to A&E with a kidney stone the people there were great.
I did have to wait because of the usual pack of malingerers but they spotted that I was on the verge of not being able to compose myself anymore due to the increasing levels of pain and saw me much sooner than everyone else. Got me into a cubicle which was when I could no longer hold it together and was writhing in agony on a bed.. They wheeled out the morphine sharpish, CT scanned me and showed me the picture of what was causing the untold levels of pain and I was a happy bunny once again. I didn't get rid of it on my own so I was in to have the stone removed quickly as well.
I also once sliced the heel of my hand right open so all the muscle and fat was visible/ sticking out, again I was in, glued back together and out again much faster than some of the others there.
The 2 times I've had to rely on the NHS they've been brilliant.
I did have to wait because of the usual pack of malingerers but they spotted that I was on the verge of not being able to compose myself anymore due to the increasing levels of pain and saw me much sooner than everyone else. Got me into a cubicle which was when I could no longer hold it together and was writhing in agony on a bed.. They wheeled out the morphine sharpish, CT scanned me and showed me the picture of what was causing the untold levels of pain and I was a happy bunny once again. I didn't get rid of it on my own so I was in to have the stone removed quickly as well.
I also once sliced the heel of my hand right open so all the muscle and fat was visible/ sticking out, again I was in, glued back together and out again much faster than some of the others there.
The 2 times I've had to rely on the NHS they've been brilliant.
csampo said:
NHS - brilliant in an emergency, less good (well, less consistently good) at general practice / long term illness / screening / early diagnosis. I'd happily pay a chunk more tax to rectify the situation.
It doesn't need more money, it needs sorting out from the ground up.The NHS receives 2k per person per year, regardless of if you need any treatment. That's 8k per year for just my family.
My experiences of the NHS is that the service that's delivered is terrible, with the odd decent experience thrown in.
A couple of my older relatives are currently receiving NHS care, and its dire. It so bad were considering an official complaint. The only thing that's stopped us so far is that there is so much we need to write about that we need some time to get our notes straight.
By contract my father was recently had a knee replaced privately and the level of care was fantastic.
I cannot understand why people are proud of our NHS, if you were given a cash credit for treatment would anyone chose the NHS over Private?
gus607 said:
Wait until you have a Heart Attack, then you see how really fantastic the NHS is.
Yes. My Mother had a heart attack and I was very impressed with the NHS and do not complain at all about my tax being used for this.As someone above said, great for emergencies not very good for non-critical care.
I agree, for emergency situations the NHS are fantastic.
Less than 72 hours after being diagnosed with cancer I was having surgery. The only reason it wasn't sooner was to allow for Andrology. As soon as feasibly possible after that I was having chemotherapy. At all stages the treatment was fantastic to be honest, it was so quick it's took me months to catch up with it all myself.
Less than 72 hours after being diagnosed with cancer I was having surgery. The only reason it wasn't sooner was to allow for Andrology. As soon as feasibly possible after that I was having chemotherapy. At all stages the treatment was fantastic to be honest, it was so quick it's took me months to catch up with it all myself.
Another vote here for the quality of NHS emergency care.
I was admitted to hospital on new year's eve a few years ago and the care was outstanding. It turned out to be a false alarm, but they checked me out very thoroughly.
Dealing with GPs, however, can be a very different matter.
OP, that must have been very scary. I'm glad you're on the road to recovery. Hopefully, you will be left with no after-effects except a scar, and a good story to tell down the pub.
I was admitted to hospital on new year's eve a few years ago and the care was outstanding. It turned out to be a false alarm, but they checked me out very thoroughly.
Dealing with GPs, however, can be a very different matter.
OP, that must have been very scary. I'm glad you're on the road to recovery. Hopefully, you will be left with no after-effects except a scar, and a good story to tell down the pub.
Those who've had good experiences to the Daily Wail
When people moan about the NHS I'm always reminded about a post on a US car forum where someone injured himself working on a car and said 'I'm waiting to see if my $1500 a month health care will pay for the treatment' (Yes he did say 1500 and month!)
When people moan about the NHS I'm always reminded about a post on a US car forum where someone injured himself working on a car and said 'I'm waiting to see if my $1500 a month health care will pay for the treatment' (Yes he did say 1500 and month!)
98elise said:
The NHS receives 2k per person per year, regardless of if you need any treatment.
That's an intesting figure.Bradgate said:
Dealing with GPs, however, can be a very different matter.
GP practices are only funded £60 – £80 per patient per year, regardless of how many times each patient visits. It costs more for hamster pet insurance. The General Practice budget is minisucle compared to the other limbs of the NHS (8% of overall budget) yet they account for 90% of all NHS patient contacts.
GP service may be poor, but it's f
king amazing in this context.It's also getting f
ked over by our politicians and their empty, unworkable promises. Edited by JuniorD on Monday 20th April 15:46
I'm going to agree with what appears to be the majority on here.
With regards to the NHS and its service, I have had to rely on them twice now for serious emergency care, in both cases I could not have asked for a smoother, simpler, and pleasant time (as in stress free) in their hands. It was all dealt with amazingly. I believe this is down to the Nurses and Doctors dictating the emergency department a bit.
Coming to 9 planned proceedures, their service is shocking. The smallest delay, and I mean delay by change of my treatment was turning up one morning for a routine operation, to be told it has been postponed 5 months. They were sorry they hadn't contacted me though.
I also had to chase for 13 months for an op that was required within 6-8 weeks from diagnosis. I believe this is more down to managerial sides of things, and red tape.
But credit to the NHS, put them under pressure, life or death situations, they are superb beyond belief.
Small Sidenote :- The NHS in Wales is superior to that in the South of England. Free Parking, Free Prescriptions, Better Food, Quicker Service, and much more understanding staff, all around.
With regards to the NHS and its service, I have had to rely on them twice now for serious emergency care, in both cases I could not have asked for a smoother, simpler, and pleasant time (as in stress free) in their hands. It was all dealt with amazingly. I believe this is down to the Nurses and Doctors dictating the emergency department a bit.
Coming to 9 planned proceedures, their service is shocking. The smallest delay, and I mean delay by change of my treatment was turning up one morning for a routine operation, to be told it has been postponed 5 months. They were sorry they hadn't contacted me though.
I also had to chase for 13 months for an op that was required within 6-8 weeks from diagnosis. I believe this is more down to managerial sides of things, and red tape.
But credit to the NHS, put them under pressure, life or death situations, they are superb beyond belief.
Small Sidenote :- The NHS in Wales is superior to that in the South of England. Free Parking, Free Prescriptions, Better Food, Quicker Service, and much more understanding staff, all around.
Edited by LouD86 on Monday 20th April 16:28
The posts on here do tend to back up my thought that the NHS should get back to the basic principal of what it was meant to be, a health safety net if you will.
The very nature of modern medicine strikes me that it is far too complex for one organisation to pretend it has all the neccessary staff, skills or answers to do all things for all people.
There are plenty of people who get private medical through work, and plenty more willing to pay if needs be. Why burden the NHS resources with them? Spend the money on those who cannot afford private and be more focussed on the services you offer.
Also, there are many areas in the NHS that should not be, I suspect, and would be better off somewhere else, possibly even in the private sector.
One things for sure throwing more money at the behemoth is not going to fix it. Its been in crisis every year since Noah was a lad, despite more and more billions being spent.
The very nature of modern medicine strikes me that it is far too complex for one organisation to pretend it has all the neccessary staff, skills or answers to do all things for all people.
There are plenty of people who get private medical through work, and plenty more willing to pay if needs be. Why burden the NHS resources with them? Spend the money on those who cannot afford private and be more focussed on the services you offer.
Also, there are many areas in the NHS that should not be, I suspect, and would be better off somewhere else, possibly even in the private sector.
One things for sure throwing more money at the behemoth is not going to fix it. Its been in crisis every year since Noah was a lad, despite more and more billions being spent.
It is a double edged sword with the NHS. Emergency treatment is fantastic, no doubt about it, if you are a genuine case. The usual will moan at being in A&E for hours being leap frogged by someone else who was clearly a mate of the Doctor arriving in an ambulance.
But the rub is, they only have so many theatres so when you get wheeled in as an emergency someone has been bumped off the list for the day. Sad but true.
That is why they use some private clinics like Circle, they know how many of what type of operations will be in that day to do. So people who see this think that the NHS hospitals can all be like that, they can if you stop emergency admissions.
The people who abuse the NHS usually are those who do not need it that bad.
But the rub is, they only have so many theatres so when you get wheeled in as an emergency someone has been bumped off the list for the day. Sad but true.
That is why they use some private clinics like Circle, they know how many of what type of operations will be in that day to do. So people who see this think that the NHS hospitals can all be like that, they can if you stop emergency admissions.
The people who abuse the NHS usually are those who do not need it that bad.
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