NHS attitude to young/middle aged males
Discussion
I don't know whether it is just me or a more general attitude towards young/middle aged males - but I find the NHS generally dismissive any time I have need to call on their services. Despite having several GPs over the years - all seem rather reluctant to perform any sort of examination and are generally dismissive when it comes to treatment.
Just been to the doctor yet again over a relatively minor (but potentially communicable) ailment that I have had for 5 years plus - and that refuses to clear up.
Despite taking new information to the doctor regarding the possible cause for the condition, as well as some new symptoms that have developed fairly recently (some of which he could have verified himself - but didn't) - I got nothing more than a hands off cursory look and the condition was dismissed yet again as 'nothing'. He even refused to read back on the notes from my previous visits about the same condition.
When I indicated I wasn't happy with that answer and the lack of a proper examination - he basically turned round and said "what do you want me to do about it?"........I mean really?
I told him what my suspicions were with regards to the condition (based on the symptoms I was displaying - some of which he could have easily verified himself but didn't) and I quoted the NHS website's recommended treatment for such a condition. He didn't seem too happy with this - but prescribed me the treatment and sent me on my way.
Is this how the NHS works now. You don't get examined properly - have to tell the doctor what you think is wrong (self diagnose) and have to tell the doctor what they should be prescribing? Only by doing that do you get treated?
Just been to the doctor yet again over a relatively minor (but potentially communicable) ailment that I have had for 5 years plus - and that refuses to clear up.
Despite taking new information to the doctor regarding the possible cause for the condition, as well as some new symptoms that have developed fairly recently (some of which he could have verified himself - but didn't) - I got nothing more than a hands off cursory look and the condition was dismissed yet again as 'nothing'. He even refused to read back on the notes from my previous visits about the same condition.
When I indicated I wasn't happy with that answer and the lack of a proper examination - he basically turned round and said "what do you want me to do about it?"........I mean really?
I told him what my suspicions were with regards to the condition (based on the symptoms I was displaying - some of which he could have easily verified himself but didn't) and I quoted the NHS website's recommended treatment for such a condition. He didn't seem too happy with this - but prescribed me the treatment and sent me on my way.
Is this how the NHS works now. You don't get examined properly - have to tell the doctor what you think is wrong (self diagnose) and have to tell the doctor what they should be prescribing? Only by doing that do you get treated?
the current state of the NHS is poor. its an old institution which is failing under the weight of its responsibilities.
i'm 33 and damaged my wrist back in april while iwas on holiday. i went to a minor injuries unit the day i got back and they looked at it and x-ray'd it. said it was fine and sent me on my way.
no improvement 10 days later so went to my GP. they referred me back to the hospital (who checked my old xray) turns out i have damage (previously missed).
referred for an MRI - my case has to be seen by a board of people to apply for funding. this takes 4 weeks (i cannot bend one of my fingers in this time)
funding agreed, have MRI, wait 2 weeks, see consultant again: he confirms that what he thought it was IS infact the problem...
but,
he is a hand surgeon and cannot deal with my wrist. he cant push it any further at that unit owing to budgetary concerns (his words) so refers me to a wrist surgeon somewhere else.
that was 3 weeks ago, i'm still waiting to hear back (and i still cant bend one of my fingers properly)
everything now has to go for a funding assessment - when did this become common practice?
what if my MRI had been refused funding?
i think the NHS is wonderful in an emergency situation,our doctors and nurses do an incredible job under pressure and crappy working environments but when it comes to routine health care, or non life threatening situations it is very poor.
i'm 33 and damaged my wrist back in april while iwas on holiday. i went to a minor injuries unit the day i got back and they looked at it and x-ray'd it. said it was fine and sent me on my way.
no improvement 10 days later so went to my GP. they referred me back to the hospital (who checked my old xray) turns out i have damage (previously missed).
referred for an MRI - my case has to be seen by a board of people to apply for funding. this takes 4 weeks (i cannot bend one of my fingers in this time)
funding agreed, have MRI, wait 2 weeks, see consultant again: he confirms that what he thought it was IS infact the problem...
but,
he is a hand surgeon and cannot deal with my wrist. he cant push it any further at that unit owing to budgetary concerns (his words) so refers me to a wrist surgeon somewhere else.
that was 3 weeks ago, i'm still waiting to hear back (and i still cant bend one of my fingers properly)
everything now has to go for a funding assessment - when did this become common practice?
what if my MRI had been refused funding?
i think the NHS is wonderful in an emergency situation,our doctors and nurses do an incredible job under pressure and crappy working environments but when it comes to routine health care, or non life threatening situations it is very poor.
pidsy said:
i think the NHS is wonderful in an emergency situation,our doctors and nurses do an incredible job under pressure and crappy working environments but when it comes to routine health care, or non life threatening situations it is very poor.
Yep - that would be my impression. Our family has had a couple of occasions over the past 15 years or so to call on the 'emergency' side of the NHS and I couldn't fault it.It's almost like night and day.
Moonhawk said:
This was a different GP - so far I have seen perhaps 3 or 4 different GPs over the years for the same issue.
Same practice? If so then ask about and see who has got nice things to say about their gp practice and move. You can vote with your feet, gp practices are private business and not the NHS.
It would be interesting to know what brand of leeches you asked for and for what purpose. There's 3 sides to every story but the way you present it makes the doc sound a right t-wat.
Go private is the answer.
The NHS is f
ked financially, and if its not life threatening or going to lead to long term disability/suffering then you will be at the bottom of the pile.
Priority is always given to the most at risk - so if you are not at risk and you want to jump the queue then its time to sign up to BUPA or whatever.
It has nothing to do with age, sex, religion, etc. merely prioritisation of very tight resources.
Someone I know - and whom shall remain nameless - looks after a a department which spans two local hospitals. They have been told that they must reduce their budget by 35% over 12 months.
Please remember that the NHS is not going to be here forever, it is completely unsustainable and something which practically everyone takes for granted.
If you were in the US or soemwhere else without NHS you would have to have health insurance to deal with this - and its not cheap!! This is coming to us in the next 5 years or so.
The NHS is f
ked financially, and if its not life threatening or going to lead to long term disability/suffering then you will be at the bottom of the pile.Priority is always given to the most at risk - so if you are not at risk and you want to jump the queue then its time to sign up to BUPA or whatever.
It has nothing to do with age, sex, religion, etc. merely prioritisation of very tight resources.
Someone I know - and whom shall remain nameless - looks after a a department which spans two local hospitals. They have been told that they must reduce their budget by 35% over 12 months.
Please remember that the NHS is not going to be here forever, it is completely unsustainable and something which practically everyone takes for granted.
If you were in the US or soemwhere else without NHS you would have to have health insurance to deal with this - and its not cheap!! This is coming to us in the next 5 years or so.
Being a middle aged male who recently had a hernia repair on the NHS (at a private hospital), my experience differs from the OPs; couldn't have been better.
I moaned a bit at the time, but once the wheels were set in motion I was booked in and sorted in short order. Just so happens I'm lucky enough to be enrolled into company private health scheme this September so maybe you could have my slot?
I moaned a bit at the time, but once the wheels were set in motion I was booked in and sorted in short order. Just so happens I'm lucky enough to be enrolled into company private health scheme this September so maybe you could have my slot?
Well I've had a positive experience so far.
I'm 22, wanted a general health check and went to get seen after feeling ill as well. I've had about 8 appointments in the last 3 weeks.
They're trying to rule everything out before offering other methods to find out what's wrong.
My GP is good though
I'm 22, wanted a general health check and went to get seen after feeling ill as well. I've had about 8 appointments in the last 3 weeks.
They're trying to rule everything out before offering other methods to find out what's wrong.
My GP is good though
hman said:
Someone I know - and whom shall remain nameless - looks after a a department which spans two local hospitals. They have been told that they must reduce their budget by 35% over 12 months..
Same for all community services too, there is a rolling programme of service restructure and it pretty much at the point now where unless you have a life or limb threatening condition you are on your own. Short sighted view, it's very likely going to cost more in the long run and hospitals will just break.
maxrider1 said:
hman said:
if you are not at risk and you want to jump the queue then its time to sign up to BUPA or whatever.
BUPA won't cover pre-existing conditions.http://www.bupa-intl.com/for-you/bwho/cover-for-pr...
Inevitably the health "means test" must start applying. A while ago I had to lose weight to solve a medical issue. I upped my exercise changed my diet and lost 40lbs in 6 months. Much of this was down to running 20 miles a week which I loved. Then after another year of maintaining my correct BMI I started getting really bad knee pain limiting me to about 1.5 miles as opposed to the 7 I had been doing per session. Went to the doctor, new GP by then, for help/opinion. Explained the whole history and her response was "sorry if I appear unsympathetic but most of my patients your age struggle to walk 1.5 miles so you can understand where the priorities lie". On the one hand you feel a sense of entitlement but on other there are less fortunate people around plus those who have made no effort to look after themselves who also get ahead in the queue. I ended up going private to find out that I had arthritis. I can still do the 1.5 but it hurts!
hman said:
......merely prioritisation of very tight resources.
I'd like to believe that.....but some of the inefficiencies I have observed are staggering.How can it be more efficient to fob a patient off - only for them to return 3 or 4 times for the same condition - appointments that could be better allocated to those in more need.
Would it not be better to treat a minor ailment on the first visit - rather than risk it getting worse (and possibly more expensive) or in the case of a communicable disease - spread to others - further squeezing resources.
Also on the question of private health cover (which is something I do have via my wifes job) - you generally need an initial GP diagnosis and referral to take advantage of it. If GPs are unwilling to examine and diagnose properly - many opportunities to offload patients onto the private health sector could be being missed.
Edited by Moonhawk on Tuesday 15th July 00:03
Moonhawk said:
This was a different GP - so far I have seen perhaps 3 or 4 different GPs over the years for the same issue.
Tell them you have private cover and watch them fall over themselves for the referral fee.I was getting regular pains in my arm, saw 3 GPs over 5 appointments over 9 months. Nothing.
One eventually hinted at physio but was muttering about a 4 month waiting list on NHS. I said I could go private and within 48 hours had been refered and had the £30 referral fee invoice in the post.
hman said:
If you were in the US or soemwhere else without NHS you would have to have health insurance to deal with this - and its not cheap!! This is coming to us in the next 5 years or so.
The US spend twice as much as any other western nation on healthcare for a service that isn't really any better than anywhere else. Not something we should aspire to! They're trying to move towards a more nationalised healthcare system (albeit slowly) since theirs is so bad.alock said:
Tell them you have private cover and watch them fall over themselves for the referral fee.
Perhaps it should be marked on your file.......i'd only bring up the subject of private health insurance if the doctor diagnosed me as having something that would benefit from private treatment.......but they kinda have to examine and diagnose you first. Catch 22.I can't really imagine walking into a GP's office and saying "Hello Dr Smith......I have private health insurance dont you know."
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