NHS

[Bluetit1802]

I can understand new computers new computer=new operating system=better malware protection.
But new carpets?

Ah thinking about it health and safety wouldn't want some one tripping over on thread bare carpet would we.

Probably needed new carpets to allow for the new computer cables to be sunk beneath them. It happened in the office I worked in years ago.

 

[dbr10]

My step niece also just had £80k biill for brain tumour op.. in US. Healthcare not cover it all. Relatives paying... thats without any further treatment that may be necessary..

Absolute scandal. And the utter gall of members of Congress who have free healthcare themselves trying to deny it to other people. Reminds me of Republican politicians praising the first responders after 9/11 and then voting AGAINST giving them the health coverage they needed.

 

[dbr10]

For those of you for whom it is working I am pleased for you. That is how it should work and it would be nice if it did that nationally. In my area the hospital got a cash injection and a senior doctor told me that the offices all had new computers and carpets although there was not much difference in his workload or waiting list. My own area does not instill me with faith

Main problem seems to be top heavy management and an increasingly fragmented service.

 

[SockFiddler]

Carpets and computers are procurement, not commissioning. Commissioning is a separate process and money stream and will never be used to pay for carpets and computers. Procurement is pretty much a fixed annual sum that gets moved around a locality year on year - it must just have been that hospital's year. Procurement is never used for medicine, staff and the hands-on delivery of medicine, that's a commissioning budget.

Incidentally, my GP surgery had a note to give me an urgent call back this evening to book an urgent doctor's appointment. The next available one is Monday. I told them I wasn't prepared to sit and worry for three days about what could be going on and that I wanted them to tell me what was in the X-ray report.

In short, one of my disks has completely worn away and my L5 S1 joint is "heavily degenerated". The consultant's conclusion was degenerative osteoarthritis. Some very quick, very basic research has shown that there are surgical options, that the level of mobility I have now is what I'll keep, that continuing to lose weight will continue to increase the pressure on my L1 S1 joint.

A month ago I could walk, get off the floor and not scream every time I stood up. In the month it's taken anyone to look at my films, I've lost those abilities. I guess I'll find out on Monday whether I'm going to lose anything else. I suspect the news isn't going to be good.

Profiling, see? I didn't lose weight. So I wasn't a viable "quick win" patient. The fact that I was approaching a diagnosis of T2D, on top of all the other complications of having a disabled child whose needs weren't being met were utterly irrelevant.

Cancer and road accidents get the big bucks. Lose a limb in a car accident and you'll get the best treatment in the world. Lose your legs because your lifestyle is complicated and you have other medical stuff going on and the NHS just doesn't care.

Sorry. I'm feeling pretty bitter about all this.

 

[nebraska_beauty]

Carpets and computers are procurement, not commissioning. Commissioning is a separate process and money stream and will never be used to pay for carpets and computers. Procurement is pretty much a fixed annual sum that gets moved around a locality year on year - it must just have been that hospital's year. Procurement is never used for medicine, staff and the hands-on delivery of medicine, that's a commissioning budget.

Incidentally, my GP surgery had a note to give me an urgent call back this evening to book an urgent doctor's appointment. The next available one is Monday. I told them I wasn't prepared to sit and worry for three days about what could be going on and that I wanted them to tell me what was in the X-ray report.

In short, one of my disks has completely worn away and my L5 S1 joint is "heavily degenerated". The consultant's conclusion was degenerative osteoarthritis. Some very quick, very basic research has shown that there are surgical options, that the level of mobility I have now is what I'll keep, that continuing to lose weight will continue to increase the pressure on my L1 S1 joint.

A month ago I could walk, get off the floor and not scream every time I stood up. In the month it's taken anyone to look at my films, I've lost those abilities. I guess I'll find out on Monday whether I'm going to lose anything else. I suspect the news isn't going to be good.

Profiling, see? I didn't lose weight. So I wasn't a viable "quick win" patient. The fact that I was approaching a diagnosis of T2D, on top of all the other complications of having a disabled child whose needs weren't being met were utterly irrelevant.

Cancer and road accidents get the big bucks. Lose a limb in a car accident and you'll get the best treatment in the world. Lose your legs because your lifestyle is complicated and you have other medical stuff going on and the NHS just doesn't care.

Sorry. I'm feeling pretty bitter about all this.

Not surprised you are feeling bitter I think you are entitled to be. In my experience if your life is complicated with multiple issues as mine has been before now too, then there is little help. My own doctor only likes problems with a quick fix for his own satisfaction. I understand how you feel your needs were not met and that the circumstances surrounding those needs were seen as irrelevant. Go and say your diabetes is out of control because of overtime (ironically in the NHS) an autistic son having crisis upon crisis, my fathers very sudden death and a recently widowed mother with serious health issues, then it is obviously too much for them to cope with and they come up with useless suggestions like change your job (if only it was that easy) ask for social services help with your relatives (what planet is this doctor living on). I was told it was up to me to control my blood sugars and that everyone has problems and like you my doctor was not very interested as to why this was happening. Then you are told that you have exceeded you appointment time and the rule is one appointment per problem which makes it impossible to have a complex problem that has different facets all relating to the same thing. The result of that was that every time I went each health issue was treated in isolation and never got solved. I have had to solve the issues myself in the end without help or support. I agree the NHS can be a wonderful thing but it leaves a lot to be desired for many of us. I am sorry for the pain and worry you are having to go through.

 

[SockFiddler]

Thank you, @nebraska_beauty - your post meant a lot to me <3

But that really is the problem, isn't it? 8 minute appointment times and none of us have lives where our problems tidily compartmentalise themselves. My back, my weight, my (awful) periods, my duties as a carer, from time to time my severe anaemia... they're all one big, single problem that doesn't fit into 8 minutes, and certainly won't be solved with "Lose some weight".

When I was a kid, I remember reading an essay about complexity and beauty and I wonder if, in this current age of 240 character, 8 minute appointment, 2-minute petitions, quick fix patients, the beauty of complexity hasn't been forgotten.

I also loved this:

I was told it was up to me to control my blood sugars

With the Eatwell plate and those yearly check ups and the BG meter that the NHS doesn't give, and won't prescribe strips for even if you can persuade one out of them?

I'll be honest, I might not be posting a whole lot at the moment (if you don't have something nice to say...), but I'm reading and I'm still making myself write a blog entry every night which seems to be good for uncluttering my mind. I can say that, without this community, without people who I know share my experiences, woes, fears (and without the near 400 views my blog has had so far, which means a lot to me because it shows that my life isn't irrelevant and that there are people willing to invest their time in me) I'd be far worse off than I am now.

Genuinely, this site should be the NHS's first prescription whenever anyone gets a diagnosis of diabetes.

 

[Glenmac]

Thank you, @nebraska_beauty - your post meant a lot to me <3

But that really is the problem, isn't it? 8 minute appointment times and none of us have lives where our problems tidily compartmentalise themselves. My back, my weight, my (awful) periods, my duties as a carer, from time to time my severe anaemia... they're all one big, single problem that doesn't fit into 8 minutes, and certainly won't be solved with "Lose some weight".

When I was a kid, I remember reading an essay about complexity and beauty and I wonder if, in this current age of 240 character, 8 minute appointment, 2-minute petitions, quick fix patients, the beauty of complexity hasn't been forgotten.

I also loved this:



With the Eatwell plate and those yearly check ups and the BG meter that the NHS doesn't give, and won't prescribe strips for even if you can persuade one out of them?

I'll be honest, I might not be posting a whole lot at the moment (if you don't have something nice to say...), but I'm reading and I'm still making myself write a blog entry every night which seems to be good for uncluttering my mind. I can say that, without this community, without people who I know share my experiences, woes, fears (and without the near 400 views my blog has had so far, which means a lot to me because it shows that my life isn't irrelevant and that there are people willing to invest their time in me) I'd be far worse off than I am now.

Genuinely, this site should be the NHS's first prescription whenever anyone gets a diagnosis of diabetes.

I'm so sorry things have been so bad,Sockfiddler, I have followed your posts on here,you have so much to offer,and always give such a clear insight to problems and situations I really appreciate your talented writing.I hope your own situation and health improve.Your view of the NHS from a disability point of view was as it is.My son had a major stroke at 29 and worked hard to recover......lots of help from NHS at the time,not so good now.Take care,be kind to yourself ,remember you have a great talent and are valued.x

 

[Bluetit1802]

My surgery has 10 minute appointments, although I've never seen any notices about One problem one appointment. However, there is a poster on display saying if we need more than 10 minutes we can book 2 consecutive appointments, making it 20 minutes. That would seem to be a way round some of these issues if all surgeries allowed this. Maybe they do. Maybe all it needs is to ask.

 

[nebraska_beauty]

Thank you, @nebraska_beauty - your post meant a lot to me <3

But that really is the problem, isn't it? 8 minute appointment times and none of us have lives where our problems tidily compartmentalise themselves. My back, my weight, my (awful) periods, my duties as a carer, from time to time my severe anaemia... they're all one big, single problem that doesn't fit into 8 minutes, and certainly won't be solved with "Lose some weight".

When I was a kid, I remember reading an essay about complexity and beauty and I wonder if, in this current age of 240 character, 8 minute appointment, 2-minute petitions, quick fix patients, the beauty of complexity hasn't been forgotten.

I also loved this:



With the Eatwell plate and those yearly check ups and the BG meter that the NHS doesn't give, and won't prescribe strips for even if you can persuade one out of them?

I'll be honest, I might not be posting a whole lot at the moment (if you don't have something nice to say...), but I'm reading and I'm still making myself write a blog entry every night which seems to be good for uncluttering my mind. I can say that, without this community, without people who I know share my experiences, woes, fears (and without the near 400 views my blog has had so far, which means a lot to me because it shows that my life isn't irrelevant and that there are people willing to invest their time in me) I'd be far worse off than I am now.

Genuinely, this site should be the NHS's first prescription whenever anyone gets a diagnosis of diabetes.

Just remember most of us have been there. I know how hard it is when you are caring for others to care for yourself especially when you have diabetes. I have found out through my own experience what an impact stress can also have on blood sugars. It is also especially hard to control your weight when you have caring duties. When I was going through it after my fathers very sudden death and I was having to care for my mum and my son all at the same time I was going all day without eating and then eating a big meal at night. If I did manage to eat during the day it was all unhealthy snacking and my BS were all over the place. Now I have been following the LCHF diet and that is working for me. I have never had any help with the diabetes from my doctor and I do not have a diabetic team. All the help I have got is from this forum. My doctor said the only reason I was diabetic was because of weight. He told me I should cook more and not eat junk food and that I should exercise. At the time I was walking about 4 miles a day in the course of my regular duties I had no time for exercise outside of this as I was just too busy. I have always cooked from scratch until my life went haywire and I felt very judged and wrongly judged too. I have a particularly bad relationship with my doctor as I spend most of the appointments feeling I am on some kind of punishment regime. My thoughts are with you, and I am sure we are all with you

 

[dbr10]

Thank you, @nebraska_beauty - your post meant a lot to me <3

Genuinely, this site should be the NHS's first prescription whenever anyone gets a diagnosis of diabetes.

Yes it should. I would be completely screwed without it.

 

[SockFiddler]

Well, you all made me cry, you buggers!

There's a truism my (wonderful) boss/friend Caroline would trot out whenever I returned, glum, from another doctor's appointment and reported that I just had to lose some weight and, apparently, all would be well. "If losing weight was that easy, we'd all be supermodels." said she.

I love the NHS. I'm fiercely proud of the NHS. That NHS segment from the London 2012 opening ceremony still brings a tear. I'm genuinely pleased and heartened to read that it's served so many people so well. I try not to be negative (I've talked myself out of pursuing a legal action) but when your experience is so bad, it's hard to believe that the three principles it was founded on (Based on clinical need, free at point of delivery, meets the needs of everyone) are still so enshrined.

Now you've all cheered me up (sorry for thread domineering), I'm going to go and think of something funny to post. Possibly involving @AM1874 's Special Technique for dealing with DNs...

Thanks <3

 

[covknit]

I'd like to add a post-script to everything I said here.

It's been more than 4 weeks since I went for an investigative X-ray that would, hopefully, reveal why I'm losing mobility so quickly. We're not talking "I can't be bothered" to walk, but that I actually can't at all. Since that X-ray, I've found myself stuck in the bath, I've required the assistance of 2 people to get to my feet, and I'm now crying out in pain every single time I stand up.

Yesterday I called my doctor, again to beg for some kind of concern and action, and she was surprised to learn that I've already been for an X-Ray because she can find no mention of it in my records.

This would be because no-one has bothered to put it under the nose of a consultant for examination and report yet.

The NHS may be wonderful for cancer and heart disease (and I'm truly delighted that it is - congrats to all survivors <3) but it's far less concerned about anything that isn't immediately life-threatening.

ditto. Go to GP 29 March. Good response.Go for CT scan. What I get is ultra sound, much surprise from ultra sound operater that I had been referred to him by a GP. He recommends MRI to GP. GP did not sound keen but agreed readily enough. MRI scan 18 June. Results expected in a fortnight. Still waiting. I popped in to see the lovely people at the help centre and the MRI suite last Tuesday. Results currently take 4weeks. There are times I cannot stand. I cry with the pain. Cannot cut own toe nails. Interest, questions, examination by GP:- None.

 

[AM1874]

Well, you all made me cry, you buggers!

<snip for brevity>

Now you've all cheered me up (sorry for thread domineering), I'm going to go and think of something funny to post. Possibly involving @AM1874 's Special Technique for dealing with DNs...

Thanks <3

Hi @SockFiddler ..
Feel free .. I can't wait to see what you come up with ...

 

[covknit]

ditto. Go to GP 29 March. Good response.Go for CT scan. What I get is ultra sound, much surprise from ultra sound operater that I had been referred to him by a GP. He recommends MRI to GP. GP did not sound keen but agreed readily enough. MRI scan 18 June. Results expected in a fortnight. Still waiting. I popped in to see the lovely people at the help centre and the MRI suite last Tuesday. Results currently take 4weeks. There are times I cannot stand. I cry with the pain. Cannot cut own toe nails. Interest, questions, examination by GP:- None.

yay. Results have arrived with GP. Now I have to see gp. The first available appointment with anyone is August 1. To see GP is 8 August. Not suited to a telephone appointment. That does not sound good. Got to worry another week but at least I should know or not know, as the case may be, next week. Scary. Surely cannot be neuropathy in the hip. Just sciatica, repeat phrase as chant.