Vive le NHS!

[Panthro]

Now I will be the first to admit the NHS is not perfect. But you show me one health care system which is. Mistakes are rare, and it is slowly getting better - but I admit there is still work to be done.

 

I have read a lot of the threads on here, and posted my own opinions. But I for one am glad that the NHS is around in this country. I hope it long continues to treat the millions of people in Britain.

 

Flame me all you like, but I think people sometimes forget how lucky we are.

[mazzab]

Well Said Panthro.

 

Free at the point of need = unlimited demand! why not ask yourself would i go to my GP / A&E / walk in centreif I had to pay £30 for an appointment. If the answer is no then you probably don't need it anyway.

 

The NHS does very well when you consider that it can't raise prices to control demand, which is what the private sector does if demand outstrips supply.

 

More praise for the NHS please!

 

conflict of interest: MazzaB works for the NHS

[Guest louis wu]

Free at the point of need = unlimited demand! why not ask yourself would i go to my GP / A&E / walk in centreif I had to pay £30 for an appointment. If the answer is no then you probably don't need it anyway.

 

you mean like phoning for an ambulance because you have a splinter in your finger.....or going to your doctor because you got a blister after wearing new shoes.......or sending an elderly relative to A&E because you want the afternoon off from looking after them.

 

Yes you have got it spot on, and if all the timewasters stopped abusing the system we would all be better off, plus the waiting times would be much reduced and finances could be put into areas that desperately need them.

 

louis

 

nice thread Panthro.

[emmaf01]

As someone who has the NHS to thank for me and my child being alive, I could never be more thankful.

 

I have long term health problems, which mean I have to see my GP regularly- but sometimes he just rings me up if he has a question. Imagine what that would cost you if you have to pay!

 

And for when you need health advice and don't know if its worth bothering your GP, NHS direct is on the phone 24 hours a day- I've found it to be invaluable.

 

To those who moan- sit and work out how much it would cost you to get the same level of care in the US- a fortune!

 

Long live the NHS!!

[trixter444]

My mum was in hospital at the end of last year for about 3 weeks - 1 in ICU, 2 in a ward, and I have to say the staff in ICU were absolutely brilliant, they really knew their job and looked after her, at 66years old she went in with blood poisoning (she had a boil on her back and it spread infection) and also diagnosed at the same time as diabetes type 1. The nurses were wonderful. I have never been more thankful for the NHS as I was then, truly brilliant they were. The ward staff however, well thats another story!!!!

[midge61]

My m-i-l passed away on Wed morning and her GP was fantastic. She tried to get a bed in the hospice for her and when she couldn't she came straight round and got services in place to help me care for her. She visited again that evening at end of surgery and got a bed in the hospice for next day.

The GP even went to the hospice on Wed to see M-i-l on her day off but unfortunately m-i-l had already passed away. GP came to see f-i-l as soon as she got the news. I couldn't praise her enough. She is also my GP and she always listens and does what ever is necessary (i have long term condition and nobody is sure of how it will pan out).

What bugs me is when they put the notice up in the surgery to show how many people missed their appointments in the previous month and it is always a staggering amount. Why can't people show some curtisy and cancel if they cannot make it.

Most NHS staff give their all and then some with very little thanks and too many people seem to think they know better and are to quick to critisise. This is not to say that there are some poor practices but I am sure they are rare than people think.

[mree]

I think the main problem with people's perception of the NHS is that no-one seems to take into account the fact that NHS staff, whether they be nurses, doctors, cleaners, radiographers, etc., etc., are just people, and you'll come across the same spectrum of personalities that you do in non-NHS staff. People expect all NHS workers to be saints, and we're not (well, apart from me, obviously, but then I'm just a lowly student), we have lives, those lives have problems, we have trouble at work, we get stressed, we have a much high incidence of abuse from our 'customer group' than any other profession, and although we try our best, sometimes we have to give in and admit we're human!

[suecrill]

I would just like to add my thanks and appreciation for the wonderful care my husband got from the doctors and nurses at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn and also Papworth hospital. They were wonderful and saved my husbands life last year. His GP is also always available to him even when his surgery is full, an appointment is always made available within 24 hours.

My thanks to the NHS

Sue