A&e visits

[thetyreman]

I think Jeremy Hunt is a genius, in one short parliamentary statement he already has quite a few of you dancing to his tune.

Make it fail, then find someone to blame. So now it’s the people who go to the hospital for frivolous reasons, along with the drunks, the obese and as always, the immigrants, and you swallow it like sitting ducks.

So, the answer is ‘make people pay for it’. That is exactly what Hunt and his government wants to hear. His pals in the insurance companies, the private health service providers, and facility’s companies will be thanking you all the way to the bank in the same way as the people from the Netherlands, France and Germany are with our privatised railways.

Their public rail companies have bought up most of our privatised railways so that we are now subsidising their cheap train travel. To add insult to injury, even if you never use the trains, you are still subsidising the private franchises with tax breaks, and the government wants to privatise more.

It was not the immigrants, or the benefit claimants, the drunks, the obese, lame or lazy who closed the steel industry and the mining industry, it was the government, and they did it with the blessing of the working man.

he's more like a psychopath than a genius, but I see where you are coming from, he made people blind to the fact the government are clearly giving the working man the worst deal, and not many people seem to want to acknowledge it.

 

[Jacob]

Corbyn on NHS. Who could disagree with any of this?

"The Conservatives are privatising our NHS by stealth despite the repeated failures and costs of private provision.

It saddles us with an expensive and unnecessary internal market. It puts tax avoidance, not patient care, at the heart of its management. It also promotes excessive boardroom pay and grotesque inequality.

Health privateers are earning huge sums at taxpayers’ expense, while health workers have faced a pay freeze.

When health services are privatised, the brakes come off the pay of the executives in charge."

He could also have added that, thanks to limited liability, when private health firms fail (and they do) it's we the tax payers who bear the cost, not the shareholders.
For us it's lose, lose.

 

[Jacob]

 

[RogerS]

Bloody hell, Jacob, what on earth is that hospital thinking about? There's room for at least three more !

Seriously, we might jest but the NHS is in dire straits and it is not as simple as either bunging in more money or left-wing rhetoric and tub-thumping.

Good cartoon, though, Jacob, me old cobber.

 

[n0legs]

This is happening right now.
Yesterday morning dad got up with what he described as a a "rash" on his left leg. It was painful to the touch, extremely hot and he could not stand on it.I was unobtainable so he got one of the neighbours to take him to A&E at the Royal Gwent.
To quote him "I felt like a bloody fool turning up with a rash on my leg". The first nurse to see him called for the doctor asap.
This is how it went from this point.
Get that leg elevated, now!
Get some blood out of him and up to the lab, asap.
Get his vitals.
Get a saline drip into him.

Well as you can imagine the old man gets a little sweat on at this point, "I think you'd better call my son"
So I get a call and I'm now fully embroiled in this little drama.
Well he's gone and got a bad case of Cellulitis. His leg is freaking red, I mean scarlet red. His left lower leg is bright red from ankle to kneecap.
Blood has gone to lab for confirmation and has come back as expected, this was obviously yesterday.
Consultant Dermatologist was in yesterday and again today. Antibiotics in drip form are being run in at a crazy rate, at visiting time today (3-5pm) he was on his forth bag (looks to be about 200-300ml) of the day so far.
To my point.
I asked the nurse, with this topic in mind, has Dad done the right thing bothering you guys.
Nurse's answer, "It could have been a big mess if he waited until Monday to go to the GP".

 

[thetyreman]

This is happening right now.
Yesterday morning dad got up with what he described as a a "rash" on his left leg. It was painful to the touch, extremely hot and he could not stand on it.I was unobtainable so he got one of the neighbours to take him to A&E at the Royal Gwent.
To quote him "I felt like a bloody fool turning up with a rash on my leg". The first nurse to see him called for the doctor asap.
This is how it went from this point.
Get that leg elevated, now!
Get some blood out of him and up to the lab, asap.
Get his vitals.
Get a saline drip into him.

Well as you can imagine the old man gets a little sweat on at this point, "I think you'd better call my son"
So I get a call and I'm now fully embroiled in this little drama.
Well he's gone and got a bad case of Cellulitis. His leg is freaking red, I mean scarlet red. His left lower leg is bright red from ankle to kneecap.
Blood has gone to lab for confirmation and has come back as expected, this was obviously yesterday.
Consultant Dermatologist was in yesterday and again today. Antibiotics in drip form are being run in at a crazy rate, at visiting time today (3-5pm) he was on his forth bag (looks to be about 200-300ml) of the day so far.
To my point.
I asked the nurse, with this topic in mind, has Dad done the right thing bothering you guys.
Nurse's answer, "It could have been a big mess if he waited until Monday to go to the GP".

I hope he's ok, sounds like the nurses are doing an amazing job, despite all the NHS negativity.

 

[n0legs]

I hope he's ok, sounds like the nurses are doing an amazing job, despite all the NHS negativity.

Thanks TTM.
They are mate, absolutely sterling treatment he's receiving.
I'm not getting into this topic except for these few entries, but I will say family wise we've been fortunate (or unfortunate because of the need, depends on your view point) to have used both private and NHS over the years. In this instance I do not believe private could perform any better.

 

[RogerS]

.....
Recent surveys indicate that public interest has shifted from Brexit and the circus surrounding it to the NHS crisis and health in general. This might lead one to believe that public faith in the Conservatives might be fading. .....

Not at all. I can't see any link between the two. Reason why Joe Public is bored with Brexit is because it is going to drag on and on and on and on. Those who voted 'Out' seemed to think that it could be done as easily as switching off a light.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Not that easily, but they could have at least made a start in the seven months they've had.

 

[El Barto]

.....
Recent surveys indicate that public interest has shifted from Brexit and the circus surrounding it to the NHS crisis and health in general. This might lead one to believe that public faith in the Conservatives might be fading. .....

Not at all. I can't see any link between the two. Reason why Joe Public is bored with Brexit is because it is going to drag on and on and on and on. Those who voted 'Out' seemed to think that it could be done as easily as switching off a light.

Hmm I don't think I understand your point Roger. Although I do agree with the public being bored of Brexit now I don't know what you mean about a link between the two. Link between what? Do you mean a link between the NHS crisis and public faith in the Tories?

 

[Sheffield Tony]

To my point.
I asked the nurse, with this topic in mind, has Dad done the right thing bothering you guys.
Nurse's answer, "It could have been a big mess if he waited until Monday to go to the GP".

Therein lies the problem. For many of us, there is no other way to get seen by someone after the GP surgery closes. They are effectively expecting us to self diagnose, to decide if it is safe to leave until Monday morning. Yes, a common cold is not a major concern, but lots of things that are a concern have similar initial symptoms.

A while ago got a splinter under a fingernail - not woodworking, but from a door frame. Couldn't sort it myself easily, and had just missed closing time at the GP's on Friday evening, or I'm sure the nurse there could have sorted it. Practice answerphone gave me a number for "Out of hours" service, which sounded identical to what I have used as "NHS Direct" before. They said it can't stay in there until Monday, the one out of hours clinic open won't have the equipment to deal with it ( :shock: ?) go to A&E. Feeling a bit of a fool, I do as instructed. Get the least capable doctor I've ever met, who tries to remove it with forceps looking as fine as a pair of electricians pliers. Gives up, and sends me away with a prescription for antibiotics instead. Thinking this can't be for the best, I drove to work, and got out my illuminated magnifier and surface mount electonics tweezers, disinfected with IPA. Out in a couple of minutes of careful probing. Should have done that in the first place.

If we need to take the pressure off A&E, there needs to be in place a better alternative than self diagnosis and DIY treatment !

Hope your Dad gets sorted n0legs.

 

[Jacob]

.... Thinking this can't be for the best, I drove to work, and got out my illuminated magnifier and surface mount electonics tweezers, disinfected with IPA. Out in a couple of minutes of careful probing. Should have done that in the first place...

That's OK it's a learning curve! If you leave a splinter long enough (a few days) it gets expelled by a burst of pus, unless it is very deeply lodged. Best thing is to cover it with Micropore plaster and let nature take it's course.

 

[RogerS]

.....
Recent surveys indicate that public interest has shifted from Brexit and the circus surrounding it to the NHS crisis and health in general. This might lead one to believe that public faith in the Conservatives might be fading. .....

Not at all. I can't see any link between the two. Reason why Joe Public is bored with Brexit is because it is going to drag on and on and on and on. Those who voted 'Out' seemed to think that it could be done as easily as switching off a light.

Hmm I don't think I understand your point Roger. Although I do agree with the public being bored of Brexit now I don't know what you mean about a link between the two. Link between what? Do you mean a link between the NHS crisis and public faith in the Tories?

I was referring to your post in quotes. I read it to mean that the public shift from Brexit to NHS was down to possible lack of faith in the Conservatives by some parts of the public. That's where I couldn't see a causal link.

 

[RogerS]

..... disinfected with IPA. .....

I usually drink my IPA down the pub :wink:

 

[Jacob]

........
Not at all. I can't see any link between the two. Reason why Joe Public is bored with Brexit is because it is going to drag on and on and on and on. Those who voted 'Out' seemed to think that it could be done as easily as switching off a light.

Hmm I don't think I understand your point Roger. Although I do agree with the public being bored of Brexit now I don't know what you mean about a link between the two. Link between what? Do you mean a link between the NHS crisis and public faith in the Tories?

I was referring to your post in quotes. I read it to mean that the public shift from Brexit to NHS was down to possible lack of faith in the Conservatives by some parts of the public. That's where I couldn't see a causal link.

The link is that the tories are failing disastrously on both fronts. Pretty obvious to everybody, whatever their own position, does it really need explaining?

 

[RogerS]

....

Hmm I don't think I understand your point Roger. Although I do agree with the public being bored of Brexit now I don't know what you mean about a link between the two. Link between what? Do you mean a link between the NHS crisis and public faith in the Tories?

I was referring to your post in quotes. I read it to mean that the public shift from Brexit to NHS was down to possible lack of faith in the Conservatives by some parts of the public. That's where I couldn't see a causal link.

The link is that the tories are failing disastrously on both fronts. Pretty obvious to everybody, whatever their own position, does it really need explaining?

Yawn.

 

[El Barto]

I was referring to your post in quotes. I read it to mean that the public shift from Brexit to NHS was down to possible lack of faith in the Conservatives by some parts of the public. That's where I couldn't see a causal link.

Ok got it I think. Although I wasn't actually suggesting a link between anything, it was more a trail of thought. To summarise my original post:

- Public interest has shifted from Brexit to NHS (either because NHS crisis is a legitimate concern or, as you said, because they're bored of Brexit
- One could then assume that concern for the NHS consequently means fading support for Tories
- This is not the case; Tories still very popular
- Cue confusion

 

[RobinBHM]

How can the Tories be failing on Brexit, it hasnt happened yet? -of course its failing in the eyes of remainers it always will.

As far as the NHS is concerned, It has been failed by all parties for many years, it hasnt been helped in the last few years but it is always easy to put the entire blame on the incumbent party. It makes me think the NHS should be tackled by a cross party honest process instead of always using it for political point scoring. The 5 years of a parliament is not sufficient to make the changes to the NHS and leads the NHS to be treated as a short term political issue. Each party gets in power, stamps its new ideas on the NHS, wastes loads of money, then the next party gets in, spends loads of money with some new initiative, dumps some of the previous changes and so it goes on. There has been operating theatres built, then mothballed due to lack of available budgets to run them, what a waste of money.

The reality is that it is too big and too expensive to continue in its present form and we are seeing that the problems the NHS are facing are all ending up channelled towards A&E which cant cope.

 

[El Barto]

How can the Tories be failing on Brexit, it hasnt happened yet? -of course its failing in the eyes of remainers it always will.

As far as the NHS is concerned, It has been failed by all parties for many years, it hasnt been helped in the last few years but it is always easy to put the entire blame on the incumbent party. It makes me think the NHS should be tackled by a cross party honest process instead of always using it for political point scoring. The 5 years of a parliament is not sufficient to make the changes to the NHS and leads the NHS to be treated as a short term political issue. Each party gets in power, stamps its new ideas on the NHS, wastes loads of money, then the next party gets in, spends loads of money with some new initiative, dumps some of the previous changes and so it goes on. There has been operating theatres built, then mothballed due to lack of available budgets to run them, what a waste of money.

The reality is that it is too big and too expensive to continue in its present form and we are seeing that the problems the NHS are facing are all ending up channelled towards A&E which cant cope.

Honest question: it sounds like you're for Brexit, do you feel like it's going well at the moment? I just can't see how anyone can think it isn't failing really, no matter which side you're on. There's no plan, Leave's key pledges have been dropped, only soundbites like "red, white and blue Brexit" and "hard Brexit" remain. Where is the substance? They don't have a clue.

It's also pretty lazy to liken this government and its treatment of the NHS to others before it. To quote your own post "There has been operating theatres built, then mothballed due to lack of available budgets to run them, what a waste of money." Whose fault is that? Come on bruh.

 

[Fitzroy]

Thinking this can't be for the best, I drove to work, and got out my illuminated magnifier and surface mount electonics tweezers, disinfected with IPA. Out in a couple of minutes of careful probing. Should have done that in the first place.

If we need to take the pressure off A&E, there needs to be in place a better alternative than self diagnosis and DIY treatment !

I wonder if actually there does need to be...........

I'm 40 and so have lived through the internet revolution, i'm of the opinion that pre-internet, pre-nhs 24/direct, etc a sizeable splinter would have been dealt with precisely as you have done, then if it'd gone nasty you'd have been down the doctors to deal with the aftermath. Now post-internet, we live in a much more risk-averse world, if you look-up anything on the internet you will only find worst outcomes, social knowledge (ie mother/grandmother etc) is largely ignored, and NHS 24/direct cannot be seen to miss anything due to liability. All of these factors drive an increased demand on immediate and more thorough medical assessment/treatment.

My father was a pharmacist and I recall him often looking at some old dear with a nasty wound or bump, giving them a some ointment etc and telling them to see the doctor in a week if they didn't improve. I went to the pharmacist with a rash a few years back, covering a good portion of my whole body, and wanting some antihistamines and they said I should go to A&E.

Until technologies ability to diagnose catches up with it's ability to worry us i think the whole matter will only get worse.

F.