NHS=Negligent Health Service

Associate
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It’s very depressing these days. I’ve been asked to speak at my kids school to their medsoc (kids thinking of applying to do medicine) and I’ve said I’d do so, but that it would be a going in with open eyes talk, and it would probably come across as quite negative. I hope they let and indeed encourage me to do it, because it’s necessary. I think Adam Kay’s “This is going to hurt” should be compulsory reading for those thinking of applying
 
Man of Honour
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It’s very depressing these days. I’ve been asked to speak at my kids school to their medsoc (kids thinking of applying to do medicine) and I’ve said I’d do so, but that it would be a going in with open eyes talk, and it would probably come across as quite negative. I hope they let and indeed encourage me to do it, because it’s necessary. I think Adam Kay’s “This is going to hurt” should be compulsory reading for those thinking of applying

When I started in the NHS in 2006 my first two years was teaching around 120 year 10 & 11s in Health and Social Care plus putting on classes for other school kids to hopefully go into an NHS job.
Out of my original 120 only 3 did it - two Nurses and one in Admin.
 
Soldato
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It’s very depressing these days. I’ve been asked to speak at my kids school to their medsoc (kids thinking of applying to do medicine) and I’ve said I’d do so, but that it would be a going in with open eyes talk, and it would probably come across as quite negative. I hope they let and indeed encourage me to do it, because it’s necessary. I think Adam Kay’s “This is going to hurt” should be compulsory reading for those thinking of applying
I've just seen your location. Did you train in Newcastle?
 
Associate
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I read Letters of Response from Complaints every day at work and they have to be completed within 30 (or 28) days by law and I've never seen a patient or relative sent to the NHS Ombudsman.
Not saying your mate is telling fibs just my 14 years experience working in the legal side so they must be a right bunch of cowboys in Kent.

I saw the email. They called him up while he was in a car. He said he prefers to discuss it over email. They told him it is their policy not to, and the phone conversation was the only way to speak to the investigator.

He sent an email after, there was a big time gap in response, eventually they responded with to come in, they said oh we called a few times there was no response, (no message was left on the answerphone, no txt about a call) he responded because of the unpredictable nature of his health condition he was unable to, which is pretty true . The email he sent asked for reasonable adjustments to be made to discuss this over email.
They took a month and a half to reply, the reply was go to the ombudsman man.
He made a complaint mid August, they sent a response in October suggesting they need more time, he sent a few emails they send another response need more time, he sent a few emails they responded with some generic answer about setting up a meeting and he sent an email requesting email Feb and March and highlighted the nature of his condition, they responded (April)with if you are not happy with the service provided go to the ombudsman.

He gone to a third party to make a complaint. The third party has read the emails and said they are trying to delay it so they can close it, they also said they never answered the question. Third party is going to write to them
 
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Soldato
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Oh god, my niece is currently in hospital looking very yellow. Really hoping I can post something positive here soon to counter the negativity. Fingers crossed.
 
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Man of Honour
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I saw the email. They called him up while he was in a car. He said he prefers to discuss it over email. They told him it is their policy not to, and the phone conversation was the only way to speak to the investigator.

He sent an email after, there was a big time gap in response, eventually they responded with to come in, they said oh we called a few times there was no response, (no message was left on the answerphone, no txt about a call) he responded because of the unpredictable nature of his health condition he was unable to, which is pretty true . The email he sent asked for reasonable adjustments to be made to discuss this over email.
They took a month and a half to reply, the reply was go to the ombudsman man.
He made a complaint mid August, they sent a response in October suggesting they need more time, he sent a few emails they send another response need more time, he sent a few emails they responded with some generic answer about setting up a meeting and he sent an email requesting email Feb and March and highlighted the nature of his condition, they responded (April)with if you are not happy with the service provided go to the ombudsman.

He gone to a third party to make a complaint. The third party has read the emails and said they are trying to delay it so they can close it, they also said they never answered the question. Third party is going to write to them

Horrendous.
 
Soldato
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Finally thought we were getting somewhere with the NHS - they want my sister to do some 24 hour test. She's just got the appointment through for.... September.

So she's expected to be in a state where she can't work and she can't keep food down until September. She's already lost tonnes of weight and has to keep going to A&E for a drip where she's getting dehydrated and malnourished.

What an utter joke. Going to look up complaining to PALS and may just have to pull out savings and go private. What an absolute ******* shower of ***. The NHS is ******.
 
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Man of Honour
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I was thinking that, but they still need to make a complaint to the NHS I guess and see what the response is.

You can go straight to a Solicitor if you think there has been a Breach of Duty but one of the first things I look for when a claim comes on my desk is to look at DATIX and see if a Complaint has been made and if there has been a Letter of Response.
If the Letter of Response has an apology in it then there's a good chance it will go to a Letter of Claim, this is when the Trust Solicitors (they are based in Birmingham) and NHSR get involved.
 
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the last time i was in hospital, i was there 8 hours. a lot of time to think. from kind of being glad about not having kids and seeing them become unwell or hurt, to going private, to how AI could be incredible for health in the future.
 
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Panting like a fiend
I've just had a bit of a surprise at my local surgery.

Apparently the blood test my dad's consultant wants done 2-3 weeks after his release from hospital cannot be done until June (he was released 10 days ago, the letter arrived Wednesday and as he had a phone call with the doc this morning we waited to make sure it was on the system*), after I politely pointed out the request was for it to be done within X weeks of his treatment they managed to get him booked in for a community clinic in mid may, still 2-3 weeks after the date the consultant wanted.

Something has changed massively in about the last 6 months, as up until then the local GP's surgery had a walk in bloods, basically if you'd been told by the GP or it was on record that the hospital wanted you to have a blood test you literally walked in, checked in with reception and then could get one same day although it might have meant a couple of hours waiting (the receptionist would advise on the queue length).



*Just as well we did, apparently it was the GP who called this morning who noted the request on the surgery system, it wasn't noted as a hospital request when I went in so if i'd tried booking it earlier it wouldn't have been possible.
 
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Commissario
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Panting like a fiend
the last time i was in hospital, i was there 8 hours. a lot of time to think. from kind of being glad about not having kids and seeing them become unwell or hurt, to going private, to how AI could be incredible for health in the future.
Hospital wait times when you go in are very much weighted on how urgent the staff think you are after an initial exam, and how busy they are.
I suspect location also plays a part, I loathe one of our local hospitals and will do everything possible to go to the other one (which is further as the crow flies, but much easier to actually get to as I don't have to go through a major town centre)

I've had waits of a couple of hours with my dad before being seen by someone when it wasn't life threatening but we'd been advised by 111 to take him in (potential serious eye issue) on a fairly quiet day, another time it was about a 15 minute wait for the initial "lets take your stats" followed by the nurse basically immediate seeing him through an ECG, calling resuss then fast walking us (well me, he was in his wheelchair) through.

I suspect a large part of the problem with A&E wait times is they're short staffed/not enough capacity, but also more and more people who should be seen by GP's are either going to A&E because they can't get a GP appointment, or upon failing to get a GP appointment are calling 111 and getting told to go over.
 
Soldato
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I've just had a bit of a surprise at my local surgery.

Apparently the blood test my dad's consultant wants done 2-3 weeks after his release from hospital cannot be done until June (he was released 10 days ago, the letter arrived Wednesday and as he had a phone call with the doc this morning we waited to make sure it was on the system*), after I politely pointed out the request was for it to be done within X weeks of his treatment they managed to get him booked in for a community clinic in mid may, still 2-3 weeks after the date the consultant wanted.

Something has changed massively in about the last 6 months, as up until then the local GP's surgery had a walk in bloods, basically if you'd been told by the GP or it was on record that the hospital wanted you to have a blood test you literally walked in, checked in with reception and then could get one same day although it might have meant a couple of hours waiting (the receptionist would advise on the queue length).



*Just as well we did, apparently it was the GP who called this morning who noted the request on the surgery system, it wasn't noted as a hospital request when I went in so if i'd tried booking it earlier it wouldn't have been possible.
The hospital consultant is more than able to arrange hospital bloods. More often than not, the GP practice does not get paid to do hospital monitoring bloods. Irrelevant if a consultant "wants it".

I suspect it's changed because GP funding has continued to go down (in real terms), as a result the partners can no longer subsidise things they don't get paid for.
 
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Soldato
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the hospitals cannot do anything right anymore, the 4 incidents ive had to use them its been laughter act

  • wife had lump that looked infected, was told to rush to hospital. surgery team will know us soon as were there
    • did they, did they F...
    • 7 hours waiting
    • to be told oh your the one were been waiting for oh its too late now come back tomorrow
    • come back next day, who are you? have you had you prep?
      • no you didn't tell us anything but to return tomorrow
    • after surgery my wife needed daily bandages, hospital told us to our GP, or walk-in. knowing that gp are fully booked for 3 months around here
    • we had to go to a walk-in each day (barely walking) against surgeon will all because there was no bandage changing services anywhere available for 6 months!
    • after 4 days of walk-in services they told us were not here for changing bandages... really? told us t go 14 miles to next walk-in
      I kicked off and told maybe you need to prioritise your care first before telling me what you can do. the entire walk-in clinic submitted complaints that day for issues of various natures.
 
Soldato
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Let's check in on the average NHS hospital, and see how it's benefiting from the £350 million per week the Tories promised to deliver after Brexit.


Oh.

If you scrape the green goo off, the breaded thing and chips will probably be OK. Shame the veg was boiled in a vat of water for 10 minutes too long. Unless the CEO bought their own lunch in, I doubt they ate much better...
 
Associate
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The hospital consultant is more than able to arrange hospital bloods. More often than not, the GP practice does not get paid to do hospital monitoring bloods. Irrelevant if a consultant "wants it".

I suspect it's changed because GP funding has continued to go down (in real terms), as a result the partners can no longer subsidise things they don't get paid for.

This is the problem, service should available to all. Indirect way to monitise, therefore adding restrictions. This is what I dislike from the whole set up.

Everyone should be paid a wage and the building owned by the NHS. Probably be cheaper and reduce none medical staff.
 
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