3rd world NHS

[SueEllen]

NHS is good at saving lives. In fact the best in the world. Heart attacks, cancers, brain tumours etc you can get the best care for next to no expense.

Actually you don't. It is really a postcode lottery not only at GP level but hospital level. I've heard some horror stories regarding cancer and brain tumours.

But surely mental health and cold and cough are not life threatening ? Why do you need an emergency appointment for that ?? What your son needs is warm care and love at home, not a shrink talking to him.

As a man you should be ashamed to say that mental health care is not life threatening. Are you really not aware that suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45? While more women under 45 attempt suicide, the number is something like 3 females to 1 male, more men actually succeed.

In regards to cold and cough not being life threatening - a cough can indicate anything from lung cancer to a defective immune system. GPs are fecking useless in determining if a prolonged or repeat cough is serious. I now cannot count on my hands the number of people I know who had a cold and cough who actually had something life threatening. If it wasn't for A&E and other medical professionals who aren't GPs they would be dead.

[CoolCat]

NHS is good at saving lives. In fact the best in the world. Heart attacks, cancers, brain tumours etc you can get the best care for next to no expense.

But surely mental health and cold and cough are not life threatening ? Why do you need an emergency appointment for that ?? What your son needs is warm care and love at home, not a shrink talking to him.

Mental Health is sometimes an emergency, and quick access to appropriate care can prevent a fatal overdose, and often lead to someone returning to a normal happy life. It can also prevent people going out and hurting others.

[BR14]

This is true. However, in England social care comes under the health service, not local authority and it's an even worse mess (not because of this I should add).

Not where i live it doesn't.
I have the same problem as a previous poster, elderly relative with dementia.
All her health care has been supplied quickly and thoroughly by the NHS, but the social care <especially respite care for her fulltime carer, my partner> is a long time coming, and requires persistent badgering of the relevant council depts involved.

[CoolCat]

Actually you don't. It is really a postcode lottery not only at GP level but hospital level. I've heard some horror stories regarding cancer and brain tumours.



As a man you should be ashamed to say that mental health care is not life threatening. Are you really not aware that suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45? While more women under 45 attempt suicide, the number is something like 3 females to 1 male, more men actually succeed.

In regards to cold and cough not being life threatening - a cough can indicate anything from lung cancer to a defective immune system. GPs are fecking useless in determining if a prolonged or repeat cough is serious. I now cannot count on my hands the number of people I know who had a cold and cough who actually had something life threatening. If it wasn't for A&E and other medical professionals who aren't GPs they would be dead.

Yes its a lottery, not for nothing was the Duke of Edinburgh taken in a helicopter over the top of all the local A & E's which any normal patient would have been taken by an ambulance, to one of the few hospitals where he would get a heart stent promptly.

Or Brown had an NHS eye consultant come out to him at home the same day, Blair had an NHS heart consultant come out to him the same day at home.

etc

[CoolCat]

Not where i live it doesn't.
I have the same problem as a previous poster, elderly relative with dementia.
All her health care has been supplied quickly and thoroughly by the NHS, but the social care <especially respite care for her fulltime carer, my partner> is a long time coming, and requires persistent badgering of the relevant council depts involved.

Yes council social care, and education authorities, are a national disgrace too...

[northernladuk]

Yes council social care, and education authorities, are a national disgrace too...

Ahh. You are one of them.

[woohoo]

Adult Social care is a legal requirement for local authorities (how does that fall under the NHS)...

Mental health is an NHS area however with interesting boundaries...

So in our case. The local authority have a set limit pw, around £650 I think. However, the care required costs £1200 pw.

To get the required care the patient has to be assessed by the NHS, along with the local authority. If they agree that the patient requires the health care then it's funded by the NHS.

So you are right, there is this disconnect which causes confusion and issues but primarily it's down to funding, in my opinion.

As an extra note to get fully funded care from the NHS can takes months. The system is very much like the US system, it's geared to saving money. There are booklets and websites that can help you get the funding and barristers that specialize in it.

[SueEllen]

Not where i live it doesn't.
I have the same problem as a previous poster, elderly relative with dementia.
All her health care has been supplied quickly and thoroughly by the NHS, but the social care <especially respite care for her fulltime carer, my partner> is a long time coming, and requires persistent badgering of the relevant council depts involved.

Not where I live either. In fact in all the various London boroughs I've lived in it comes under the local council not the NHS.

Likewise public health now comes under each council, which is a fecking mess as the provision for healthcare covers a wider area than local council level.

[CoolCat]

Ahh. You are one of them.

Lol, a decent person who doesnt like to see poor public services, bloated inefficient services, workers who couldnt care less, and money pissed down the drain. Who wants to see our people get decent services like they do in many other countries, and not the shambles we have here.

[SueEllen]

So in our case. The local authority have a set limit pw, around £650 I think. However, the care required costs £1200 pw.

To get the required care the patient has to be assessed by the NHS, along with the local authority. If they agree that the patient requires the health care then it's funded by the NHS.

So you are right, there is this disconnect which causes confusion and issues but primarily it's down to funding, in my opinion.

As an extra note to get fully funded care from the NHS can takes months. The system is very much like the US system, it's geared to saving money. There are booklets and websites that can help you get the funding and barristers that specialize in it.

What a waste of fecking money.

The US system is geared to ensuring doctors don't get sued.