Like a lot of people in my town and not just my town, there are patients frustrated trying to get through to the Surgery in the 8:00am scramble. So when someone recently posted on the town FB page saying how pleased they were with the service they'd received from the Dr's surgery, I like to query their post. I want to know how many times they had to phone, what number they were when they got through and how long they had to wait. Because I know from experience it's not that simple.
However as the Government has launched the scheme where pharmacists can give out medicines, we don't need to see a Dr for simple straight forward complaints or do we? Its not that simple and patients have been turned away, because of confusion over the scope of the service.
Did you know its age related.. young persons over 1 year old, can be treated for ear problems, sore throats, insect bites; over 5 for impetigo, sinusitis, and over 18, shingles. UTIs are for women 16 to 64..Pharmacists have complained that they have been attacked by people who hadn't realised that many of the conditions were age related. I didn't until I looked it up.
Of course there is also 111. But recently even that, has now been over run and there are waiting times for phones to be answered.
And we also recently have had Drs and Ambulances on strike. Although because of the volume of patients needing an ambulance there can be many hours waiting for one. There are some horrific stories of older people, who have fallen and waiting hours on the ground for an ambulance. Our NHS is on its knees and we are the ones suffering, because its not working.
But have no fear, after the General Election, with Labour in power. The waiting times for operations or any hospital treatment will be cut; GPs will be increased to relieve the pressure to get an appointment, they will generally improve the NHS; as well as Reforming the justice service; raising Education standards; make Britain a 'clean energy super power' ; Securing the highest sustained growth in the G7. Such promises are they to be believed?
So all will be 'tickety boo!!' I am sure many politicians do believe they can do all manner of improvements, but perhaps they've forgotten it costs.. where will the money come from? I paid into a Voluntary Pension Scheme, as well as my in service pension and for my trouble it is taxed! Raising taxes might be the answer, but it would be a very unpopular move.
Its 'pie in the sky,' what do you think?
Chrisxx
5 comments:
They are all very good at making promises and delivering catchy soundbites, but not so good on following up on those promises. I used to work in local government and getting anything done there was a nightmare. That must be multiplied to an insane level when trying to get anything done at a national level, no matter how good the ideas or intentions and that's without the added complication of paying for it all.
That sounds like a mess. I live in the US with good insurance and don't have any of those problems. The government has made accommodations to provide insurance for those who can't afford it. That's not to say that everything is perfect and the insurance companies don't want to pay for something sometimes, but overall it works well. I hope things get sorted out better for you.
In Canada, the health care system is broken too. We have a Liberal government which will probably be defeated in the next election and a Conservative Party waiting in the wings with few solutions in mind. The reality of the situation will hit them when they are elected. It doesn’t matter who we elect, they all are the same in the end. The electorate wants change and it happens. The only difference is the number of years it takes to get there.
That sounds terrible. The politicians sound like ours in the US with lots of promises.
I'm a nurse in a doctors office and thankfully things are better here. When people call our office, you can ask to talk to a nurse and we will answer. They don't have to leave a message and wait for a call. And we do take care of all issues on the day they call. Good health care is something to be thankful for.
I can't comment, specifically, on your system but - to be sure - our system (in the States) is not working either! Our health system is...well, sad. I guess it is a universal problem.
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