Can one be curmudgeonly about the NHS? I was referred by my GP to a specialist. I received a letter with a "Unique Booking Reference Number" (UBRN). I telephoned the number given; a very nice young chap told me that, having established my UBRN and confirmation of my name, first line of my address and my date of birth, that I could choose between three hospitals; only one is local enough to be viable.
I was told that the matter would be referred to the consultant at the hospital I had "chosen" and that I would subsequently receive a letter with the date and time of the appointment.
Time was when a referral went straight to the hospital (either nearest or as chosen by the patient). A letter would be sent, time and date of appointment given.
So how does the intermediate stage benefit the patient or the administration? Is it just another middle-man venture that racks up extra costs (to a service already under financial strain) and enable yet another layer of "management" to count beans and justify existence?
No, it isn't. It's a cost-saving exercise. Instead of each hospital having an admin team for each consultancy as it use to be. It's now one team in one place doing all the consultancies in 3 hospitals. There's been lots of admin laid off.
You know when the Government says they will find extra money for front line staff? It's back room that are going to cover the cost. It sounds good on the TV and in the headlines but it just puts more and more pressure on admin.
I wish I was a glow worm A glow worm's never glum Cos how can you be grumpy When the sun shines out your bum!
If it genuinely saves money and benefits both the NHS and the patient, then it can't be bad. But previous experience of such a system (in another county area) resulted in confusion, duplication and little benefit. I would be happy to be proved wrong.
I drove 160 miles round trip to take my mum to an appointment. She thought she was going for a look-see procedure. We turned up, shook hands with the lovely consultant who said, "I don't really know why you're here. If I'd seen your letter, I'd have referred you straightaway for said procedure". Well why don't you then? Said we. "Oh no. You need to wait for a letter and you can't have it today because you haven't starved". What?
No, it isn't. It's a cost-saving exercise. Instead of each hospital having an admin team for each consultancy as it use to be. It's now one team in one place doing all the consultancies in 3 hospitals. There's been lots of admin laid off.
You know when the Government says they will find extra money for front line staff? It's back room that are going to cover the cost. It sounds good on the TV and in the headlines but it just puts more and more pressure on admin.
It's really hard to be grumpy with the NHS when they're under such strain in all departments. They've been great since my son was born in all respects but there's been problems and delays which they've done their hardest to avoid but are, in the end, unavoidable in the current climate. The problems did no harm and we were fine to work with them but I can imagine some people kicking up a real fuss about it and focusing their anger on the wrong people.
If I'm going to be grumpy at anyone it's the people who take the NHS for granted and who tie up resources and put avoidable strain on the system. and I'd like to punch those people smoking outside the front doors.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
My wife has had cancer six times, and a brain aneurysm, so she has had massive experience of both NHS and private hospitals. Say to her “Isn’t the NHS wonderful?’ and you’ll get a far from ringing endorsement.
Yes it can be great but it is not always so. She has had her share of lazy, incompetent nurses and supercilious doctors. Sometimes they’d talk down to her - but they rarely did it a second time! - and I cannot count the hours and hours and hours I have spent in waiting rooms as clinics overrun and when you are eventually seen it almost seems like it is a YTS trainee who has only just done his GCSEs and has no clue about the medical background. Again and again they’d ask things like when did you last have an MRI scan for such and such because they couldn’t be bothered to look for it or simply couldn’t find it in her notes. Fortunately I am confident and articulate. I keep notes. I know who to complain to and what should be happening when. You simply have to look after your own medical history - leave it to the authorities, as my trusting parents did, and you can find yourself bypassed, as they were.
On the plus side, the best of the care has been exemplary, the skill of the surgeons unparalleled. The nature of her interventions meant that procedures were often done in NHS hospitals while follow ups were at private hospitals. How much more ‘human’ those consultants can be when you’re a paying customer.
Oh that's a shame Dove. I can give you a few clues from my own research. Eat too much cake. Develop any form of psychopathy and/or sociopathy you feel comfortable with. Wear a bedsheet.
Having, on the whole, had less than brilliant experiences with the NHS in the 70s and 80s and having subsequently been in the Belgian system for 25 years and had nothing but excellence, I shall by pass that discussion except to say the NHS does seem to have to deal with unnecessarily abusive/drunken/drugged and ignorant people and for that they have my sympathy. I'd kick them out or, at least, to the end of the queue.
As for the continuing stripy sins seen yesterday and today they are unmissable and Possum has been told she needs to embrace spots or even florals!
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
I was told that the matter would be referred to the consultant at the hospital I had "chosen" and that I would subsequently receive a letter with the date and time of the appointment.
Time was when a referral went straight to the hospital (either nearest or as chosen by the patient). A letter would be sent, time and date of appointment given.
So how does the intermediate stage benefit the patient or the administration? Is it just another middle-man venture that racks up extra costs (to a service already under financial strain) and enable yet another layer of "management" to count beans and justify existence?
You know when the Government says they will find extra money for front line staff? It's back room that are going to cover the cost. It sounds good on the TV and in the headlines but it just puts more and more pressure on admin.
A glow worm's never glum
Cos how can you be grumpy
When the sun shines out your bum!
A glow worm's never glum
Cos how can you be grumpy
When the sun shines out your bum!
Well why don't you then? Said we.
"Oh no. You need to wait for a letter and you can't have it today because you haven't starved".
What?
Yes it can be great but it is not always so. She has had her share of lazy, incompetent nurses and supercilious doctors. Sometimes they’d talk down to her - but they rarely did it a second time! - and I cannot count the hours and hours and hours I have spent in waiting rooms as clinics overrun and when you are eventually seen it almost seems like it is a YTS trainee who has only just done his GCSEs and has no clue about the medical background. Again and again they’d ask things like when did you last have an MRI scan for such and such because they couldn’t be bothered to look for it or simply couldn’t find it in her notes. Fortunately I am confident and articulate. I keep notes. I know who to complain to and what should be happening when. You simply have to look after your own medical history - leave it to the authorities, as my trusting parents did, and you can find yourself bypassed, as they were.
On the plus side, the best of the care has been exemplary, the skill of the surgeons unparalleled. The nature of her interventions meant that procedures were often done in NHS hospitals while follow ups were at private hospitals. How much more ‘human’ those consultants can be when you’re a paying customer.
And above all: beware the ides of March.
As for the continuing stripy sins seen yesterday and today they are unmissable and Possum has been told she needs to embrace spots or even florals!