ajm

I begin by saying that I do not include the hard working medical staff in this, but the bureaucrats and government....

A friend has been in pain since last May with a slowly worsening condition. He first presented to a GP in August after a few months of suffering. Several visits later, condition still worsening, he was referred to hospital in November as an "urgent referral". A month later he finally got a consultation, was made to wait in the waiting room for 2.5 hours after which he was examined and the consultant said he would be seen within two weeks for corrective surgery.

When the appointment came by letter it wasn't two weeks but 6 weeks. By week 5 it became so bad he had to go into hospital as an emergency case where they temporarily patched him up because the specialist consultant wasn't available.

They then cancelled the original corrective surgery appointment and moved it 5 weeks later!

5 weeks pass of having dressings changed every day because the wound won't heal properly until the corrective surgery is done and he gets a phonecall the day before the surgery to confirm everything is still ok.

The following day (today) he turns up at hospital with his bag packed and cover arranged at work. He is admitted, lead to the ward and told to have a seat while they arranged a bed.

An hour later the consultant comes out and tells him to go home, there are no beds. They will try and rearrange another date in the next 2-3 weeks!

So, after nine months of pain, one emergancy admittance to hospital, 5 weeks of daily dressings he is no better off than when the whole saga began. He is going to see his GP later today to ask to be referred privately.

This is in the wake of new figures showing that last minute cancellations has increased under New Labour who are claiming we are being treated faster!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4298145.stm

I wonder if Tony will give him a rebate since he is going to pay for his own treatment?

Thanks Blair!

Diablo

PMI - the ONLY way to go

pslewis

Under the Tories he would have had to go private in the first place - the NHS would/will NOT exsist under the Tories!

Then, if you are young and fit all will be ok ........ engage in sport or be elderly and you are in BIG trouble

You have 2 choices ....... Private Only under the Tories or a choice under Labour!

I know where the smart money will be going!

Pete

ChrisB

Point being Pete? 9 months waiting for the NHS achieved nothing. Private in the first place would have sorted it out

ajm

Nevermind the smart money, I don't think anyone knows where ANY of the money is going, least of all the government.

Where is the choice? The choice between wasting 6 months in pain and then going private or going private in the first place? Some choice.

Give us our money back Labour and we will pay for our own treatment!

SJ_Skyline

edited for accuracy

HTH

Drunken Bungle Whore

The Tories could openly take it away so you'd have to have private health care, and at the moment Labour is making it so bad that you give up and go privately anyway.

Looks like the same thing to me.....

ajm

Watch pslewis run for hills in the face of overwhelming adversity!

He hasn't been the same since UB punched his lights out.

pslewis

Like I said A CHOICE!!

Under the Tories there would be NO choice - you pay or don't get helped!

Pete

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Lying Labour are the biggest bunch of conmen and spin artists ever.

They've recently announced that waiting times are down, waiting once you go to outpatients, that is.

Last week, an old lady here went to see the eye specialist.

She sat for 30 minutes, then went in for an eye test.
She sat for a further 30 minutes, then had some drops put in.
She say for a further 30 minutes and was seen by a junior doctor.
She sat for a further 25 minutes and was seen by the consultant.

On leaving, she asked at the desk why her wait had been nearly two hours, since Lying Labour state 30 minutes, and was told "You only ever waited 30 minutes BETWEEN TREATMENTS!".

The consultant told her she needed a cataract done, but she can't go on the list until she's seen him again, IN 5 MONTHS TIME!!

Lies and spin.............and another 5years of it to come

catalunya199again

thats how it should be how many people on here pay n.i and dont actually use it so all the sponges and immigrants get it for free. we should do what the americans pay for your own health care that is the fairer system.

3 years ago i fractured the head of the radius and went to hospital in colchester general(was in the army at the time) by the time i got there i was in excrutiating pain and waited for over an hour before i even got an x ray (bearing in mind i was sitting in the waiting room having to hold that arm up with my good arm to make it slightly more comftable). when they x ray they sling my arm they sling my arm because they cant plaster fractures there and give me 2 paracetemols, i couldnt believe it 2 paracetemols i could of went to tescos and bought all this stuff my self for under £5, i was expecting some stronger pain relief than that.

but as stated earlier waiting an hour is disgusting and i have paid n.i since i worked at 16 and thats the best i get, this countrys health care has gone down the pan

ajm

NHS - You pay (through mandatory contributions) and DON'T get helped
Private - You pay and get helped

Is that the choice?

If they can't use our contributions properly (and evidence would suggest they can't) then they should give our money back to us and let us make our own arrangements!

Spring Heeled Jack

They seem to be more concerned for the poor in Africa than the people of this country.

pslewis

The TORIES were taking your money AND winding the NHS down!!

And making you pay 15% for your mortgages!! use that massive saving on your mortgage Labour has delivered to you each month on private health care (essentially, its FREE!!) Courtesy of New Labour!

You all fail to see that your cups are 95% FULL ................... NOT 5% empty!!

Don't forget the Tories would drill a sneaky hole in the bottom of your cup and syphon it all off without you noticing until its too late!

Pete

Bottomfeeder

Here's a thought......

0-16 (or whenever it is you start work these days) NHS avaliable to you.
16 - retirement PHI



Just a thought, I mean it works in other countries, if you're working you have medical insurance.

IMO The NHS is like the Vietnam war, no matter how much money 'they' throw at it, it'll never be a success.

ajm

Trust you to turn it into a Conservative vs. Labour issue!

Labour is in power, therefore responsibility rests with them. they are taking MORE money off us in taxes and yet the services are GETTING WORSE!

I want to know why! If they cannot spend our money effectively then we should get it back. Ripping us off on crappy bin collections and dire road repairs is one thing, but our health is singly the most important thing we have!

pslewis

You must protect it as you see fit then, even if that means going private, its the CHOICE Labour has given you!

Pete

ajm

Pete,

Instead of warbling about the "choice" we have, perhaps you could have a go at describing what *you* see as the options that make up that choice, because as far as I can see, both involve paying and only one involves getting medical care.

There are tons of ways to spend money and NOT get medical care. What is so special about Labour's way?

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

labour sucks ***** face the facts lewis

pslewis

BUT, strangely enough .... Labour WILL win the next election?????

Now, either I am just on a Tory BBS or you are all having a laff at my expense and will be voting Labour in any case!

We all know we are £££££££££££££s better off under Labour!

Pete

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

So, Pete, my choice is to pay once for nothing, or pay TWICE for private care.

Good choice, lying Labour, bring them on again!

I'd LOVE to know what they are doing with the, now, 93 new taxes since they took power in '97, 'cos it sure ain't transport, health, education, welfare etc etc.
Oh yes, I forgot, we've bombed Iraq, and are still involved there and in Afghanistan. How silly of me

Alcazar

Jye

Dunno why anyone bothers arguing with him alcazar, lost cause, troll and wind up merchant. Pete, why bother? We all know you're a fanny btw, so why not go for one of your extended breaks till all the newbs forget who you are.

Chip

The word "CHOICE".

Thats the latest buzz word coming from NEW Labour isnt it Peter. Like the motorway tolls. They keep saying their giving ppl the choice. It's bollox. It's a road toll, nothing else. It'll spread to all m/ways in a few years as well.

As for the NHS I have been unfortunate as have some of my friends & family to have to have used the NHS quite a lot over thew last few years.
We had 17 years of the Tories and the NHS was still there when they were voted out. Its still there today but what a state it is in. Filthy hospitals, fiddled waiting lists, 40,000 more admin staff, cancelled ops all the time. Llanelli hospital has even shut its casualty on the weekends to to lack of staff. In South Wales alone they have shut 5 hospitals since coming to power and opened one which was planned, funded and built under a Tory government.

Labour have **** on the NHS big time.Fact.


Chip

GCollier

There will always be sad cases like the one described when an organisation like the health service is concerned.

However my family and I, whilst having private insurance as well, have used the NHS for a great deal of pregnancy, GP and some A+E stuff over the past couple of years, and I've nothing but praise for the service we received. Every time we've needed a GP we've seen one the same day - usually an appointment within the same hour or within 5mins of waiting in the surgery during 'emergency' hours. The time we needed A+E on Sunday, we were attended to within 5 mins. Every pregnancy related thing with my wife was dealt with superbly.

Back in the early 90's I remember having to virtually claim I was dying just to get into the surgery and wait for ages for an emergency appointment...either that or wait 3 days for one.

So you see not everything is bad now, even though some people like to think it is. In terms of standard of living and opportunities available to them, most of my friends (all smart and hard-working early 90's graduates) would say they'd never had it so good as now...and I agree with them.

Gary.

logiclee

Well I have PMI and it's good for seeing consultants faster and getting small medical procedures done quickly and you get a nice room.


But last year I had a heart attack.

The NHS ambulance arrived within minutes of my call, the fully trained paramedics had me on an ecg within 10 minutes and the defrib machine was ready for use if required.
Arriving at A&E the resus team was waiting for me and I was thrombalised on arrival to remove the blood clot from my heart.

The care I received while in hospital was first class.

The hospital then put me through a rehabilitation program involving four weeks of group therapy and specialist care followed by ten weeks of progressive physio and group exercise activities.

The NHS was there to save my life and get me back on my feet. I agree it should be better for non urgent cases and for people in pain and discomfort,
but any party who even think about removing NHS care deserves no place in UK Government.

Cheers
Lee

Jye

But, like everyone says.... Whats your postcode? i.e. it still seems a health care lottery.

pslewis

Thank you Gary .............. we've never had it so good!

Most people realise that and so Labour will win another landslide, well deserved too!

Pete

The Tories would finish the NHS!

Jye

So pete. Are you private?

pslewis

Nope ..... don't believe in it - however, if I needed urgent treatment and could 'buy' it quicker ... I would!

Its called CHOICE!

Pete

unclebuck

I wonder if they'll still say that in about 18 months time when it all goes **** up in the "Great Realignment".

Even lewis knows the bubble can't be sustained:

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=407578