I've had cancer, it was picked up by a GP (trained at Dundee med school) and I'm now 17 yrs in remission. The speed she moved at took four weeks, start to finish, diagnosis, specialist and including surgery. At present I have a good GP who keeps on top of my emphysema, and regularly makes sure I'm monitored, either at the surgery, in the community and when necessary, at hospital. When I've had to call the paramedics, I find they listen to the patient, then treat as the condition is, unlike hospital doctors who seem to treat as they see it, not as is. Very distressing.Since the loss of Central Middlesex A&E, one now has to go further afield to the nearest A&E, which is a hospital that I no longer trust. At least the paramedics are monitoring the patient, and not leaving them for four hours before being seen by a doctor. The trick is, get put in resus.What is even more worrying is the role of Health Care Assistants (HCA) Some think they know more than the patient and in some cases more than a trained nurse. If a ward sister can make a patient a cup of tea or bring a commode/bedpan/bottle, why do HCA's think it's beneath them?
Ewan Howard ● 4042d