The problems with the care provided by some in the NHS has been around a lot longer than this current Tory Government. My father was in a Surrey hospital 10 years ago and the staff on his mixed geriatric ward were dreadful. He was paralysed down his left side due to a stroke, and was incontinent with a catheter and bag. On one occasion my poor father had 'had an accident', but it took the staff nearly an hour and several requests to come and clean him up. They were more interested in chatting with the women patients and their colleagues than caring for a helpless old man. They were also very slack about emptying his catheter bag. And don't get me started on the lack of care regarding feeding him....There are good and bad in every job - I admire those who work within the NHS - I have three family members who do - two as nurses, one as a physio. They are often working under difficult circumstances, but this stems from decisions made in the past, not just the present. Some staff are really caring and want what is best for the patient, some are more interested in themselves and doing the minimum possible. Consultants are often so pompous and think themselves as 'gods', that they do not consider the patient's real needs. They want patients to be discharged as quickly as possible without taking in to account the home situation or whether the patient is actually well enough to go and home and be cared for by their family. They wrongly assume a 'district nurse' will come and visit and all will be well, when in reality getting a nurse to visit, or any other healthcare professional is a very difficult process.The GP appointment problem is a nightmare. Why do GPs need so much time off when they don't even make house calls these days? Like Nikki, I feel it would be so much better when you just turned up at the surgery and waited your turn. At least then you knew you would have to wait, but would get seen eventually, and if you were too frail or ill to get to the surgery, the doctor would come and see you at home. (No, I am not an OAP wishing for the past. My mum worked for a doctor in the village where I was brought up and this system was in place up until about 20 years ago.)So, maybe the current government are in part to blame, but it is not all their fault - they inherited some bad decisions made by others before them. BUT, and it is a big but, no matter how much you blame the government, the awful care given by some people is not down to money but down to their total lack of respect for the person they are caring for. Bring back the Matron to rule with her (or his) 'rod of iron' and make the doctors and nurses accountable for their actions and decisions. lets get rid of the 'managers' who sit in their offices and decide that millions of pounds need to be spent on art work to improve the waiting areas or wherever, when it should be being spent on staffing and equipment.Sorry for the long post - I do think the NHS is a good system when it works, and feel that those on the front line who are trying hard to do their job are often hindered by those at the top.
Amanda Knights ● 4831d