Politics

[chunkygull]

i do agree the nhs is a wonderful thing to be proud of and should be protected. it is an institution that is envied worldwide.i know i pointed out some negatives and failings earlier but i have to say we would be a hell of a lot worse off without it. i can honestly say the nhs saved my sons life twice, when he was born and a year later. they have saved my wife also.

most who work for the nhs do a brilliant job and many in difficult circumstances. but as i said there are too many suits and penpushers.

i pointed out some bad points earlier but that is only because i care about the nhs a lot and have seen first hand the good that it does. the things i pointed out are so frustrating because they could be easily changed or avoided. i have seen a few things which have affected my life and seen and heard other things which damage the nhs reputation. i feel strongly if these things are improved the nhs will become more efficient and become something we could be even more proud of.

the budget in the nhs has been increased but the way the funding is handled is dreadful. the reason funding has had to increase is because of so much waste. jobs have been cut yet the budget has increased, money is getting wasted.

yes i agree certain branches, care trusts, hospitals etc are crap and some are very good. a lot of smaller hospitals seem to get good feedback. to be fair i never hear too many complaints about torbay hospital apart from the food and feeding thing i mentioned earlier.

in my job i see a lot of people who need medical help or they go into hospital and then i see them again when they come out and i have to say the nurses, care staff, medical professionals etc are doing a great job, but it is time to cut the red tape and beaurocracy.

we really do need to protect the nhs and keep improving it whilst reducing the wastage because we would be a lot worse off without it.

[cambgull]

Completely agree Chunky. My partner is currently studying to become a Music Therapist and has done placements within the NHS. It isn't about the care of patients but about doing just enough to tick a box for each number who enters through the door. It's totally wrong.

[chunkygull]

respect to your partner on a worthwhile career choice. a patients emotional well-being is severely over-looked when it comes to matters of their care. therapy such as this can have a positive effect on many of all ages.

as you say things like care of patients is about box ticking. if more attention was paid to care, attention and emotional well-being we would see more positive results.

[cambgull]

Agreed. What worries me the most is that anyone can see, even from the outside that bureaucracy and red tape is happening in all areas of the NHS and we can all see that it isn't a good thing. So why then, can't the ones in charge see this?

[chunkygull]

the trouble is there are those in charge on the inside that can see it and can change it, but they dont want to change it because its those who are in charge that are the problem. there are too many "jobs for the boys" so to speak. like with politicians, so many start with the best will in the world, wanting to help but end up corrupted by money, position and power.

those in the nhs who can cut the red tape etc wont because it would affect their job too much. there are many managers and pen pushers running wards etc who probably never go near wards or see the frontline so dont have a real feel for whats going on.

there are many unnecessary management jobs that could go to make way for frontline jobs , but these guys arent going to put theirselves out of a job are they.

it will have to come from the government health department to make the neccessary shake ups and changes but they receive their reports from hospital management, so its a vicious circle.

eventually i am sure independent government research will reccomend the changes as i am sure they have started to slowly already.
as another expression says though "the lunatics are running the asylum".

[cambgull]

What I found ridiculous was when my partner explained the set up in the NHS establishment where she was placed from Uni. I won't mention the name the place on the off-chance it could come back to her. There were multiple wards where there was an individual Manager in charge. Above them, there was another individual Manager in charge, then above them would be another manager who would look after two wards and then another in charge of four wards and so on. Not even including Supervisors, there was nearly one manager for every two ground level staff members there. In total - 48 managers and 110 staff, of which around half of the staff were part-time.

What a total waste of funding for a relatively small area. Many of the managers spent most of their day having chats with each other in corridors about subjects unrelated to work, due to having so much spare time on their hands.

If there is to be a change, it has to come from the top. No reports done by people within the organisation but by external investigators brought in to be ruthless and genuinely look to see if losing that position would cause any detriment to patient care.

[chunkygull]

as andy gray would say "take a bow son". that posting was brilliant and absolutely spot on. described perfectly the problems i was trying to explain.

your solution is 100% right also.

superb.

[usagullmichigan]

I miss the NHS, amazing system. I used to say the NHS was rubbish when I was in England now I live in the states I miss it so much.

[stevegull]

'usagull' that's exactly why I fail to see why Americans seem so rigidly against 'ObamaCare' as they seem to have called it. It seems like a real no-brainer for those on the 'outside'. The US doesn't have free healthcare, Obama wants to provide that. Are they worried about the cost of such system? I am genuinely interested.

[cambgull]

America is full of stupid people who dont understand a good thing when its offered to them on a plate. Yes, its expensive, but it will be cheaper per person than health insurance.

[AustrianAndyGull]

the trouble is there are those in charge on the inside that can see it and can change it, but they dont want to change it because its those who are in charge that are the problem. there are too many "jobs for the boys" so to speak. like with politicians, so many start with the best will in the world, wanting to help but end up corrupted by money, position and power.
those in the nhs who can cut the red tape etc wont because it would affect their job too much. there are many managers and pen pushers running wards etc who probably never go near wards or see the frontline so dont have a real feel for whats going on.

there are many unnecessary management jobs that could go to make way for frontline jobs , but these guys arent going to put theirselves out of a job are they.

it will have to come from the government health department to make the neccessary shake ups and changes but they receive their reports from hospital management, so its a vicious circle.

eventually i am sure independent government research will reccomend the changes as i am sure they have started to slowly already.
as another expression says though "the lunatics are running the asylum".

100% correct chunky and exactly why things only change when people die or something terrible happens meaning those who are paid to make sure these things don't happen are found culpable and have no choice but to resign. They still get a pay off though and to be replaced by someone cut from the same cloth and so the cycle continues. The thing about this country is that people don't complain enough. Believe me, i complain about most things and although it makes me sad and gets me down because there are that many things that shouldn't be happening that do, i find if you do speak out and remain firm and committed then things get done and you will get what you want in the end. Whether that be standard of care in a hospital or food you've just been served at a pub, if you aren't happy, tell them why and tell them what they can do to make it right because it is unacceptable and shouldn't be happening.

Take me yesterday, only a minor case in point but my girlfriend went and bought Brave brand new on DVD from Blockbuster for a little lads birthday present and when she got it home she asked me to put in on for my little girl to watch first ( it was unsealed ). I examined the disc and it was full of surface marks, scuffs and having paid nearly £15 for it i decided this was unacceptable and took it back. The girl behind the desk was a bit mardy but i explained i wanted a replacement and why and i got one. The annoying thing is about this country is that standards have slipped and lots of people are quite happy to accept poor service, poor products/food and poor everything really and so companies and organisations can get away with being sloppy because people don't complain enough.

I also went into a corner shop the other day and the lady serving was chatting on her mobile phone whilst attempting to serve me. I left the items and told her that if i am prepared to part with my money in the shop then the least she could do was afford me the respect of communicating with me whilst a transaction is taking place. No sale.

Complain guys and gals, you'll feel better!

[usagullmichigan]

America is full of stupid people who dont understand a good thing when its offered to them on a plate. Yes, its expensive, but it will be cheaper per person than health insurance.

I argue this every day. My boss and her partner are dead against Obamacare yet they pay $1400 in health insurance. A friend when bankrupt and lost his house through medical bills and still doesn't want change.

[chunkygull]

i watched a documentary made by michael moore once called SICKO about the american health care system and pharmacueticals. it even features and compares our nhs against there system. it was really good, really shocking and very good educational viewing. i dont always like michael moore, he can be a bit of a jumped up little pr!ck at times and very sensationalist but i believed every word of this. worth a look.

[usagullmichigan]

i watched a documentary made by michael moore once called SICKO about the american health care system and pharmacueticals. it even features and compares our nhs against there system. it was really good, really shocking and very good educational viewing. i dont always like michael moore, he can be a bit of a jumped up little pr!ck at times and very sensationalist but i believed every word of this. worth a look.

Michael Moore lives in Traverse City (my city) and is well respected here but most americans see him as a traitor. They say that sicko is lies. It's not lies. My daughter was refused to be seen by a doctor at 3 months old because 2 insurance companies had exchanged her paperwork. Needless to say I lost my temper.

[chunkygull]

just found sicko on youtube. im actually going to watch it again , it is the best thing michael moore has done and it features real people facing the problems that have been mentioned here and much, much more.

really worth watching everyone. the americans need to wake up and smell the coffee.

yet again though if there was a public healthcare system in america there would be sooooo many fatcats that would lose money.that is why they try and slander anything but private care as rubbish and say all arguments in favour of a public healthcare system are full of flaws and lies etc.

granted the nhs isnt perfect but it is a hell of a lot better than the alternative on show in this film.

it shows the healthcare canadians get as well and it seems like the americans scoff at them.