Quote:
Originally Posted by Ext1jdh  How is the quality of the care? Is there a waiting list? All the typical questions. As you may know the US is in a bit of a tizzy over all this and we keep getting vague information from the media saying one way or the other. How about the truth from someone who actually lives with it?
This hits me right at home due to recent events. I'd really like to know. |
Well it is in a bit of a tizzy itself, the main problem with the Health Service is the fact that it is a major political football, every party offers utopia and delivers Barnsley! It is also grossly underfunded mainly due to the purse string holders ineptitude, coupled with the fact that it is completely stratified with non-medical managers (they probably absorb 25% of the total budget!)
So yes, it is rife with problems, but then so is any other government organised institution.
Waiting lists, well they are fudged also just to keep the politicians feeling smug. So we look at Anne's case. She first had problems about 12 months ago, got to a doctor almost immediately (Typically the doctors are very available), started along the road of investigation and then on to the personal decision making time for her. Went back to the Doctor in Feb to start the surgical trail, was referred to a specialist, saw the specialist in June (a wait of four months - but that doesn't count!) Operation was in the beginning of August, so For the politicians figures, that was only a two month wait.
The service is constantly changing, I won't say improving, because that is too generous a word. In fact one hailed "improvement" was to close the Accident and Emergency facitlity at the Vale of Leven Hospital, so now the west coast of Scotland from North of Glasgow up to Oban and as far east as Stirling are now covered by a single A&E over in Paisley, a journey of up to 150 miles! because it's
cheaper! and this is happening all over the UK.
And yes.... in emergency situations it costs lives!
So as you can see it's secondary role is as a health service, it's primary role is as a cash cow for non-medical 'personnel' and a political football.
All that being said. I still believe that it is better than any alternative. And the medical people who staff the health service, I believe, are generally excellent.
So Finally after that, may I say Good morning all and Happy Monday! it is 45*F Raining and I
STILL have this rotten cold so at some point this week I will launch myself into the Medical Machine.
Other than that all is well.
