Privatisation?

[Bronchio]

Just had a respiratory review at the local surgery last week, not with the usual team of respiratory nurses but an outside ‘doc’, no testing/ spirometer just a drive supposedly instigated by government to review meds and change/ consolidate inhalers. After the chat I received a pdf letter summarising the proposed changes but stating that the exercise was sponsored by Astra Zeneca!???…….. After the exposed lies of Covid I personally don’t trust a damned thing to do with the medical profession or the government but that’s just me.

[RoadRunner44]

Hello Bronchio. I dont understand what you mean when you sa "exposed lies of covid"!Have I missed something?

[Bronchio in reply to RoadRunner44]

safe and effective etc .... I’ll leave it at that

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Bronchio]

You've got me wondering now. Maybe other members will understand what you are referring to.

[hypercat54 in reply to RoadRunner44]

Conspiracy theories?

[49dibs in reply to Bronchio]

We should be grateful we don't live in China then!!!

[mylungshateme in reply to RoadRunner44]

I was going to ask same thing...what have I missed...🤔

[Patk1]

Im not aware of covid lies etc.Wondering if Astra zenicA employed to help clear backlog of respiratory reviews? I imagine gp will b glad of the help + Astra zenicA well placed to know of most effective, research based treatments

[Bevvy]

Very few gp surgeries are doing spiro testing or even peak flow tests these days, so not surprised this wasn’t done at your review. I have to be honest and say I don’t find my reviews that helpful anyway and it’s carried out by a specialist nurse at the practice. So don’t believe however and whoever carried out the review made any difference.

[teddyd]

Sorry but I dont understand your post 🤔

[JulyAugust]

I’ve had all thee Covid vaccines (3) with no side effects. I also got Covid which really affected my breathing badly. I’m convinced had I not had the vaccines it would have been a whole lot worse for me.

[Tykelady in reply to JulyAugust]

I've had every vaccine offered with no ill effects and agree that we don't know what the outcome of catching covid would be without the shots but probably much worse

[BrigidsFire in reply to JulyAugust]

I agree. I’ve had 6 vaccines now with just the expected side effects of feeling grotty for 24 hours afterwards (except after the AZ vaccines, they were fine).

I had covid before the vaccines and ended up in hospital twice for the same bout. I’ve also had it since the vaccines and it was mild enough to not need hospitalisation. I’m grateful for the vaccines and will continue to take all and any offered to me!

[jasmine451]

I agree with everything you said, Bronchio. My asthma review last month was done on the 'phone by someone not from the GP surgery - presumably a private contractor. The supposed "asthma plan" bit of paper never arrived either. They aren't even trying. Imagine the money being made off these scams.

Also the "pain clinics" in my area are run by private companies as is the physiotherapy, and the pain clinics and physio are still done on the phone because of "Covid", lol. An awful lot of money is being made with diagnosis and "treatment" by phone (not videocall - just telephone from someone who has never seen you and knows nothing about you). It's dangerous and I have no faith at all in the NHS now. I don't even think I have asthma at all. I have been diagnosed by phone 2 years ago and antibiotics and steroid pills given every two months or so. I think it's sinus and post nasal drip but I don' t have money to go private to find out. I think the NHS primary care is being deliberately residualised. You can't see a doctor in person where I am - you are made to see a prescribing nurse instead. I'm sorry but nurses are not doctors and have misdiagnosed two of my family members causing one to end up in hospital.

[Reading4everyone]

Morning Bronchio, I think I understand part of your post referring to privatisation. The government state in short that they support the NHS yet they appear to be privatising some areas by stealth. For instance, ear syringing I have had to pay for. I am at the moment needing IV ceftazadine intravenously three times daily. The lovely nurses are employed by a private company but used by the NHS. It appears if I have understood correctly your post that your respiratory check was carried out by a private company. Many friends of mine are going to private outreach companies to have cataracts removed. Regarding Covid lies do you mean the very rare side effects of the vaccines that weren’t highlighted? Best wishes Marlybee.

[PaulineHM]

Hi Bronchio, what am interesting post!

So as a COPD patient I am am one of a few international patient advocates with Astra Zeneca helping them understand the needs of COPD patients in relation to their activities, supportive and trials.

Perhaps I can help you understand their sponsorship role in taking spirometry in surgeries which I had never heard of until you mentioned it.

Do you have any more information please ? Explanation ? Written details and so on and then perhaps I can find out more for you ? I will be speaking to someone from Astra Zeneca tomorrow and perhaps he can tell me more or point me in the right direction ?

Was it a device trial I wonder, given that a doctor was carrying it out ? It could be that they are trialling devices to assist us with self management of appropriate use of medication in response to Peak Flow results, Spiro etc ?

I am aware that the government/DoH are trying to reduce the drugs budget overall not just for respiratory but across the board.

Feel free to direct message me if you would like me to see if I can find out more information for you.

Keep warm,

Pauline

[bwp91]

I suggest you get in touch with your surgery’s Patient Participation Group and ask them to find out what’s going on. There could be all sorts of reasons for what you’re talking about. For instance in my part of the county there’s a roving team of trained nurses undertaking spirometry. The other side of the county has long commissioned a private firm to do NHS work, including respiratory, but I have to say they’re very efficient. Years ago I was part of a project planning a COPD pathway for the City and Pharma companies provided nurses (for free but of course they must have got something out of it) for six months to review COPD patients (they found many actually had asthma and vice versus!). In short it’s all desperately complex and there could be all sorts of explanations for what happened to you. B

[Mavary]

nor me after they changed my inhalers and I went down with a bout of Aspergillosis. They kept sending Lubfrobec instead of Fostair. It took a fight but I’m finally put down for Fostair. I was poorly for seven weeks.

[ghousrider]

i glad that you got help i had nothing at all this year /i am glad i have electcial ebuliser thats help me a lot / see what 2023 brings in for me

[Louiss]

And me. Can't trust anyone anywhere anymore.

[Homely2]

Any form of in person respiratory review is to be welcomed.

My gp surgery now has no available asthma nurses and access to gp is via a daily scrum at 8.30 am, only appointments on the day are offered. The scrum is a triage carried out by a receptionist rather than a nurse and asthma is not a priority to her. If you have acute asthma she tells you to go to a and e, if it is not acute she tells you to go to a walk in gp centre that is not even in the nearest town.

Yearly reviews are carried out by filling in a form that disappears into the ether.

Irritatingly the surgery has 8 GPS, a good gp patient ratio and a large collection of nurses.

I depend on an asthma nurse from the hospital, however she is a private agency nurse, who cannot write prescriptions. She sends emailed letters to my gp surgery setting out the prescription changes required who just deny receiving them.

[Patk1 in reply to Homely2]

I would ask nurse to cc copy of email to you