Feeling Grateful

[Daisyfield]

I don't like having PMR..but there you go. No one wants to be ill.

But, I'm feeling grateful that I could call my GP and see her the next day and get a blood test and provisional diagnosis.

I'm grateful that my GP listened to my concerns about AA and booked a DEXA scan.

I'm grateful that when I worried about painful legs and chest pressure, my GP saw me that afternoon, took more bloods, ran an ECG, took blood pressure and listened to me. She reassured me but said to go to A&E over weekend if worried.

I can see GP who listens.

I can drive to A&E or ring an ambulance if I need one.

I can do all this for free.

I do not pay anything, except my prescription fee. I pay my taxes willingly for this.

The NHS is incredible.

Life saving.

Essential.

I know these posts aren't for sharing politics, so I'll leave it there.

[Louisepenygraig]

I feel the same about modern medicine. Yesterday was thinking back to about 3 years ago before I was diagnosed with PMR and my husband was waiting to have both his hips replaced. Life was pretty difficult with times when we were both too tired to cook in the evening. If he hadn't had his hip replacements and my PMR was untreated we'd probably be leading pretty restricted lives. We'd have perhaps even need to be in a home by now. As it is he's busy doing long distance walks and I have reasonably good quality of life especially as my husband has plenty of energy, is happy to share the cooking and will push me in a wheelchair if I want to go somewhere I don't feel I'd manage otherwise.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Louisepenygraig]

Hip and knee replacement - so agree - I’d certainly be housebound without them.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

The NHS is incredible - but it’s severely stretched - that’s why occasionally it falls down. But overall I think we’d agree when push comes to shove it’s the tops!

[Daisyfield in reply to DorsetLady]

I know...and other family members have been let down by the stretched system at times, but not by individuals. The majority of staff I've met have been competent and compassionate.

There are a lots of big companies that don't pay their taxes!

[Hidden in reply to Daisyfield]

I worked out that Barclays banks (among other big companies) paid less tax as a % of income than I did for several years. That sticks in the craw. When I was able to work I always said I would pay more tax rather than have the NHS crumble.

[scats]

I have often thought the same, how would it be if I had been born 100 years earlier say? Doesn't bare thinking about!

[jinasc]

Nobody can ever be too 'political' about the NHS...........we just want to keep it warts and all, come hell or high water and it will improve...........when this other business is settled.

Well I live in hope always..............

[Yellowbluebell]

Having worked in the NHS and although it has its problems it is still an unbelievable resource that other countries dont have.

[SheffieldJane]

If you can hang on to this attitude/ outlook, you are going to have a much smoother ride, I think. I have those things to be grateful for too and many more, I just need reminding. So thank you. 🌷

[Mrsd12f]

With you all the way, Daisyfield!

[Hidden]

And when you really need the NHS PDQ they are amazing! The treatment l received when l had Breast Cancer was First Class, l was actually overwhelmed by exactly how good it was!........

[PMRpro Ambassador]

And you have all seen my post from Thursday - without the NHS none of that would have happened. The GP was a bit of a prat (3 different lots of antibiotics made no difference so it must be asthma, not even a chest x-ray) but once the button was pushed it went PDQ.

[MhairiP]

The NHS is wonderful, isn't it - and in Scotland, we don't even pay for prescriptions! I would gladly pay more taxes if the money raised went to the NHS (they desperately need more resources).

[scats]

Yes the NHS is wonderful, but it's not perfect and if it is continually abused and missused it will be even less perfect.

My brother went for a blood test this morning and was told about how much time was wasted, as many as 50% of patients fail to turn up for their appointments some days. How can these people be so ignorant and selfish? They will expect help when they are in pain.

Anyone who has watched the tv show "ambulance" can not but be amazed by the trivial reasons some people ring for an ambulance. This week someone treating an injured man was threatened by a crowd of drunks. What is wrong with humanity?

If we want to continue to get the treatment you mention here we must be sure to value it and not take it for granted or even abuse it. Too many people fail to appreciate what we have. Any large organisation such as the NHS will have it's faults and there will be wastage and mistakes made, but it needs our support not our abuse. It must not be taken for granted and expected as a given right.

I was prompted to write this after a private conversation with another member of this forum. She is waiting for tests but several departments are involved and communications are poor. She is in pain and her quality of life is compromised. From her point of view the NHS is not so great at the moment.

Perhaps if the selfish people mentioned above were to stop and think and begin to value what we have, she could get what she needs.

[HeronNS in reply to scats]

Someone here (Nova Scotia) investigated and figured out how many doctor hours alone are wasted by no-shows. I don't remember the number but it was equivalent to several full time doctors per year and at the time I was shocked at the figure. This has a domino effect which ultimately leads to people waiting to get into a nursing home still occupying a bed in a hospital. I had no idea that the consequences of not showing up for an appointment could contribute so significantly to this problem.

[scats in reply to HeronNS]

I think I read somewhere that the average 10 min appointment " costs " about £75. It's probably gone up by now.

Why do people make appointments they don't intend to attend. Is it a game? The nurse my brother spoke to said many of these appointments were made that same day.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to scats]

There used to be people who rang the GP in the morning for a same day appointment - one imagines they thought it was urgent. They still didn't turn up.

Solved here - you turn up, possibly take a number, and wait. Just like the UK in the old days! Blood samples are taken at the phlebotomy clinic at the hospital or on certain days in more remote villages. Again, it opens at silly o'clock, turn up, take a number and wait. At the hospital up to 4 amazing ladies deal with over 200 patients who checked in by 10am when the number machine is turned off but the ladies are there until the last patient is done. If you are sill enough not to have a good reason for missing an appointment at the hospital - you are likely to get the bill. Many things are free or you are exempt the charge so it is just like the NHS in that sense although there are modest co-pays - but if you abuse it, you may have to pay the full cost.

[scats in reply to PMRpro]

How do they make sure people pay? I can see them avoiding it.

[Hidden in reply to scats]

The ones that have mobiles should get a fee taken off their mobile account. The problem is the admin of doing it is always said to outweigh what they could collect.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to scats]

They send them the bill at the end of the quarter. Obviously not everyone is honest and turns up to pay up - but they do send in the debt collectors equivalent. And everything here is linked - if you claim to HMRC you earn nothing to avoid tax, and they see fom DVLA you drive a Porsche you have to account for how you can afford it! Italy has about 4 different police forces and since Berlusconi was tipped out and Monti changed things, boy do they go after you! Mind you - tax avoidance is still the national hobby ...

[scats in reply to PMRpro]

I bet each force has a really smart uniform!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to scats]

They are fabulous - including lots of scrambled egg and shiny boots, even jodpur-style trousers!

[scats in reply to PMRpro]

No feathered hats?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to scats]

Nearly mentioned the hats that look like the ones Napolean wore - but that was just ceremonial uniform, the other gear is every-day!!

[Marcy47 in reply to PMRpro]

My sister used to live in Portugal. The system there was that people paid a small fee to make an appointment, when they attended they got their money back, if not they didn't. Simples!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marcy47]

Been saying that for YEARS!

If we turn up to A&E we are charged 15 euros unless we are admitted - all in-patient procedures are free, including if you happen to be an inpatient when an out-patient appointment comes due which you would have had a co-pay for! Exemptions are granted for other things if they are certain chronic conditions (GCA is, PMR isn't) or on low income grounds. The charge for A&E was to dissuade Italians from turning up for a plaster for a graze ...

[Lee1945 in reply to PMRpro]

Perhaps that is what they need to do here! People turn up at A&E with a broken toeNAIL.

The Health Service is stretched and it annoys me when drunks are sitting and going on with seriously ILL people waiting to be seen.

Maybe a charge should be made and if the clinician feels that it was NOT an emergency or at least not one that could have waited they have paid but, on the other hand, the charge can be refunded.

[Hildalew in reply to Marcy47]

This is a reply to Mercy 47. What a fabulous idea! Have to allow, somehow, for people who genuinely have no money, maybe ask them to come in immediately and wait - whatever the time of appointment you have for them?

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

I must have been typing at the same time.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to PMRpro]

The fire brigade announced they would charge for waste of time calls but it rarely happens

[Blearyeyed in reply to HeronNS]

When I went to physio on Monday their was a poster that said over 156, 000 hours of clinic time was wasted across the NHS last year because of cancelled and unused appointments.

One way people could help is by remembering to cancel an appointment as early as possible if it turns out that they don't need to use it .

It would also help if GPs stopped putting restrictions on opening their appointment books by only allowing people to make appointments two/ three weeks in advance when they need to see some patients on a monthly or six weekly basis.

People are getting into the habit of booking appointments just to be sure they can get one if they need it because of anxiety about having ongoing issues monitored , then other acute patients can't get anything when they are ill but book the closest appointment just in case they will still need help , then they forget to cancel it when they recover. It becomes a vicious circle.

It's causing the equivalent of gridlock on the motorway without an accident.

[scats in reply to Blearyeyed]

Good point.

[HeronNS in reply to Blearyeyed]

I didn't cancel an appointment once. Because the baby came before the regular appointment. I assume the doctor knew!

[Lee1945 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Wow! I would be happy if I could make an advance appointment as for most of them I have to phone on the day.

As they open the phone line half an hour after the surgery opens, it is almost impossible to get an appt.

This week, I was told that I could only see a paramedic who was totally rude and disrespecting

I have written a letter of complaint to the Practice Manager.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Lee1945]

Well that is the point isn't it.

For monitoring appointments , everyone runs the gauntlet from 8 am on the day the new appointments open in the hope they can get one on the right week with the right doctor in lots of practises because of the two or three week rule .

Virtually all the non urgent appointments get filled on the day that the new book opens , usually within half an hour , if you get engaged tones you know you will likely miss out , it's a bit like getting tickets to Glastonbury!😋😁

Of course , filling every appointment like that instead of creating a contingency to one side for urgent but non emergency appointments mean that when you have a problem that you can't class as an emergency ( and therefore get penalised by taking a emergency appointment unnecessarily) you are highly unlikely to get a GP appointment in under a week , and for an appointment with the specific GP you need to see will have to start running the morning gauntlet with everyone else on the right day usually meaning a three week wait.

This is probably why the waiting room when I go is regularly empty of patients with none in with the GP , people either didn't need the appointment by the time they could get in but forgot to cancel , or cancelled too late for the appointment to be passed on.

Occasionally you can be lucky like my jammy friend last month who asked me to make her an appointment with our GP if I could when I went in for my appointment.

I went and asked is there an appointment in the next few weeks with Dr B... I waited for the usual response , I nearly fainted when I got the answer , " 4 on Monday!"

( This was Friday!!) The one time I ask for someone else she's straight in!!

[Hidden in reply to Lee1945]

I have to get to the surgery for at the latest 8am for an 8.30 appt. If you don't get in the first few places then there's not much chance. Phoning is useless at the moment. I used the walk in 4 or 5 times in the past couple of years.

[YuliK in reply to HeronNS]

independent.co.uk/news/heal...

This article makes interesting reading. Shocking

😩

[HeronNS in reply to YuliK]

Can't read, need a subscription.

[HeronNS in reply to YuliK]

This is what one clinic discovered last year. I didn't find the item where an estimate for the whole province was made:

cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-sco...

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

They tried the miss 3 in a row you are out strategy but I never heard of it being applied.

[Lee1945 in reply to HeronNS]

I agree! My feeling is that, unless someone can PROVE that there was a genuine reason for not turning up, they should be sent a bill for £10 and the next time £20. If they are ignorant enough to do it again, £30 etc.

For some people, only hitting them in the pocket seems to work.

I believe I read somewhere that a missed hospital appointment is a loss of £360.

[Blearyeyed in reply to scats]

Absolutely agree with you.

The NHS is over strained but often it is because of miscommunication and misuse .

We need to build up people's awareness of things like that to help those in need get the help they want , and that the NHS can give them well , but struggle to without unnecessary delays and pain.

[scats in reply to Blearyeyed]

Thinking about it, how many really sick people here would like to get a same day appointment? I know I would sometimes.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to scats]

I can always have one. It has downsides but in general - if you are ill you accept it. AND she takes as long as is needed, I have waited the best part of an hour for one patient - I always take a book!

[Yellowbluebell in reply to PMRpro]

To be fair although getting an appt with a good doctor is difficult when you get to see them they give you ad much time as you need

[Suffererc in reply to PMRpro]

Agree, never know how long we may take either

[Yellowbluebell in reply to scats]

We can get same day appts only if the receptionist decides it's a valid reason. There is now a recorded message saying that we have to tell the receptionist what is wrong!! But these same day appts are usually with the one unpopular doctor in the practice!! If we want to see one of two senior doctors then it's a 4 to 6 week wait!!

[Thelmarina in reply to Yellowbluebell]

The online system is helpful. Our Practice puts up on day appointments around 8am each morning, and I’ve never failed to get an appointment...so far!..

[Suffererc in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Depends why the Doc is unpopular if he/she is new to the surgery, then give them a chance

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Yes - we had a GP like that! He couldn't look at the patient, eyes glued to the computer screen and brusque to the point of rudeness. He had his uses though - his people skills were rubbish but he would usually hand over the required! He also acknowledged the inadequacies of his knowledge base - often asked us if we could think of anything he hadn't!

Should have been a pathologist - man was brilliant, just not a people person which isn't ideal as a GP is it?

[Yellowbluebell in reply to PMRpro]

This doctor is just useless at diagnosing anything. His people skills are average. His speciality is end of life care and I wonder if this is because he doeant have to communicate too much or make a diagnosis

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Yellowbluebell]

But that is the point at which communication is crucial. IMHO.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to PMRpro]

You would hope it was important to him but I have my doubts after bring treat by him. But maybe he becomes more professional when dealing with end of life care and is brilliant with these patients.

[Hidden in reply to scats]

People not turning up for appts drives me insane. There have been a couple of times I have felt ill with bugs and have cancelled so others can have the appt. These days you even get an automated phone call here one week ahead for hospital appts and a text the day before drs appts. My surgery has about 900plus a month non attenders. That is quite a small practice with 3 drs and 3 nurses. Some don't even turn up when they have rung up in the morning and been lucky enough to get an appt later in the day. That's just taking the Mick.

[scats in reply to Hidden]

They pay their national insurance, it's there for their convenience!

[Hidden in reply to scats]

😂😂😂🤢😜

[Blearyeyed in reply to scats]

Bizarrely , the police , fire and 999 call service also get inundated with ridiculous allegedly urgent enquiries and emergencies , many of them to do with cooking issues .

My cousin , a retired fireman , regularly regaled us with stories of call from people he would like to kill off , like questions on how can you tell if your rice pudding is burnt ?!!

[YuliK in reply to Blearyeyed]

😂🤣😂🤣😂

That's so funny B,eyes

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Blearyeyed]

OH has been out to so many stupid calls as a fireman it was ridiculous and the most stupid he ever went to was some woman who has been using a cucumber for "personal" reasons!! She wasted the fire services time and the NHS's time!!

[Thelmarina in reply to Yellowbluebell]

😂

[Blearyeyed in reply to Yellowbluebell]

I don't even want to know what poor person has to deal with those sorts of inappropriate , self inflicted injuries , of which , there are suprisingly lots according to a CSI programme I watched.

I couldn't believe what they said , so whenever a dubious and ridiculous sounding fact comes up in a film or telly programme I look it up , often they are rubbish, but on this occasion terrifyingly true. Urgh!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Blearyeyed]

There was recently a hilarious programme on ITV3 (I think) of inappropriate calls to 999 - what some people think is appropriate (some actions were very public) is mind-boggling!!!!!

[Blearyeyed in reply to PMRpro]

An old boyfriend of mine had a Grandma with Dementia that rang the local police a few times every day for help with reminders about general things to tick on her daily calender , she even asked them to come over to help her choose her wigs after her hair fell out from meds .

On this occasion , however , they were happy to deal with all of her weird calls , no matter how odd .

She had moved to a little Welsh seaside village ( I won't name just in case ) and she had bought a very weirdly shaped house , very tall and slim , but surrounded by nothing impinging her upper view in all directions from her bedroom for miles.

Her condition and medication also caused her insomnia , and so because she spent most of the night looking out if the windows with binoculars , calling as soon as she saw something, they had the best burglarly prevention and conviction record in the UK for years.

" Givin' her hair advice is a small price to pay for what she does for us" , I remember the local Plod saying when I asked him about it while making the tea , " I do it for the wife and she's not half as useful." ( Fact , never forgotten it )😂😂😂😂

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Blearyeyed]

Even in big cities the emergency call centre staff are very good at dealing with silly calls when they are from people who are mentally ill. It would be very easy for them to just ditch the call as a waste of time but they spend as much time as they can in these situations.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Yes , they are definitely , but in her case they were more like carers , telling her to take her meds or get dressed and tick with the loud pen so they could hear it squeak on the wall each day .

The policeman also delivered her groceries and came in once a day at least to check if she'd eaten.

It became their new tea break stop ,

but unlike my Nana's local policemen she didn't make them fresh apple pies and cake to make the trip worth it.😂😂😂😋

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Blearyeyed]

Its lovely that they did all that for her and she was probably happy that she was "helping" the police.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Yellowbluebell]

She was , and she was , as if anyone did try to burgle a house in the village or cause an issue in the street they were never locals as they all knew they couldn't get away with it.

From her look out through the streets she could see them climbing in , or acting up as soon as they started , and she was very vigilant .

In that way she was an invaluable one woman crime prevention device.

Perhaps we should all start putting our Pred insomnia to good use and do the same , with the amount of us that are wide awake around the country every night we could probably half the crime figures overnight if they just stuffed us in a turret with a pair of binoculars !

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Blearyeyed]

The ultimate Neighbourhood Watch ...

[Blearyeyed in reply to PMRpro]

😂😂😂😂😂

[Oumaof2 in reply to Hidden]

I worked in a surgery for many years.... One caller (a young person) demanded an emergency app.... She was offered a 10:40 slot.... Reply?... I want one for later this afternoon as I never get out of bed before 1 o'clock!!! Receptionist said that was the only appointment available!!!! Patient said we were bleeping useless and she would go to The Walk In Centre at her convenience.... There's no excuse for DNA ( did not arrive) patients to miss their slot as SMS text reminders are sent the previous day....

We need to cherish and nurse our fabulous NHS back to its glorious best.... Not use it as a personal convenience!

[Purplecrow]

Well said!. Thank you for expressing your gratitude for healthcare and those responsible for providing it.

I share your feelings, although, here in the US, we pay more...I am, nonetheless, grateful to have access to first world healthcare.

[Patience47]

I had two heart bypass surgeries and 4 coronary stents, and never paid one red cent. 0h, I live in the USA.

[Hildalew in reply to Patience47]

How come?

[Patience47 in reply to Hildalew]

Medicare and TriCare /military insurance. Also, the USA has disability insurance for those under 65.

[Suffererc]

I am also pleased and grateful for the treatment I receive from my GP. Although sometimes I have to pluck up courage to ask for things, but only because PMR throws up so many problems and I feel I am forever in the surgery. What would we do without the NHS which also suffers from misuse and abuse.

[5lupins]

Good to read your post. I said the same a few days ago, I will be forever grateful for the amazing care John was given. The A&E saved his life, and he is still receiving care. It's not perfect but my American daughter in law thinks it is great. Take care Jen

[Jackoh]

Good to be reminded of the positives. I’m now in a village, where I can walk easily to the surgery. They take my bloods here, they dispense my medication here. I’m also able to walk in and wait for an appointment if willing to wait( which I am) This service is usually provided by the lead GP. Alternatively I can book an appointment which is usually for 1-3 days time. So privileged and so different from my previous GP surgery.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Jackoh]

Gosh , I'm moving to your village !

[Ryliefew123dogcat]

So good to get a positive text once in a while. I live in Canada and feel just like you do. I am very lucky to have GP who understands and listens. Although our health system is very much over worked most of it is free. Good luck with your on going problems.

[Sandradsn]

When I was working at the NHS dental surgery,people would fail their appointments daily, we used to squeeze people if they were in pain.Then they wouldn't turn up!We weren't allowed to charge for missed NHS appointments,crazy!!🙄