So sad

[Suet3942]

This morning I spoke to my rheumatologists secretary only to be told that he’s leaving the trust today. He’s had enough and is taking a complete break. She and I were in tears. She said all his patients are devastated. He will be sorely missed.

[piglette]

Things are getting pretty dire with the NHS. I had a bit of a surprise yesterday. I have a cyst just below my thumb nail so I decided to go privately as the NHS aren’t interested, and I also have a small lipoma. I found someone who is in fact a GP, who rents a room at nights from the local cottage hospital. He had five people waiting, he sees one person every 10 minutes at £60 up front. He saw me thirty minutes late and looked at the cyst and said it was arthritis! I think he was thinking about Heberden's nodes. I pointed out to him the swelling was not on or near a joint and I thought it was a cyst. (I was a trustee of Arthritis Care for several years, now merged to form Versus Arthritis, so had some idea about arthritis). He then decided it was a cyst and said it needed to be drained. He said he would do it when taking out the lipoma at £350. I said forget the lipoma. He then explained how to drain the cyst, gave me a ‘free’ needle and said goodbye. The moral of this is, there are quite a few GPs setting up privately at the moment, so check them out first.

[agingfeminist in reply to piglette]

The number of docs getting on the get-rich-quick go-private bandwagon is increasing...many consultants have been riding it for many years...one has only to remember the opposition from consultants (and other docs) to the introduction of the NHS...they were bribed to make it possible.

I was admitted to hospital with suspected GCA...the very rude rheumatologist, who gave me less than two minutes of his time, insisted that I make an appointment to see him in a month...but when I phoned the only appointment available was in 9 months time ...unless I went private (cost about 500 pounds!) I left hospital with no advice about tapering. Then I found this forum and went with their wisdom to my GP who has given me wonderful support...and have never seen the rheumatologist since. My GP sent me with a letter to A and E on one occasion...and that worked well...saw a consultant ophthalmologist within 10 minutes.

BTW I am in Israel, where we are watching our health care system go the way of the NHS.

It is heart-breaking to see that maintaining healthcare-for-all is no longer a priority.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to agingfeminist]

Is anything a priority for most politicians other than lining their own pockets?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Norra lot!

[agingfeminist in reply to PMRpro]

You are so right. Where are the visionaries and the idealists?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to agingfeminist]

Most of them are envisaging the wrong ideals I think ...

[Flivoless in reply to PMRpro]

Let me give that a nanosecond of thought - nope

[borednow in reply to PMRpro]

Sad, but true.

[piglette in reply to agingfeminist]

I think the thing that is worrying me is that nowadays it seems any old GP is setting up privately. There is no check on what they are doing. In the past the NHS was offering a reasonable service, but now private GPs have virtually no competition. They use rooms above chemist shops, cottage hospitals at night etc etc.

It is sad that Israel seems to also have a health system that has problems.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Though to be fair - they were private suppliers under the flawed NHS system anyway. Just instead of them being paid from the NHS pot, you are paying direct,

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

Yes but they are setting up as individuals, a sort of Shipman set up, which is not allowed any more for GP practises.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Private MUST be subject to the same standards and checks as the NHS provider - and of course, they aren't. Which is why the NHS loses out to private providers.

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I have just checked the requirements to set up privately as a GP, from the BMA. “ Any doctor fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) - in accordance with the provisions of the Medical Act 1983 - is entitled to set up in private medical practice.” That is it! It is suggested that the patient’s GP refers the patient and that they inform the patient’s GP of the visit, so medical records can be updated. In my case the private GP did not even ask who my normal GP was, so I assume he will not be informing them! I think the government could be heading for big problems, as it seems these people are totally unregulated. bma.org.uk/advice-and-suppo...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Oh I'm sure they will - they are cruising for a bruising as it is!!!

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

We will have to wait and see. Quite frightening.

One of our GPs has set up an aesthetics company with a really flash website. It seems to be the in thing nowadays with absolutely no regulations. Perhaps they are better than the totally untrained people who also seem to be doing it, on the other hand. As my sister said, accountants, solicitors and teachers seem to be checked more than doctors and the doctors have our lives in their hands.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

OH couldn't tender to supply services from Medical Physics because the regs he was subject to cost so much to cover that his tenders weren't competitive against a private group who didn't have to comply.

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

Says it all. Perhaps I will write one of my mad letters to the press.

[SheffieldJane]

Nothing for it Sue, you are just going to have to get well! 😘

[Suet3942 in reply to SheffieldJane]

😂 🤞🤞