What is it about the NHS????

[Squaredy]

As I sit here in A and E with my 79 year old mother, I have plenty of time to ponder our national health service.  We all know it has problems, especially here in Wales - only yesterday it was reported on the news that every A&E department in England has missed its targets for seeing people in a reasonable time.  But why is it not possible to opt out?

 

 Surely I should be able to choose my own private hospital?  I have private health insurance, but it doesn’t help with this sort of situation.

 

We have been waiting about an hour so far and not even triaged.  At this rate the drunks will start arriving.

 

Last time my Mum was in A&E she was on her own and being sick, and had to wait until 5am having arrived 8pm the previous day.  Other members of the public were looking after her thankfully.

[woody paul]

A&E is luck of the draw. I cut the tendon on my thumb was looked at x-ray and given an appointment at another a special hand department for the next day 45 minutes is all it took. 

But 3 months ago I had a foreign object in eye sat there 3 hours. 

[Squaredy]

6 minutes ago, woody paul said:

A&E is luck of the draw. I cut the tendon on my thumb was looked at x-ray and given an appointment at another a special hand department for the next day 45 minutes is all it took. 

But 3 months ago I had a foreign object in eye sat there 3 hours. 

I think three hours would be considered really good in these parts.

[Stubby]

If you need to go to A+E and can get there yourself/wife/friend etc then do it for 06:30 on a Monday morning .  That's when I went after being poleaxed by that Labrador .  Hour and a half tops .

[Con]

3 hours ago, Squaredy said:

As I sit here in A and E with my 79 year old mother, I have plenty of time to ponder our national health service.  We all know it has problems, especially here in Wales - only yesterday it was reported on the news that every A&E department in England has missed its targets for seeing people in a reasonable time.  But why is it not possible to opt out?

 

 Surely I should be able to choose my own private hospital?  I have private health insurance, but it doesn’t help with this sort of situation.

 

We have been waiting about an hour so far and not even triaged.  At this rate the drunks will start arriving.

 

Last time my Mum was in A&E she was on her own and being sick, and had to wait until 5am having arrived 8pm the previous day.  Other members of the public were looking after her thankfully.

You've sort of answered your own question.  Your private medical insurance doesn't cover accidents and emergencies, which is why you can't and shouldn't opt out of national insurance . Hope your mother is ok 

Edited December 14, 2019 by Con
Forgot the main question

[Peasgood]

2 hours ago, Squaredy said:

I think three hours would be considered really good in these parts.

Had grinding chip in my eye, chose to skip the two nearest A&E and went to the next one with better rep. 

Signed in, triaged, treated, given prescription and walked to pharmacy at other end of hospital. My truck was in the car park for 65 minutes. Fantastic place!

This was 2pm on a Friday.

so it can be done. 

[Squaredy]

16 minutes ago, Peasgood said:

Had grinding chip in my eye, chose to skip the two nearest A&E and went to the next one with better rep. 

Signed in, triaged, treated, given prescription and walked to pharmacy at other end of hospital. My truck was in the car park for 65 minutes. Fantastic place!

This was 2pm on a Friday.

so it can be done. 

Worth the journey!  Seen a doc now and got to wait for scan.  Thanks to British Red Cross we both had a cuppa and she had a sandwich.

 

Maybe next time we could go to Bristol.  Or would that not work I wonder?  Must look into the reputation of the Bristol Royal infirmary.  The Royal Gwent is awful.  It was a lovely hospital until the NHS got hold of it.

[Saw-sick Steve]

1 hour ago, Squaredy said:

Worth the journey!  Seen a doc now and got to wait for scan.  Thanks to British Red Cross we both had a cuppa and she had a sandwich.

 

Maybe next time we could go to Bristol.  Or would that not work I wonder?  Must look into the reputation of the Bristol Royal infirmary.  The Royal Gwent is awful.  It was a lovely hospital until the NHS got hold of it.

Eh? The Royal Gwent has been NHS run since 1948 - exactly how old are you??

Edited December 14, 2019 by Saw-sick Steve
date

[Squaredy]

16 minutes ago, Saw-sick Steve said:

Eh? The Royal Gwent has been NHS run since 1948 - exactly how old are you??

LOL I am not speaking from personal experience.  Queen Victoria opened the Royal Gwent, and it was state of the art.  Now it is just a state.

[Saw-sick Steve]

Carefull what you wish for...