OT 25309 the NHS

[Geoff Parkstone]

So as the NHS is constantly loved/hated, lauded/decried and a permanent source of debate for underfunding or watefuless, I thought I'd start o thread about it.

Why 25309? Simple - that's the number of days into my life before I spent a night on a hospital ward: last night in fact. Won't go into details but admitted for observation and antibiotics intravenously

So "my diary" - but please everyone add their own experiences - good or bad. But no filibustering and if I see any politics or "to he Tories did this, labour did that" I'll ask Andy to delete the thread.

I'll kick off with day 1 - A&E admission. Organized chaos ranging from people with obvious emergency issues to the silly girl I heard in the queue later. Explaining why she was there she said she had fallen over and landed on her arm. When asked did she think she had broken anything she answered "my watch" and asked if they could sign something for her insurance claim. So overstretched staff (a feature I'll continuously come back too I expect) a shortage of doctors over 30 (well none) and, of the staff, barely a white face in sight (you hat is no a criticism, merely an observation.

Took an eternity to get through process (which did seem over bureaucratic) and the most uncomfortable chairs and excessive heat: perhaps to deter time wasters or promote the growth of MRSA.

But we got there - I'd just expected to be given antibiotics but the solution was more all embracing and so day 25309 became a reality.

Let's see if this piques interest...

[ramAnag]

So as the NHS is constantly loved/hated, lauded/decried and a permanent source of debate for underfunding or watefuless, I thought I'd start o thread about it.

Why 25309? Simple - that's the number of days into my life before I spent a night on a hospital ward: last night in fact. Won't go into details but admitted for observation and antibiotics intravenously

So "my diary" - but please everyone add their own experiences - good or bad. But no filibustering and if I see any politics or "to he Tories did this, labour did that" I'll ask Andy to delete the thread.

I'll kick off with day 1 - A&E admission. Organized chaos ranging from people with obvious emergency issues to the silly girl I heard in the queue later. Explaining why she was there she said she had fallen over and landed on her arm. When asked did she think she had broken anything she answered "my watch" and asked if they could sign something for her insurance claim. So overstretched staff (a feature I'll continuously come back too I expect) a shortage of doctors over 30 (well none) and, of the staff, barely a white face in sight (you hat is no a criticism, merely an observation.

Took an eternity to get through process (which did seem over bureaucratic) and the most uncomfortable chairs and excessive heat: perhaps to deter time wasters or promote the growth of MRSA.

But we got there - I'd just expected to be given antibiotics but the solution was more all embracing and so day 25309 became a reality.

Let's see if this piques interest...

First reaction, GP…and without intruding, sorry to hear you’re unwell and hope you’re soon back to full health and able to return home armed with glowing reports of your treatment.

I do have experiences to recount, which I’ll save for later, but I can honestly add that when the going has got properly ‘tough’…in my experience they’ve regularly come up trumps despite the apparent chaos all too often caused by the unreasonable behaviour of certain ‘clients’.

Good luck, hopefully you can be our ‘roving reporter’ but not for too long before you’re back home.

[MadAmster]

It was around day 4750 for me. Cycling home from school for lunch, a classmate decided to cross the road without looking. It was impossible to miss him. I flew over the handlebars, our heads collided and witnesses say I flew a good 10 yards through the air before making 1 point landing on the left side of my face. Fortunately, apart from a small scar in the middle of my eyebrow, everything healed perfectly. My classmate suffered a fractured skull when we clashed heads and he too recovered fully. I was kept in for 3 days, he for a week. The first thing I remember was waking up in a hospital bed. I was right royally looked after, though.

Following that there was a broken ankle and 4 sinus washes at different times. First 3 were under local anaesthetic. #1 and #2 were fine. #3? It seems the anaesthetic didn't "take" and when they tried to punch the hole through the bone the pain was excruciating. I vowed that if I ever needed a 4th it would be a general anaesthetic. Late 20s I did need a 4th. NHS refused to do it under a general anaesthetic. Fortunately, through my then employer, I had BUPA and had it done privately, under a general anaesthetic.

I have had no bad experiences with NHS hospitals other that that one anaesthetic failure and that is something that can happen on occasions.

Here in NL. Broken finger. Badly cut arm following an altercation with a glass topped coffee table which saw me sever the tendons to 3 fingers, one knee op to remove part of the meniscus and make a slight repair to the ACL, 2 shoulder injuries, both requiring surgery and a double break in a fibula and two stents in the left coronary ventricle following a heart attack.

Just the one major issue with one of the shoulder injuries. The orthopedic surgeon (OS) was not a listener and that has caused me quite a few issues over the past 11 years. The arm and shoulder were reset without an operation in the August. After that I was back for controls every 2 to 3 weeks. By late October, having done a lot of sport all my life, I knew how my body felt when recovering from breaks and injuries. The arm/shoulder just did not feel right. I brought this up at every appointment, requesting an MRI. The reply was always the same, I'm the expert, I'm the one who has studied, all going to plan bla bla bla, you're not getting the MRI. This went on to late February the following year. Yet another appointment and I began my usual request. He said "no need to say any more, I'll give you the MRI, just to shut you up". Back a week later for the MRI. Another week later, back for the result. I'm not sure but it might be a world record shortest consultation ever. I walked in, said hello. He greeted me back and said that he thought it was best that I go to a colleague OS. I asked who, he said Dr de Vries and I should make an appointment to see de Vries at reception. We both said goodbye. 30 seconds tops. I had resisted the temptation to scream "YES" and punch the air as de Vries was the OS who had done my Meniscus/ACL op and he was much more open and friendly, made you feel a person rather than simply a broken body part. Back another week later to see de Vries. At this time I still don't know the result of the MRI but was pretty convinced that my constant thoughts over several months were right and that there was something seriously amiss. de Vries confirmed that I was right. the arm had been broken about an inch and a half below the shoulder ball joint and the ball joint had dislocated. when the arm was reset it was rest incorrectly and the ball joint, although back in its socket, was sitting correctly in the socket. There was also extensive tissue damage that needed repairing and I needed an op. Turned out to be 2 ops in the end. The first one involved rebreaking the arm, setting the joint back, correctly in the socket, repairing tissue and screwing bits together. 9 months later, a 2nd to remove said screws and tidy up a few more tissue issues. The first OS had dropped a huge *******. He never apologised. He's the only hospital employee I've ever had issues with. 2 years ago I saw some reviews of him on the site of the hospital. several said "he just doesn't listen, thinks he knows best...". He's not learned.

[SithHappens]

Hope you are ok.

I have spent more than the average person in hospital (Royal Derby) and can say I think they have been excellent.

My last time was last week for a hernia repair, and while I'm not enjoying the recovery or did I enjoy the day, they ere really good with me.

Agree they do long hours, they deserve a decent pay for what they do.

Yes there tends to be less white faces, but that's not new, and certainly not an issue. It seemed to be for my elderly parents last time I was in as they claimed they could not understand the Dr in charge of me despite his English being excellent, not sure if it was their age, or suffering from colour deafness (term made up)

I think your comment about the young girl really related to common sense and personal responsibility. Something which I think puts a huge strain on the NHS. Not sure when we became less able to make common sense decisions and be more responsible for ourselves.

Our local GPs produces stats each month of missed appointments and its always triple figures. It's unforgivable on my opinion, of course you always get someone arguing if but circumstances etc caused them to miss an appointment but largely it's down to being irresponsible.

Anyway hope you are doing ok

[MadAmster]

PS - whatever it is GP, I wish you a full and speedy recovery.

[macstheman]

Too many to recount (and some I'd rather forget) but there is one which was somewhat nerve shredding.

I'd had a funny turn at work and was rushed into the old DRI with query heart attack which in my forties was more than scary. After a spell in A&E I was admitted to Coronary Care for obs. During the night it was a hive of activity with Dr's and Nurses running here and there as heart monitors bleeped ominously on a almost continuous basis. There was no way I could sleep, I was given something to help me drop off...... didn't work. Talk about recovery and rest it was b****y impossible.

Then, about 2am there was a sudden croaking in the bed opposite me and staff went into full major incident mode. Unfortunately, they couldn't do anything and a mortuary attendant arrived with an unpleasant means of transport.

4am, still can't sleep and more stuff pumped into me. And then, just to seal the deal as it were, we have a repeat performance of the 2am incident and another visit from mortuary man to the gent IN THE BED NEXT TO ME! My god, grim reaper getting a bit close now somebody get me out of here before he gets greedy.

6am the Sister tells the Dr that despite pumping me with enough stuff to down an elephant I hadn't slept all night. Too b****y right, got to stay alert or Happy Jack comes looking for you. Dr says my BP is very high! Of course it is watching carnage all around you, at least it means I'm still on this planet! Fortunately, the Consultant feels that I can go home and be treated as an OP, father in law comes to pick me up and I'm out of there faster than Superman on a good day. As I pass the Nurses Station they hope I'm feeling better!!

[Ramshank72]

I have my own parking space...
This year, it's took 6 months, many GP and virtual appointments, blood/urine/stool tests, and an eventual day in A&E and subsequent scan to diagnose a blocked gallbladder. The scan diagnosed it straight away, should have been done when I first reported symptoms.
Surgeon told me it needs to be removed, he'll put me down on the urgent list - and to expect a 3 month wait.
2 months in and no appointment letter yet.
Everyone very nice, but at every juncture I've felt like I've been held at arms length to get the care I needed, because the resource to get that care is overwhelmed.

[ramAnag]

I have my own parking space...
This year, it's took 6 months, many GP and virtual appointments, blood/urine/stool tests, and an eventual day in A&E and subsequent scan to diagnose a blocked gallbladder. The scan diagnosed it straight away, should have been done when I first reported symptoms.
Surgeon told me it needs to be removed, he'll put me down on the urgent list - and to expect a 3 month wait.
2 months in and no appointment letter yet.
Everyone very nice, but at every juncture I've felt like I've been held at arms length to get the care I needed, because the resource to get that care is overwhelmed.

The only way you have your own parking space at the Royal Derby is by parking at Aldi on the other side of Hospital Island!
Diabolical parking…for patients and staff.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Same here but I found the value of a motorbike was that I could sneak past the barriers.

Topic of the morning. Catering. Now I know it has to have broad appeal and they have massive volume to cover but:

I ordered Muesli, orange juice, toast and marmite and a banana for breakfast. I received a bowl of prunes, sunny delight, toast and marmalade and a pear. Why bother getting patients to fill in the form easier just to bring random.

For lunch a turkey salad. Good job I'm not Muslim because that turkey was definitely ham.

I mean, overall it was edible and way ahead of a McD etc but why offer one thing and deliver another?

[Geoff Parkstone]

But good news whilst hanging around here I got a good deal on cataract operations - 4 month waiting only instead of 2 years previously indicated. Right place right time. And by ultrasound now