I think that will remain a whisper, until Scotland look like it's on their agenda again.You're having the life of Riley down there... so what's with all this nonsense talk about Welsh independence then?
Yes, in England only 90% of prescriptions are free.
We've always talked about independence, even though it's not financially viable.You're having the life of Riley down there... so what's with all this nonsense talk about Welsh independence then?
A few of the Ladies at the mid-week Stableford say something similar.We've always talked about independence, even though it's not financially viable.
It's like you don't like your neighbours, but you can't afford to move
I've been dealing in N. Wales since 1999.
Walked up Snowdon a couple of years ago, just after the era of lockdown.
My good lady has Chrohn's, and at one stage had an ileostomy (which was eventually reversed) all her stoma supplies were free. She joined an FB Chrohn's group (which has proved so helpful - a positive aspect of social media) The group has a lot of US members who have to pay stupid amounts for supplies (the insurance companies almost all found a get-out clause to pay!) to the degree that a few people faced the choice of food or stoma supplies! And we complain about the NHS.....
I work for a company that is helping Trusts move to electronically storing their documents. What you have witnessed is only a minute glimpse of the ass-backwardness that exists in the NHS.
A very long time ago I was a grad trainee for a major packaging company who got sent into a London hospital to talk to them about their plans to repackage bulk packs of drugs into smaller packs for internal redistribution.
The NHS is full of such people and it hinders the health service from being the world leading health provider it should be. The same applies to every large organisation though and I can't see the situation changing much.
It's the British choice to put health in the hands of an bureaucracy of 1,400,000 people that's badly run by by half interested, over-promoted clerks, "supervised" by uninterested doctors and nudged by "here today, gone next year," Ministers of Health.
Love it.
Wow that is some service.
Recently been suffering from severe lower back pain which has got worse. A month wait to see GP who referred me for physio. (GP surgery then ask for feedback on their service!) I had to email physio but heard nowt for 2 weeks. Reminded them and then got a "consultation" by what was obviously an NHS bot. 2 weeks later get response "we will contact you shortly". 2 weeks later get an appointment in 2 months time. So basically 20 weeks without knowing what is wrong or any attempt to put it right.
NHS is at its best in an emergency, it seems. However, for more run of the mill type things the system seems to grind to a crawl.
I worked in "manufacturing industry" in my twenties in paternalistic companies which always had oodles of mainly men with "back problems" which could take them off work for long periods of time. "An occupational hazard" that the NHS was hopeless to support. Later I ran distribution operations that had the same problems with warehouse staff.
SWMBO has severe osteoarthritis and basically needs new knees. She had as many cortisone jabs as was feasible and pestered her doctor until he referred her (she works in a surgery herself, so knows the trigger words etc.). Was emailed a link which had the option of our main hospital in a good few months time or a very local private hospital within 2 weeks! Attended, got a place to park (no charge) and was seen on time (as it turned out by the same consultant who would have done her main hospital consultation...) He had a chat and said we don't appear to have any recent x-rays (there are, but of course the systems do not talk to each other) so needed some doing. Our hearts sank as we envisioned another hospital appointment at some stage in the future then a wait for another consultation. Nope - told us to walk down the corridor by which time he had asked for said x-rays which were done straight away and within 10 minutes we were back in front of him! He said that if knees done by him at the private hospital it would be 5-6 months, but if at the main hospital (which is likely in case of complications connected with her Chrohn's) the wait would be 10-11 months, again done by him. Within just 24 hours she had a letter detailing the discussion with her follow-up appointment. The contrast is stark and I'm not convinced it is all down to finance - as much to do with more efficient process?
