stupid country...

[Spud1]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...229523,00.html

I read that and sat there with my mouth open...couldnt quite believe it, then I realised it was england heh.

[rae]

What the hell. Fined for being too quick, i'm sure that's just an error that hasn't been reviewed by the government. But otherwise that's appalling

[dave87]

most definately, bureaucracy gone bonkers. Thank goodness for BUPA

[Bazzlad]

BUPA are disgusting. They have some of the worst "Care homes" I have ever seen in my life.

[Bluecube]

F**king mad. Absolutely stark staring bonkers. No wonder everyone is laughing at Britain these days.

[iranu]

Welcome to the Fascist Labour party and their dictat of quotas and targets. Mediocrity for all.

Gov: You will only treat 1.75 patients, no more and no less.
Doc: Err how do you treat 0.75 of a patient.
Gov: Don't argue or you will be sent for re-education..

[ExceededGoku]

that is really shocking... typical though :/

[Bazzlad]

I was hired by my Doctor's surgery to help make them reach Government targets.
It works like this:
Doctors have to see 100% of all people in their area who has X diesase
*Cancer, Asthma, MENTAL HEALTH, CHD etc.

Me to Doctor.
"Don't the people who require check ups come in anyway?"

Doctor
"Yes"

Me
"what about people who have had ONE asthma attack or whatever- it's on their record but have it controlled do you have to see them?"

Doctor
"Yes"

Me
"So you're filling the surgery with healthy people with controlled diseases and/or nutcases"

Doctor
"Yes and it has to be done EVERY YEAR - EVEN IF THEY DECLINE"

Me
"Is that why I have to wait weeks to see my Doctor?"

Doctor
"No comment"


Why you ask? It's so a fat polititian can stand up and say;
Queue SCOTTISH voice
"Under Labour, Doctors have seen 67.5% more chronically ill patients"

"here, here"

[dave87]

BUPA are disgusting. They have some of the worst "Care homes" I have ever seen in my life.

Care homes maybe - hospitals & surgeons, definately not the case. I managed to break my collarbone clean in two, the nhs wanted me to wait a week and then they might fit me in, with a lower limb specialist. BUPA, got onto the shoulder specialist, provisionally booked me in for two days time. Good I thought, only to get a phonecall from the specialist himself, who was willing to arrange it for the next morning at 7:30am. When was the last time you got that on the NHS?

Oh that and decent hospital food - had pork loin over a salad with a dressing of some sort, was delicious, dread to think what I would have got at my local NHS hospital, more akin to airline food than anything else....

That's not my only experience with BUPA, and they have been as good every time I have used them, so the praise is not on the basis of one experience.

[Steve B]

i think this story is being slightly twisted to once again, reflect badly on the NHS.
1. Hospital gets funding
2. Hospital uses funding to make good things happen and have excess capacity.
3. Hospital can now see more patients and now does not require as much funding for improvement
4. Hospital loses some of its funding, to be allocated in other hospitals

how is that a bad thing?

[Bluecube]

That's not my reading of the story. The trust is refusing to pay the hospital for the treatments that have already been.

[Steve B]

ah yes i read it now, sorry folks, missed that bit. Its still pretty crap, but its a lose lose situation in my opinion.

Privatise the NHS ftw! Or at least have the american system where if u cant afford treatment you can apply for funding.

[charleski]

"what about people who have had ONE asthma attack or whatever- it's on their record but have it controlled do you have to see them?"

Hang on there boyo, it's a little bit more complicated than that. Asthma and COPD are some of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Asthma, like all allergic diseases, appears to be worsening, if anything. How is the patient to know they 'have it controlled'? Do they have a peak-flow meter at home? Do they have a stethoscope to listen for wheezes in their chest? No? Might be an idea to see a doctor once a year then, unless their 'one attack' was truly a one-off reaction to a specific pollutant.

As for "filling the surgery with nutcases"... Working in health care really needs a different sort of attitude.

A huge amount of GPs time is spent dealing with trivia arising from people who aren't really all that sick at all, that's why you have to wait for an appointment. Making sure that there is dedicated time put aside to monitor people who definitely are sick is a very good idea.

[FirePhoenixCtk]

Well we do live in some weird f8&ked up country. Shouldn't it be a good thing that patients are being treated faster. No wonder the uk is going down the pothole.

[Bluecube]

Why you ask? It's so a fat polititian can stand up and say;
Queue SCOTTISH voice
"Under Labour, Doctors have seen 67.5% more chronically ill patients"

"here, here"

I though John Prescott was from Yorkshire

[Bazzlad]

Hang on there boyo, it's a little bit more complicated than that. Asthma and COPD are some of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Asthma, like all allergic diseases, appears to be worsening, if anything. How is the patient to know they 'have it controlled'? Do they have a peak-flow meter at home? Do they have a stethoscope to listen for wheezes in their chest? No? Might be an idea to see a doctor once a year then, unless their 'one attack' was truly a one-off reaction to a specific pollutant.

As for "filling the surgery with nutcases"... Working in health care really needs a different sort of attitude.

A huge amount of GPs time is spent dealing with trivia arising from people who aren't really all that sick at all, that's why you have to wait for an appointment. Making sure that there is dedicated time put aside to monitor people who definitely are sick is a very good idea.

Excusing the roughness of the first post, you'll find the point still stands.

Having worked in the NHS I can't tell you the amount of people who have had ONE asthma attack - I had one as a child (which was viral asthma - a virus which emulates asthma) and have had ONE prescription for an inhaler in 20+ years. I'd say they're under control. As is anybody who doesn't feel the need to be checked out. If your asthma isn't affecting your life - it's under bloody control.

When you need a check up, you know. If you don't go when your body gives you a warning sign, are you going to go when you recieve a letter with an option to go? I doubt it

It's the worst idea ever, fill up doctors surgery with healthly people on the off chance one or two are ill. I can't see how you can think otherwise. You must love that NI bill at the end of your wages