Even The Best Hospitals Are Struggling

[Canary42]

So much for Cameron's phoney promises.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31849833

[naomi24]

Never mind, Canary. You might have Miliband soon – he’s going to work miracles!

[mrs_overall]

Yes, Labour would do a miraculous turn around of the NHS.....not. Look at the NHS in Wales.
Oh, and let's not forget it was Labour who gave GP's massive pay rises for doing less work. Many young-ish GP's at my surgery now work part time because they can afford to. It is the same nationwide and this is one of the reasons people flock to A&E rather than try and see their GP.

[-Talbot-]

Too many people for too little infrastructure?

[aelmpvw]

When i walked to my local doctor with a dislocated finger he refused to do anything, sending me to a&e eight miles away. What exactly does he do?

[naomi24]

Could a GP fix a dislocated finger? I don't know.

[mrs_overall]

I have fixed a dislocated finger so I am sure a GP could!

[aelmpvw]

i would have thought so naomi but what i thought was a five minute job turned into a six hour saga

[naomi24]

Mrs.O, yes but I'm wondering if the GP was reluctant to do something that would normally be done at a hospital. Ticking the right boxes seems to have been the norm for a very long time now.

[mrs_overall]

ael, next time, give me a shout x

[naomi24]

aelmpvw, don't give me a shout. I'd be hopeless! :o(

[Kathyan]

I agree with Talbot. There are far too many people in this country and also too many not paying into the system.

[Old_Geezer]

Second attempt :-(

It is true that Labour decided to over-reward GPs but it is my understanding that we are still short of them. It appears financial incentive is not what is needed to attract the number needed.

I suspect the real problem is the vast number of people here in the UK, resulting in an unsatisfiable level of demand for the health service.

It's not as if the targets are too tight. For example the ridiculous (lack of) target for seeing folk in A&E; that should drive any reasonable person to despair. Folk go there needing help, they should be seen within 20 minutes not 6 weeks or whatever the target is. And "seeing" doesn't mean putting a name on a bit of paper and telling them to sit down in the waiting room for the rest of the day.

[mrs_overall]

I once spent a Saturday evening at A&E in a large city. What an eye opener. The majority of the people there were drunk and appeared to have nothing wrong with them.
I have long held the belief that there should be a triage system in place as soon as you walk through the door. It would only need three categories:
1. "We will get you seen as soon as possible"
2. You don't need to be here, go see your GP
3. Clear off or I'll have you arrested

[naomi24]

Our A&E has a GP available on site.

[wired]

The NHS has had problems for many years, Talbot got it right, part of the problem is doctors and nurses being bullied by some families into giving treatment where first aid would suffice.
A couple of years ago I was in a well known London hospital when pandemonium broke out late on the Friday night a doctor explained that several beds were being used by drunks and drug addicts who were too "ill" to be discharged. I expect many hospitals have this problem at weekends. Maybe society should take the blame for much of the problems.

[ToraToraTora]

you seem to enjoy denigrating our country, I recommend moving to one you like.

[youngmafbog]

Drunks are only a small part of the problem. Unregistered foreigners are another part as are people with funnels shoved up their backsides, but by far the biggest problem is old people clogging up beds.

[icecreamicecream]

Never mind,Tweety...sorry,Canary,at least you and Blair And Kinnock will do ok.Yay,power to the people.