How Can They Not Have Heard Of Calpol?

[douglas9401]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57583733

Whiny happy people getting let loose again it seems, using up resources instead of common sense.

[barry1010]

They are probably worried that their child has Covid.

[youngmafbog]

Normally this would be in the GP surgery, however there are many places it is impossible to get a face to face appointment. Couple that with the fact the Government have scared people s**less over Covid and we are where we are. You reap what you sow.

[douglas9401]

If they're worried that their child has Covid what the hell are they doing going to a crowded hospital.

I vaguely remember somebody mentioning something about protecting the NHS a while back.

These people are our future. What chance do we have?

[youngmafbog]

Well I have been down the hospital a few times having lost an argument with a table saw and my thumb.

Hospitals are not crowded.

People are worried, having been scared by Project Fear Mk 550 administered by Johnson and Sage. If GP's wont talk to them what do you expect them to do?

Like I say you reap what you sow.

Have you had children Dougie?

[barry1010]

I wonder how many parents phoned 111, mentioned 'temperature' and were advised to hotfoot it to the nearest A&E?

[New Judge]

Where I live you cannot simply pitch up at the local A&E unless you arrive by ambulance or your problem is of an immediate threat to your life. If you do you are "triaged" by a nurse and turned away if you are not dying. Other than that you have to have an appointment arranged by 111. Here's an extract from their online guidance:
=======
Emergency and urgent care

Our Emergency Departments remain open for life-threatening conditions as well as coronavirus-related emergencies. However, they are currently very busy so please only come in if it is an emergency and you need immediate medical care.

Please see the below guidance for when to come into hospital:

If you need urgent medical help, use the NHS 111 online service. If you cannot get help online, call 111.

If it is a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 999.

If you are told to go to hospital, it is important that you go to hospital.

Only attend your appointment in person if you have been told to do so. We are currently pausing all non-urgent planned elective and day case procedures.

You may be asked to use our video consultation service for your next outpatient appointment.

Parents of young children

If you are worried about the health of your baby or child, please call 111. If it’s a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 999.

Heart attack

If you think you or a family member are suffering with the symptoms of a heart attack you must dial 999 immediately. If you or a family member develop symptoms such as heavy or tight chest pain that may spread to your arms, neck or jaw, or make you breathless, sick, sweaty or light-headed and that doesn’t go away, this could be caused by a heart attack. Dial 999 immediately.
============
It then goes on to help patients similarly self-diagnose whether they are having a stroke.

My GP's surgery has been largely closed to the public since March 2020 (apart from a brief period when they reluctantly administered 'flu jabs last autumn). So round here, parents who are worried about their children must ring 111 and only if they believe Calpol won't do the trick will they be allowed to attend A&E. I know somebody who was ill enough to be allowed to attend and she told me it was like the Marie Celeste.

This government is presiding over a process which is seeing the NHS become even more unfit for purpose than it already was. I have a niggling back problem at present which I've had for four months. Although it is extremely unpleasant I don't believe it is killing me (though I'd never know if I left it to the NHS). I have had to seek private treatment as there is no way I can have it attended to on the NHS. Because I've been fortunate enough not to have contracted Covid I've wasted my money when contributing to that wretched organisation and I want a rebate.

[pixie374]

I think it's a mixture. You can't terrify people for 15 months constantly about a lethal virus, with lockdowns, vaccinations, deaths, hospitalisations, and also be surprised that people are panicking.
Plus, you can't get a GP appointment, so if you think your child needs antibiotics, what are people going to do?
I think it will calm down again, but it isn't that surprising just now.

[dannyk13]

NJ // I want a rebate//
Good luck with that.

[Mamyalynne]

Pixie has touched on the problem, usually parents would assume it was a mild infection or virus and treat accordingly at home, now there's an added worry it may be something more.

My advice to young parents would be to consult the Grandparents for advice if you can and stay calm.

[Canary42]

Shock Horror - parents are worried about their offspring.

Of course they bloody are, it's only natural, and in the current alarmist climate fostered by Boris and Co it's all the more unsurprising.

[New Judge]

Of course they are, Canary. But the point is that in any sane society, the system of so-called "primary care" would not be permitted to deteriorate almost to the point of non-existence. I can go to the dentist, I can have a tattoo done, I can go to the barbers. All these places get "up close and personal" to carry out their services. But I cannot see a doctor (or, more pertinent to this question, parents cannot take their child to see a doctor).

Not only that, the GP service shows no signs of resuming normal service. They have taken the opportunity to pare their services down to a minimum and many of them believe this level of service will be permanent. The GP service needs abolishing and the money saved used to improve clinics where people can go to see somebody who will actually help them with their problem. The current set up is a bloody disgrace.

[dannyk13]

NJ //The GP service needs abolishing //
To be replaced with what?

[dave50]

The option to opt out of NI payments and pay for private instead.

[dannyk13]

Dave, what about the pensioners?

[eve1974]

Danny 14:25 to be replaced with many more satellite walk in / or book on the day clinics.

Not quite an a&e but providing more extensive services than the average gp.

Get rid of book in advance gp appts (which were nearly always running late in my experience).

[Sqad]

It is all too late now, there will always be GP's in some form and Hospitals as separate entities.
The British public would not stand for anything different which would mean effort on their part.
They demand 111 telephone services, GP's around rhe corner and Hospitals within 10 miles. Pharmacy and medical domicilaries. Neurosurgical and Chest units to hand and Casualty depth around the corner combined with a multitude of Walk In centres.
It cannot be done and the public are resistant to change and both Political persuasions know this.
So.......what are the Politicians to do? If they want to form a Government, they have to "pander" to the public......and that they are prepared to do.
It is all too late.
A&E has never functioned as such for 50 years.
The chance to set up GP's Polyclinics attached to hospitals was lost decades ago as the British public might have to put in some effort and travel.
Spoon-fed since 1948 and do not intend to adapt.

[pixie374]

NJ, they are not allowed to turn anyone away from A&E. They can only triage you last.
Other countries send you straight to a specialist. We do seem to have a bit of a random combination here.

[davebro]

"They demand 111 telephone services,"

Who demanded them - weren't they foisted on us as a supposed way to reduce actual contact with a doctor?

[pixie374]

111 is online. You may as well just Google.

[eve1974]

sqad you mention 'its all too late" as the current change (ie many gps still only doing tele appts despite lockdown easing) is being foisted on the people anyway.