NHS realities

ecoleman said:
I’m not going to defend the conservatives, they’ve done a lot wrong but explain the state of the NHS in Wales please.

www.bbc.co.uk

NHS: Is Wales worse than England for waiting lists?

Can waiting times be compared between Wales and England?
www.bbc.co.uk
Click to expand...

The Weslh government is reliant on a budget allocation from Westminster, which is at present controlled by the Conservatives.

www.gov.wales

Welsh Government budgets | GOV.WALES

Wales receives a budget allocation from the UK government which is determined by the Spending Review and any subsequent adjustments.
www.gov.wales www.gov.wales
 
andya700 said:
The Weslh government is reliant on a budget allocation from Westminster, which is at present controlled by the Conservatives.

www.gov.wales

Welsh Government budgets | GOV.WALES

Wales receives a budget allocation from the UK government which is determined by the Spending Review and any subsequent adjustments.
www.gov.wales www.gov.wales
Click to expand...
The NHS gets plenty of money in all nations. It’s down to p*** poor management and a waste of money.

I’m sure Labour will get into power next year so will be interesting to discuss again 4 years later.
 
An update, of sorts.
She was admitted, because when eventually seen by the physio, she couldn't stand.
A day or so later she was able to stand and to walk a bit, and the plan was to discharge her next day.
She then fell and cracked her head, ending the plan to discharge her.

So, although her reason for going to the hospital in the first place (dislocated shoulder) has now been fixed, she has now become a "bed blocker" simply because she lives on her own and the care and support that she needs simply doesn't exist, or at least it only exists in theory.

She now cannot be discharged. The NHS has a reablement team who provide up to 6 weeks support at home, FOC, on discharge from hospital, but demand greatly exceeds supply. It has nothing to do with the cost, the people simply aren't there, regardless of who pays.
 
Garry Edwards said:
An update, of sorts.
She was admitted, because when eventually seen by the physio, she couldn't stand.
A day or so later she was able to stand and to walk a bit, and the plan was to discharge her next day.
She then fell and cracked her head, ending the plan to discharge her.

So, although her reason for going to the hospital in the first place (dislocated shoulder) has now been fixed, she has now become a "bed blocker" simply because she lives on her own and the care and support that she needs simply doesn't exist, or at least it only exists in theory.

She now cannot be discharged. The NHS has a reablement team who provide up to 6 weeks support at home, FOC, on discharge from hospital, but demand greatly exceeds supply. It has nothing to do with the cost, the people simply aren't there, regardless of who pays.
Click to expand...

So sorry to hear that Garry, I hope the situation improves.
 
Garry Edwards said:
An update, of sorts.
She was admitted, because when eventually seen by the physio, she couldn't stand.
A day or so later she was able to stand and to walk a bit, and the plan was to discharge her next day.
She then fell and cracked her head, ending the plan to discharge her.

So, although her reason for going to the hospital in the first place (dislocated shoulder) has now been fixed, she has now become a "bed blocker" simply because she lives on her own and the care and support that she needs simply doesn't exist, or at least it only exists in theory.

She now cannot be discharged. The NHS has a reablement team who provide up to 6 weeks support at home, FOC, on discharge from hospital, but demand greatly exceeds supply. It has nothing to do with the cost, the people simply aren't there, regardless of who pays.
Click to expand...


Sorry to hear that, hope it all gets sorted soon.
 
Garry Edwards said:
Without comment from me . . .

Shortly before 7 pm last night, other half visits her 88 year old mother, who has dementia. Finds her on the floor with injured shoulder, following a fall.

7 p,m, Rings for ambulance, is asked whether she can take her to A & E herself. Replies no, as she cannot stand and cannot sit up, so needs an ambulance. Told that it won't be immediate as it is not an emergency. Points out that she is in severe pain, advised to give her a paracetamol.

10 p.m., rings again, is told that the ambulance will be about another hour.

3 a.m. Ambulance arrives, paramedics are excellent, they take her to the local hospital, which is full. Wait in the ambulance until 5.30 a.m., when they have room inside.

Told that she is lucky to be accepted, Future patients are being told to go to York hospital instead, about 40 miles away, as local hospital cannot cope.

Finally given painkillers, dislocated shoulder re-set. Told that she should be able to go home, but must wait for physio to come on shift at 8 a.m.

2.30 p.m. Still waiting for physio to see her
Click to expand...

THAT is the worst part (from my perpective) completely unprofessional!
 
An update, following my last post on 12th November.

She was discharged, but fell at home again same day, back in hospital until 2 days ago.

No reason to keep her in hospital, it's simply that it took the social workers 2 months to (in effect) do nothing. They were going to send her to a home for assessment 3 weeks before Xmas, then they had the Xmas break, then the doctor strike. I don't know whether these delays are due to workload, lack of resources or incompetence, but the result is that she has been miserable in hospital for 2 months, with no treatment either possible or needed,

She went home 2 days ago, has had 2 further falls and is now beginning to realise that she needs to go into a home, and we are taking her to one (for assessment) on Monday.
She hates the idea of going into a home, and it will also be a waste of her money. The only benefit that I can see is that they will (hopefully) give her medication, we she can't remember to take herself, but it isn't the life she wants and maybe isn't any kind of a life.

One think that's come out of this - I have now created a lasting power of attorney, enabling my son to take medical and care decisions on my behalf if it becomes necessary to do so in the future. The old lady eventually agreed to do that, but not until it was too late, with the result that she will be entitled to walk out of the home if she wants to, which is likely to happen
 
It's a big joke where I live in Wales.
Last year I spent a lot of time in and around hospitals and ambulances with several family members. In one case a heart attack victim had to be driven to hospital in a car because the wait for an ambulance was 14 hours, she then waited another 4 hour in casualty before she was even seen by a nurse.
My disabled mother who fell at home was told to get a taxi to hospital as no ambulances (they all sit outside the various hospitals with patients on them because theres no beds or staff) she was an 88 year old with a head injury after the fall on blood thiners (high risk of a bleed on the brain) and waited 6 hours to be seen and another 5 before a scan.
Another falling in a nursing home waited 30 hours for an ambulance and died later in hospital.
While waiting on an ambulance with one of my family (a few hours)outside bridgend hospital the driver came out of casualty and held up a big card with an A on it. I asked the attendant what it meant and he told me it's the crews code for wait in the ambulance as theres no beds or nurses.
On another occasion I found a man who had fallen down stairs at a station and called an ambulance (he was unconcious) after 2 hours I flagged down a passing police van who looked at the casualty, realised I knew more about first aid than he did and left. An hour later the mans family turned up looking for him and took him still unconcious to hospital. I rang to cancel the ambulance to be told it'll be out tomorrow, this being about tea time.
One of my wedding guests dislocated a knee, again no ambulances so she was driven to hospital in a car and waited all night to be seen.

Sorry for the rant.
 
Last edited:
I've seen both sides.
Seen them at their very best and all the way to utter incompetence.
 
Just had experience of the lack of communication between hospital, GPs and the care system. 98 year old, living on her own, sent home with broken arm and an appointment for two days away! (On way in, one hour wait for ambulance, three quarters of an hour assessment by ambulance staff, another half an hour wait to be taken into A & E, x-ray, another half hour wait for doctor to fit a sponge sling to the broken arm, then sent home to an empty house with Cocodamol!) Seven days later and the GP has no record of her visit to A & E yet! The system of ambulances waiting to "hand over" the patient seems barmy. Two crew and an ambulance waiting hours to handover. It wouldn't happen in any workplace that I have been into! "Get that bus art Butler"! Effective use of staff and equipment? Nah!
 
Luckily I rarely use the service. Son needed stitches last week though after football accident. Went to a smaller hospital for them and was in and out in no time. GF daughter had a really serious op the other month, 9 hour back surgery. Food gross, but care was pretty good.

Definitely needs reform though, should be non-political.
 
I'd love to see the way I saw them be how they always are.

When our son was born it was like the scenes out of a movie. We were almost being flown to Switzerland, at the last minute sent to Alder Hey, given a room in the hospital to sleep. Experimental surgery, you name it. Experience I'll never forget. Saved our son's life.
 
cambsno said:
Luckily I rarely use the service. Son needed stitches last week though after football accident. Went to a smaller hospital for them and was in and out in no time. GF daughter had a really serious op the other month, 9 hour back surgery. Food gross, but care was pretty good.

Definitely needs reform though, should be non-political.
Click to expand...
robj20 said:
I'd love to see the way I saw them be how they always are.

When our son was born it was like the scenes out of a movie. We were almost being flown to Switzerland, at the last minute sent to Alder Hey, given a room in the hospital to sleep. Experimental surgery, you name it. Experience I'll never forget. Saved our son's life.
Click to expand...
My own experience is similar, I had a minor heart attack summer before last, have had every possible test carried out, all very efficient with wonderful staff, could not have been better.

But, the experiences related in this thread are all about the poor ambulance availability, about an old lady who didn't need to be in hospital being kept there for 2 months because of lack of effort/incompetence or whatever by social services staff and lack of resources.

Surely, people should get better than this at the end of their life?

The current situation is that she is going into a care home next week. She doesn't accept the need and has refused to go, which she has a legal right to do, but there really is no choice, and we have had to force the situation. Making these arrangements is something that the social workers promised to do, but didn't.
 
If we want Social Services and the NHS to be sorted in a sensible way, then we need to stop treating the NHS as a football to gain votes with. Oh, and to accept that Social Care and Health Care seamlessly join up (except when you are demonising them, or trying to extract money for tax cuts).
 
Pound Coin said:
If we want Social Services and the NHS to be sorted in a sensible way, then we need to stop treating the NHS as a football to gain votes with. Oh, and to accept that Social Care and Health Care seamlessly join up (except when you are demonising them, or trying to extract money for tax cuts).
Click to expand...

Even a 5yo would know thats the sensible option!
 
Ah, so we just need some 5yos in government.

Trouble is, they are all frothed up about Rwanda. Because that's what they are being told IS IMPORTANT!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top