What is hacking you off today?

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Lucky you can even queue on the phone.

Personally i don't. As the GP's Surgery is only about 150yds from where i live i walk down there, tell them my phone is broken etc, smile & make a fuss ( nicely of course ).
I've been asked to return later that afternoon around 4pm, & someone has seen me.
This has occurred 3 times in the last year, each time after i was texted by the Surgery asking me to call & make an appt for what-ever.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Before Covid, i could just walk into my GP's, & make an appt no prob at all. Now you have to phone & join a 2 hrs queue, why???. I just can't fathom it out?.
And as for guaranteeing you'll get an appt within 2 weeks, what good is that if your phoning because you need to see a GP asap because of what-ever symptoms you have?.

Yep. Booking an appointment weeks ahead is no good to most people, they need to see a doctor quick. Phone 111 for advice, 111 tells you to phone the doctors for an emergency appointment at 8am because you need to see a doctor, quick. When you phone back 111 and say you've phoned every morning for 2 or 3 days and can't get an appointment(Can't even get through in most cases), they then tell you to go to A&E. And there lies the problem with the overloading of A&E. They need to sort this Doctor system out. Each GPs should have say 2 hours each day for emergency appointments Monday to Friday. At the moment, you get loads of people fighting for the one or two cancellations each day. Ridiculous.

 

[blueblueblue]

Lucky you can even queue on the phone. Mine has a limitation on queuing numbers so you literally have to keep redialing probably 100 times to just get in the queue. I'm not even exaggerating either. As you can imagine, once you get through all the appointments are gone.

I've been trying to get an appointment just to get them to put me on the list to get the snip, then I believe the waiting list is around 2 years. Been trying since May (when we had my 3rd child).

Gods looking down on you and doing you a favour :)

 

[Mad Cyril]

Also Why is it typically those that live on benefit street that have put nothing into the system the ones that abuse the system the most aswell.

Do you have any evidence to support this?

 

[blueblueblue]

If the “patient” didn’t make up symptoms to ensure they got a call out it would save a lot of time.

Also Why is it typically those that live on benefit street that have put nothing into the system the ones that abuse the system the most aswell.

Benifits come in all shapes and forms, even working people get them.

I mean, how dare those OAP's get a state pension, they've only paid into the pot for the last 50 years. Bloody Freeloaders.......

 

[kaymac]

Before Covid, i could just walk into my GP's, & make an appt no prob at all. Now you have to phone & join a 2 hrs queue, why???. I just can't fathom it out?.
And as for guaranteeing you'll get an appt within 2 weeks, what good is that if your phoning because you need to see a GP asap because of what-ever symptoms you have?.

Good point. Don‘t understand why I can easily get to see my dentist yet my GP surgery is almost off-limits these days being it’s difficult to get in to see anyone let alone get an appointment.

 

[Mad Cyril]

I mean, how dare those OAP's get a state pension, they've only paid into the pot for the last 50 years. Bloody Freeloaders.......

That isn't the case. They have paid NI and tax which funds lots of benefits. They haven't been saving for their retirement and they haven't 'earned' it Neither have they earned their free prescriptions. They are state benefits to which they are eligible, a fact that doesn't sit too well with those pensioners who demonise the unemployed and single mothers.

Those of us working now pay for the state pension that is paid today and chances are we will get a much worse deal when we retire

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

Our surgery uses an online referral system. I have Dupuytren's Contracture in both hands. It's not life threatening, pretty painful at times, effectively means I cannot play the guitar which for me is a disappointment and is very painful. I referred myself to the GP with the problem along with photos and within 48 hours (the accepted standard) was referred to a hand specialist. Still waiting for the op but seen the consultant. Super efficient.
A few years ago I caught something really bad when digging one of my son's garden. I was out of it, lost a stone in a week and head spinning a lot. I think if I'd phoned an ambulance they would have come but partly or probably completely due to my upbringing you don't complain until you're half dead. In the end I phoned the doctor. Just about got it out to the "care navigator" what was wrong and got straight through to the GP. I was able to give her a lot of info as I had a Fitbit equivalent. She immediately without seeing me prescribed an antibiotic that later I found out was the go to drug for syphilis and a drug for my dizziness which is also given to schizophrenics. My point is you don't need with modern technology to actually see a GP for everything. It's going to fundamentally change how we do things.

 

[Mad Cyril]

I am always amazed how many people at A&E are able to get themselves outside to smoke.

 

[Kat_r]

In my understanding that is not uncommon, and are examples where a £50 call out charge should be introduced, and those persons enlightened, yellow card warned and flagged on any ambulance call system as restricted response.

Hmm but can’t ever see that introduced in the uk

 

[Kat_r]

The 7:02 from Benfleet is staying room only.

Yikes. C2c used to be ok but heard some horror stories post covid

 

[Kat_r]

Before Covid, i could just walk into my GP's, & make an appt no prob at all. Now you have to phone & join a 2 hrs queue, why???. I just can't fathom it out?.
And as for guaranteeing you'll get an appt within 2 weeks, what good is that if your phoning because you need to see a GP asap because of what-ever symptoms you have?.

It should go back to before.

 

[Kat_r]

Just on the subject of the NHS and cause / effect, my Dad (a Shrimper but not a Zoner as he’s a technophobe!) was rushed into hospital two weeks ago with chest pains.

I say rushed in, the 999 call handler said an ambulance would take 5 hours to arrive so my brother drove him in to Southend General. Upshot was that he needed a stent fitting, which has to be done at Basildon Hospital apparently and is a 20 minute non-invasive op.

He then spent 10 days stuck in Southend General, clogging up a bed and bored out of his mind waiting for that 20 minute op. He’s had it now and back home all well thankfully.

Setting aside the ambulance bit for a moment, surely it’s not a good use of a hospital bed for 10 days never mind all the food and nursing time for a standard 20 minute op?

I’ve no doubt a list of reasons could be offered but there was no medical reason for the holdup and it doesn’t appear to be super efficient on the face of it. The actual care, when it came, was first class of course as it always is.

That’s odd. Yes, thought the bed blocking was the main reason for the issues. I’ve heard others say they were kept in a hospital for too long/given no reason why they needed to be there and not at home. Won’t go into details on here but same thing happened to me in Southend general. Lucky enough for me I was able to prove I within my rights to be discharged as they made an ‘error’ with a calculation.

 

[blueblueblue]

I am always amazed how many people at A&E are able to get themselves outside to smoke.

How do you know they're all patients?

 

[Mad Cyril]

How do you know they're all patients?

I have spent my fair share of time in A&E

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Gods looking down on you and doing you a favour :)

well I am terrified of getting it done, it's my wife who's more in favour of it than I am. I feel like a dog being taken to the vets to be neutered. I'm just thinking of all the poor women who are going to miss out

 

[hlane17]

Essex Ambulance service has put out a statement today saying they are under extreme pressure with long queues forming. They have urged the public to only call with life-threatening illness or injuries.

Certainly doesn't help the ambulance service when A+E is clogged with non-urgent cases as well.

My partner got told via telephone by her surgery to go to A+E for an ear infection!!!!! Was sent to Bas because it was meant to be the best unit to deal with it. They told her to go Broomfield because the ear specialists were not at Bas. She got to Broomfield and was told the specialists were at Bas that day.

In summary, the head doesn't know what the **** is doing.

 

[hlane17]

Some of the most dangerous driving I have seen for a very long time on the M6, M1 and M25 on the way back from Brum. Quadruple Lane weaving at 70/80 mph. Absolute ****ing idiots that endanger every other driver on the road with them.

Yesterday someone tried to undertake me while I was turning right on the Burnt Mills roundabout and refused to move nearly forcing me off the road. Can't say I enjoy driving at all.

Not to mention a near-death experience on the A1 near Huntingdon when going to visit my nan, people swerving lane-to-lane like you say, nearly hit us.

 

[ESG]

Yesterday someone tried to undertake me while I was turning right on the Burnt Mills roundabout and refused to move nearly forcing me off the road. Can't say I enjoy driving at all.

Not to mention a near-death experience on the A1 near Huntingdon when going to visit my nan, people swerving lane-to-lane like you say, nearly hit us.

Walking on the seafront yesterday morning witnessed a Chelsea tractor overtake a car that was doing the speed limit only 200 yards from Thorpe Hall Avenue junction and nearly collide with an oncoming car. Truly jaw dropping.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I am always amazed how many people at A&E are able to get themselves outside to smoke.

20 years ago I was stabbed multiple times in an unprovoked attack by a loony, who didn’t know me, in London. While recovering in hospital I wheeled a drip outside for a fag on several occasions, to be greeted by colleagues with even more impressive medical devices attached. Where there’s a will there’s a way!