Our NHS is the best in the world.

Axel_Knutt
Axel_Knutt Posts: 275
edited December 1969 in Campaign
Did you hear the guy who had had TB on Radio 4 on Saturday morning?

The doctors had been telling him he'd got laryngitis for weeks and months, so eventually his father in Austria told him to go over there for treatment. Within 45 minutes of seeing the Austrian doctor he was in a hospital isolation ward, where they told him if he'd left it another week he'd have been dead. By that time he had lost 4 stone in weight, could no longer stand or walk, broken 3 ribs coughing, and infected 36 other people
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Comments

  • ankev1
    ankev1 Posts: 3,686
    That's all well and good, but did the NHS doctors manage to meet their treatment targets, which as we all know is what really matters.
  • stelvio
    stelvio Posts: 1,422
    My friend was treated for cancer for years by German Docs, including chemo and major abdominal surgery. She turned out to have some obscure granulomatous disease, discovered when she came to the UK.
    Hence all German medicine must be rubbish, and the NHS is brilliant ? ( Actually German medicine is pretty rubbish ).
  • Mister Paul
    Mister Paul Posts: 719
    My best mate is blind. He's been blind since his mom threw him at a wall when he was a toddler, and damaged his optic nerve.

    He went on a speaking tour of the USA a few years ago. At a college in Alabama he was told by some excited professor that they could assess him using their advanced, best-in-the-world processes, and could quite possibly do something about his vision.

    Cue my friend's excitement about the possibility that his lifelong hopes may soon be realised. This continued all the way through the investigations, until they got to the end and proudly told him exactly what the NHS had told him some 20 years earlier.

    From what I'm seeing more and more the problem over here seems to be getting through the GP system to a specialist, who would have more chance of getting the right diagnosis. I'd be interested to see how this compares with other countries.

    __________________________________________________________
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    __________________________________________________________
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  • ankev1
    ankev1 Posts: 3,686
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by stelvio</i>

    My friend was treated for cancer for years by German Docs, including chemo and major abdominal surgery. She turned out to have some obscure granulomatous disease, discovered when she came to the UK.
    Hence all German medicine must be rubbish, and the NHS is brilliant ? ( Actually German medicine is pretty rubbish ).
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    You seem to have had very negative experiences of Germany. I've found the GPs here to be streets ahead of their NHS counterparts.
  • Rigid Raider
    Rigid Raider Posts: 1,568
    My GP here is frighteningly inexperienced and looks everything up on his computer, including symptoms. I would love to have his software; I could set myself up as a Dr. and earn a packet.

    Global TH1.5 Ti hardtail.
    Global TH1.5 Ti hardtail.
  • simoncp
    simoncp Posts: 3,260
    Yes, and we've got the best policemen, soldiers, televison and legal system too.
  • stelvio
    stelvio Posts: 1,422
    <font color="red"><font size="1"><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ankev1</i>
    You seem to have had very negative experiences of Germany. I've found the GPs here to be streets ahead of their NHS counterparts.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"></font id="size1"></font id="red">

    A good friend of mine is a GP in Dresden; he went back after ten years in the UK; he is quite clear that the UK was better in his opinion, though the NHS clearly not perfect.
    We have a wide experience of German medicine in my family.
    My sister-in-law was given a third degree tear by Professor Blah-Blah at what should have been a perfectly normal delivery. Her child is now six, and they have still failed to diagnose an obvious case of ADHD ( this is an american disease and hence not found in Germany ). Her father was given an infected hip implant. My sibling had some perfectly harmless moles removed and has been left with scars that look like something out of Frankenstein. I could go on....
  • Archcp
    Archcp Posts: 8,987
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Axel_Knutt</i>

    Did you hear the guy who had had TB on Radio 4 on Saturday morning?

    The doctors had been telling him he'd got laryngitis for weeks and months, so eventually his father in Austria told him to go over there for treatment. Within 45 minutes of seeing the Austrian doctor he was in a hospital isolation ward, where they told him if he'd left it another week he'd have been dead. By that time he had lost 4 stone in weight, could no longer stand or walk, broken 3 ribs coughing, and infected 36 other people
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Yes, I heard it. You seem to have forgotten that the point was made that he went private, and that if he'd gone with the NHS, they'd have spotted it sooner, as they see more cases among the less priveleged...

    If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.
    If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.
  • <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Arch</i>
    Yes, I heard it. You seem to have forgotten that the point was made that he went private, and that if he'd gone with the NHS, they'd have spotted it sooner, as they see more cases among the less priveleged...

    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    That's an interesting point. I read that ambitious young surgeons in the USA fight to get junior jobs in the hospitals in the worst areas as they have a big workload of stabbings, shooting, baseball battings etc. and therefore get a huge amount of experience very quickly.
  • Ian Loveday
    Ian Loveday Posts: 1,187
    The system the doctors or any other health care proffesional works in is largely a red herring. Its the quality of the individual that counts, some are good some are bad and most are somewhere in between.

    www.sheffieldphoenix.org.uk
  • stelvio
    stelvio Posts: 1,422
    <font color="red"><font size="1"><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Ian Loveday</i>

    The system the doctors or any other health care proffesional works in is largely a red herring. Its the quality of the individual that counts, some are good some are bad and most are somewhere in between.
    www.sheffieldphoenix.org.uk
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"></font id="size1"></font id="red">

    Disagree; individual abilities/skills/morale are clearly important, but German medicine is bad because of the system; most of the individual German Docs I know are exceptionally capable individuals, hence become a great asset to the NHS when they leave Germany.
  • Mister Paul
    Mister Paul Posts: 719
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Ian Loveday</i>

    The system the doctors or any other health care proffesional works in is largely a red herring. Its the quality of the individual that counts, some are good some are bad and most are somewhere in between.

    www.sheffieldphoenix.org.uk

    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    It's also about management. A good firm knows how to recruit and manage good staff.

    __________________________________________________________
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    __________________________________________________________
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  • May I suggest watching the new Michael Moore film "Sicko" about Universal Health Care.

    http://lifeonthetube.blogspot.com/
  • ant41
    ant41 Posts: 59
    As Mister Paul says, the problem is indeed getting access to the treatment. When you have a private operation, the surgeon is exactly the same, with the same skills - the only difference when you are on the table is who is paying. In terms of trauma (as opposed to woolly diagnoses that could throw anyone) the UK is the best in the world - case in point, Northern Ireland, among the best at treating gunshot wounds.

    On the other hand, you have the consultants insisting that their SHOs and Registrars assist on private operations when they should be doing their NHS ward rounds . . . you can't say no to your consultant.

    Bonking is fun . . . but not on the bike.
    Bonking is fun . . . but not on the bike.
  • stelvio
    stelvio Posts: 1,422
    <font color="red"><font size="1">On the other hand, you have the consultants insisting that their SHOs and Registrars assist on private operations when they should be doing their NHS ward rounds . . . you can't say no to your consultant.</font id="size1"></font id="red">

    Did you just make this up, or was it something you got out of a socialist worker christmas cracker ?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ant41</i>

    As Mister Paul says, the problem is indeed getting access to the treatment. When you have a private operation, the surgeon is exactly the same, with the same skills - the only difference when you are on the table is who is paying. In terms of trauma (as opposed to woolly diagnoses that could throw anyone) the UK is the best in the world - case in point, Northern Ireland, among the best at treating gunshot wounds.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Interesting - technically they do have the same skills - but I was listening to a dentist friend of mine describing the difference in effort they put in when treating an nhs and a private patient and it was significant...to my ears at least.

    __________________
    Mediocrity is for winners
  • Unkraut
    Unkraut Posts: 1,103
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by stelvio</i>

    <font color="red"><font size="1"><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ankev1</i>
    You seem to have had very negative experiences of Germany. I've found the GPs here to be streets ahead of their NHS counterparts.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"></font id="size1"></font id="red">

    A good friend of mine is a GP in Dresden; he went back after ten years in the UK; he is quite clear that the UK was better in his opinion, though the NHS clearly not perfect.
    We have a wide experience of German medicine in my family.
    My sister-in-law was given a third degree tear by Professor Blah-Blah at what should have been a perfectly normal delivery. Her child is now six, and they have still failed to diagnose an obvious case of ADHD ( this is an american disease and hence not found in Germany ). Her father was given an infected hip implant. My sibling had some perfectly harmless moles removed and has been left with scars that look like something out of Frankenstein. I could go on....

    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
    We've clashed on this theme before! Our experience is that at least as far as <i>waiting</i> for treatment is concerned, the German system is better. Whether or not the treatment you get once admitted is better, frankly I don't know. You almost get the feeling of being 'over-treated' here! It is true that the German system has had to make up for a certain amount (actually quite a lot) of NHS neglect, but has not always produced a cure (a bit vague, but avoids lengthy life histories). NHS dentistry is particularly naff. The German system is better in that you get access to specialist treatment without having to go through your GP, but they are trying to change that. The doctors are campaigning against this, arguing that patients don't want a system like the English one with managers deciding when and if you get treatment via waiting lists. My English hackles really rise at seeing that, I must admit, but having watched relatives 'wait' until it was too late, or else go private spending money they could ill afford, I suppose I cannot blame them.
    Of course there is a problem with giving personal experiences on both sides of this discussion. Friends of ours moved from Kent to the Bristol area, since when their daughters have been diagnosed with a long-standing heart murmur and diabetes, both of which were not picked up in Kent. So within the national system there is a variety in the level of care.
    As for ADHS - topical! Our neighbours' kids have been diagnosed with this, but I am sceptical of its existence, something which has not improved neighbourly relations!
  • trustysteed
    trustysteed Posts: 1,490
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by stelvio</i>
    they have still failed to diagnose an obvious case of ADHD ( this is an american disease and hence not found in Germany <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    i don't think it's limited to america. it's a common disease worldwide caused purely by rubbish parenting and a lack of discipline in today's politically-correct driven world.

    smack the brat's a<i></i>rse when they're being naughty, ffs.



    today's baby elephants are tomorrow's circus heroes

    today\'s baby elephants are tomorrow\'s circus heroes
  • Joe Sacco
    Joe Sacco Posts: 4,907
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Kirstie</i>

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ant41</i>

    As Mister Paul says, the problem is indeed getting access to the treatment. When you have a private operation, the surgeon is exactly the same, with the same skills - the only difference when you are on the table is who is paying. In terms of trauma (as opposed to woolly diagnoses that could throw anyone) the UK is the best in the world - case in point, Northern Ireland, among the best at treating gunshot wounds.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Interesting - technically they do have the same skills - but I was listening to a dentist friend of mine describing the difference in effort they put in when treating an nhs and a private patient and it was significant...to my ears at least.

    __________________
    Mediocrity is for winners
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Dentistry is different though. You will get different treatment, teeth pulled rather than crowned for example. You should never go NHS for dentistry as it isn't free anyway, just cheaper, but what is offer can differ greatly.

    Operations are the same though. I had choice of private or NHS for 2 ops I have had this year. The same surgeon used for either. Just get a nicer room, choice of appointment times, better food etc,. from private.
  • stelvio
    stelvio Posts: 1,422
    <font color="red"><font size="1"><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Unkraut[/i
    As for ADHS - topical! Our neighbours' kids have been diagnosed with this, but I am sceptical of its existence, something which has not improved neighbourly relations!
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"></font id="size1"></font id="red">

    One of life's little ironies: a friend of mine is a child psychiatrist; he is German and hence trained somewhere that is as ignorant of ADHD as you apparently are, and now spends his working life treating ADHD.
  • Mister Paul
    Mister Paul Posts: 719
    One of our boys is due an op. The consultant said that there's no point us going private (we have cover) because he can do it quicker on the NHS. And we don't have to pay any excess.

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  • stelvio
    stelvio Posts: 1,422
    <font color="red"><font size="1">i don't think it's limited to america. it's a common disease worldwide caused purely by rubbish parenting and a lack of discipline in today's politically-correct driven world.
    smack the brat's a<i></i>rse when they're being naughty, ffs.</font id="size1"></font id="red">


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhd

    "ADHD is a developmental disorder that largely is neurological in nature."
    "Twin studies indicate that the disorder is highly heritable and that genetics contribute for about three quarters of the total ADHD population. "
  • Unkraut
    Unkraut Posts: 1,103
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by stelvio</i>

    <font color="red"><font size="1">i don't think it's limited to america. it's a common disease worldwide caused purely by rubbish parenting and a lack of discipline in today's politically-correct driven world.
    smack the brat's a<i></i>rse when they're being naughty, ffs.</font id="size1"></font id="red">


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhd

    "ADHD is a developmental disorder that largely is neurological in nature."
    "Twin studies indicate that the disorder is highly heritable and that genetics contribute for about three quarters of the total ADHD population. "
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
    Saying that I am sceptical of the existence of ADHD and its varients does <i>not</i> mean that I deny there is a problem. However, my first port of call when there are these kinds of behavioural problems is not ritalin, but firstly acknowledge that children are badly behaved, check what is happening at home in case that is messing the children up (absence of discipline, divorce), and in particular consider a change of diet. The latter can work wonders! TV/computer games could also be a contribution to this.

    If I had an axe to grind, it would be excusing bad behaviour by blaming it on an 'illness' <i>rather</i> than looking for where the real causes might be. This might explain why people get so defensive about this.
    If medical science comes up with something more objectively identifiable, then I will change my mind, it is not set in concrete. But I am sure the majority of cases where this is diagnosed could be dealt with other than by behaviour-modifying drugs.
  • redcogs
    redcogs Posts: 3,232
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
    Operations are the same though. I had choice of private or NHS for 2 ops I have had this year. The same surgeon used for either. Just get a nicer room, choice of appointment times, better food etc,. from private.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    i'm told that the usual route for the lobotomy is through the skull Joe. Presumably, when they had to perform the second attempt, they 'went in' via an existing orifice?

    <font size="1">please look up to the stars.. </font id="size1"><font size="6"><font color="red">***</font id="red"></font id="size6">
    <font size="1">please look up to the stars.. </font id="size1"><font size="6"><font color="red">***</font id="red"></font id="size6">
  • Joe Sacco
    Joe Sacco Posts: 4,907
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by redcogs</i>

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
    Operations are the same though. I had choice of private or NHS for 2 ops I have had this year. The same surgeon used for either. Just get a nicer room, choice of appointment times, better food etc,. from private.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    i'm told that the usual route for the lobotomy is through the skull Joe. Presumably, when they had to perform the second attempt, they 'went in' via an existing orifice?

    <font size="1">please look up to the stars.. </font id="size1"><font size="6"><font color="red">***</font id="red"></font id="size6">
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    I haven't had a lobotomy, or at least I don't think I have. I must admit I haven't felt the same after the op...
  • Mister Paul
    Mister Paul Posts: 719
    So there's another reason for your vacant stare then Joe?

    Bird flu? [;)]

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  • They might use an existing orifice to do your lobotomy redders, but they'd have to get through your vocal chords first.











    [;)]

    Dan
    Dan
  • simoncp
    simoncp Posts: 3,260
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Joe Sacco

    Dentistry is different though. You will get different treatment, teeth pulled rather than crowned for example. You should never go NHS for dentistry as it isn't free anyway, just cheaper, but what is offer can differ greatly.

    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Dentistry is not different. We are often told by that NHS medical treatment is as good as private, but as we are told that by the government which is responsible for running the NHS, or employees of the NHS, these assurances are as useful as adverts from an beer company telling us that their lager is the best.

    Better to look for independent evidence. People who are in a financial position to choose between NHS and private provision, where that choice exists, choose private treatment more and more.

    State services such as housing and education are other services shunned by those who can afford private. Health care is no different.
  • Jaded
    Jaded Posts: 6,663
    Dentistry is different.

    It is(was) not considered essential treatment and that is why it is outside the main core of the NHS.

    --
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  • Joe Sacco
    Joe Sacco Posts: 4,907
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by simoncp</i>

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Joe Sacco

    Dentistry is different though. You will get different treatment, teeth pulled rather than crowned for example. You should never go NHS for dentistry as it isn't free anyway, just cheaper, but what is offer can differ greatly.

    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Dentistry is not different. We are often told by that NHS medical treatment is as good as private, but as we are told that by the government which is responsible for running the NHS, or employees of the NHS, these assurances are as useful as adverts from an beer company telling us that their lager is the best.

    Better to look for independent evidence. People who are in a financial position to choose between NHS and private provision, where that choice exists, choose private treatment more and more.

    State services such as housing and education are other services shunned by those who can afford private. Health care is no different.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    I think you have misread what I said. I am saying NHS treatment is lesser, i.e pulling out teeth rather than going in for expensive repair work.

    Whereas when having an operation in a hospital no shortcuts are taken on the NHS operating table. The advantage with private is the pre and post op experience.