MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

Vicky made her last house call at teatime yesterday and took off the remaining steri strips. Just a bit of old blood to wear off but the wound is fully closed and healed only a fortnight after the event. And no bruising at all. Lovely result and I told her she must have done something right!

[Cathy]

I think you were lucky Stanley, looks good.

[Stanley]

[Sue]

Vicky made her last house call at teatime yesterday and took off the remaining steri strips. Just a bit of old blood to wear off but the wound is fully closed and healed only a fortnight after the event. And no bruising at all. Lovely result and I told her she must have done something right!

Two weeks ago, time flies and your hair grows quickly Stanley . Looks a neat repair .

[Stanley]

And I heal quickly as well Sue. I must be doing something right somewhere!

[PanBiker]

Only 8 days for mine until healed and the staples came out.

[Tripps]

As on many other topics Simon Bell is worth listening to. In an environment full of both accidental and deliberate misinformation. it's hard to know what to believe, but he speaks in a fairly convincing way, and gives links to his sources. Worth a look.

I noticed that the Eagle Annual which used to be prominent on his book shelf has vanished.

[Stanley]

First time I have seen the man but I share his scepticism about the phrase 'virtually foolproof, fail safe' etc.
Like the three great American lies, it always disturbs my crap detector.
(The three lies.... One size fits all. The check's in the post. I'm from the Government, I'm here to help you.)

[PanBiker]

Sally woke up this morning with a headache sore throat and a thick head! First stop was a Covid test as we have recently been in company at Rose and Adams wedding as reported in another thread. Test was negative so it's looking like a summer cold which is the lesser of the possible evils of course.

[Tripps]

woke up this morning with a headache sore throat and a thick head!

I've been to weddings like that too. . . .

[PanBiker]

Wedding was on Saturday though David.

[Stanley]

"it's looking like a summer cold which is the lesser of the possible evils of course."
Problem is that some of the 'normal' colds seem to be a bit more savage than usual..... So long since we had them that they are all new infections almost!

[Stanley]

I called in at Well to enquire where my prescription was. They had no record of it but when they looked they found it had been rejected by 'The Hub' where they get their prescriptions made up. So they retreated to the back and produced my meds. Never had so much trouble as I have had lately.

[Tripps]

Never had so much trouble as I have had lately.

Perhaps the whole health system should be nationalised and brought into public ownership for the 'common weal' .

Everything would be fine then.

Either that - or get Octopus to run it.

[Stanley]

Something needs to be done and quickly. It's a pain in the bum.....

[Big Kev]

I called in at Well to enquire where my prescription was. They had no record of it but when they looked they found it had been rejected by 'The Hub' where they get their prescriptions made up. So they retreated to the back and produced my meds. Never had so much trouble as I have had lately.

Well Chemist don't seem to be doing very well (pun intended). I don't seem to be having any issues over the road at Whitworth's, the pharmacist has phoned me twice asking how I'm getting on with the anticoagulant.

[Stanley]

Perhaps because they tried to do too much running vacc clinics.

[Wendyf]

Col started getting phone calls from the pharmacist when he was prescribed blood thinners, I think this is part of the New Medicines Service where the pharmacy is paid by the NHS to monitor patients taking a drug for the first time. Patients are supposed to request the service but we don't remember that happening and thought the pharmacy was just being caring!

[Tripps]

thought the pharmacy was just being caring!

As if. . . .

I've wondered for a while now what's happening to prescriptions. I still don't quite get it. In fact I don't get it at all. After years of chemists' shops moaning that they didn't get paid enough for dispensing medicines - we now have intense competition between many different organisations to do just that - and deliver it to the door, apparently free of charge.

Tesco were always trying to get me to let them do repeats and delivery - I always refused in order to keep the chain of cockups as short as possible.

I've even had a direct mail shot addressed to me personally. and proposing I leave it all to them, and have my medication delivered by 1st class Post.

During Covid restrictions volunteers from the village kindly did the deliveries, and presently the chemist in the next village is happy to fill the prescription and deliver it. I have enjoyed getting a monthly visit and little chat to the ladies that have done the delivery, but the last lot came via a smiling African gentleman who was wearing a red T shirt with 'Prescription Delivery ' on it. What's that all about? Does he work for the Chemist or is it a new national service?

I'd welcome more information - I think that 'follow the money' would be a good place to start.

[Big Kev]

Col started getting phone calls from the pharmacist when he was prescribed blood thinners, I think this is part of the New Medicines Service where the pharmacy is paid by the NHS to monitor patients taking a drug for the first time. Patients are supposed to request the service but we don't remember that happening and thought the pharmacy was just being caring!

The pharmacist asked if it was OK to call when I collected the first prescription.

[Big Kev]

thought the pharmacy was just being caring!

As if. . . .

My pharmacist seems to be caring, they certainly know me. I went in once and asked for something to burn out a verruca and was told 'you can't use that as you're diabetic'. That comment was made without consulting any notes or even asking my name or medical history, I only go in every two months to collect.
I left and bought some from Well chemist over the road, the verruca cleared and my foot never fell off

[Stanley]

I share all of your concerns David. For years everything worked fine but of late there has been a problem with almost every script. I know that one was down to the surgery, they finally admitted that they had simply forgotten to send the script to the chemist. (After blaming them for a week!)
I have a telephone consultation with my doctor next Monday and will be asking him some questions.....
On the subject of home delivery, I too wonder how it can be profitable. I had one med delivered even though I had not asked for the service. I complained and the last one was delivered as well! I complained in person at the pharmacy, let's see if that has any effect.

[plaques]

On a personal note,. My mishap resulting in a leg wound has received more that excellent service. Well done Colne health centre. Then we hit the buffer. A blood test indicated that an urgent visit to a cardiologist was required, A referral letter was sent of and a reply form returned within one week. Looking good. Book your appointment at Blackburn or Burnley. all on line. Sorry no appointments available. Fill in the details on the attached form and if you haven't had a reply within one week ring this number..XXXXX One week later rang booking office. Sorry there is quite a big backlog next appointment will be at least 15 weeks. So urgent becomes a 15 weeks wait. There must be thousands like me who believe Johnson's 'clap' for the NHS while in the background quietly destroying it.

PS I shall survive.

[Big Kev]

On a personal note,. My mishap resulting in a leg wound has received more that excellent service. Well done Colne health centre. Then we hit the buffer. A blood test indicated that an urgent visit to a cardiologist was required, A referral letter was sent of and a reply form returned within one week. Looking good. Book your appointment at Blackburn or Burnley. all on line. Sorry no appointments available. Fill in the details on the attached form and if you haven't had a reply within one week ring this number..XXXXX One week later rang booking office. Sorry there is quite a big backlog next appointment will be at least 15 weeks. So urgent becomes a 15 weeks wait. There must be thousands like me who believe Johnson's 'clap' for the NHS while in the background quietly destroying it.

PS I shall survive.

15 week wait for an urgent appointment is disgraceful. A different department I know but a blood test indicated I had a DVT and the unit phoned me to come in the same day. I would be kicking up a bit if they'd told me something was urgent and they said I had to wait for nearly four months for someone to do something about it.

[PanBiker]

A blood test indicated that an urgent visit to a cardiologist was required

I think that is all is required to trigger the cavalry. I am with Kev on this, I reckon you need to get a bit pushy, without getting stressed of course under the circumstance.

I know I was already in the system at the time but while I was in the AAU a Junior doctor put on my notes that he though he had heard a heart murmur when he gave me the once over on his rounds. As soon as that hit the system it triggered the head of cardiology who spent over half an hour giving me a proper going over with the ultrasound and fortunately dispelling the rumour.