MEDICAL MATTERS

[plaques]

Sajid Javid calls for patients to pay for GP and A&E visits

With respect Sajid Javid doesn't know what it is like to be at the bottom of the income heap. Last year I happened to be at the Health Centre reception desk when a young lady asked to make a doctors appointment. Sorry, was the reply you have to do it by telephone. But I'm on credit and calls cost 20p per minute and a 20minute wait costs me £4.

My own experience of the changes to Colne Health Care is that the changes are not very patient friendly. I had the same doctor for years until he retired then moved to another until his retirement. Both were excellent and easy to talk to. For the past 3 years I have been assigned a doctor who I have never seen mainly because he passes me to a practice nurse, who I have confidence in but has to rush out hopefully trying to find a passing doctor when it gets beyond her experience. Sajid Javid is proposing that I pay in advance to get into the building to be treated by someone who I never see and where the doctor / patient relationship has been totally lost.

lets get back to the system that worked and people had confidence in.

[Stanley]

Another example of the Tory trick of Governing for their version of the world.... One that doesn't make allowance for reality.
I heard the report of what Javid says.... He and Sunak would make the NHS fee paying in an instant if they thought they could get away with it.
Watch the buggers, they keep on trying.

[Tizer]

Sorry, was the reply you have to do it by telephone. But I'm on credit and calls cost 20p per minute and a 20minute wait costs me £4.

Have you noticed how businesses and other organisations are ditching their 0800 free call numbers in favour of 0330 paid call numbers? They are charged at the same rate as normal phone numbers. I tried to contact B&Q customer services yesterday and found it was 0330 so looked up the difference from 0800. I gave up on the call after waiting ages listening to `A member of our staff will be with you soon...'. I was trying the general customer services number because all my attempts to phone local branches on their own local numbers failed Each time I had to listen to the usual time-consuming spiel about `better to use our web page', opening times, promotions etc before I was told to Press 1 to place an order or Press 2 for other enquiries. No matter which key I pressed it always threw me back to the start of the spiel again!

[Stanley]

Ever since the possibility of callers paying the business for waiting on line was made possible this practice has been widespread but as you say Peter is getting more common as '0800' numbers are withdrawn. I think it was the DVLA who had a charged line on the number you rang to blow the whistle on someone not paying their Road Fund License at one time.
I seem to recall that Barlick Surgery had one at one time but wasn't there a new regulation that stopped doctors from having them?

[Stanley]

My diet must be a good provider of Vitamins A and D. I have had to stop taking my Cod Liver Oil each morning because of nose bleeds and experience teaches me that it's the excess of A&D that causes it. As soon as I stop the bleeds stop.

[PanBiker]

Went to Specsavers this morning for my two year check up. Eye health all OK, pressure OK but I have a slight deficit at either end of the range. My readers need an upgrade, it's four years since they were last changed and my distance vision has dropped off slightly which will almost certainly account for my eyes feeling a bit tired when not using my readers and going Au Naturel. I am still fine for driving without glasses but I should find it more relaxing with. The difference in the range is not yet suitable for varifocals so I have opted for a cheaper deal for now of separates to see how I get on. I got the anti glare and anti scratch coatings for free on both pairs.

I went on the bus and the Wizz was 15 minutes late, 10.14 came at 10.30. My appointment was 11.05. I still got there with 5 minutes to spare. I was done by 11.30 so a walk back round to Skipton bus station and only a 5 minute wait for the 11.45 back to Barlick.

[Tripps]

To be 'announced' tomorrow. Virtual wards NHS

Those who have been keeping up on this site will have been aware of it all a month ago.

During my recent several very long waits in the hospital my lad and I resolved not to criticise any process which seemed inefficient, but to which we did not know the full background. It was difficult.

On that principal - I hae mi doots. but it's worth a try.

[Stanley]

I would be quite enthusiastic about it if it was backed by adequate staff numbers. If social care can't be supported to get bed-blockers back home how can this work?
I'm afraid it smacks to me of a suggestion made in a meeting to brainstorm ideas for cutting down on ambulance waiting times and congested A&E departments. This is at best, a quick fix and we need something better to cure the ills we see in the NHS.

[Tizer]

We used to get our repeat prescriptions by going into the surgery, collecting it, walking across the road to the chemist's shop, handing it in and either waiting or coming back for it an hour later. In other words, all done within one hour. Now we have to go online, put in the username, password, three numbers from our `memorable word', go to the page for repeat prescriptions, place the order then log out. If we check later in the day it always says `Your doctor has approved your prescription'. Then the trouble starts - it's at least 10 days before we get the phone call to tell us the prescription is ready for collection. I'm on day 10 for my latest one and still haven't had the call. I wonder why it takes 10 days when we used to be able to pick up the medication on the same day? Our medications are not unusual, they're the same as those used by millions of other people and stocks should be held in the pharmacy. What used to take one day now takes 10 days - and that's with all the modern tech of the digital age!

[plaques]

Your doctor has approved your prescription'. Then the trouble starts - it's at least 10 days before we get the phone call to tell us the prescription is ready for collection. I'm on day 10 for my latest one and still haven't had the call. I wonder why it takes 10 days when we used to be able to pick up the medication on the same day? Our medications are not unusual, they're the same as those used by millions of other people and stocks should be held in the pharmacy. What used to take one day now takes 10 days - and that's with all the modern tech of the digital age!

In the past pharmacists would carry their own stock. Not any more they either send from store or central providers. Not even 'Just in Time' more like 'If you're lucky'. We use Boots as our pharmacist, text message when ready usually 4 days from submission. Generally we collect when next in town.

On a different subject... Like possibly thousands of people I get an occasional ECG. but never get an explanation of what it displays. Is it that they think a patient is too thick to understand or they don't want to worry them with a complex explanation. OR???

[Tripps]

What used to take one day now takes 10 days - and that's with all the modern tech of the digital age!

That's nothing like the system our surgery uses. I think we ought to nationalise and standardise it, and get all surgeries doing the same. Think of the economies of scale. You could call it "The National Health Service".

[PanBiker]

I order my repeats on my phone, as you say Peter normally authorised the same day. I ditched both of our local pharmacies as I had problems with both of them in the past. I use an online one now and usually get a delivery within a couple of days depending when I put the request in. I know local services are use them or loose them but if they don't work efficiently I cant do with being messed around.

[Stanley]

After months of misery I have finally got my prescriptions synchronised, all on the same script and picked up at the same visit. I do not have to do anything. The pharmacy have and order from the surgery which lasts until my next assessment, a matter of 6 months I think.
I get a text from Well early in the month (On Saturday) and I pick up the next working day. (Yesterday). That's all and always in good time.
It didn't work like that for a long time and I thought it was Well but in the end it turned out to be incompetence at the surgery. All seems to be OK now. Long may it continue!
(And I have Peter at the Ombudsman service attacking British Gas for me! My cup runneth over!)

[Tizer]

In the past pharmacists would carry their own stock.

And don't I know it. As a trainee dispenser with Boots in Darwen in the late 1960s we only rarely had to tell people they couldn't have their medication in the next hour. Usually we had it in stock. If not, we phoned other local pharmacies with whom we had a reciprocal relationship. One of them would usually have it in and I'd trot round to get it, my white `lab coat' flapping in the breeze (do you ever see your dispenser in a white coat these days?). And people knew me and would wave as I passed by, cars would stop to let me cross the street. What a different world it is now!

[Sue]

Our local pharmacist is rubbish. Its next door to the surgery and yet rarely seems to stock the drugs the doctors prescribe. The shop is a mess, empty shelves, nattering shop assistants and dispensers under cover of the large shelves separating them from the shop itself. The staff are rude and not helpful. Repeats when requested take nearly a week . The only plus is it is easier to get to than Boots in the centre of Rochdale.

[Stanley]

So sorry to hear your pharmacy is so poor Sue. Well have improved a lot in the last two months and seem to have at least on dispenser working full time. I think all scripts are made up there now, at one point they were all being sent out but that may have been down to Covid absences.
At one point I was certain my problems were the fault of Well but I was wrong. I discovered it was a bad system in the surgery and thank God that seems to have improved now.

[plaques]

Excess Deaths. A topic that appears to be gaining momentum in medical circles but studiously ignored by our government. The background is that historically the number of people dying each year is reasonably constant with each age group having some base value. Then came along covid and distorted the whole picture. Large numbers of people were dying with covid registered on the death certificates, The older age groups and those already suffering underlying illnesses being the majority group. Analysts are now looking backwards to try to make sense of why more people are dying after the epidemic when the perceived logic is that by removing the potentially ill people the overall number of deaths in each age group should drop below the established average. Some of the theories doing the rounds are,,, Covid virus has made people more susceptible to life threating illnesses. The vaccines have increased the antibody response in some people. Poorer diets and living conditions through lower wages. Reduced sunlight vitamin 'D' during lockdown. In short nobody knows but the true answer may not be the one we would be comfortable with. Ignorance is bliss.

[Tizer]

Our local pharmacist is rubbish.

I'm sorry to hear that, Sue. My gripe with our local Well pharmacy is the long delay (10 days) between doctor approval for prescription and the medication actually being in the pharmacy for collection. But the pharmacy, although it's small, seems well stocked with products on the shop side of the counter and the staff are keen to help and are polite. The place is silent, no nattering by staff, they're working their sock off. I picked up my tablets yesterday and politely asked them why it took 10 days. The lady said `We're one man down'. I pointed out that millions of people in Britain have these tablets prescribed but even so she said it took a long time to get them ready because they're permanently under-staffed.

[Tripps]

I didn't know the history of Well Pharmacy, and especially not it's connection with the Coop.

This is worth a read. Well Pharmacy

[Stanley]

Ken, I share your questions about 'excess deaths'. I think the reason why this government seems to be studiously avoiding the subject is because it has links with the indisputable fall in life expectancy in less prosperous areas under their watch.
We can be excused for thinking that both may have some connection with the growing gap between rich and poor which is now a chasm and still worsening. Piketty illustrated the dangers of this and the possible consequences in 2013 with his 'Capital in the 21st Century', it may be that we are beginning to see the real world proof that he was right.

[Sue]

I didn't know the history of Well Pharmacy, and especially not it's connection with the Coop.

This is worth a read. Well Pharmacy

WELL it is worth a read. I knew the link. Our pharmacist was the Co-op amd brilliantly run by a chap called Graham. It became WELL and he was told his job had gone…via a newspaper article on the Rochdale Observer. Its got progressively worse ever since. Of course the takeover was discussed at length in the shop because of the demise of the brilliant Graham and the equally brilliant little dispensing lady who had been at the shop for 25 years. She also lost her job or went voluntarily, probably the latter , soon after the takeover.

[Sue]

Ken, I share your questions about 'excess deaths'. I think the reason why this government seems to be studiously avoiding the subject is because it has links with the indisputable fall in life expectancy in less prosperous areas under their watch.
We can be excused for thinking that both may have some connection with the growing gap between rich and poor which is now a chasm and still worsening. Piketty illustrated the dangers of this and the possible consequences in 2013 with his 'Capital in the 21st Century', it may be that we are beginning to see the real world proof that he was right.

My neighbour friend whose husband recently died of a form of dementia was told that there was an increase in the death rate in this condition because they had lost more than two years of socialisation, exercising, company and mind occupying hobbies. People lost interest in life more quickly became more confused, stopped eating properly, were less careful with personal hygiene and thus died earlier than would normally have Been expected

[Stanley]

I can well believe that Sue. What is certain about the causes of the excess deaths is that it's a complex matter and is not going to heal itself soon.

[plaques]

Excess deaths. My money is on the mRNA vaccine. Faced with the early variants of Covid-19 it was worth the risk of avoiding thousands of people dying from covid. But bearing in mind that no long term risk assessments had been made the question must be asked why are the government and Chris Witty urging the population to get vaccinated against a strain of covid that has largely been superseded by a less serious one. I'm all for vaccines but now think that the fight against covid is taking on political overtones that is clouding clinical judgement.
Everyone must make their own judgement and do what they think is correct for themselves.

[Sue]

Excess deaths. My money is on the mRNA vaccine. Faced with the early variants of Covid-19 it was worth the risk of avoiding thousands of people dying from covid. But bearing in mind that no long term risk assessments had been made the question must be asked why are the government and Chris Witty urging the population to get vaccinated against a strain of covid that has largely been superseded by a less serious one. I'm all for vaccines but now think that the fight against covid is taking on political overtones that is clouding clinical judgement.
Everyone must make their own judgement and do what they think is correct for themselves.

As a biologist I see the RNA vaccines as exciting progress