MEDICAL MATTERS

[Tizer]

Pluggy, the American nurse objected to being quarantined once she had arrived back in the USA, whereas what we're saying here is that there should be a quarantine regime before leaving the country in which they have been working with ebola patients. I hope she would agree with that.

[Stanley]

Ian, Ian Brown has been my GP for years and he was OK. The comment above is not a criticism of the new doctor but an allusion to the fact that over the years I have given Ian books on lipid research which he admitted had been very informative. No GP can keep abreast of everything and in many cases I brought new research to his attention and he took notice. He was particularly impressed by Susan Allport's book, 'Queen of Fats'. Still well worth a read!
I'm going to call in and see James Bontoft to see whether I have reached the stage where my left implant is ready for laser cleaning. It's a non invasive procedure and as the eye is now almost useless I think it may be time.....

[PanBiker]

Mine two Stanley, Dr Robertson previously who's practice he took over. Dr Browns sometimes abrupt manner not to everyone's taste but he dis start in the military I believe. I never had a problem with him but fortunately have never really been a regular attender. In the 32 years of his tenure I think I can probably say I only saw him about 10 times, bulk of my visits for AB's post quinsy when I was still working in school and inherited loads of infections.

Anyway, been to see the new guy today, he's not got my notes yet from the TIA clinic so is going to get the reception ladies to chase them up. Took my BP and had a listen round, BP was slightly up. Elected for full blood screening for liver, kidneys, cholesterol and diabetes. I mentioned that my dad presented with a frontal lobe tumour when he asked about family history but he thought it not relevant at this stage, good, don't really want to go there. I have made an appointment for the nurse for early next week, nowt to eat 12 hours before.

I think you will like the guy, he's young but having been a registrar will have put the time in. He was suffering a bit this morning from baby bonding at 3.30am and mentioned that he was the on call medic today as well. He's not in Ian Browns old room, he's down at the bottom past the nurses clinics.

[Stanley]

I've always got on well with my GPs and have no problems with this one. I see James on Monday for him to assess the state of the left implant. Hopefully he'll refer me for window cleaning.....

[PanBiker]

It is to be hoped that the private company (Circle) will be paying adequate compensation back to the NHS, (Hinchingbrooke Hospital) for breach of contract after its failed effort to run the hospital for profit?

[Tripps]

I have an interest here since my first grandchild was born in this hospital, and I was offered it as an option for my recent surgery. I refused, as it is quite a distance away, and the CQC report earlier this year, was not too favourable.
I note that the CQC put it into special measures today just hours after Circle said they were walking away from the contract. I note that they can do this under the contract.
Here's their statementto the Stock Exchange today. Note the share price fell by 25% today.

Ironically - according to the Guido Fawkes website

Despite Andy Burnham’s repeated attempts to distance himself from the hospital, he made the decision to put the contract out to tender to private companies when he became Health Secretary in 2009. Circle themselves say “it was clear by the end of 2009 that Hinchingbrooke would be run by a private company”. Hinchingbrooke hospital was privatised by Labour…

[PanBiker]

Circle were three years into a ten year contract according to the FT website. Although mooted by the previous Labour government the contract was ratified and approved under the present coalition government.

FT Politics and Policy

[Stanley]

Even so Labour were moving towards takeover by Circle. Circle are also in trouble with other services like out of hours doctors.

[Tizer]

I wished I could draw cartoons...
An express railway train is racing forwards and the driver, in blue overalls, leans out of the window, the spitting image of David Cameron. The engine bears the nameplate `National Health Service'. A small boy stands alongside the track waving his arms frantically and shouting "You're going to hit the buffers!"..."You're going to hit the buffers!"..."You're going to ..CRASH!!?#**!" Meanwhile, at the other end a banking engine has uncoupled itself just in time and managed to slow down and stop. It bears the nameplate `Circle'.

[Stanley]

Perfect analogy Tiz. Put Blair on there as well as the fireman......

[Stanley]

Got a result at the optician's this morning. He says I am ready for laser treatment to clean the film of the implant in my left eye. Made an appointment to see Dr Manzur next Monday at 9AM....

[PanBiker]

Sounds good Stanley sooner you get sorted the better, there will be no stopping you in the shed. I'm with the nurse early doors tomorrow. I have to be vegetarian till tea time then nothing until morning, they want clean samples from me.

[Stanley]

According to James I could possibly regain fighter pilot standard in the left eye. The most significant thing about this is that it should cancel out the nannying gap in the centre of my vision in the right eye which is dominating my vision at the moment. This is what makes reading for pleasure impossible. I have everything crossed!

[PanBiker]

Nurse took four tubes of blood for the lab and checked my BP again, still slightly high (not by much) but doc wants it lower and has said to put me on a home monitor for a while. Nurse will ring me when she has a kit free.

[Big Kev]

I bought my own, Ian. They were only a tenner in the chemist, the Lloyds chain I think.

[PanBiker]

Thanks for that Kev, I'm only slightly up and the doc is looking for ideal. I'll see what comes of my blood tests as they may have other indicators to the symptoms I experienced.

[Wendyf]

Fingers crossed that your sight can be improved Stanley.
Colin had his bladder checked out yesterday and all is well, next one in 12 months.

[Stanley]

Doc bought me that £10 BP monitor from Lloyds, it is very accurate I check it against the surgery machine once a year. I keep a log of occasional readings, Dr Manzur will be impressed.
Thanks Wendy, I'm crossing my fingers it will be as successful as James says it could be....

[Stanley]

I see Dr Manzur this morning. I expect him to refer me for window cleaning..... Fingers crossed!!

[PanBiker]

Good luck Stanley, I'm with him tomorrow.

[Stanley]

Report on Dr Hassan Manzur.... He's a nice bloke. When the patient in front of me came out laughing I thought that's a good sign! I was right, He's a likeable young man, went straight to the point, did what I wanted him to do, referred me to Burnley for window cleaning and checked my BP on his machine against mine. We both had a good laugh about surgery syndrome, my BP is always higher at the doctor's and he put down my average reading out of my log book on his records. He congratulated me on getting the pronunciation of his name right and when I told him that I preferred to be called Stanley and not Mr Graham he told me that his forename was Hassan and I was to use it. I pointed out that he had only one thing going against him, his extreme youth.... I like him, he's got a good professional manner and asked me what my preferences were. I think we are going to get along well..... Very, very pleased.

[Stanley]

Ian. How did you get on with Dr Manzur?
See THIS for a revised opinion about the amount of exercise that can make a difference to a person liable to the usual diseases. I can see their point which basically is that anything is better than nothing but it seems to me that half an hour out in the fresh air walking is not excessive and should be the minimum we aim for.

[PanBiker]

Ok Stanley thanks, like you I like the guy and think we will get on well although I don't intend to be regular visitor. All my results are back in and my blood tests say there is nothing wrong with my liver or kidneys. No sign of diabetes or predisposition to the same.

I took the results from my twice daily BP readings and he weighed and measured me then averaged out my systolic and diastolic readings and then fed the whole lot into what I would describe as a Douglas Adams HHGTTG probability engine on his computer. Apparently I'm running at the moment with a slightly raised 12% of a future problem developing within the next 10 years. The target for a bloke my age is 10%.

He said he had a slight problem with me as he does not have a track record to compare to from my medical notes. Not surprising last weeks blood tests were a first for me at the surgery and fortunately I have only been hospitalised once before in my life to date. I have my blood run 3 times a year from blood donors but they are only screening for infection to ensure safety of the stock. I don't drink to excess and I quit smoking 7 years ago

So the upshot is, I have slightly raised BP (but we don't know what my norm is), my cholesterol is slightly high but not ringing alarm bells and I am slightly overweight for my height. Nothing major or anything to point to the symptoms I experienced. Attention to diet, regular exercise, (which I already do but will increase somewhat when I get the bike back out) and back to the surgery in 3 months for another set of bloods and review. He wants to see me if my symptoms reappear.

[Stanley]

I'm glad you liked the bloke, it's important I think. I have been lucky enough to have good GPs. As for not visiting him too often, don't be too sure. As you get older it's amazing how things start to change.... I went to Butts clinic yesterday for my retinoscopy examination. Two things struck me, how powerful the eye drops are that they put in and the fact that the laptop they have there isn't connected to the database and they had no records of any of my recent adventures in optical surgery.... IT in the Health Service still has a long way to go!

[David Whipp]

Regarding NHS IT, we're particularly poorly served in Barlick as the systems at Airedale don't talk to the systems at our surgery, which are integrated with those of East Lancashire (OK though if you're referred to Burnley/Blackburn).