MEDICAL MATTERS

[Tizer]

I'm sorry to hear your Xmas was blighted, Tripps, but glad that you seem to have bounced back OK. Was it all a result of too much excitement on Xmas Eve?

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report about warnings issued by the NHS on the arrival of what they call the twindemic of Covid and seasonal flu.
"There were more than 3,700 patients a day in hospital with flu last week - up from 520 a day the month before, the latest data from NHS England shows. Of these, 267 people needed specialised care in critical care beds last week. NHS England warns pressures on the health service continue to grow as viruses like flu re-circulate after a hiatus during the pandemic. This time last year, when social mixing was low, there were only 34 patients in hospital a day with flu.....Prof Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: "Sadly, these latest flu numbers show our fears of a 'twindemic' have been realised, with cases up seven-fold in just a month and the continued impact of Covid hitting staff hard, with related absences up almost 50% on the end of November."
Could someone point out to Mr Sunak that this, and the NHS strikes, are happening on his watch. It's no god ignoring them and refusing to address the problem.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report that some A&E departments are in a "complete state of crisis", the Royal College of Emergency Medicine has said, as it highlighted the extreme pressures facing the NHS this winter. Dr Ian Higginson, the college's vice-president, said he was in "no doubt" there was a risk to patients. Hospitals are facing soaring demands, which experts believe is in part driven by winter illnesses like flu and Covid. The government said it recognised the pressures faced by the NHS. According to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) - which monitors standards of care in UK A&E departments - the NHS is facing the worst winter for A&E waits on record.
Meanwhile statements about 2% offers to striking health workers are being attributed to Barclay the health minister. What are these people thinking about, if anything.....

[plaques]

Influenza is with us every year fortunately in the older population the uptake of the vaccine is around 80% but its effectiveness can be as low as 40% dependent on the strain of virus. None of this is particularly new but its now being suggested that other factors are entering the equation.

A growing population and a decline in living standards

[Stanley]

The same factors that are starting to erode life expectancy in some poorer areas of the UK. This isn't mentioned or addressed by our caring Tory government. (For the very simple reason that it shows beyond doubt that they are allowing standards for the ordinary citizen to slide.)

[Stanley]

It's diabetes clinic tomorrow and one of the criteria is a week's worth of BP figures. I have done well to remember to do them and if they are anything to go by I shall live forever! 16 year old lad territory.

[PanBiker]

When you go to diabetes clinic are you required to wear a mask etc? I know I did the last time I attended surgery for a blood test. I am interested in what the current regime is as I am thinking of emailing the practice to ask why the doctors are not operating normal pre pandemic surgeries. I can see no reason why not even if you had to attend masked. I know you can get emergency appointments but the norm now seems to be a telephone consultation first which is not quite the same as ringing for a face to face appointment as was the norm.

[Big Kev]

I've worn a mask at all my medical appointments, in Barlick, over the last 2 years. There has been box of disposables on the reception hatch or just inside the back door.
I went to a health centre in Accrington, just before Christmas, masks were 'required'in the consulting room but not required in the waiting area.

[Tripps]

Mixed at the moment.

The care home have sent a letter to say the rules have channged, and no one (staff or visitors) is now required to wear one .

At Addenbrookes at a clinic yesterday - they were available, and most wore them, but several people did not. They were a bit 'in your face ' about it - and I would say were looking for an argument about the matter. They didn't get one, or any comment whatever, from anyone.

The Consultant who last week invited me to remove my mask to make conversation easier, was conspicuous by not wearing one yesterday.

Peersonally I go with Profesor Jonathan Van Tam, who didn't rate them - but I don't make it a big issue.

[Stanley]

And as soon as they realise you are a lip reader the masks are pulled down.

[plaques]

Even with hearing aids I find it very difficult to tell what some people are saying. Foreign accents and people with very little lip movement cause the most trouble. Sometimes I make a pre-emptive apology for appearing to stare when trying to lip read. Masks make the problem more difficult but I wouldn't dream of asking them to remove their masks.

[Tizer]

Even with hearing aids I find it very difficult to tell what some people are saying. Foreign accents and people with very little lip movement cause the most trouble.

Same for me and my hearing aids. Foreign accents and ultra-fast speech and poor sound recording are a problem with radio, especially with BBC World Service. When I mention it to audiologists they sigh, shrug their shoulders and say it's poor sound quality. `You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear'.

[Stanley]

Two things have eroded sound quality on the radio for me. The lazy speech of most people (I have no problems with things like the Shipping Forecast and despite all the technical advancements in the last 100 years, the dreadful quality of much of the sound that comes in via the radio.
On another matter. Yesterday the Phlebotomy Nurse told me that Hassan has ordered a full MOT check blood test and one element of that was Blood Oxygen level. I have never knowingly had that test before. The reading was 99% which is reckoned to be a good result. Coupled with my week of BP readings which the nurse commented were better than hers, I am beginning to think I might live forever....
[Why does my doctor want a more extensive blood analysis?]

[Big Kev]

Why does my doctor want a more extensive blood analysis?]

I have one every other 6 monthly check up.

[Stanley]

That figures Kev.

[Big Kev]

one element of that was Blood Oxygen level. I have never knowingly had that test before. The reading was 99% which is reckoned to be a good result

I bought an oximeter in 2020, a useful bit of kit to keep in the cupboard.

[PanBiker]

When I was in hospital and on regular through the night obs. The nurse did most of her stuff while I was still dozing the best I could. Natural shallower breathing during sleeping automatically drops the levels so she used to wake me to take a few deep breaths, which if you are OK is all that is required to fully oxygenate the blood.

[plaques]

The Oximeter is that fancy clothes peg they stick on the end of your finger. Measures your pulse rate plus at no extra cost the oxygen levels in your blood. if you look at your results on 'Patient Access or the NHS App'. these values are charted down.
Blood tests are a window to your general health considered as pointers to what may going amiss in the background. Patients with diabetes generally need a wider range of checks than that for the general population. I'd give your Dr 10/10 for the extra checks.

[Stanley]

"I'd give your Dr 10/10 for the extra checks."
I do Ken. The older I get the more assiduous his attention to me. He's a good man dealing with a cantankerous old bugger and on the whole seems to be doing a good job except when he tries to send me to hospital.....
On that subject, if you haven't got a car getting to Airedale is a very expensive game now....

[Tripps]

I first heard the term 'Virtual Ward' recently in Addenbrookes - when a Filipino nurse gave us a run down on what one was, and his part in it. It broke up some of the interminable waiting time nicely.

He was in a room alone which had a simple sign saying Virtual Ward on the door, though he propped the door open, due to loneliness I guess, and told us he was currently looking after 25 patients from his Tardis. He said it was a success as they had started with four and were now up to twenty five. They were all at home. He said it was not good when several of them rang in for help at the same time.

I hear tonight that they were mentioned as being discussed at the Saturday Summit at number 10 today, and I feel we will hear a lot more in the near future. NHS Virtual Wards

I don't know enough about it all to comment yet, but many questions come to mind. There must be careful choice of patients - it won't suit everyone. I'm sure it will keep people out of hospitals, but I fear it is another step to outsource the NHS and privatise it by stealth. Seems they give every patient a brand new iPad to go home with. I think quite a few will disappear.

[Stanley]

"but I fear it is another step to outsource the NHS and privatise it by stealth."
That's the impression I get David. I feel a bit like Max Hastings when he stood on that aircraft carrier and said "I counted them out and I counted them in." I can say the same for the NHS wards.... I saw the start in 1947 and I get the feeling I am in on the death in 2023.
If I am right, don't ever forgive the buggers!

[Tripps]

I feel a bit like Max Hastings when he stood on that aircraft carrier

No - Brian Hanrahan of the BBC. (I had to look it up )

"He was reporting on an early air strike by Harrier jump jets operating from Hermes, when, to work a way around reporting restrictions regarding disclosure of classified military information, he stated "I'm not allowed to say how many planes joined the raid, but I counted them all out, and I counted them all back."[3] The phrase later inspired the title of a book about conflict that he co-authored. "

[Stanley]

Thanks for the correction David.... I was a bit suspicious of my memory but trusted you lot to keep me straight. One of the more memorable quotations that came out of the Falklands War.

[Tizer]

I saw today's Telegraph front page had a story about antibiotics being linked to bowel disorders. I suspect antibiotics are partly responsible for my gut problems. It's a long time since I had any but I was prescribed them a number of times in the past. The last time was in the 1990s to treat duodenal ulcers.
Here's a report on the work...
`Frequent Use of Antibiotics May Heighten Inflammatory Bowel Disease Risk in Adults Over 40' Neuroscience News

An earlier report on the same topic was in May 2022...
`Antibiotic use in older adults linked to inflammatory bowel disease, research suggests' Pharmaceutical Journal

[plaques]

Not many months ago I was prescribed some Flucloxacillin antibiotics. Normally I've always considered myself to have a cast iron stomach but these nearly saw me off. Terrible stuff. Now some foods make me a bit queasy. For years we have been told that antibiotics can stop gut bacteria from working correctly and more recently that depending on the balance of gut bacteria it may be one of the factors of diabetes. Reports that they may cause bowel disorders doesn't surprise me.