Caring

Do we know how to care for eachother? Is our world envied health service really capable of caring for the sick & disabled?  I ask this while understanding all of the complex parameters of the questions - time, money, people available - skilled & willing, equipment, drugs....

The reason I ask is because I am old enough to remember what the NHS used to provide & what my generation understood to be reponsibility & duty of care. Also because I have just been quite ill for 10 days & had to navigate todays NHS.

However I phrase this it will probably annoy & upset people. But, although I think there have been huge improvements in technology & medication, I think things have changed at a personal level to an unacceptable degree. While I think that medics care, there are limits to what they can do & they have accepted things that shouldn't be accepted in terms of patient care. 

I have had a nasty viral chest infection which turned into bacterial Bronchitis. It started on the 29th December. By the 5th January I had felt really ill for 4 days, was coughing continuously, extremely congested, very breathless, aching all over & exhausted. I went through the online system to try to get an appointment. I am able to do that, many of my age aren't. I got a phone triage from the surgery, although I could barely talk. I was told to come into the surgery.

Really? Is that appropriate. I'm nearly 81 with several chronic conditions including heart failure & a pacemaker. I live alone. Fortunately my lovely daughter, who is a teacher & started term that day, was able to take me. But the triage person thought it was fine for me to get a taxi. I waited for quite a while in the crowded waiting room. I was the only person wearing a mask so that I wouldn't pass the infection on. I saw someone who wasn't a GP, but I don't know what qualifications she had. She prescribed anti biotics.

Not to mince words, a very nasty chest infection, at my age, with my medical conditions needs to be taken seriously. 

So, again fortunately, my daughter was able to take me home, picking up the meds on the way.  I know, only too well how fortunate I am.

Then on the 7th I got up & was coughing up blood. I think I had actually started the day before, but thought it was bacterial phlegm. But on the 7th it was very obvious. I have to say I was worried. I've never had that before. So I phoned the surgery & managed to explain to reception. A doctor phoned me & asked me to come to the surgery again. Quite honestly I was amazed. I told him I felt too ill to do that & he said he would send a paramedic.

The paramedic came about 1pm & did the obs. I have no idea whether he reported back to the GP. I certainly haven't had any follow up from the GP. 

I know that GP's have a big workload. I know there aren't enough of them. But I do wonder if my experience has anything to do with the new contracts they agreed a few years back that made them in charge of the finances & changed their work patterns, especially out of hours duties. The GMC has definitely become more militant & doctors seem to be far more willing to strike, despite the impact on patient care. 

Fortunately I am capable & independent & have family nearby& good friends. But this has been a very difficult time & I am still feeling quite unwell. I accept that many patients have access to information about illness & care. I accept that they need to take reponsibility for their own health & welfare. 

 

But I am left with the feeling that the NHS has had a care bypass. They are tolerating things that should not be tolerated. We all, patients & medics, need to put this right & make the politicians listen.