Is the NHS useless?

[JFKvsNixon]

Older antibiotics and Asthma meds for a start.

Contraceptive pill.

 

It's not just about the first visit to the GP for the initial prescription. They make you keep going back again and again for chromic conditions such as Asthma when the meds are harmless.

 

The doctor will be monitoring the asthma itself as well as any reactions to the drugs. It maybe that the patients prescription might need tweaking.

 

A minute of googling would show you what a silly idea allowing patients to buy their own antibiotics would be.

 

Also there are side effects that the contraceptive pill can cause so it's important for the GP to monitor the patient to keep on top of any of these.

 

This reforming healthcare isn't as easy is it first looks is it?

[Orzel]

A lot of people already don't go to the doctors when they should already - men especially. Sticking a fiver on it will put off more from going. Can you imagine the effect it would have on the health of the good people of sheffield? They'll be keeling over in the streets!

Or maybe men who could not be bothered to wait 2 weeks would appreciate same day appointment for 5 quid ?

We would have to do some research why they don't do it in first place. Look one up online. Maybe someone already did it.

[JFKvsNixon]

Cancer services in the UK are poor in comparison to other systems.

Having seen they system, the bits of it are ood, but other aspects you cna see why survival rates are so poor.

Kate did you mean a few months ago, sorry to hear it, hang in there, its a nasty business.

 

Our cancer outcomes can be poor, but the NHS is improving. Breast cancer example, very often women are in surgery within a couple of weeks of visiting their GP.

[unbeliever]

The doctor will be monitoring the asthma itself as well as any reactions to the drugs. It maybe that the patients prescription might need tweaking.

 

A minute of googling would show you what a silly idea allowing patients to buy their own antibiotics would be.

 

Also there are side effects that the contraceptive pill can cause so it's important for the GP to monitor the patient to keep on top of any of these.

 

This reforming healthcare isn't as easy is it first looks is it?

 

I'm not suggesting people should be able to get Methicillin. But there are plenty of older antibiotics which the pharmacist could tell if you needed in about 10 seconds. The pharmacist can always send you to the GP if he or she is unsure.

 

You make a case that there's value in forcing patients to visit the GP for routine repeat prescriptions. I don't deny this. There's blatantly more value in properly treating serious health problems.

 

---------- Post added 30-10-2015 at 15:15 ----------

 

Presciption charges are expected and don't go up massively. I suspect if you start a charge for GPs is brought in that will go up or be expanded. Then it will be minor procedures - particularly if you're "at fault". Doubt me? Look at tuition fees. Do students get a better degree or student experience now they're forking out thousands in fees? A lot of people already don't go to the doctors when they should already - men especially. Sticking a fiver on it will put off more from going. Can you imagine the effect it would have on the health of the good people of sheffield? They'll be keeling over in the streets!

 

So tuition fees are a better comparison than prescription charges?

That doesn't make much sense to me.

What about dentists' charges? Surely they're a more valid comparison if you don't like the prescription charge comparison.

[I1L2T3]

It is a different wedge from prescription charges? I think not.

 

Is it a different wedge from making waiting lists for certain things so long that people end up funding it themselves? Don't see how.

 

Other systems charge market price for prescriptions on many items for non-chronic illness.

 

My brother-in-law not so long ago was stung for GP consultation fees and then the equivalent of £120 for medication. For shingles.

[Cyclone]

I have a very large beef with the NHS, but I have been drawn into a general discussion on its' flaws which was not my intention.

 

Spain by the way, is one place I know of where you can get Asthma meds without all this messing about.

 

I paid for health cover. I'm not getting it. My family developed the wrong medical problem. I should have lived on McDonalds and caught diabetes instead.

I can't afford to pay twice for private and state healthcare. I want and I need my money back.

I know I'm not going to get it. That doesn't change anything. The NHS is screwing me and I'm angry. Maybe I'll get over it. Probably not if I end up having to sell my house.

 

So basically, you want, and you're not getting.

 

Ignore the fact that the NHS is underfunded, ignore the allocation of resource. It's all about you.

 

I know it's personal, but try to see the bigger picture. The NHS is not screwing you, the government has screwed you by screwing the NHS.

 

---------- Post added 30-10-2015 at 16:18 ----------

 

It's a ball ache. My medication hasn't changed much in 30 years. You do the peak flow thing, you answer the questions. But it's all a bit cosmetic and going through the motions. My cat died a couple of years ago and wasn't replaced. I've picked up an inhaler once in anger since then. Might be a coincidence - I wouldn't be the first asthmatic whose symptoms disappeared overnight - but some in depth tests might have saved the Nhs a lot of money in the long run.

 

Have you had a cat for 30 years?

 

I'm not quite sure what tests you'd expect that would identify an allergy to your cat... Perhaps though you could have figured it out for yourself?

 

---------- Post added 30-10-2015 at 16:20 ----------

 

It is a different wedge from prescription charges? I think not.

 

Is it a different wedge from making waiting lists for certain things so long that people end up funding it themselves? Don't see how.

 

The ones most likely to make frivolous appointments are the ones who at the moment are exempt from prescription charges and so would presumably also be exempt from appointment charges.

People who work full time don't waste time going to A&E or their Drs regularly, they're too busy earning a living and living a life.

[I1L2T3]

Our cancer outcomes can be poor, but the NHS is improving. Breast cancer example, very often women are in surgery within a couple of weeks of visiting their GP.

 

We also have increasing life expectancy. Up from 73 to 81 years in just 40 years. Some cancer outcomes may be poor in comparison to other countries but overall the UK is one the countries where you can expect to live the longest. About 3 years longer than the USA which spends almost double on health care.

 

The NHS is a big part of that success. I don't see why we should rush to an alternative system where we will have to commit anywhere between 1-8% more of GDP to achieve minimal improvements. Other similar countries (Anglo-Saxon & Northern European) achieve broadly similar outcomes but usually for much higher spend.

[unbeliever]

 

No you don't.

 

You've just declared that the best way to treat body image problems is NEVER surgery.

Apparently people with real medical backgrounds and extensive experience disagree with that.

 

So how accurate do you think you are when you give your unqualified opinion about whether psychological issues can or should be solved by "cosmetic" surgery?

 

Read up a little.

For reasons I assume are obvious, we've been reading a fair amount on the subject of how to treat mental health problems of late.

Under no circumstances should a person with body image problems due to a mental health issue be given cosmetic surgery. It makes them worse more often than better.

On the other hand, it probably shuts them up for a few months.

 

I find the idea that only the opinions of NHS staff as to how the NHS should conduct itself are valid to be absolutely preposterous.

[sgtkate]

I'm not suggesting people should be able to get Methicillin. But there are plenty of older antibiotics which the pharmacist could tell if you needed in about 10 seconds. The pharmacist can always send you to the GP if he or she is unsure.

 

You make a case that there's value in forcing patients to visit the GP for routine repeat prescriptions. I don't deny this. There's blatantly more value in properly treating serious health problems.

.

 

I agree that pharmacists could be utilised better.

 

---------- Post added 30-10-2015 at 16:29 ----------

 

We also have increasing life expectancy. Up from 73 to 81 years in just 40 years. Some cancer outcomes may be poor in comparison to other countries but overall the UK is one the countries where you can expect to live the longest. About 3 years longer than the USA which spends almost double on health care.

 

The NHS is a big part of that success. I don't see why we should rush to an alternative system where we will have to commit anywhere between 1-8% more of GDP to achieve minimal improvements. Other similar countries (Anglo-Saxon & Northern European) achieve broadly similar outcomes but usually for much higher spend.

 

Actually considerably worse outcomes for higher spend. Figures provided twice already on this thread which continue to be ignored in favour of anecdotes.

[I1L2T3]

I agree that pharmacists could be utilised better.

 

---------- Post added 30-10-2015 at 16:29 ----------

 

 

Actually considerably worse outcomes for higher spend. Figures provided twice already on this thread which continue to be ignored in favour of anecdotes.

 

We have one of the lowest spends (by GDP) of any developed country.

 

And one of the highest life expectancies in the world.

 

Both facts.