Cyprus health service

[Devil]

Two days ago, my other half, Margaret, had a fall and split her forehead open with some considerable bleeding. We called an ambulance with the emergency number and it was here, 20 km into the sticks, about 25 minutes later. She was transferred into the ambulance and immediately left towards Larnaca Gen Hospital. On arrival there, she was taken immediately into A&E, while it took us about 25 minutes for the paperwork to be completed. I was allowed in to see her with a couple of doctors hovering around, arranging for various tests, x-rays (whole body) et cetera. After that I had to wait 2 1/2 hours in a very cold waiting-room. Then I was summoned to chat with the doctor who said that her RBC was dangerously low and that they would transfer to a ward.

At this point, I was giving ***** to the GESO service, while wondering what would have happened with the NHS service in the UK if the accident was there. Anyway, I went home.

The following day, yesterday, I went to the hospital during the visiting hours of 17:00 to 19:00 and was able to visit her. Unfortunately, there was no qualified staff on at the time and they seem to be occupied in dishing out plates of an absolutely disgusting gruel that would have made Oliver Twist turn in his grave if he had one. So I left after an hour and 1/2, none the wiser other than the fact that her blood analysis indicated that she needed 1.5 L of transfusion. That visit merited only **, because we had to show a member of the staff, probably a trainee nurse, how to prepare and effect the necessary for a stoma on her colostomy.

Today, received a phone call from the hospital and they are sending an ambulance to bring her home. I was also able to speak with a doctor at a good level. So we are back to *****.

[LouiseCastricum]

What a terrible experience. Hope she will recover soonest. Take care!

[trevnhil]

I too hope that your wife recovers soon because I know you have problems as well.
But with regards to wondering what would have happened in the UK it seems she may either have had to wait hours for an ambulance, or wait in one outside the Hospital because they were too busy..

[jagwheels]

I also wish Devil's wife a speedy recovery. Sadly what Trev said is true with no sign of improving. Many things here work well but the NHS does not &
many people I personally know have themselves or family members resorted to spending their savings on private treatment. For example one was facing a possible 3 year wait for a hip replacement which was causing great pain. Cost £15,000

[trevnhil]

Thanks for your own update there. We read it in the UK papers but some people tell us not to believe it.

[71 Trans Am]

You need to believe it as it is true - I know someone elderly who had a bad fall yesterday and waited 3 hours for an emergency ambulance and then had to wait 10 hours in the ambulance outside A&E along with several other patients in ambulances - Its no wonder that they cannot get to you for 3 hours - This health service cannot continue like this

[PolemIan]

Just before she passed away my Mum spent nearly 6 hours on the floor waiting for an ambulance. The same thing happened to my friends father, 11 hours in his case. I have friends in different parts of the U.K. who have had and are having an absolute nightmare and consistent issues with care and treatment of elderly parents. I also have hardworking family within the patient care, research and admin side of the NHS and I’m very aware of the wonderful work they and their colleagues do day after day.

That said, every government I can think of in my adult life, regardless of political party in power, has told us that spending on the NHS has increased and the story is so consistent over 40 years, I have to believe it. Since I was a child comedians have been making jokes about the NHS, the food, the waiting lists etc etc and still are - same jokes, different faces. The same governments, again of all parties, have been warning of an ageing population and the impact that has on pension funding since the 1990’s, so an ageing population with greater later life care needs should not be a surprise to those responsible for the health care system.

The last time I looked in detail a couple of years ago, the estimated annual budget was around £150 billon. Despite the many wonderful things the NHS in the U.K. does, at some point somebody is going to have to be brave enough to suggest a radical rethink and change it and maybe consider that throwing more money at it might not be the right thing to do - because that’s been happening for years and it’s still not perfect. Perhaps it never will be, perhaps it can’t be, I don’t know.

I doubt that fundamental change will ever happen - I don’t know or claim to know what change is needed, but it seems like something has to, but I doubt it ever will, because as soon as any MP or party stands up and suggests that, they will be slaughtered by which ever parties happen to be in opposition at that time for daring to suggest a change to the sacred NHS. It kind of makes me laugh when you read a story about some council or government department spending of x million pounds that some journo that spouts on about how that is a waste and could be spend on the NHS when it is costing around 400 million a day to fund the NHS. So a few million quid on project XYZ seems kind of irrelevant in that context - or “p##%ing in the wind” as some would say. But it does generate a good headline.

For what is spent, the NHS in the U.K. should be the envy of the world and I don’t think it has been for a long time.

Ian

[Devil]

For what is spent, the NHS in the U.K. should be the envy of the world and I don’t think it has been for a long time.

I'm old enough to remember when it started; in fact I was 15, nearly 16, on that day. On that same day, National Insurance was also started. It was conceived during the war years by a Mr Beveridge. In 1948, the UK was still reeling from the effects of the war, which depleted the Treasury. The Marshall plan had not yet had any influence, so that it was a master stroke that the Labour Prime Minister, Clement Attlee, along with Ernest Bevin, had the courage to go ahead with it, despite the opposition led by Winston Churchill. In those early days, the NHS paid for everything, wigs, false teeth and other dental treatment, glasses and many other things that the patient pays for today. Of course, in those days, hospitals were very basic, the clinical thermometer being the basic tool, hopefully one in a ward of 30 patients. The sphygmomanometer was probably shared between two or three wards. Chemistry was limited to basics like antacids and aspirin, possibly another couple of basic pills.

Several years later, 1953 to be precise, I was taken into the Royal infirmary, Edinburgh, a major teaching hospital, with a heart condition called pericarditis. My treatment was massive doses of sodium salicylate, of the aspirin family, for four weeks before I was transferred to the Astley Ainslie hospital for recuperation. I was there for nearly 4 months during which time I made a pair of beaten copper bookends in occupational therapy. During those five months, I think the only expense I had was toothpaste, even the toothbrush was free (but not shared!).

[WHL]

Wigs and false teeth along with false limbs, were provided im guessing because many pour souls were maimed during the war.

[wantoosoon]

I've had little experience of GESY, but the NHS has been starved of funding by the Conservative Party since 2010. Yes, nominal levels of funding have increased, but costs have risen, the population has increased and the population has grown older, all out of proportion to the miserly increases in funding. In particular, the NHS has had a staffing crisis exacerbated by Brexit, with many leaving the service due to increased hours, poor management and stress.

There has been a marked change in the nature of NHS services, with preventative measures almost disappearing, and remedial services now failing.

The Tories believe in small government and have been trying to kill the NHS for many years. They have nearly succeeded.

[Kili01]

From what people in the UK are saying the NHS needs a drastic overhaul. Maybe a reduction in the numbers of high salaried, but non medical administrative middle management staff and pruning the numbers of admin staff. Appointing a Hospital Matron with over all control of nursing staff, Ward Sisters, responsible for the smooth running and patient care in their own wards. Instead of a requirement for all nurses to have degrees, re introduce something equivalent to the old S.E.N.system, where nurses learnt their basics while working on wards practically.
Just suggestions. But surely something needsto be done? Any money saved by reducing the overall numbers of highly paid, non medical managers could be put towards paying enhanced wages for nurses and ambulance staff.
Plus whatever money can be given by Govt to help fund the NHS and pay higher wages & salaries.. Bearing in mind the problems of trying to control and reverse the enormous debt with which the country is currently trying to reduce.
Dee

[Kili01]

Hopefully GESY's problems will be overcome, it is still a 'young' service , soon starting its 3rd year in a few months. The biggest problem recently reported in the local press was of a private hospital, in GESY, which allowed some of its doctors to take leave at the same time which resulted in 2 patients with serious health issues being told to go away, and use Nicosia Gen's A&E instead. The hospital and the doctors concerned have apparently been reprimanded & threatened with losing their licenses, after one of the patients complained to Gesy.

Dee

[darrow]

I too hope that your wife recovers soon because I know you have problems as well.
But with regards to wondering what would have happened in the UK it seems she may either have had to wait hours for an ambulance, or wait in one outside the Hospital because they were too busy..

They are quoting waiting times of over 24 hours in A & E in my area! I moved back over a year ago and have never seen a doctor yet! Just a nurse and phone calls. When i broke my arm, a supposedly quiet time at A & E, was still over 6.5 hrs Before i was seen. So Gesy is better in my opinion!