Is it really this bad?

[happy daze john in oz]

yes Brian the hospital bills here in the USA are one of the leading causes of bankruptcy a number of old people who get sick and know its futile to go on . commit suicide . when I lived in a retirement community in leesburg there where a couple of people took their own lives by shooting themselves on the golf course in the early morning or late evening .and some do a double . husband and wife .

I have heard of shooting an eagle or an abatross when playing golf but this is a new one on me.

[happy daze john in oz]

FRom other information my sister gave me it would appear that the area you live in can determine the level of service you will recieve. I can recall many years ago when there were five hospitals in the Woolwich area of London, now all gone. As far as I know only one there now.
I have a brother in law living in central London who rorts the system. Both his daughter and son in law work in the Middlesex hospital, he as a senior radiographer. When my brother in law requires treatment and recieves an appointment his son in law has the ability to move his name to the top of the list. Not good but I thinbk this may happen in many cases.

Here in Oz we have public and private. Private cover si not cheap but it is good. However some of the public hospital treatment is superior to the private. My wie had had both private and public, the only difference, the waiting time.
As you may recall I had a radical prostatectomy in Marc in the public system and could not fault it. My mate had the same op in aprivate hospital, bot of us had to wait the same time for the op which is considered lie threatening.
Both of us had to have physio, both had to take home a large bag of medicine. He had to pay $250 for each physio visit and $200 for the medication. Me, $47 for the medicatiuon and thta was all. I had a team of urologists on call should I need them, a pain management team, and recieved gov assistance in paying for incontinence pads.
He had none of those facilities, all he had was contact with his surgeon should he need assistance at $200 a time. Much of his cost was met by the ptivate cover but he was still over $300 out of pocket in the end.

[Keith Tindell]

I think i will stick with the system we have here, i am on 3 types of tablets daily, my wife on two types of medication, cost to us zilch. my son who is 44 has chronic psoriasis and arthritis, he has to have an infusion every 3 months, which enables him to continue working and leading a normal life, costs £10,000 per year, but with our wonderful national health system cost him nothing. I dread to think how he would be if it was not free, so long live the national health service KT

[Jim Brady]

I am still waiting to here from the heart people since the 28th of july even my own doctor has not had any results yet? am I lost in the system? the way I look at it no news is good news but it is a worry?jp

John,I went to Litherland Town Hall 24th july to see some bone doctors.Doctor said he didn't know what the problem was and refered me for a scan on my feet.Four weeks went by no date from hostpital.I phoned Litherland yes they have sent off for my appointment,another week passed still no word from hostpital,phoned Litherland yes defo sent off for appointment to hostpital.I phoned the hostpital I was told by them that they had only just received it 6 weeks after being refered.I phoned Litherland as I was not amused,the letter of referral wasn't written for 2 weeks after me seeing the doctor then it took another four weeks to travel what,4 mile.I contacted my MP (your MP as well) did you see the story in this weeks free paper,lots of complaints against that clinic from the public,since my complaint I've received two appointments that I don't want.I had an appointment made by the hostpital in 4 weeks of them receiving referral good. service
Regards.
Jim.B.

[alf corbyn]

here in plymouth i sometimes worry. phone the doctor 8am doctor does home visit 10am. checks my prostate ,ok. is refering me to hospital for nerve tracking on my left leg. phone call next day from hospital regarding ulcer on foot when would i like an appointment? or would i like to come in right away. if you fall over at home they rush you to hospital and keep you in for a week. Now if i see an ambulance i hide in case they drag me off to hospital. i have the highest regard for our local hospital (Derriford) evry one is helpful and very friendly, especially the nurses. quite often when you have an appointment you are seen to and on your way home before your appointment time.

[Captain Kong]

You do have the choice of hospitals to go to, If your local one is not too good find a better one and get your Doctor to refer you to it.
I always use Salford Royal Hospital as it is in the Top three hospitals in the country.
Unfortunately last year when I was taken ill and had to call an Ambulance, the Ambulance has to take you to the nearest hospital, in my case it was Bolton Royal.
I was in for three days before I escaped and got out, didn't even have an assessment. The Afghans screaming out day and night as they read the Koran and then crapping all over the ward and bathroom, then an Overseas NURSE ANNOUNCED IN A LOUD VOICE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO MEDICATION FOR ME AS I AM A DRUG DEALER, WE DO NOT GIVE MEDICATION TO DRUG DEALERS, SHE SHOUTED. I needed my blood pressure tablets she refused to give me them.
It was time to exit. My problem started again in Honolulu and then lost my cruise to Tahiti and the islands and a big expensive operation there. I almost lost my Life, four days from death, they told me.
I wrote a letter to the CEO of the hospital and then got an apology, The CEO then resigned.
So do not take any rubbish of them , It may not be the Doctors fault, it could be the Clerical Staff who delay the mails.
Always complain, if you do not , they assume you are OK and not in need of urgent treatment, keep on to them continuously, they will see you just to keep you quiet.
Cheers
Brian

[Neville Roberts]

Hi John I too had a radical prostectomy at 58 years old and still here at 75 I had a company policy at the westin hotels at the time and it cost me $75 out of pocket after the insurance of $35,000. the surgeon told me before the op that it was just a routine op, bloody hell I said maybe for you . have a 8to 9 inch scare from belly button to crotch. and happened to see a similar operation done on tv sometime before I had it so I knew what they would do .very gory and lots of cutting and shaving off the prostate / ouch ouch.

[John Gill]

Hi John I too had a radical prostectomy at 58 years old and still here at 75 I had a company policy at the westin hotels at the time and it cost me $75 out of pocket after the insurance of $35,000. the surgeon told me before the op that it was just a routine op, bloody hell I said maybe for you . have a 8to 9 inch scare from belly button to crotch. and happened to see a similar operation done on tv sometime before I had it so I knew what they would do .very gory and lots of cutting and shaving off the prostate / ouch ouch.

Hope you've got over your 9 inch scare by now Nev.

[Lou Barron]

Ever thought of getting a witch doctor might be a quick way of getting results ???

[robpage]

The NHS is really a postcode lottery , here we have Portsmouth Queen Alexandra's hospital which is excellent , Southampton has a World Class Neurological Unit , and we are well serviced with another major hospital in Chichester , so within a fifteen mile radius we have three good places , but the key is how good is your GP , mine is excellent , when my wife's terminal disease was getting the better of us he gave me his mobile number in case we needed him , that was a great reassurance . I have a good friend who is a receptionist at the doctors , on a daily basis she faces abuse from patients , there is a large proportion of the patients who suffer from drug and alcohol abuse , but demand a lot more serving than the rest of us , there is a hard core of hypochondriacs that know their rights too ,. I have come to a conclusion that there is enough NHS for all but like anything free , someone always wants more than their share , making the system weaker . I know that in our tolerant World we make allowances , but I go along with making the self abusers suffering from drug and alcohol related disease , being pushed too the back of the queue .