This is a depressing tale. The area between Faversham, Canterbury and Ashford (and surrounds) is serviced for 'acute care' (emergencies) by one hospital (Ashford). Along with several dozen people (not a huge crowd it has to be said) I spent 10 hours today waiting to be seen. I had a bloke in blue overalls try twice and fail twice to take my blood. I was referred to a clever machine that takes the blood automatically, but this was wheeled out of acute care in front of my eyes because it was needed elsewhere (for reasons that had no obvious priority - there is no oversight). Just one of these machines in a trust hospital?
At nine thirty PM we were all told there was an emergency and none of us would be seen till the morning. We had the choice of hunkering down (many of us on 'no solids') or discharging ourselves - and join the back of the queue tomorrow; I was advised to get in around 5 AM. There is no public transport at that time of day (first bus leaves Faversham from nowhere near where I live at 6.42 and takes over an hour to get to the William Harvey). In the end, I went home (thanks to my son being available to drive me - he'll be in Manchester tomorrow so I may well drive myself and risk driving under the influence of thiobarbitone on the way home, in te unlikely even I get seen and cut open).
When I was invited to leave I had to sign a waiver to say that I was taking the risk of leaving into my own hands. I said 'what if my appendix bursts?' and administrator said 'that's your decision'.
To add insult to injury, several people complained at waiting many hours (28 was the highest) only to be told 'you have that wrong, it was only 12). After some discussion we found that as you pass through each stage (triage, assessment by a nurse practitioner or generalist, to seeing the actual consultant or senior registrar doctor) the clock is restarted.
So this is how the hospitals keep their numbers in order, redifining what a waiting time means, and bullying patients into going home and restarting the clock when it's looking iffy.
I need a CT scan. I was told at 8 pm that the CT scanning is managed overnight by a private company who are very slow. They keep their own patient list and the hospital cannot tell me where I am in their queue. That's like outsourcing half time food at the Amex to 'Eateroo' who then refuse to say what food will be onsale, when it will be onsale and how much it will cost. Guv.
So I am self medicating with codeine and wine, and anticipating possibly having to call an ambulance tonight where I will be dumped back at the end of the queue I left today.
Some of the people in there with me were in a terrible state, but I was surprised by the 'wartime spirit'. There were a few comments about Gove but as far as I can see, allowing the NHS to crumble into an embarrassment has not dented the general apathy of the locals of North East Kent. If Johnson has gambled that we will take whatever NHS is rationed to us, without much complaint, I suspect that, once again he is right.
The dispicable little turd.
At nine thirty PM we were all told there was an emergency and none of us would be seen till the morning. We had the choice of hunkering down (many of us on 'no solids') or discharging ourselves - and join the back of the queue tomorrow; I was advised to get in around 5 AM. There is no public transport at that time of day (first bus leaves Faversham from nowhere near where I live at 6.42 and takes over an hour to get to the William Harvey). In the end, I went home (thanks to my son being available to drive me - he'll be in Manchester tomorrow so I may well drive myself and risk driving under the influence of thiobarbitone on the way home, in te unlikely even I get seen and cut open).
When I was invited to leave I had to sign a waiver to say that I was taking the risk of leaving into my own hands. I said 'what if my appendix bursts?' and administrator said 'that's your decision'.
To add insult to injury, several people complained at waiting many hours (28 was the highest) only to be told 'you have that wrong, it was only 12). After some discussion we found that as you pass through each stage (triage, assessment by a nurse practitioner or generalist, to seeing the actual consultant or senior registrar doctor) the clock is restarted.
So this is how the hospitals keep their numbers in order, redifining what a waiting time means, and bullying patients into going home and restarting the clock when it's looking iffy.
I need a CT scan. I was told at 8 pm that the CT scanning is managed overnight by a private company who are very slow. They keep their own patient list and the hospital cannot tell me where I am in their queue. That's like outsourcing half time food at the Amex to 'Eateroo' who then refuse to say what food will be onsale, when it will be onsale and how much it will cost. Guv.
So I am self medicating with codeine and wine, and anticipating possibly having to call an ambulance tonight where I will be dumped back at the end of the queue I left today.
Some of the people in there with me were in a terrible state, but I was surprised by the 'wartime spirit'. There were a few comments about Gove but as far as I can see, allowing the NHS to crumble into an embarrassment has not dented the general apathy of the locals of North East Kent. If Johnson has gambled that we will take whatever NHS is rationed to us, without much complaint, I suspect that, once again he is right.
The dispicable little turd.
