The propaganda surrounding Patricia Hewitt's white paper on health is quite breathtaking in its cheek. She has appeared on radio interviews saying that she is going to make the NHS 'even better'. There is the trumpeted proposal that people will get health M.O.T.'s and certain ages which she considers important (the oldest of which appear to be 50). There is even talk of people being given 'personal trainers' if they need one.
The reality is that the NHS does not successfully do what is currently supposed to do. The idea that it is about to do some extras is ludicrous.
Last week I rang to get an appointment with my NHS general practitioner for my daughter. I was told I could not have one that day. They had all been taken. But I could try again at 1.30pm when more times would be released. I rang at 1.50pm and was told all those appointment had gone. I cut up rough and said what sort of GP service was it that refused to see an ill eight-year-old child?
I was put through to one of the GPs on the practice who started asking me about my daughter's condition. She said this was 'triage' - the process whereby people are sorted into those who need help urgently and those who don't and, when they get help, what sort it should be. But you cannot feel a child's tummy over the 'phone. Eventually she said in an irritated way, 'Oh just come over now'.
So that is how you get a child in to see a GP these days. You have a couple of conversations in which a receptionist tries to put you off, then you have another conversation with a GP and finally you get an appointment if you are persistent enough.
And Patricia Hewitt talks about making the NHS 'even better'. The pretence that all is well is absurd.
I know very well, incidentally, that one anecdote proves nothing. But who really thinks this is rare any more? Ten years ago, the same GP practice might try to postpone seeing an adult. But you could always get a child in on the same day. Not any more.
As for MOT's, an elderly relative of mine has never been called in even for something less grand like a 'check-up'. That is would be routine in some countries. The elderly are the ones who are most likely to need health care. There are many elderly people in this country quietly starving themselves and getting into other problems. No M.O.T. for them, though. They are not on Patricia Hewitt's list.
Posted by James Bartholomew • Indexed in NHS
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Dr Crippen, I trust you mean the "chalkboard" - I'm sure James would not want to have to tolerate any racist language on this site.
I only point this out because a few weeks ago I woke at 3am to find Radio 4 replaced with BBC Schools Radio and the line "baah baah black sheep have you any wool" unexpectedly replaced with "baah baah counting sheep have you any wool".
Perhaps to ensure no animal rights activists are offended they ought to replace the word wool with "synthetic fibres" - afterall the PETA brigade are quite right: "wool condemns animals to a life of slavery".
Posted by: Raw Carrot at January 31, 2006 06:18 PM
"Free healthcare for all at the point of use". What a joke. Anyone that pretends that the NHS gives anything like the care suitable for a modern western state is an idiot.
I've had the same experience: you have to ring between 8:30 and 8:40 am. This of course means if you are stupid enough to work in a real company (Who does nowadays in Brown's Britain), you can't get time off, so you can't get in to see the doctor. Of course.... if you are on IB / a single mother / on jobseekers that's great for you.
Posted by: Alec Hodgson at January 31, 2006 07:03 PM
I too have had the same experience. It's even better when you try and book a few days in advance and they say "sorry, you'll have to phone on the morning you want to come in". Jolly good... Nothing like a fast, efficient and responsive health service!
Posted by: Raw Carrot at January 31, 2006 10:46 PM
Harold Wood Hospital hasn't been able to pay it's blood transfusion bill since July. "Things can only get better."
Posted by: pl at February 1, 2006 09:25 AM
James, are you familiar with http://www.onthefencefilms.com/video/deadmeat/
?
It's a 25 minute film about the Canadian health system. Apparently they have section where they film a hospital, then cross the road and compare it to a Vet's.
Posted by: Kieran at February 1, 2006 11:05 AM
I remember watching that film a few months ago. Jolly good stuff. As I recall, it is illegal for Canadians to "go private", so they have to head south to the USA to get decent treatment!
Posted by: Raw Carrot at February 1, 2006 01:47 PM
If that happenned here in Australia there would be an uproar. But our GPs aren't servants of the State. If you go to a GP you pay the equivalent of about 15-20 pounds, and then the Government medical insurer gives you back about 10. In smoe cases doctors who treat poorer patients will just bill the government 10 pounds.
There are plenty of medical centres here too, so you can always get to see a doctor in a hurry if you need to.
People in Oz whinge about our healthcare system. They don't know how lucky they are not to have something like the NHS.
Posted by: Peter L at February 1, 2006 10:38 PM
The main difference in NHS provision that I have noticed during this Labour government is that I used to be able to get NHS dental treatment and now I can't.
Posted by: simon at February 3, 2006 07:02 AM
Fascinating site and well worth the visit. I will be back
Posted by: Sergey at December 15, 2008 12:06 AM
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James, MOTs are nonesense medically, but the focus groups want them, so that is the end of the matter.
We are now going to open all the local community hospitals that we started closing 8 years ago; until 1997 I could refer my patients to any hospital in the country - that choice was removed entirely by Labour; now Patricia is giving me a little choice back...and expecting a pat on the back.
I find your experience with your GP shaming to the profession. No mitgation. It should not happen like that.
Trouble is, none of us can be in two places at the same time. If I am going to have to spend all my time in years to come doing unnecessary MOTs on middle class health freaks, how can I simultaneously provide good access for ill patients, children or adults?
Its nonesense.
What people want is guarnateed same day access to a doctor. General practice is now being opened up to the private sector, and this what they will provide, and they will do well. Existing GPs will not be able to compete as they will be tied up chasing QoF data and MOTs.
Its deeply depressing.
We need to clean the blackboard and start again.
Posted by: Dr John Crippen at January 31, 2006 04:58 PM