The Dying of the Healthcare System in the UK

A Report on Local Conditions and Request for More Information

I am wondering if others in the UK are having similar issues with doctor's appointments as we are having around these parts?

• Cannot get an appointment, told you have to telephone the surgery after 8am.

• Calling at 8am takes half an hour to get answered, and then the appointments for the day are already full, told you have to call again tomorrow.

• Recently, this seems to have escalated by them not answering the phone at all.

• If you go to the doctor’s surgery in person, they won't let you make an appointment that way, but you see that the waiting rooms are largely empty.

• When you do manage to get an appointment, you turn up to find it is an appointment with a nurse, not the doctor.

• Doctors and nurses only allowed/willing to discuss one symptom per appointment [making it impossible to get a diagnosis of complex or chronic conditions].

• Appointments are 10 minutes long.

• Accident and Emergency department at the hospital is overflowing with extremely long wait times, reports from long-time hospital porter that the situation is horrific and dire, with old people left in corridors for days, people being neglected and dying.

• Can't get an ambulance for hours.

Also getting strange reports of things happening at pharmacies:

• long standing prescription automatic renewals no longer being in the system;

• a branch of Asda telephoning someone to tell them they will no longer be fulfilling their prescription and they need to go elsewhere;

• folks being told they now have to put prescription requests in 7 days in advance instead of 2.

What is particularly galling is that we were told daily to stay in our houses for nearly two years in order to save the National Health Service (remember being bombarded by the message "Stay Home, Protect the NHS?”),

Well, we stayed home, they still broke the local health service, and people have been dying in record numbers. Indeed, despite our compliance with this, we virtually have no NHS now in my local area. as described above, and people all around are suddenly dying and many more becoming seriously ill.

I would love to hear from insiders or whistle blowers what is happening behind the scenes in doctor's surgeries. What are they being told, where are these orders coming from, and who is behind the “call at 8am” and “one symptom per appointment” fiascos?

And when are we actually going to hold the politicians and the the powers-that-be responsible and accountable for the outcomes of their policies and decisions?

Below are some replies I have already garnered from sharing this on facebook.

“I think they are extremely busy. If there is 10% excess mortality there is 100% more people struggling with health issues. They do not need anyone to pull the strings.”

“Yes totally agree. Having worked as a nurse partner in a UK GP surgery for 15 yrs (retired 6 yrs ago) it was bad then - whilst yes the government are to blame, there are many other contributors as well - the explosion of chronic diseases, huge increase in tech, prescriptions - all which then need monitoring/action. GP partners themselves refusing any attempts to modernise the system- i.e. including alternative practitioners.

Problem of funding GP surgeries attached to targets - example Diabetes targets brings in funding - nothing for patients with Parkinson's! Red tape- recently Dr told me she had to complete 16 pages to get something it was clear the patient needed - then they would only consider her request!! They would not accepted her 20 yrs of clinical assessment and expertise.

Believe me Gary they are working their socks off. I was employed 37.5/week never did less than 60. I used to do “emergency on the day” appointments every morning. 24 appts/day 5 days a week x 2 nurses- yes all full by 08.30 - but was first come first served and majority not emergencies.

Increase in patients demanding appts when self care is all that's required- i.e. accepting that sometimes a cough for 1-2 days is ok, hence the move more to telephone first then bring down if need to be examined. However, its gone too far - not one system fits all.

Not training enough 'Dr/practitioners'. Each time we employed a new member of staff admin or medical -”wow I cannot get over the workload!”

I challenge anyone based in the UK who is not happy to put themselves on to a 'patient group committee' (most surgeries have them) and sometimes some surgeries allow them to 'observe the system' from a distance… it's an eyeopener.

For me the NHS, in general, is top for acute issues but is totally failing many with chronic conditions - unless funding is attached (not what it was set up for). As you say Gary- you have to research, understand and take proactive care your health issue these days.”

“No dentists either. Privatisation in full swing.

“I read in the Guardian, in the UK 1 in 5 Drs have Long Covid or work reduced hours due to not feeling well.”

“I saw Dr Ben Gill talk at the weekend. It was a very bleak talk about the state of the NHS.”

“Haven’t been to the surgery for a couple of years but when I called to get an appointment for my son it was either “emergency” on the day itself (which did not work because he didn’t have a symptom that day) or three weeks later. I have never used the NHS very much but found it felt different to before the pandemic, yes. They are also giving you a telephone appointment rather than a physical one. Don’t quite see the sense in that, other than saving money on a smaller waiting room?”

Addendum

Data has emerged that there has been a massive increase in disability benefits claims, and hence presumably chronic conditions, since 2021, which would go some way to explain the overwhelm of the system.