I Love The NHS!
The NHS comes in for a lot of battering in this country and sometimes it’s easy to forget what a wonderful thing it is. Last week in a horrible accident in the park I grabbed my two year old’s arm as he fell out of my arms. The result was a dislocated/pulled elbow and a very distressed child. Aside from feeling guilt ridden and horrified at what I’d done we rushed him to our local A&E for treatment.
I don’t know what I expected but it wasn’t speedy service and yet within five minutes of being signed in we were seen by a triage nurse, and 10 minutes later his arm had been X-rayed and he’d been given some painkillers. We settled in for the obligatory wait for the doctor but were seen within the hour, and the joint was manipulated back in. All in all we were there just 90 minutes. I know this is a rarity but I have to say every time I have had to go to A&E with one of my kids we have been seen quickly and they have been treated really well and I live in a very busy part of London, so the hospital is always busy.
I compare this experience to the US where my friend recently saw a sick child turned away from hospital because her mother didn’t have health insurance and so it makes me 100% grateful for living in the UK. Unfortunately the NHS reform bill, opposed by many professional bodies, including nurses cometh. And if you don’t think it will affect you think again. A recent survey on Doctors.net.uk, asking doctors: “Have cuts to staff and/or services affected patient care in your department, area or surgery during the last 12 months?” found of the 664 doctors who responded, 527 (79%) said yes and 137 (21%) said no.
As parents this basic kick to the NHS will affect everything from maternity services, through to childcare, A&E, treatments and outpatient care whether the government will admit it or not. In my opinion it’s yet another way the government aren’t supporting families, children and the vulnerable.
But what do you think? As a mum or dad how have you found the NHS when you needed them? Are the cuts affecting you? Let us know.