Debt. Medics and life.

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by Mike Allen, Dec 1, 2019.

  1. Mike Allen

    Mike Allen Total Gardener

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    The old saying is. Never a lender or borrower be.

    Hey I well remember the days after the war. Saturday morning and the 'tallyman' would call. Yes times were hard and most folks had to turn to getting things on the TICK. In those days, perhaps a customers account amounted to just two or three pounds. Chicken feed to todays debts. I remember my mum, going down to 'Uncles' This was the then term for the pawnbrokers. Heres hoping dad wouldn't need his one and only best suit for a week. Mum would walk away with half a crown in her purse. In those days that amount would feed and clothe a family. Then the tallyman appeared on the doorstep. Now folk could really start to live. New mats and carpets to fancy frilly underware for the ladies. It seemed to be a blessing from heaven. So often the tallyman would knock and a kid would come to the door. Mum says she's sorry, but she had to go out. Call back next week. So over the years the debt saga has continued. Now owing a few bob has multiplied. Now million owe millions. Now in debt, it's not so easy to get out.

    So what's this got to do with medics. Well in my own case. OK in the past a visit to the quack might get you a sick note and a bottle of jollop. Now you have a consultation. This is me. My psoriosis got bad, so the GP sent me to a dermatologist. So0 Michael how long have you had psoriosis. Since I was twenty. Um. So you are now 79. I could hear his brain working....60 years, what the bloody hell do you expect me to do? Then I began weeing blood. That was back in 2014. Medics really did move fast. What a slap in the face to be told. Yes! you have bladder cancer. Not to worry. Since then I have has seven operations and the cancer is still here. My case was forwardede to Guys hospital London. Here they don't hang around. My age relegates me to the 'Older persons clinic. I have now been rushed through CT scans, cardiac systems and to come bone scans. Question such as. Do you drink, and how much. Hells bells come the end of this month and I will be aged 80. What have I got to enjoy in life. Due to the cancer, my twiddly bits don't work, I tend to sleep a lot and have lost my desire to garden etc. I ask myself. Why all the fuss. One minute the system is complaining about the cost of keeping the oldies alive, next they are treating us like guinea pigs. So once in debt, always in debt. Once in the consulting rooms and there's no way out.
     
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    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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      Back in those early days we had to pay to see the doctor. :rolleyespink:
       
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      • Janet mahay

        Janet mahay Gardener

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        Hi mike you have freinds here and remember true freinds are priceless
         
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        • Mike Allen

          Mike Allen Total Gardener

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          YES. Half a crown a time.
           
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          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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            Our doc used to charge 6d for children. :blue thumb:
             
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            • john558

              john558 Total Gardener

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              Today I took the letter from my GP asking me to make an appointment....I was told I can't pre-book and to call or phone at 8am when the doors open.........madness.........What's the point of posting me a letter when I can't get an appointment:wallbanging:
              I've been trying all week, hanging on to the phone,then when someone answers you are told no appointments today, please try at 8 tomorrow:mute:
               
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              • shiney

                shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                We got fed up with trying to get the appointment by phone and now turn up at the surgery at five to eight, or earlier, and always get an appointment. :dbgrtmb:
                 
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                • ARMANDII

                  ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                  Which is fine if you have a car or the ability to get to the Surgery at that time. Earlier this year I saw a Lady in her 80's waiting outside the Surgery at 7.45am while it was snowing and sleeting down hard with no cover. The Surgery staff were well aware of her situation but didn't bother to rescue her by opening the door.
                  For those who do manage to turn up early and get a appointment later in the day, that means that they either have to come back at a later time or try to stay within the area........not exactly a Patient friendly system.:wallbanging::dunno::cat-kittyandsmiley::coffee:
                   
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                  • Janet mahay

                    Janet mahay Gardener

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                    If your gp is online you can join Patient Access

                    Patient Access
                    www.patientaccess.com
                    Book GP and pharmacy appointments, order online prescriptions and view your medical record at your convenience. Patient Access, in partnership with NHS.
                    . It's like a 24-hour GP receptionist in the palm of your hand no need to phone or go to surgery to make appointment
                    Once you join you will recieve update info on
                    Articles and content on health & wellbeing topics
                    Patient Access product & feature updates
                    Patient Access surveys all only according to your preferences
                    . Which is entirely optional
                    If not sure ask as More than half of GP practices are connected to Patient Access with more joining every day. If yours is one, register today to benefit from a faster, smarter way to manage your healthcare.
                     
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                      Last edited: Dec 3, 2019
                    • shiney

                      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                      @Janet mahay Hi Janet,

                      It seems an excellent idea but I had a bit of a problem with the site. I wanted to check whether my doctor's surgery was included and couldn't find anywhere on the site to access that info. Am I not looking in the right place?

                      I clicked on locations (seemed the obvious thing) and there were a fair amount of them, but having clicked through sixty of them I found none of them were doctors' surgeries. They were all Day Lewis pharmacy locations.

                      How do I access the doctor info, please? I have no intention of registering with them if my surgery isn't on their list. :noidea:

                      Thanks :blue thumb:
                       
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                      • Victoria

                        Victoria Lover of Exotic Flora

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                        I went to the Dentist yesterday. All Dentists are private here. I had a 30 minute consultation re some work he will do in February and March. There was no charge! :yikes: ... then he asked if he could take a call on his mobile and stood with his hand on my back ... then he "air kissed me, cheek to cheek both sides) as I left all in front of his Nurse and T'other Half! :huh: I think in America there would be a lawsuit looming for sexual advances. :heehee: My last consultation with him (again about 30 minutes) was 25 Euros but no 'touchy feely' stuff. Most people hug here, even men to men ... but Rui just shook hands with T'other Half.

                        Doctors (and Lawyers) here are very casual people, 99% of the time wearing jeans. Everybody always goes by first names too. You are computerised by first name also ... when the Dentist (Rui) went to my records, he went to V not B. For four years I took a medication I had to go to the hospital pharmacy monthly to get (free there, had to pay if I went to a chemist) and it was logged on a sheet in a binder ... under V! Even Banks do this, strange system, but it works for them.
                         
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                        • Janet mahay

                          Janet mahay Gardener

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                          Hi shinny
                          Your GP surgery might use more than one and give you a choice.

                          Information:
                          Ask your GP surgery, check their website, or check the information about your GP surgery if you do not know which provider you can use. You can phone the surgery or email patient access
                          there is another site who does simular to this site called docterlink
                           
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                            Last edited: Dec 3, 2019
                          • Retired

                            Retired Some people are so poor all they have is money

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                            Hi,

                            Here in the UK we hear lots of adverse comments regarding our National Health Service. Both Bron and I would never knock the service and help we've received from the NHS; to go private our treatment would have cost us a fortune.

                            Years ago Bron was very ill and on the NHS there was a waiting list for an MRI scan so we decided to go private for the scan; at the private hospital on Friday the consultant arranged the scan; this was carried out the following morning in a mobile scan unit in the hospital car park the cost all those years ago was £425 just for the scan.

                            I can understand the frustration of having to wait but our NHS takes some beating; it can take ages to be admitted to hospital but once in things happen quickly; emergencies are rightly fast tracked.

                            What annoys me are the foreign patients visiting the UK for hospital treatment then returning back abroad this must help to overload OUR NHS further?

                            How many here in the UK are being kept alive on NHS medication. :help:

                            Good luck Mike my friend. :dbgrtmb:

                            Kind regards, Colin.
                             
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                            • shiney

                              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                              Thanks @Janet mahay :blue thumb:

                              I've checked with my surgery and they work through SystmOnline. We have to get a username and password from the surgery and to get it we need to take in photo I.D. Then we can register.

                              As we're quite able to get to the surgery I don't know whether the online system would be better or not. I may test it out sometime. :)
                               
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                              • Janet mahay

                                Janet mahay Gardener

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                                Thats great
                                I too don't live two far from the surgery but I registered cause you never know when you need them.and sometimes waiting on phone to.make appointments you can wait forever yet you can make an appointment online and next day you can see the doctor or have a home visit
                                I don't use it often as I tend to email them every month for my AED tablets but its there if I need it
                                I did use it last night as I was online
                                So I suggest register and use it whenever
                                They dont penalize you if you use it rarely
                                 
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