Following an emergency appendix operation a few years ago, I ended up with an stomach Hernia, which stuck out and to me looked awful when I had no top on, when on my holidays in the sun.
In November I asked my doctor to set the wheels in motion for advice on getting it repaired.

On the 23rd Jan, I saw a Consultant, who recommended me for open surgery. I told the Consultant, I was going on a holiday in April, I asked if I could have done before then. Today (12th) 3 hours before my scheduled Appt I was contacted and asked if I could be at Burnley General Hospital, within the hour, which I did.
I’ve had the 90 min Op and then 3 hours later, I walked out of the hospital. I haven’t had a twinge of pain and cant believe I’ve my stomach cut open and mesh inserted internally.
The point of my writing this, was to say, the NHS has had a lot of criticism about delayed Ops. Mine from start to finish was just over 3 weeks. I wanted to say a big Thank You to them and make others aware that they Ive been looked after very well, by a dedicated team of Nurses, Anethetatist and Doctors/Surgeons, who deserve rightful praise and recognition of your successful Op and of a very speedy appointment.

TBH. I've always Been treated well by the NHS. Of which I'm grateful..... But theres always 2 sides of the Coin.

Good to hear
The problem is that good news doesn’t travel
Folk more interested in the disasters

In January my84 year old mum spent the night in a corridor at Blackburn hospital! They even employ a corridor nurse!

Shocking state of affairs! The NHS can be brilliant but do not learn from their mistakes

Spike wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2020 6:22 am

In January my84 year old mum spent the night in a corridor at Blackburn hospital! They even employ a corridor nurse!

Shocking state of affairs! The NHS can be brilliant but do not learn from their mistakes

But is that the NHS fault when as far as one can tell nothing seems to have been put in place to cope with the extra demand of the increasing number of elderly who have more complex medical and social needs or the increasing young population with their health and maternity needs and part of that is due to the impact of immigration which is not in anyway controlled and not all immigrants work or if they do work in the NHS?

Nothing but praise for Burnley,Blackburn and Preston hospitals in the way they are handling my prostate cancer.
Have been treated with such care and consideration by all the staff from receptionists nurses doctors and consultants.
Yes they are under pressure every single day but they do a magnificent job under, at times, difficult circumstances.

Spike wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2020 6:22 am

In January my84 year old mum spent the night in a corridor at Blackburn hospital! They even employ a corridor nurse!

Shocking state of affairs! The NHS can be brilliant but do not learn from their mistakes

Have you seen the complete tools who take up space in there, meaning genuine patients end up waiting in that corridor.

Bfc wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2020 12:06 am

Following an emergency appendix operation a few years ago, I ended up with an stomach Hernia, which stuck out and to me looked awful when I had no top on, when on my holidays in the sun.
In November I asked my doctor to set the wheels in motion for advice on getting it repaired.

On the 23rd Jan, I saw a Consultant, who recommended me for open surgery. I told the Consultant, I was going on a holiday in April, I asked if I could have done before then. Today (12th) 3 hours before my scheduled Appt I was contacted and asked if I could be at Burnley General Hospital, within the hour, which I did.
I’ve had the 90 min Op and then 3 hours later, I walked out of the hospital. I haven’t had a twinge of pain and cant believe I’ve my stomach cut open and mesh inserted internally.
The point of my writing this, was to say, the NHS has had a lot of criticism about delayed Ops. Mine from start to finish was just over 3 weeks. I wanted to say a big Thank You to them and make others aware that they Ive been looked after very well, by a dedicated team of Nurses, Anethetatist and Doctors/Surgeons, who deserve rightful praise and recognition of your successful Op and of a very speedy appointment.

Had the same operation last year at Burnley General, the staff were brilliant home the same day and never felt any pain after the op.

Been at Blackburn A&E with my 90 year old mother that's the other side of the NHS.

They called you in to nick a kidney!

I have nothing but praise for the NHS and our local hospitals.

Unfortunately our eldest son who is in his 40's had a fit on holiday in Turkey last August which resulted in him suffering multiple fractures in his shoulder area. The Turkish hospital scanned it and didn't want to operate because of the complexity and recovery time so filled him with pain relief and gave him a fit to fly note.

We picked him up at Manchester and went to Blackburn A&E where they x---rayed the shoulder and scanned his head. The immediate concern was rightly the brain. That came back clear but he needed appointments at the fracture clinic and further tests on the brain. Fracture clinic said it 'Will heal naturally' and mend with a bit of physio.

He has been off work since August and now they have realised his shoulder is a mess with fractures and dislocation only after the physio at Burnley asked for an MRI in December. My son is still on high strength pain relief and couldn't do the exercises.

The Consultant refused to accept he hadn't asked for an MRI (until told he hadn't) and the result showed a real mess ( as said in Turkey). Now our Son is finally going in for surgery next week. By the time he gets back to work it will be around 9 or 10 months.

Just one of those that slipped through the net I suppose.

Now Now Ian. My old Kidneys wouldn’t be good enough for even a Steak n Kidney pie.

Just hope they will be able to cope with the coronavirus when it takes hold over here.
Agree that they do a great job.

Sounds like another good reason to stay in Burnley and keep well away from Blackburn.

In Jersey you would have wait 18 months for this type of operation

My recent and current involvement with the NHS started with a visit my doctor on 5th December who gave me a prescription. This wasn't working, so I revisited him on 17th December and he referred me to an ENT specialist at St Peter's. Appointment came through almost immediately for 23rd December. He confirmed that it was nothing serious but referred me to Burnley General for an endoscopy which came through for 12th January. Having attended that, they referred me for a CT scan at Blackburn which came through for 22nd January.Nothing to worry about following the scan but wanted me to go for an ultrasound scan on my kidneys and back to my GP for blood tests. The appointment for the ultrasound scan is tomorrow and I had my blood tests done on Monday. I have also to see the gastroenterologist, and that appointment has come through today for 25th February. Finally, they have made an appointment with my GP for, hopefully, a final checkup (and catchup !!) and hypertension check on 26th February.

Now that, to me, is an absolutely fantastic, faultless service which started on 5th Dec and ends, hopefully, on 26th Feb.

I have had the experience of A&E with both my 92 year old dad and 90 year old mum and, whilst it wasn't ideal, I never felt like they were ever in danger or being neglected and they were both soon back on the mend.

As some have said earlier, there are some real numpties, tools, ar$eholes that frequent that facility on a regular basis and, unfortunately, take up a lot of the staff's (and police) precious time. If my sister hadn't stopped me, I was going to confront one particular gobshite and sort it out. Happily the police arrived and carted the twohat off to somewhere more secluded where, I hope, they gave him a good seeing to, although I doubt it.

FCBurnley wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2020 5:03 pm

Sounds like another good reason to stay in Burnley and keep well away from Blackburn.

Nothing wrong with Blackburn hospital or the staff who work there, if you could keep the druggies, drunks and homeless away from the emergency dept it would be an even better place, and more welcoming for those who actually need the service.

Grumps wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2020 5:39 pm

Nothing wrong with Blackburn hospital or the staff who work there, if you could keep the druggies, drunks and homeless away from the emergency dept it would be an even better place, and more welcoming for those who actually need the service.

Very true, I’ve noticed that it’s hard not to notice, A&Es a magnet for them it’s never ending 1 bunch disappear to be replaced by another bunch almost seamlessly.

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2020 6:03 pm

Very true, I’ve noticed that it’s hard not to notice, A&Es a magnet for them it’s never ending 1 bunch disappear to be replaced by another bunch almost seamlessly.

I was there the other week with an elderly relative, but 3 staff were tied up for half an hour trying to get rid of a spiced up homeless guy who had nothing wrong with him, talking with the staff it's a far too regular occurrence, don't get me started about those who turn up with a cold, or a poorly tummy, they obviously don't know the meaning of accident, or emergency.

Some wonderful staff in the NHS and we are very lucky to have it. This is not a political rant but the funding issue and distribution of funding within the NHS really needs to be addressed

Both of my daughters work in the NHS, one in A&E, and you wouldn't believe what they have to deal with
on a regular basis.

OR

Maybe you would, given some of the observations on this thread.