Category Archives: Health

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Stop Knocking The NHS

SOME critics of the NHS often unfairly complain about the system, when perhaps they should be looking only at those, who might not be actually giving the standard of care demanded by the Service. The NHS is a truly amazing organization, and having lived, travelled and experienced health treatment throughout Europe for many years, I cannot stress how vastly superior our system is. In most European countries, health insurance is very expensive (hundreds of Euros per month) and compulsory, by law, for individuals to have. However the treatment is far from superior to ours. In America if you cannot pay for costly insurance, you are left to fend for yourself. So many limbless or toothless people can be seen, sadly without any prosthetics or dentures, openly wandering the streets of wealthy cities. Something, thank goodness, we seldom see here.

Of course it’s not just all good news, and clearly, some local Practices are much better than others but this is only because of the competence and efficiency of the doctors and staff, not because of NHS directives. So, if you are unhappy with the service you are getting, tell your doctor why, and move to a different Surgery. I did, after a locum and reception workers at my previous clinic wrongly directed two ambulances and it took over an hour before one reached me. The result could have been fatal. Again it was not the fault of the NHS, just human failings.

However once in Odstock’s ICU and Coronary Care Unit, the care I received was totally amazing: Everybody was so loving, encouraging, positive and genuinely warm and incredibly helpful; with nothing being too much trouble, day or night: nursing, consultancy and care, which were truly ‘from the heart’. Even the food was delicious!

I, as do thousands more, owe my life to those wonderful people, as well as the surgeons and all in the post-op care wards in Southampton.

My post-op care really changed for the better, when I became a patient at Hindon Surgery: I was even given a free mug!

Everybody who works there are so attentive, friendly and efficient; from receptionists to the doctors, nurses, district nurses and midwives. There is online ordering for prescriptions and booking of appointments and because they have their own dispensary, you can often collect your medication on the same day as ordering it.

They have won many county and national awards for medical excellence and achievements over the years and some of these can be seen proudly displayed in the Surgery Waiting Room.

Dr. Patrick Craig-McFeely, his wife Dr. Sally Hayes and Practice Nurse (diabetes care) and dispenser Mrs. Stella Rhodes were even presented with one award from the previous Health Minister.

Terrific results for a ‘Village Surgery!’

The Surgery then encouraged me to have rehabilitation exercise and health awareness classes, which were incredible and the first phase in my getting fit once more.

I also found I needed to learn how to relax again and get my mind and thoughts straight, so I tried some therapy from Ruth Bridgeman, which was totally mesmerising and Ruth gave me a real feeling of well-being and the confidence to pick myself up again and her Yoga lessons are so clever that they make you feel fit and active but at the same time not physically exhausted.

When I was capable of moving on to Cardiac Phase 1V Rehab, I sought the help of Salli Grant who is my therapist and an absolutely incredible, lovely and talented expert in Cardiac and Pulmonary Exercise Rehabilitation! Luckily, she is still guiding me on the road to recovery!

Thank Goodness for the NHS!

Useful Contacts:

Hindon Surgery – Tel: 01747 820222  Fax: 820736

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Cardiac Care Team 01722 336262 – Ext. 4847

Heart Patient Club – http://cabgpatchclub.wordpress.com

Salli Grant – Tel: 079 699 09162

http://happyhearts4u.wordpress.com

Ruth Bridgeman – Tel: 01722 717870