Brightness said:99% of the staff I encountered in those long months were absolutely fantastic. Overworked, yes (1 nurse and 1 auxilliary on a 26 bed HDU during the night), underpaid, probably
That's the point though really, they are overworked and their clinical performance and attitude has to suffer as a result. People in NHS hospitals don't always have the best outcomes because there is a resource shortage. No amount of sympathy and bed side manner makes up for that. It is sometimes quite a subtle problem, eg complicated cases that are not dealt with fast enough because people are to busy to sit down and work out an effective plan of action so that the persons condition deteriorates to the point where nothing can be done
I have spent the better part of a year trailing round various NHS and private hospitals and it was a real eye opener, the standard of private medical care is much higher. I don't know what motivates them to practice privately but the the doctors were better, more concerned, frequently more eminent and knowledgeable and able to give more time and the nursing staff were just outstandingly competent
I would have to be brutally frank and say that I think NHS staff often have an attitude problem. Iv''e been harrased in car parks over parking, insulted by receptionists, patronised by doctors and ignored by nurses. I don't know where or why but they clearly think in general that they are doing you a favour. The only part of the NHS that is truly first rate are casualty and the blue light services and if you get an honest Dr or Nurse they will admit it
I had a very revealing conversation with a South African nurse who said basically 2 things, firstly that she was shocked by how late diagnosis and referral was made by GP's, she had worked in the states and europe and kept seeing disease at advanced atages that had plainly been undiagnosed even theough people had been sick for ages and secondly how low standards and morale were in NHS compared with other countries
I know people would prefer it not to be this way but the sad fact is we are getting a second rate service.
