Last One to Post Wins

[Stephen]

I wish Ray, it would have been a blessing.

I had terrible stomach cramps for a few hours afterwards. The nurse recommend Paracetamol and peppermint tea which helped.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Lunch anyone?

[towny44]

So, is a big f**t likely to follow this procedure?

That's no way to talk about Stephen.

[Stephen]

Lunch anyone?

The surgery is now open

[Ray B]

We seemed to have promoted the surgery receptionist, the answer phone message.........
You are number three in the call queue, a care operative will be with you shortly.

[towny44]

We seemed to have promoted the surgery receptionist, the answer phone message.........
You are number three in the call queue, a care operative will be with you shortly.

I was number 4 in the queue last Friday and it still took an hour before I got through, and then I was only on the phone for 5 minutes, so I wonder what reception are doing for the rest of the time?

[Mervyn and Trish]

You clearly need more gravitas. Trish submitted an online triage form to our surgery, their preferred method of seeking an appointment, had a phone call within 30 mins to booking appointment with an actual GP an hour later.

[Stephen]

Our GP system is cr*p.

The only chance of an appointment is to be on the phone bang on 8 o’clock in the morning, and then you might be 30+ in the queue within minutes. As for their ‘press button one to reserve your place in the queue and we’ll call you back later’. Yeah right, they call back later only to tell you all appointments have gone.

[Ray B]

That must be so disheartening Stephen and may cause upset and distress.
Ask for a compo form.

[Stephen]

Life ruined

I'm just filling several out now Ray.

[Manoverboard]

We book ' chats ' and / or ' face to face ' via the same online system like wot we use for jabs and ordering pills various. Any problems then we phone reception and they sort it out.

Country practices rule ok

[Stephen]

Probably because they've only got ten patients on they're books

[towny44]

Pauline had the promised CT scan this morning and very efficient it was along with all the other appointments in this current episode.
But what a sad reflection on our current NHS staffing crisis. The mobile unit in our hospital car park is privately run and staffed by a private health care company, paying their staff well above NHS radiographer rates to run a daytime operation of outpatient appointments, with a relaxed schedule with no pressure from A&E or medical emergencies, and no unsocial working hours or shifts, and this unit has been in operation there for the last 2 years, while the hospital trust debates whether it can afford a second in house unit.
Sooner or later, whichever govt is in power is going to have to tackle the gap between NHS wage rates and private company pay. It is going to be costly and if it all has to come from taxes, it will be very unpopular, as indeed would any form of insurance type payment, but it will need to be done.

[Stephen]

I agree John.

I’ve got a CT Scan this morning in the same scenario as your wife, a separate unit out in the car park that has been in use for two or three years to help with the back log. The annoying thing is, you have to check in one end of the hospital where the main Radioligy dept is, then once you are called walk to the other end of the hospital through a maze of corridors to the outside unit.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Although the setting of temporary units like that can be a pain the principle works because they are isolated from the disruption caused by emergency patients. When I had my big heart adventure more than two years back my operation took place incredibly quickly and efficiently, but I'm conscious that because of the complexity and urgency of my operation two other patients will have had their planned procedures cancelled at short notice. Juggling emergency and elective care, alongside the budget constraints, is the biggest conundrum the NHS faces.

[Stephen]

What did you with the hate mail Merv

[Mervyn and Trish]

Put it on nail in the outside lav.

[Ray B]

Recycling, you know it's good for the planet, well done Merv.

[Manoverboard]

Chez Moby is about to have a few rooms painted, I agreed to order up the 14 tins of paint.

Have you seen the price of paint these days ... unbelievable

[Stephen]

You should have come to me Moby. I could have done you a good little deal on some battle ship grey.

[Ray B]

14 tins of paint what do you live in, a mansion?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Sounds like a shabby one if it needs that much paint.

[Stephen]

Last decorated on VE Day

[Manoverboard]

One likes the old place to be spick 'n' span

[Ray B]

must have let it get into one hell of a state Moby.