Have we gone back in time? (The NHS vs Private Health Care)

Member Name: pebbles

Product:	The NHS vs Private Health Care
Date:	09/12/00 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The NHS is ours by right we deserve better

Disadvantages: private is costly , you are dealt with by the same doctor anyway

History books relay stories of poverty, filthy hospital conditions, diseases and infections, lack of staff, accidents happening due to poor facilities. Isn't this history repeating itself?

The NHS makes me so ANGRY!!!! I can however see the coin from both sides; 2 of my sisters are nurses and I've been a patient on many occasions.

Nurses and doctors are overworked and under-paid, so the morale is low. Despite this they continue to serve us loyally and professionally. They have every reason to moan too, so give them some consideration next time you are in A & E and screaming at them for the length of time you have been waiting.

It's not the nursing staff you should be moaning at. It's the cleaning contractors! The standards are appalling! It's all to do with contracts and getting the job done in as little time as possible for the budget that they have. The management of the hospitals have allowed this to happen!!!!!! Bring back the hospitals' own, committed staff and forget the privatisation; it hasn't worked and we are all suffering because of it.

I had to spend 8 days in hospital when I had my son because I was so ill. However that was 13 years ago and things were so different then. I had my daughter 6 months ago and despite needing the care I went home! I didn't want an infection or for my baby to get one. The wards were revolting! The cleaners were mopping the floors whilst food was being served, the showers and toilets were stained with blood and other unmentionables! Why is this happening!!!!! My friend was rushed back into hospital after a serious operation because she had caught an infection from the ward - hadn't she been through enough already? The beds were hardly changed and there were blood spots left on the floors and chairs. Again the bathrooms were in the same condition that I saw them in. The cleaning staff are hardly seen and the poor nurses are rushing around like headless chickens trying to clean up and nurse t
he patients.

I have had 5 operations and I need to have another. I'm too scared to go in to hospital as I won't be able to leave the same day and I dread to think what it would be like.

What on earth are the government doing? Perhaps they need the ear plugs surgically removed 'cos they sure aren't listening. But then again they can afford to go privately.

Any of us could go privately too but operations would cost a few thousand pounds, and haven't we already paid more than that to the NHS already?

I've asked many nurses why they don't work in private hospitals and they said it would be disloyal to their patients and that's not why they joined the profession. It's a passionate argument that they give. But to be honest I wouldn't blame them if they jumped over the fence; they have to earn their keep and feed their families the same as the rest of us.

The steam is lifting ... sorry.

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