P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[Beckett]

These posts about GPs and GP surgeries are very sad to read.

 

I've only been out of the game for a few months and things seem to have deteriorated rapidly all round since then. The signs were there before I decided to walk away. It was virtually impossible to recruit either a decent GP Partner, Salaried GP, or practice nurse. The GPs only wanted to do locum work because it was more profitable and they could work less hours. I'm not saying this was wrong but I grew up and worked in an era where to be a doctor was a vocation, not a job. Practice Nurses no longer wanted to do treatment room tasks but preferred more managerial/ political roles - for very high salaries too. I was told very clearly "If you want someone to dress leg ulcers, get a healthcare assistant". Again, I'm not saying this is wrong but a sign of the changes that I no longer wanted to be a part of.

 

In the GP practice that I worked, we tried so hard to keep the care and welfare of our patients the main focus for us all. I lost count of the number of times I collected and delivered prescriptions to our elderly and/or lone patients, the times I travelled by ambulance with the same group of patients who were frightened to go into hospital alone, and the times I went and bought ciggies for mental health patients who "just need a fag" in the midst of their breakdown.  

 

Would I still do it? Absolutely.  Would I be allowed to do it now? Absolutely not.

 

I know efficency savings, meeting targets, making better use of GPs' time by using cost effective pharmacists and healthcare assistants are the way of the medical world but would it really hurt Dr X to see Mrs W face to face once in blue moon? I don't think so. 

 

I suspect my practice was really happy to see the back of me - I was just too stuck in a past time.

 

Here endeth my rant! 

 

Best wishes as always. Jane.xx

[Harry Peterson]

4 hours ago, lincslady said:

I can't do apps, and the Systmonline they have will not now book appts. for you, as it used to.  Has to be phone.  It will get sorted tomorrow or Thursday, when my daughter will be here to help.  The sad thing is the staff are nice, and the surgery a really good modern building, but obviously they are short of GPs if not Nurses.

 

Thanks for all your info.

Ours replaced the online booking via Systmonline with AskMyGP - a very straightforward, simple to use, online triage system. It gives the opportunity for a brief summary of the problem and in our case that’s followed up with contact by the chosen method - phone, visit, video or email - usually on the same day. We’re perhaps lucky but using that system we’ve never failed to get a same day surgery appointment when it’s been necessary.

 

What’s ‘necessary’ might perhaps be arguable, but it’s very rarely that most people actually need a face to face appointment. Some obviously do, but in that situation (suspected shingles was one)  we’ve always seen a GP the same day.

 

Not much use to you, I’m afraid, if your surgery doesn’t offer AskMyGP, but it does exist outside the app.

[Harry Peterson]

15 minutes ago, Beckett said:

I suspect my practice was really happy to see the back of me - I was just too stuck in a past time.

 

Here endeth my rant! 

 

Best wishes as always. Jane.xx

I very much doubt that Jane - conscientious, caring people are very difficult to find.

 

I also wonder just how many of the reported recent GP problems have been caused by large corporations taking over local practices. That’s certainly the case in quite a few areas. Only profits matter, and I’m advising one patient who’s actually been ditched by one such practice (in contravention of very clear rules) because her conditions are complex and require expensive medications.

[SarahHben]

6 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Sarah, I’m sorry to hear about your parents’ misfortune - though it’s incredibly common, even here. Thieves are very cunning.

 

I’m sure you’ve seen this, and similar threads, but just in case not they do contain some useful tips for getting refunds, and warnings to all of us. We could very easily be next.

 

https://www.tenerife-information-centre.com/scam-in-adeje-comments.html

Thank you, I’ve had a quick look at that link and many of the shops/situations discussed sounds exactly like my dad’s experience, I think one even mentions the same shop. It’s awful that it is so rife.

[Gettingwarmer]

3 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

Thank you, I’ve had a quick look at that link and many of the shops/situations discussed sounds exactly like my dad’s experience, I think one even mentions the same shop. It’s awful that it is so rife.

Maybe you can use this in discussions with the banks. 

[Beckett]

55 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

I very much doubt that Jane - conscientious, caring people are very difficult to find.

 

I also wonder just how many of the reported recent GP problems have been caused by large corporations taking over local practices. That’s certainly the case in quite a few areas. Only profits matter, and I’m advising one patient who’s actually been ditched by one such practice (in contravention of very clear rules) because her conditions are complex and require expensive medications.

Thanks Harry - that's a kind thing to say. However I'm pretty sure I didn't fit the brief any longer.

 

You are absolutely spot on regarding the (mostly American) corporations taking over local practices and introducing/enforcing their corporate ethos.  Profit is all.

 

I am sorry to hear about the lady you are advising. As you say, it's in clear contravention of all the rules but I also have heard of several such situations. It's a disgrace.  Good luck with that Harry and do let us know how you/she get on.

 

Best wishes. Jane.xx

[Snow Hill]

1 hour ago, SarahHben said:

Thank you, I’ve had a quick look at that link and many of the shops/situations discussed sounds exactly like my dad’s experience, I think one even mentions the same shop. It’s awful that it is so rife.

The question is why is this not being addressed by the Canarian Government they must know it’s going on so why are they still allowing the scammers to get away with it. Perhaps P&O and other cruise lines need to warn passengers before they go ashore of these types of scams.

[grapau27]

3 hours ago, Beckett said:

These posts about GPs and GP surgeries are very sad to read.

 

I've only been out of the game for a few months and things seem to have deteriorated rapidly all round since then. The signs were there before I decided to walk away. It was virtually impossible to recruit either a decent GP Partner, Salaried GP, or practice nurse. The GPs only wanted to do locum work because it was more profitable and they could work less hours. I'm not saying this was wrong but I grew up and worked in an era where to be a doctor was a vocation, not a job. Practice Nurses no longer wanted to do treatment room tasks but preferred more managerial/ political roles - for very high salaries too. I was told very clearly "If you want someone to dress leg ulcers, get a healthcare assistant". Again, I'm not saying this is wrong but a sign of the changes that I no longer wanted to be a part of.

 

In the GP practice that I worked, we tried so hard to keep the care and welfare of our patients the main focus for us all. I lost count of the number of times I collected and delivered prescriptions to our elderly and/or lone patients, the times I travelled by ambulance with the same group of patients who were frightened to go into hospital alone, and the times I went and bought ciggies for mental health patients who "just need a fag" in the midst of their breakdown.  

 

Would I still do it? Absolutely.  Would I be allowed to do it now? Absolutely not.

 

I know efficency savings, meeting targets, making better use of GPs' time by using cost effective pharmacists and healthcare assistants are the way of the medical world but would it really hurt Dr X to see Mrs W face to face once in blue moon? I don't think so. 

 

I suspect my practice was really happy to see the back of me - I was just too stuck in a past time.

 

Here endeth my rant! 

 

Best wishes as always. Jane.xx

Thank you Jane for your insight in a doctor's surgery.

For me and I suspect most of us on here you were a perfect doctors surgery manager.

Graham xx

[grapau27]

Lunch today.

[grapau27]

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Lunch today.

Another cruise Graham?..🤔

[Beckett]

25 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Thank you Jane for your insight in a doctor's surgery.

For me and I suspect most of us on here you were a perfect doctors surgery manager.

Graham xx

Ah thanks Graham. You're very kind.

 

I did my best is all I can say. I cared, greatly, for all my staff and patients but I definitely did it in my own way. I was too outspoken, too quirky, and I never followed the rules if I disagreed with them. It was time for me to go definitely. My replacement is from a corporate background and I think will be very successful - but with a different style to mine. I wish him well because the road ahead is littered with potholes!

 

Thanks again Graham. Best wishes always. Jane.xx

[P&O SUE]

On 1/29/2023 at 5:29 PM, SarahHben said:

Afternoon all.

My parents got back from their cruise yesterday morning, it didn’t go fantastically well 🥴 Dad was scammed out of a large sum of money in Tenerife, which meant he was stressed for 3/4 of the holiday. They were a group of 5, and 3 of them, including mum have tested positive for covid today. Mum started coughing and feeling rough last night 🥴

Oh no, that sounds terrible! What a thing to happen on holiday. Hope your mum is recovering well.

[P&O SUE]

Hello all, my Mum came home from hospital yesterday and when John and I went to visit people from the urgent response team were there assessing her. She’s going to get carers 3 times a day but unfortunately when they came to get her up this morning she was already up and dressed 🙄 This is the thing, she always wants to do things and she’s capable but it’s her falls that are the problem. As the lady said they can’t follow her round 24/7! I just hope she remembers the techniques she showed her to help.

Edited January 31, 2023 by P&O SUE

[P&O SUE]

As regards GP’s ours have been taken over by a group that’s got a few surgeries and we only have locums now. Luckily I haven’t had to see someone for a while but I just keep putting in my repeat prescriptions and they keep sending them to my pharmacy.

I do know that you have to phone at 8am now and by 20 past all the appointments are gone and you have to try again the next day! Not looking forward to needing an appointment.

[Gettingwarmer]

9 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

Hello all, my Mum came home from hospital yesterday and when John and I went to visit people from the urgent response team were there assessing her. She’s going to get carers 3 times a day but unfortunately when they came to get her up this morning she was already up and dressed 🙄 This is the thing, she always wants to do things and she’s capable but it’s her falls that are the problem. As the lady said they can’t follow her round 24/7! I just hope she remembers the techniques she showed her to help.

I know just how you feel. YOU need help but your parents want to prove that don’t. It’s a vicious circle. 

[SarahHben]

13 hours ago, Snow Hill said:

The question is why is this not being addressed by the Canarian Government they must know it’s going on so why are they still allowing the scammers to get away with it. Perhaps P&O and other cruise lines need to warn passengers before they go ashore of these types of scams.

I think my dad has written to P&O asking them to warn passengers when going ashore in Tenerife. He says they warn about pickpockets in various ports so this shouldn’t be any different.

[Adawn47]

17 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

I also wonder just how many of the reported recent GP problems have been caused by large corporations taking over local practices. That’s certainly the case in quite a few areas. Only profits matter

Not  just GP practices Harry. Imho, a similar issue is the cause of this whole NHS fiasco. All problems begin at the top and filter down.

Bring back the Matrons.

Avril

[yorkshirephil]

10 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Not  just GP practices Harry. Imho, a similar issue is the cause of this whole NHS fiasco. All problems begin at the top and filter down.

Bring back the Matrons.

Avril

[purplesea]

Morning everyone,

Bright and sunny but breezy down here. Been up to my local surgery to get a blood test prior to a scan next week. I have never seen the waiting room so empty, supposedly due to all the phone consultations that the doctors seem to be doing now. 

I've nothing else planned for today except the usual boring chores. 

Hope everyone has a good day and take care.

Pam

 

[davecttr]

25 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Not  just GP practices Harry. Imho, a similar issue is the cause of this whole NHS fiasco. All problems begin at the top and filter down.

Bring back the Matrons.

Avril

Don't they still have the equivalent of Matrons, pay band 9 on £100,000 plus? In balance lots of staff on pay band 4 or lower

[Harry Peterson]

32 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Don't they still have the equivalent of Matrons, pay band 9 on £100,000 plus? In balance lots of staff on pay band 4 or lower

Most, if not all, matrons would be on Pay Band 8a on not much more than half that figure.

[Josy1953]

I hate to hear the constant criticism of the NHS.  I have several family members working in the NHS and I know that I would hate to do their work for what they are paid.  I have seen the bruises when my sister has been hit by patients or their companions.  I took her to doctor and hospital  appointments when she had injured her rotator cuff struggling with a patient.  I think that she and her colleagues earn every penny that they get.

[Adawn47]

2 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

I hate to hear the constant criticism of the NHS.  I have several family members working in the NHS and I know that I would hate to do their work for what they are paid.  I have seen the bruises when my sister has been hit by patients or their companions.  I took her to doctor and hospital  appointments when she had injured her rotator cuff struggling with a patient.  I think that she and her colleagues earn every penny that they get.

It's not the NHS staff Josy, they are wonderful people. My grandaughter is a nurse at Pinderfield's Hospital in Wakefield and I know how hard they work. The money given to the hospitals is being 'directed to the wrong areas' instead of into the actual departments that are struggling.  Our NHS is now fast becoming an American style business, and as such the staff and patients are the last to benefit.

All obviously my own opinion of course.

Avril

[indiana123]

 

Just ordering a dishwasher from a well known Company.     It has to be fitted and we have to pay for that, we are prepared to do so but we are in disbelief and laughing our heads off at the last one!

 

Fitting     £115

Recycle old appliance £20

 

UNPACKING   £4.00

 

Are they having a laugh.  Will they fit it with the box on if we refuse,

 

We can't stop laughing at how silly it sounds😊or is it just us.