I can't say visiting a hospital is the top of my list of things to do whilst in Blighty, however it's somewhere I've spent quite a lot of time at over the last few weeks.
Now that it's a friday and I've had my glass of wine, it's time for me to write this post and vent.
So let me share with you the state of the UK public health system and in particular Charing Cross Hospital.
I have to admit Australia probably has some bad hospitals and examples of health service, however what I've seen here chills me to the bone.
Firstly, I have to thank the 'good' nurses and doctors, as there are some. They're the ones that show compassion and respect. They take time to provide the care you'd expect in such a place. They answer your questions when you need an explanation, they don't talk down at you or use big words to show their superiority. They were born to do what they do.
However they're not all like that. We've witnessed first hand nurses yelling at patients and grabbing them in anger. They don't care that these people are alone in there, recovering from an illness, in pain, confused and angry.
We've seen the dirt and rubbish strewn amongst the hospital hallways and in the wards. Whenever it was last cleaned, whenever there was some pride in a workplace it was lost and gone a long long time ago.
You almost need to sterilize yourself after being in there.
We've seen the lack of food provided that is meant to support the recovery of the patient. Some don't even receive anything and unfortunately if they don't have family there checking on them they hardly ever get fed. Budget cuts have meant they only get a sandwich for tea and a cup of soup. It doesn't matter if you have dietary concerns, you get what you're given. If you have trouble swallowing due to illness, to bad.
We've seen patients not get bathed for over 3 weeks. When you're that sick surely it's the small things that matter and can make a person feel like the days a bit brighter.
To say then that patients lie in their own waste for hours, have catheters fixed to them for weeks with no change should not be a surprise. Once again it's up to the family to fight for them and ask and ask again for the most basic of care.
How does a patient that goes into hospital for a basic simple operation end up staying in for weeks .... the state of the public health system.
You continually fight for answers. You continually fight for a patient to get basic care.
The sad thing is the demand for this health system is growing and the budget is reducing.
Unless this country has some balls to make real change, it will just get worse.
If I ever need to go to hospital, I'd rather get operated on out in the back paddock amongst green grass, trees and blue skies with a pair of old shearing clippers and a needle and thread - much less likely to catch something there!
Now that it's a friday and I've had my glass of wine, it's time for me to write this post and vent.
So let me share with you the state of the UK public health system and in particular Charing Cross Hospital.
I have to admit Australia probably has some bad hospitals and examples of health service, however what I've seen here chills me to the bone.
Firstly, I have to thank the 'good' nurses and doctors, as there are some. They're the ones that show compassion and respect. They take time to provide the care you'd expect in such a place. They answer your questions when you need an explanation, they don't talk down at you or use big words to show their superiority. They were born to do what they do.
However they're not all like that. We've witnessed first hand nurses yelling at patients and grabbing them in anger. They don't care that these people are alone in there, recovering from an illness, in pain, confused and angry.
We've seen the dirt and rubbish strewn amongst the hospital hallways and in the wards. Whenever it was last cleaned, whenever there was some pride in a workplace it was lost and gone a long long time ago.
You almost need to sterilize yourself after being in there.
We've seen the lack of food provided that is meant to support the recovery of the patient. Some don't even receive anything and unfortunately if they don't have family there checking on them they hardly ever get fed. Budget cuts have meant they only get a sandwich for tea and a cup of soup. It doesn't matter if you have dietary concerns, you get what you're given. If you have trouble swallowing due to illness, to bad.
We've seen patients not get bathed for over 3 weeks. When you're that sick surely it's the small things that matter and can make a person feel like the days a bit brighter.
To say then that patients lie in their own waste for hours, have catheters fixed to them for weeks with no change should not be a surprise. Once again it's up to the family to fight for them and ask and ask again for the most basic of care.
How does a patient that goes into hospital for a basic simple operation end up staying in for weeks .... the state of the public health system.
You continually fight for answers. You continually fight for a patient to get basic care.
The sad thing is the demand for this health system is growing and the budget is reducing.
Unless this country has some balls to make real change, it will just get worse.
If I ever need to go to hospital, I'd rather get operated on out in the back paddock amongst green grass, trees and blue skies with a pair of old shearing clippers and a needle and thread - much less likely to catch something there!
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