Socialized medicine update: Britain cancels 50,000 surgeries as NHS hospitals face winter crisis

[Free Vulcan]

American liberals such as Sen. Bernie Sanders like to tout socialized healthcare systems such as Britain's for spending less and covering everybody, but here's a reality check you shouldn't expect to hear in any of his fiery speeches: the British government-run National Health Service has abruptly canceled 50,000 nonemergency surgeries due to overcrowding at hospitals this winter.

Read more at: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/socialized-medicine-update-britain-cancels-50000-surgeries-as-nhs-hospitals-face-winter-crisis/article/2644827

[Applewood]

Government run health care is so fragile, an epidemic like the flu becomes a major disaster. 

Unfortunately, we have many in the US who want government health care.  They either don't realize the downsides or they don't care as long as health care is "free."

[SirLinksALot]

SOURCE: THE TELEGRAPH

URL: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/02/nhs-hospitals-ordered-cancel-routine-operations-january/

By  Laura Donnelly, health editor  Henry Bodkin

FULL TITLE: NHS hospitals ordered to cancel all routine operations in January as flu spike and bed shortages lead to A&E crisis


Every hospital in the country has been ordered to cancel all non-urgent surgery until at least February in an unprecedented step by NHS officials.

The instructions on Tuesday night - which will see result in around 50,000 operations being axed - followed claims by senior doctors that patients were being treated in “third world” conditions, as hospital chief executives warned of the worst winter crisis for three decades.

Hospitals are reporting growing chaos, with a spike in winter flu leaving frail patients facing 12-hour waits, and some units running out of corridor space.

Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS medical director, on Tuesday ordered NHS trusts to stop taking all but the most urgent cases, closing outpatients clinics for weeks as well as cancelling around 50,000 planned operations.

Trusts have also been told they can abandon efforts to house male and female patients in separate wards, in an effort to protect basic safety, as services become overwhelmed.

The chaos follows a rise in flu cases when many hospitals were already close to capacity, with high numbers of frail patients stuck on wards for want of social care.

By Tuesday night 12 NHS trusts - including two ambulance services covering almost nine million people - had declared they had reached the maximum state of emergency.

One ambulance trust resorted to taxis to ferry patients to hospital, while another asked patients to find a family member to get them to hospital, with paramedics stuck outside A&E units in record numbers.

Health officials said pressures on the NHS were expected to continue to rise, with flu levels surging.

(EXCERPT) CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE REST....

[SirLinksALot]

FROM THE SAME ARTICLE:

Why is the NHS under so much pressure?

An ageing population. There are one million more people over the age of 65 than five years ago. This has caused a surge in demand for medical care

Cuts to budgets for social care. While the NHS budget has been protected, social services for home helps and other care have fallen by 11 per cent in five years. This has caused record levels of “bedblocking”; people with no medical need to be in hospital are stuck there because they can’t be supported at home

Staff shortages. While hospital doctor and nurse numbers have risen over the last decade, they have not kept pace with the rise in demand. Meanwhile 2016 saw record numbers of GP practices close, displacing patients on to A&E departments as they seek medical advice

Lifestyle factors. Drinking too much alcohol, smoking, a poor diet with not enough fruit and vegetables and not doing enough exercise are all major reasons for becoming unwell and needing to rely on our health services. Growing numbers of overweight children show this problem is currently set to continue

[driftdiver]

So those operations which were scheduled 18 months ago just got pushed out another 18 months

aint socialized health care grande

[Restored]

If you get the flu:

Get Tamiflu ASAP and take it
Drink Gatorade and water. Lots of it.
Take Tylenol or Ibuprofen to reduce the fever
Eat chicken soup
Don't stay horizontal. Move around. Get up. You can do it.

Do all of these things even if you don't want to do them.

[SirLinksALot]

So those operations which were scheduled 18 months ago just got pushed out another 18 months

aint socialized health care grande

Well, at least you don't have to pay when (if) they eventually see you /sarc

[Neverdul]

If you get the flu:

Get Tamiflu ASAP and take it
Drink Gatorade and water. Lots of it.
Take Tylenol or Ibuprofen to reduce the fever
Eat chicken soup
Don't stay horizontal. Move around. Get up. You can do it.

Do all of these things even if you don't want to do them.

That’s actually very good advice. Although getting Tamiflu only helps if you get as soon as you come down with symptoms and requires a trip to the doctor’s office where you could be exposed to other nasties.

As to Gatorade, I prefer Vitamin Water as it tastes better and seems to quench my thirst better. Gatorade has way too much sodium for me with my HBP. I also like ginger ale or cranberry ginger ale especially if my tummy is upset.

I used to drink Gatorade when I was playing golf on very hot days as I was losing a lot of sodium due to sweating.  But the best is drinking ice water and plenty of it or tea or herbal tea with honey.

Chicken soup can’t be beat. Homemade is best if someone can make it for you.  I have a recipe for homemade chick soup with matzo balls, lots of carrots and onion and garlic, coriander, that I’ve made many times and it’s so good I can’t stop eating it until it is all gone.

And yes, no matter how lousy you feel, you can’t stay in bed too long. OTOH, you can’t try to exert yourself too much either. When you have the flu, it’s not a good idea to go on a house cleaning spree or go running two miles a day as I saw someone on a flu thread on TOS recommend.

[Right_in_Virginia]

If you get the flu:

Get Tamiflu ASAP and take it
Drink Gatorade and water. Lots of it.
Take Tylenol or Ibuprofen to reduce the fever
Eat chicken soup
Don't stay horizontal. Move around. Get up. You can do it.

Do all of these things even if you don't want to do them.

Take a lot of Vitamin D3.

[Suppressed]

If you get the flu:

Get Tamiflu ASAP and take it
Drink Gatorade and water. Lots of it.
Take Tylenol or Ibuprofen to reduce the fever
Eat chicken soup
Don't stay horizontal. Move around. Get up. You can do it.

Do all of these things even if you don't want to do them.

Maintain healthy zinc level by ta king a supplement regularly..

[Restored]

Gatorade contains potassium. You will lose potassium while you are sick. A little extra sodium might even help. Too much water will flush the minerals out of your body

[Free Vulcan]

Threads merged.

[Victoria33]

@Free Vulcan

This concerns Britain's The National Health Service that is free.  There is also a PRIVATE HEALTH PLAN that costs money.  All doctors give care at the NHS locations, plus they have their private office for private patients.

Here is the difference:
Seeing a doctor:
NHS: It's free and you see a doctor at an NHS locaiton.

Private:  You go to a doctor's office, not the NHS location and you pay for the doctor visit per what your private plan is.

You need surgery:
NHS: Your name is put on a waiting list unless you are in danger of dying right then.  When your turn comes up, you go to a NHS hospital and are in a ward with other beds/patients there.

Private:  You are not put on a list; you get your surgery then; you go to a private hospital with private rooms.  Your insurance pays part and you pay the rest.

My son who lives in London has the private plan.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

From what I witnessed while living in UK, cancelling surgery may save more lives.

It is a horror show for real, the National Health Service.  I knew one couple who lost their 8 year old as the Dr did not recognize an asthmatic attack.

[SirLinksALot]

Theresa May FINALLY apologises for 55,000 cancelled operations after denying NHS was in crisis

SEE HERE: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/theresa-finally-apologises-cancelled-operations-11796459

[dfwgator]