The Appalling State of our National Health

Don’t know if you live in a part of the country where you can actually get to see a Doctor or might get a bed in a hospital instead of a corridor.

Unfortunately I live in Kent, for my sins, and we have one of the worst records for Corridor care in Hospitals.

There are too many people in this country.  We all expect far too much from the NHS which was originally set up to deal with basics in the 1940’s like broken limbs and tuberculosis.  Now we expect hugely complicated and expensive treatments for Cancer and other illnesses we hardly heard of 60 years ago.  

Apparently money is thrown at the NHS but much is wasted on bureaucracy.  I read that many of the IT Systems in the NHS do not ‘talk’ to one another.  We’ve lost our wonderful Matrons who paraded the wards with a senior Consultant and been given a huge bureaucratic empire who also don’t appear to talk to one another.  Just look at what heads of NHS Trusts earn!!  

I’ve experienced the days of Matrons when the wards were spotless, the hygiene beyond reproach and I am not sure but don’t think nurses were allowed to wear make up. That’s a bit extreme but I also think those wearing brush like eyelashes which could fall off into a wound or dressing, are not that good either 😀

So why am I bleating about this now. 

I am now an Oldie and am getting the ‘Oldie’s problems’ such as High Blood Pressure etc.  Although on a low dose of BP Pills, I recently had a sinus problem. The doctor prescribed a Nasal Spray which, when I finally read the huge page of instructions, should not be given to a person with HPB.

On Monday I had an horrendous Nose bleed lasting for a half hour.  It was frightening, especially as I live alone.  Eventually I managed to stop the bleed but the next day had a nasty experience - unpleasant and not nice to write about.

My surgery will no longer give you an appointment if you call.  The receptionist asks if you’ve filled in ‘EConsult’ which takes me (and I’m a touch typist) about 20 minutes to complete.  I did what I had to expecting an appointment.  What did I get - an internet link on how to deal with Nose bleeds and a Doctor appointment for 7th January.

In the great scheme of things a severe nose bleed is not very important although I did read that you can DIE of a nosebleed.  I wasn’t in danger of dying but as an oldie who lives alone, I was frightened and stressed.  My BP went up and my stress level remains high with the fear of a repeat performance.

I used to have the utmost respect for Doctors - that has been eroded by what I see as a lack of ‘consideration’ for the patient. I think it began with Covid when it was all too easy for Doctors to abrogate responsibility and to phone patients rather than see them Face to Face.  Of course, they can probably get through many more patients in a day by phone than actually having to see them and be exposed to their germs.😀

In the old days, when you visited a Surgery, there would be many bottoms on seats. When I visit to hand in a Prescription repeat form, it’s like the Marie Celeste with hardly any people in the lovely modern waiting room.  The surgery is a Wellness Centre which seems to be all singing and dancing with little substance. Am I being cruel - maybe.

As a footnote.  It would be lovely to be able to pay nurses and doctors a great deal more but we are broke so where is the money to come from. And I was very surprised when looking up Doctors’ pay that ours are paid more than in 7 other European countries and also higher than Australia (though living conditions are much better there but so is the cost of living)

The latest concessions by the Labour Government seem to be very generous.  I hope the doctors will ignore the BMA and not carry out their next threatened strike.  These strikes impoverish the NHS, annihilate any improvements, and do nothing to help the 1 in 5 patients being treated in corridors in A & E.  

In my opinion the NHS is a Sacred Cow and no longer fit for purpose.  I lived in Australia in the 60’s, my son lives there now.  They had the same system then as they do now.  If you are poor, you get your medical treatment for free which is as it should be. But as you earn more you pay more into the Health System.  I know they’ve got a relatively small population of 24 million which also means fewer people paying into a Health System but it works.  

THE BUDGET

I ought to post more frequently but resist because I get so annoyed over so much.

Wanted to post after last year's Budget but didn't although I've constantly asked what on earth Rachel from Accounts was doing when she said her budget was for growth and then immediately raised NI for employers, raised the minimum wage and then lovely Angie chimed in with her bill for Workers' Rights from Day 1 of employment.

I wasn't brilliant at Maths at school but how on earth could you expect growth by hitting employers from all directions.  These measures increase expense for Employers and they are more likely to lay off staff not take on more.

And now this budget.  If you are rich you vote with your feet and leave (If only).  If you are on benefit you stay put and wait.  It's the middle classes who work hard, try and save, and are continually hit.

Contrary what many people believe, I do not have an Occupational Pension and only subsidise my less than maximum State Pension with what I saved over the years.  And I'm sure there are millions more like me.  And like them I see my expenses rising continually - food, heating, etc.  I'm shocked nearly every time I shop.  Over the last few years many items I buy have doubled in price - my income has not.  To give you an example, I like President unsalted butter which over a few years has doubled in price from under £2 to almost £4.  Today my decaffeinated coffee had gone up by 65p.  These rises are never one or two pence, they are quite steep.  Think I saw somewhere that our food bills have risen 40% in the last few years - that is one helluva rise and wages have not kept rise with the other increases like fuel bills. 

In my opinion, we have a basically communist government stuffed with young MP's enjoying power for the first time.  The PM belongs to the Fabian Society - look it up.  They want to level down the public but this hardly touches them.  Just looked up what an MP gets paid and was staggered to see it is £93.904- that's basic and has additions for extra responsibilities. And they have their index linked gold plated pensions - Nice one if you can get it. (That was the new rate introduced on April 1st 2025 having recently given themselves a raise on what I consider was already a very handsome and enviable salary.

The Two child cap.  The backbenchers appeared to be ready to revolt if it weren't removed.  Perhaps I sound harsh but having a child is 'not a right' it is a privilege and if you cannot afford  children don't expect the state to provide.  Last night on the news I saw several Mothers interviewed who were at Second hand clothes banks.  One really stuck out in my memory.  She had 4 or 5 children and complained that she was only getting just over £900  a month but if they moved the 2 child cap, she would get £2,000 a month - that's £24,000 a year which is much more than many people earn.  (That would put her into a tax band) Don't think I misheard. And this must be paid for - but how, when many businesses are shrinking.  It stands to reason that if your business is only making a small profit and you are then whacked with the double whammy of higher NI and higher minimum wage and workers' rights, you won't hire more and may even have to lay off employees.  So more employees without a job and also not paying tax - seems counter productive to me.  The hospitality industry seems to have been hit the hardest.  They have increased NI, increased minimum wage and the fear of workers' rights from Day 1 (another area which can be exploited by those with no conscience). Added to that the average punter has less disposable income. Prices go up, visitors go down - Lose-Lose.

Farmers.  Sure there are some farmers who are wealthy but there are many small farmers who don't make huge profits and stay working the land because they love their work and want to keep the farm in family ownership.  My vet, who is considering going abroad (as are many doctors) has a girlfriend who is a qualified Vet but also runs the family farm. This Government has hit small holders so hard that many are thinking of giving up as is the Vet's girlfriend.

Millionaires and billionaires.  Apparently they pay a very large proportion of all taxes. Tax them too far and off they go.  Reduce jobs and tax take reduces.  It's common sense, surely.

When I was born the population of the UK was 48 million.  It is now approaching 70 million.  I only ever remember seeing one tramp and never saw people sleeping in doorways.  We had very little but we were self sufficient and lived within our means. There weren't breakfast clubs and Clothing banks so what has gone wrong?  It pains me to see people sleeping on the streets and I'd rather my taxes went towards getting them off the streets and into accommodation and possibly a new life.  The homeless were taken off the streets and put in hotels during Covid so why were they then condemned to the streets again when illegals are housed, fed and looked after.  Surely Charity begins at home.

I could go on and on but will halt there.

GETTING TO SEE A DOCTOR

Have you been able to actually make an appointment and see a Doctor recently.  I really don't know what they do anymore.  On the odd occasion I've had to pop in a Repeat Prescription request, the surgery is almost empty - there may be one or two people sitting waiting and it's usually up the end near the Nurse who does Blood Tests.

Recently I've been referred to a Para-Medic over extreme back pain. Actually he was very helpful.  I've seen a Pharmacist at the Surgery over suspected High Blood Pressure - she is absent for a month and I was promised a call by her colleague but that is not till almost the end of October.  

Blood test revealed slightly high Cholesterol - which I've known about for years - but my Good Cholesterol counterbalances it so I've not needed medication.  However I was shocked to get a text referring me to a Link which gave advice on Diet and a Healthy Life style. As I already live under this regime and don't smoke and hardly drink, there's precious little else I can do.  But to just have a referral link surprised me.

My lovely Doctor retired last year and I've not actually 'seen' a doctor since then - it would appear that everything is parcelled out to others like Paramedics. 

One can no longer phone - if you can get through - and book an appointment.  You have to fill in the wretched EConsult - which takes about 15 minutes and many of the questions are totally irrelevant to whatever is your condition.  Then, if it is deemed necessary you might just get an appointment with an actual Doctor.

On the local news last night a Doctor said that Kent is one of the worst, if not the worst county for accessing a Doctor as there are too many patients per doctor.  For some reason Doctors don't seem to want to come and live in Kent.  Don't know why because they are building houses like they are going out of fashion.  Thank you Angela Rayner - and they aren't inexpensive either so wouldn't be within the reach of first time buyers.

To add insult to injury - Wes Streeting wants the public to be able to phone the Doctor's Surgery all day not just 8.00 to 8.30.  Apparently the doctors have responded by saying this will add to their workload and really important emergencies might be missed so they are threatening another Strike.

I am old enough to remember the days when you went to the surgery and waited - very often for a long time but you always saw a doctor. But then there were only 48 million people in the country and we are now approaching 70 million in our poor little over crowded country.  

I'm glad I'm the age I am and won't be around that much longer🤣

GARDENING EXPRESS - BEWARE

Normally I go the excellent Blue Diamond Garden Centre near Canterbury but they didn't have in stock the deep blue lavender I wanted.  My lavender had reached it's best after 7 years and needed replacing.

I found what I wanted on Gardening Express and placed an order on May 27th with a delivery date of 7 - 10 days.  Heard nothing until 17th June when I was told 'Peak Season' so a further wait.  Finally received the plants on 30th June by which time lavender was 'going over'.  They were in poor condition and the White Lavender was almost dead - I did plant it to give it a chance and now it is properly DEAD - see photo below.

I complained to the Company and have received absolutely no reply.  Looking up their website, if you have a complaint the customer has to pay for return of the plants.  The box was extremely heavy and I imagine the postage would have been around £30 not to mention the difficulty of packing.  So I've had to accept the hit.  My bill was over £50 and that included a large plastic plant pot which I intended for the largest of the lavenders.

I read predominantly adverse comments on line but it was too late.  One doesn't think of checking on line when buying a few plants.

Incredibly disappointing and that is why I'm posting the blog as a warning.

This was the white heather when it arrived.  Gave it a chance and crossed fingers - second photo is the plant dead in the garden.   

THE BLACK PRINCE - St Rumwold's Church

 Over my 14 years of volunteering at Canterbury Cathedral - always Sundays because that is a difficult day on which to have volunteers - most people have family commitments.  My one and only is in Australia so 'I'm Free'.  We Sunday volunteers have become quite a small and close knit community of friends.

One of our group last year asked me to give my René Mouchotte talk and then told me the church has no electricity.  My Presentation has a 15 minute video and several other short videos.  Well, up for a challenge, so I rehashed the talk for an audience without any illustrations. I did have large photos with which I could illustrate the story and spread them out on the pews for the audience to look at.

Another colleague was due to give a presentation next Friday - 18th on his Pilgrimage to Rome.  Sadly he will be in hospital so same friend who asked last year requested me to give my Black Prince talk.  

Some years ago when the Cathedral was swathed in scaffolding both inside and out and they couldn't afford to drop the price (it costs over £30 million with NO State Aid to run the place annually) we were asked if any of us could give mini talks to enhance visitors' experience.  I had briefly told the story of Becket so many hundreds of times whilst standing in the Martyrdom, I volunteered to enlarge it into a 15 minute piece.  It appeared to be successful so I added in the Black Prince. However in the Cathedral I have the magnificent tomb of the Prince and copies of his Funerary Achievements hanging over the Tester as my props.  In St. Rumwold's I've no aids  and have to extend the presentation to at least double the length.  So have been madly looking up information - and you know what it is like - one thing leads to another and you can get lost in the plethora of info - often conflicting.  Have been madly pulling off and printing photos from my own photo library and the internet and am hoping that I will be able to remember all the extra information.

By sheer chance, I'm going to France for 2 days visiting the battlefields of Agincourt and Crécy with a friend who is also a history afficionado.  So I'll have to buy some posters and postcards to illustrate my talk next week.

Ah well, it is a challenge and the venue is delightful even if it doesn't have a Loo!

Was there last night when the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral gave a fascinating talk on Richard 111 - his discovery in a car park in Leicester - how they'd traced it to the actual spot - how they'd proved it was him and how with mitocondrial DNA they found 2 existing relatives one in Canada and the other in Australia and their DNA was like a mirror image. He told us how decisions were taken as to the re-burial and the Tomb and it's design.  Fascinating.

Two Roof Bosses of Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent (quite a gal by all accounts). First is rather flattering and hard to find in the North side of the Nave.  Second is in the Black Prince's Chantry aka The Huguenot Chapel - not nearly so beautiful!

FOLKESTONE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - PROM CONCERT

 I'm very proud to be President of this excellent Orchestra.  They usually perform at the Holy Trinity Church in Folkestone.  However, for their annual Prom Concert they move to The Leas in Folkestone.

I think the programme for this coming Saturday 19th July is a great one.   Do join us for some great music by a great orchestra.

BABIES IN THEATRES

Did you know that it is permitted to take babies into Theatre Performances?  Well I didn't and was horrified when I saw a woman with a baby in the seat behind us at a performance of 'Chicago' at the Marlowe in Canterbury.

I asked an Assistant and was told it was allowed provided the baby was on a lap!  My friend had her seat bashed twice and then the child began to make loud noises.  At least the woman had the decency to leave her seat but came back once the child was asleep.  How on earth it slept through a very loud musical is amazing.

I checked on line and saw that in most theatres this is allowed.  I'm staggered.  First of all, surely a young baby should be in bed after 7.00 pm and I read that loud noise can create permanent damage to the ear drums of small children.  I can almost understand a family outing to a Panto or a Child friendly production  with a babe in arms but not to an evening out for other people.

Theatre tickets aren't cheap. Surely if you can afford a theatre seat, you can pay a babysitter for the evening.  I would also have thought it more relaxing for the mother.