And yet again I see that the NHS is in the news. Now it’s for waiting times for surgery and that the reports on the timings aren’t reliable. For those reading from across the waters, the NHS was set up in 1948 to provide a nearly free service to all UK residents. It’s not done out of the goodness of our Government’s heart but from taxing workers on their wages. Sounds simple but a complete nightmare in reality. The sheer amount of numbers in the UK does mean there are going to be waiting lists. But then if there wasn’t any waiting time would we still complain that they were wasting time and money by not being busy? Though it must be doing something right as a recent survey found that at least 83% haven’t had to cancel an appointment or treatment because of the cost.
I have had a few experiences of the NHS it it’s really a mixed bag or positive and negative. I wrote about my dentist plight back near the beginning of my blogging life. You can read about it here but basically I couldn’t get into a local dentist for a long time. So long my children didn’t see a dentist regularly till they were past ten years old. As someone who has always worked and paid my dues via my wages every month I felt a bit short changed. It did get sorted and I can happily report they both have smashing nashers now.
My main experience with the NHS was with the birth of my children. As a pre-eclamptic first time mother I have to say they were wonderful with me. Everything was explained to me and I didn’t feel like the stroppy whale I most probably was being. When things got very dangerous they acted and they acted fast. If the NHS weren’t there in my hour of need I can probably guarantee me or my daughter wouldn’t be here now.
But in a world where every single person and situation is different there are going to be horror stories drowning out the stories where the NHS got it right. We are so quick to read and gasp at the bad as it evokes an emotion that we miss the everyday good things. The hundreds of babies being born every day ( 723,000+ to be precise) are tiny miracles. The successful transplants and life-saving operations that we only hear about when it goes wrong. The boring routine things that we take for granted. All these and more are the good things, the bits they got right. Shouldn’t we be glad knowing that if any child, parent or sibling needs emergency treatment we don’t have to worry first if we can afford it?
Have you had a good NHS experience?
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