08-25-2020, 02:19 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-25-2020, 02:21 PM by backsidebaggie.)
(08-25-2020, 02:11 PM)baggy1 Wrote: The hospitals are fitting in as many operations, treatments and consultations as they can from what I can see, obviously they have limited capacity but the space isn't being taken up by covid any more. There will obviously be a backlog but the government is pushing for using private hospitals as part of their privatisation agenda. Add to that there has always been a backlog and it looks like there is a narrative starting about it only is because of covid (there was a serious incident called last year because of the backlogs). Also don't forget the years of underfunding and understaffing of the NHS and you can see why we now have problems.
I totally agree with your point on underfunding.
In terms of whether they are fitting in ops and treatment for everything as best they can, I have my doubts. The quietness of hospitals for the last 2-3 months, plus what I’ve been told by two NHS staff myself, indicates this conversation needs to be had. I could be wrong, maybe they have got the balance right. But it doesn’t appear that way to me. There’s lots of capacity in terms of bed space. Literally loads. I appreciate there may be more to it than that, but I believe there’s about 700-800 Covid patients in hospital in the uk, which isnt many. I really worry the reduction of cancer checks and other ops will have serious consequences, and I don’t think this is being discussed enough in the media or by politicians.