Little things like that would really improve the patient experience in the NHS. Long waits are unavoidable in some cases but a bit of flexibility would help a lot.
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So many things with the NHS that basic tech & management could sort. One hospital near me insists on sending appointment letters by 2nd class mail; common for them to arrive a day before or later than the appt itself. Not allowed to book slots & if inconvenient they just send out another letter.
Yeah that sort of thing is stupid. To be fair in my area they have gone much more tech focused- I had an appt recently and must have had at least 5 text messages and messages on the NHS app reminding me about it. All of which is cheaper than posting a letter.
Within the very same hospital I referred to they also take a different approach in different depts & you can book/rearrange slots online. It’s maddening, literally you seem to go back in time by walking through a particular corridor, I feel like Mr Benn.
Can you explain this? Asking because for the last 14 years, #NHS funding has been around 1.4% GDP. Before that it was around 4% GDP. It's been underfunded afaics. Plus increasing amounts of its funding are going on consultation and legals for farming out services, not on front line services.
Also, I know it's not 2020 but Covid (and flu) are still of concern. For the NHS to literally insist you stay within a confined space no exceptions is clinically dubious.
Fully support a very strict "20 minutes' notice, be on time or back of line" policy to ensure this wasn't a negative.
If it’s a data protection or tech thing - which it usually is when the NHS can’t do stuff like this - couldn’t they just give you some sort of version of one of those buzzers they give you at street food stalls to tell you to come back and collect your order?
I did think about that but I bet they’d be too expensive/easily broken/lost/stolen/need charging/ have not very good range. But there just has to be a solution. The NHS app could be used too. But nearly everyone has a phone that gets texts. Not everyone can use apps.
I’m not saying you should have a set slot, just that if it’s at least a 4 hour wait then you should be able to go away and come back when you’re closer to being seen without a risk of missing it. Of course priorities change, but I still think the experience could be hugely improved.
Maybe. I guess it depends on the circumstances of being there. I do think smaller clinics could be set up as a casualty department for cuts and broken bones etc. Non life threatening.
A&E is completely broken right now. The 4hr wait lasted at least 8/10 hrs for most the people I shared a waiting room with recently. The only ones seen a little quicker where wearing handcuffs.
Offspring works in #NHS. It takes many minutes each time they have to log into the system. Imagine this multiplied, explains a lot. Perhaps why they don't have the tech/software suggested above. The severe decade+ long underfunding goes deep.
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Simple and effective efficiency gains are the answer (and yes, I know it is not easy)
Fully support a very strict "20 minutes' notice, be on time or back of line" policy to ensure this wasn't a negative.