My short break holiday courtesy of the NHS

3 weeks after my heart attack get an appointment for the CABG (bypass). Very good service me thinks. Last week had the pre-op at which I pass the comment this had already been done the week before. 'Oh yes... so it has, and it shows you have MSSA'. I ask should anything be done about it and the reply is 'we'll do it again because it might have gone away' - what?! Went in yesterday for the operation today. 10am Sister comes in to my room on the ward. 'this shows you have mssa was anything done about it?'. 'Nope'. Guess what... now at home with a cancelled operation. Why does the NHS do this sort of thing all the darn time? The cure, by the way, is cream three times a day and after 5 days it's gone for good i.e. if it had been acted on either last week or when first detected 2 weeks ago then it would be fixed.

There is no cure for MSSA, the most that can be done is to reduce the amount of the bacteria present on your body so it's not a case of 'gone for good'.

R

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Originally Posted by ralphy

There is no cure for MSSA, the most that can be done is to reduce the amount of the bacteria present on your body so it's not a case of 'gone for good'.

R

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Okay... that's just what I was told by the ward staff. tbh a quick google on the NHS web site sasy the bacterium can be either 100% removed OR significantly reduced. Note MSSA not MRSA.

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Originally Posted by solwisesteve

Okay... that's just what I was told by the ward staff. tbh a quick google on the NHS web site sasy the bacterium can be either 100% removed OR significantly reduced. Note MSSA not MRSA.

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I'm (painfully) aware of the difference between MRSA and MSSA. As I'm quite confident that treatment does not mean the bacteria is 'gone for good' can I please have a link to the article on the NHS website?

R

One word - muppetry. Or as seamaster would say - envy of the world.

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Originally Posted by ralphy

I'm (painfully) aware of the difference between MRSA and MSSA. As I'm quite confident that treatment does not mean the bacteria is 'gone for good' can I please have a link to the article on the NHS website?

R

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All I can say is what I was told by the staff...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...NXbDPIlfLCTdjf

Maybe I'm getting confused between the words reduced and remove.

Two nurses said remove 100% but, tbh, I can't say what rank they were and I'm not an MD or specialist so I can only go on what 'the experts tell me.

However, either way, if I had been put on the cream/wash last week then right now I would be half way through the bypass op.


quote....

'suppress or in some case even get rid'

Very frustrating, I wonder how many £1000s was wasted. Is this poor procedures or procedures not followed I wonder.

Very poor show, inexcusable.

Wifey had major surgery last year at Spire hospital in Leeds as a private patient, she was given ‘the cream’ to use in the days prior to the op, but I don’t recall any mention of MSSA being detected at the pre-op examination. Surely it would make sense to do this as a matter of cause, it’s what I’d class as best practice.

I think the NHS gets some unfair stick but in this case it’s deserved, cock- ups like this all add to patient stress.

I think I caused ill-feeling before in saying I had MSSA.... What I meant was I'm a carrier (third of the population apparently).

I suppose they don't hand out the cream as a matter of course because they don't want the MSSA turning into another MRSA.

Anyway the consultant has pulled the stops out and I got a call late afternoon to so now booked in for the op. next Thursday... good... I'm starting to get twinges in the chest which I don't think is good.

It's a shame, NHS I mean, because there's a good service in there struggling to get out. Generally the front of house staff are very good; personally the consultants and nursing staff have been excellent. However it's often let down by cock-ups behind the scenes. Another example: My wife goes in for an op with a 3+ month waiting list. On the day she's there in her gown waiting on the bed and then they say the blood tests haven't been done for the pre-op! She sits there for 6 hours and then is sent home. During this whole time the theatre was empty and the surgeon and theatre staff were sitting there having cups of coffee waiting to see if it was going to happen or not. What a waste of resources! Oh and to top it all she was put back to the bottom of the waiting list and had to wait another 3-4 months!

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Originally Posted by solwisesteve

I think I caused ill-feeling before in saying I had MSSA.... What I meant was I'm a carrier (third of the population apparently).

I suppose they don't hand out the cream as a matter of course because they don't want the MSSA turning into another MRSA.

Anyway the consultant has pulled the stops out and I got a call late afternoon to so now booked in for the op. next Thursday... good... I'm starting to get twinges in the chest which I don't think is good.

It's a shame, NHS I mean, because there's a good service in there struggling to get out. Generally the front of house staff are very good; personally the consultants and nursing staff have been excellent. However it's often let down by cock-ups behind the scenes. Another example: My wife goes in for an op with a 3+ month waiting list. On the day she's there in her gown waiting on the bed and then they say the blood tests haven't been done for the pre-op! She sits there for 6 hours and then is sent home. During this whole time the theatre was empty and the surgeon and theatre staff were sitting there having cups of coffee waiting to see if it was going to happen or not. What a waste of resources! Oh and to top it all she was put back to the bottom of the waiting list and had to wait another 3-4 months!

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Crikey, what a carry on. I hope it goes well for you next week anyway, my best wishes.

I’m accompanying my Dad through a whole series of ops and treatments for Lymph Node Cancer, we’re about 3 months into it all, and the staff are mostly hard working and compassionate. There have been a few things go wrong, but you do feel very reluctant to complain as everybody is trying to do the right thing, and without their intervention he’d be dead already.

You’ve go to (mostly) love the NHS.

Sorry to hear your woes and hope you get things sorted.

I lost a lot of respect for the NHS at the beginning of the year!!!

Our 16 yo banged his head between Christmas and NY, after 3 visits to A&E, one was an ambulance at midnight on a Friday, 2 scans and being sent away, we demanded via our doctor that something was seriously wrong with him.
He had been suffering with agonising headaches, which meant he could not sleep, couldn't keep anything down so lost over a stone in a week. He had become disorientated, confused and as if he had taken something (which he hadn't)

On the 3 visits we were told he had concussion and take strong painkillers.

After being sent back by our doctor with a referral, he had a lumbar puncture, which immediately released the headaches, he was admitted onto a ward, thankfully not children's ward as he was diagnosed with meningitis, would be kept in for 3 weeks as he needed IV 3 times a day.

I don't do hospitals at all, but did go in and stay with him on the afternoon 1 hr IV.

As he was on an adult ward he was able to have a pick line so he could leave only return 3 times a day, sleep at home at night, although they kept his hospital bed open!!!!

On the 3rd day they said he hasn't got meningitis, but encephalitis another brain disease, to this day we still don't know what he had as they said it was their best guesstimate, we do know he still suffers from recovering from things.

The consultant was beyond arrogant and on 2 occasions for his 8am IV, he was told they had run out of the drug and needed to go to the pharmacy to get new batch made up, which meant 11/2 hour delay, pushing the other 2 IV's of the day back, one didn't happen until 11:30pm.

The whole experience was a shambles and an eye opener for our 16 yo

Fight for your life is my advice,don’t take no for an answer.

They killed my mother a year ago with negligence and no care.

This time with my brother I informed them,I begged them,I did everything I could.

The surgeon/doctor wouldn’t listen I was helpless,he said his condition wasn’t life threatening.

my younger brother died last week.

The worst day of my life.

I am not looking for sympathy, I just feel I should warn people.

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Originally Posted by bwest76

Fight for your life is my advice,don’t take no for an answer.

They killed my mother a year ago with negligence and no care.

This time with my brother I informed them,I begged them,I did everything I could.

The surgeon/doctor wouldn’t listen I was helpless,he said his condition wasn’t life threatening.

my younger brother died last week.

The worst day of my life.

I am not looking for sympathy, I just feel I should warn people.

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My experience as well. Do your own homework and push back if necessary

I know its difficult for some and some people don't have the money and we should not have to do it !
but you /anybody can go private to see a consultant at one of the private hospitals ( you get to see them in days not months!), I have paid between £150 and £250 for a single consultation de pending on what's wrong/ area of illness , and I get to pick who I want to see , I always go for the most qualified, oldest ,longest serving one in his/her area of expertise ( you can look them up) never failed me yet! ,
good for a 2nd opinion( of course you don't have to continue with the private costs) if you have concerns and getting nowhere with the NHS, and you can go back to NHS armed with ammunition, diagnosis or recommendations. treatmets , in fact the same consultant you see may even be resident at the NHS hospital you are having issues at ! but you get to see the top dog not one of his minions !

post script , if I can spend £250 on a DHenry , or 1/2/3/5 k on a watch I can spend that on me or a loved one to save a life if need be, yes something's are more important than watches :smiley:

I really hope my impending minor op does'nt end up like this ! My pre op was yesterday and very thorough, they have already had one go at trying to fix it , this is now the second go, at cutting me open

I have had bloods and swabs for mrsa and i assume they will check for mms.

They were very good as the last time i had a General Anaesthetic, the anesthetist told me that I had a problem while I was under ! Unfortunately no further information was available in my notes that the nurse had at the time.

They have told me that they will now investigate to find out what the problem was , but they wont put me forward for a date on the surgical waiting list until they get to the bottom of what the issue was.

I am now just patiently waiting

Robbo I sincerely hope I haven’t worried you,that wasn’t my aim.

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Originally Posted by bwest76

Robbo I sincerely hope I haven’t worried you,that wasn’t my aim.

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This is not a problem at all, I can see that you have had a bloody terrible time lately and I sincerely send my condolences to you and all your family.

while i feel for those who have had very bad experiences of the NHS my experience has been much more positive .earlier this year i had a complete hip replacement at a private hospital,2 weeks later it all went wrong due to what i now know to be the wrong joint for my bone structure being fitted.the remedial surgery was done at the local NHS hospital 8 days later.i cannot praise them enough,the surgeon did an excellent job,the nursing staff were without exception very caring and carried out some pretty awful tasks without as much as a grimance.

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Originally Posted by greasemonkey

while i feel for those who have had very bad experiences of the NHS my experience has been much more positive .earlier this year i had a complete hip replacement at a private hospital,2 weeks later it all went wrong due to what i now know to be the wrong joint for my bone structure being fitted.the remedial surgery was done at the local NHS hospital 8 days later.i cannot praise them enough,the surgeon did an excellent job,the nursing staff were without exception very caring and carried out some pretty awful tasks without as much as a grimance.

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Pity the NHS has to foot the bill for private cock-ups.

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Originally Posted by Kingstepper

Pity the NHS has to foot the bill for private cock-ups.

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The NHS buy space at private hospitals to ease the waiting lists, so this doesn't necessarily mean the person paid for it privately. Even if that was the case and he did pay privately, then that released space for people who can't afford to pay, so not sure what the problem is.

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Originally Posted by casbar

The NHS buy space at private hospitals to ease the waiting lists, so this doesn't necessarily mean the person paid for it privately. Even if that was the case and he did pay privately, then that released space for people who can't afford to pay, so not sure what the problem is.

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I'll try and help. In your second scenario, if done properly first time at NHS hospital no need for corrective surgery which most likely more expensive and complicated than the original operation.

An interesting footnote.

So SWMBO books an appointment with the local GP to discuss if she needs to get tested/treated in case of cross infection; this was asking at the hospital and them saying no idea, see your GP!

There are no GP appointments for several weeks so she books to see a 'practice nurse'. Goes to see her this morning.... nurse doesn't know there is a thing called MSSA. Insists my wife's got it wrong and it must be MRSA! Good grief! We walk out without saying anything... I mean what can you say?

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Originally Posted by Kingstepper

I'll try and help. In your second scenario, if done properly first time at NHS hospital no need for corrective surgery which most likely more expensive and complicated than the original operation.

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So who do you think does the surgery at the private hospital? Some pool of special surgeons, or NHS surgeons who are doing a private list? You obviously have no idea of how the NHS works

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Originally Posted by solwisesteve

An interesting footnote.

So SWMBO books an appointment with the local GP to discuss if she needs to get tested/treated in case of cross infection; this was asking at the hospital and them saying no idea, see your GP!

There are no GP appointments for several weeks so she books to see a 'practice nurse'. Goes to see her this morning.... nurse doesn't know there is a thing called MSSA. Insists my wife's got it wrong and it must be MRSA! Good grief! We walk out without saying anything... I mean what can you say?

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Was she UK trained or recruited from abroad? Just curious.

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Originally Posted by VDG

Was she UK trained or recruited from abroad? Just curious.

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Looks/sounds uk through and through.