Health care in the North East.

Archeron

Just to see what think you fellow North East boardsies think about the levels of public health care provided in this part of the world.

Personally, I have experienced it through a family member who is quite ill, and it is the most shambolic set up I could ever hope to never see again. I dont want to go into too much detail as I dont want to specify our exact situation, (its quite unique), but I am at my wits end in trying to ensure my elderly mother may receive the care and help she needs.
Speaking with people I know, it seems to be a general perception that the North East has the worst healthcare in the country, and that this has always been the case. Certainly our own experience fits in with this.

What are we supposed to do when the health service sucks and you cant afford to go private? Are we supposed to just accept that people wont get the treatment they need? Are we supposed to accept really bad attitudes and behaviour from medical staff? I really wish there was somewhere I could turn to seek better care for her, but I've never come across such a solid unyieldy brick wall in my life. Even any GP experience we have had has been absolutely dreadful.

I've never felt so let down and frustrated by this country as I do right now.

justagirl

Archeron, my family have had a devastating period in our life very recently, after which I found out about the 'patients charter' - which enables you to go through the correct process if you are unhappy about what is happening/not happening etc in a hospital - does the hospital you are dealing with have such a thing? Might be worth going down that route - alternatively if there is an overall consultant in charge - don't be afraid to make a direct appointment with them - because that can really help. You cannot assume 'anything' and have to ask every question you can think of and your loved one's file should be made available if you wish to check upon her care whilst you are not there.

Might not be worth a lot to you right now, but in our experience (having gone with private cover), public hospitals are actually the best places to be if things start to go wrong, they have the specialists/all equipment on site etc.

Best wishes to you and your mum - they are too special.

Archeron

Thanks Justagirl. The charter is something to look into alright.

Edit. I hope by the way that things are better for you now too. Although family illness has been part of our lives for about 17 years now, it seems that the levels of distress and heartache a person can experience with serious illness reaches new levels all the time.

Mr Magnolia

If you have specific gripes you could talk to the local cllr. The problems stem from above with the health care in our Country IMO.

Hope everything works out for the best.

kelle

Archeron, I had the horrible experience of both my parents being diagnosed with caner 3 years ago. Though they were both in the VHI, my father was public and mum was private. Both got the exactly the same service. The care they got was excellent but waiting times were too long. Anyway, they died 5 months later.
Basically the health services anywhere don't give a f&*k about you once you have advanced cancer.

Mr Magnolia

Sorry to hear that kelle.

justagirl

kelle

So sorry to hear your news. I'm in the same position right now but am very very lucky I have one parent still with me.

I agree with you about cancer treatment - in my experience you do get the same treatment with either public and private cover. And I also agree with you about the 'aftercare' or lack thereof. As I can see it - the only places that help people with cancer/after cancer are the privately funded centres i.e. Gary Kelly centre etc ... which is absolutely disgraceful. Also, the rooms used for chemo are so small ... it could be made so much better for people going through it.....and the sad thing is - it wouldn't cost that much to decorate the treatment/waiting rooms nicely - more homely ... there should be a comfortable 'lounge' area for people waiting for treatment... its heartbreaking .. the public nurses do a sterling job with the facilities they have and what they have to deal with each day. I'm afraid of where this country is going ... Personally, I would never ever be without private medical cover in this country - because it definately does help in relation to getting the 'initial' tests done i.e. you get your scans done/surgery done very swiftly. Also, the hospitals will do every test/scan (i.e. mri/pet/ultrasound) possible on you - because its covered by the insurance company.

Archeron - I hope things are ok for you.

I often laugh at the 'casualty' type dramas on tv - they all seem to have a room set aside to tell people bad news about patients..... anyone know of any hospital in Ireland with a 'luxury' like this?... you only really know how bad the facilities are in hospitals when you have someone who is very sick ...

Archeron

justagirl wrote: »

kelle

I often laugh at the 'casualty' type dramas on tv - they all seem to have a room set aside to tell people bad news about patients..... anyone know of any hospital in Ireland with a 'luxury' like this?... you only really know how bad the facilities are in hospitals when you have someone who is very sick ...

During a recent conversation about my moms future care, we wanted to speak somewhere private. There was no place available, so we ended up having to have a very emotionally difficult conversation with the doctor at a table in the middle of the floor in a ward with about 15 patients around us.

Kelle and justagirl, so sorry to hear about your situations, I hope things are better for you both now.

justagirl

Thanks Archeron... myself.. I just have to take it day by day, its very hard but you have no choice but to plough on... for me it all seems like a bad dream.

My heart sincerely goes out to you Archeron .. its just so so wrong.... things are hard enough to deal with without not having a suitable place to speak to doctors - especially when there are questions to be asked .. everyone wishes at one point (at least) in their lives that they could turn the clock back ... god knows, I wish I could ... if i'd have known what was coming, not that I did anything wrong, just so maybe I could have spent every moment possible left with my mum that I would ever have ... you just never know...

Remember, you can only do your best and ask all the questions you are capable of asking and do what you think is best for your loved one ... I sometimes think - did I do enough/did I ask the right questions/should I have spent more time with her - it is hard to know when someone is ill - they are tired anyway and your don't want to tire them out anymore, so you give them their space - yet you lose out on that time with them... its something I think I'll always struggle with.

Sorry to go on and off topic. My best wishes are with you.

kelle

Thanks, Justagirl, Archeron, and Mr Magnolia. I agree with you about the chemo rooms, the place where my father had to have his chemo -the walls were painted a very drab shade of green (and there at least 20 years). I'd have gone crazy waiting there only for the lovely nurses.
There's no private rooms for you to have a talk with doctors, sometimes you can make an appointment in advance to see a consultant in his rooms, but usually they talk so fast and can't wait to get rid of you.
It's very hard to ask questions, my parents and I were actually afraid to ask questions about how long was left (doctors can be very brutal about this) as looking after them was hard enough without thinking they were going to die IYKWIM.
I'm so sorry about your mother, Justagirl. Actually, my mother used always feel pity for anybody who lost their mother - I often ask why did she leave me. She never went through that trauma as her own mother died 11 weeks after her. (sorry, that's nothing to do with the topic!). Like you said, mums are so precious.
What you say about the "casualty" type dramas is interesting, Justagirl. In fact, a hospital located near the set of "Casualty" had staff complaining how they wished they had half the equipment and facilities shown on the programme!

justagirl

Kelle.... we never asked what time was left for my Mum.... we were so positive all the way through ... we thought - she'd have her op/treatment/another op/recovery and be able to lead a good quality life afterwards... that was the plan ... maybe it was best we didn't ask... they always go on worst case scenario anyway ... at least to the end she didn't have a clue .. that was the best thing to happen to her since she was diagnosed.

The latest scandals in Portlaoise are truly scandalous...

Every best wish to all of you.

marco murphy

Anyone make the hospital rally in Navan today?

Archeron

Poblachtach wrote: »

Anyone make the hospital rally in Navan today?

Sadly not, my mum is quite ill at the moment, so was in the hospital with her.
How did it go? Was there much turnout? I didnt see any reference to it in any local media.

marco murphy

Archeron wrote: »

Sadly not, my mum is quite ill at the moment, so was in the hospital with her.
How did it go? Was there much turnout? I didnt see any reference to it in any local media.

There was good coverage in the papers, and plenty of photographers around.
Big crowd to begin with, lots on the streets following the bed push up to the hospital but it became smaller with the bad weather

Caomhin Ni Caolain (Sp?) was there, tending to sick santa on the hospital bed. He gave quite some speech. That was that really, 400 people on the waiting list, while the theatre remains closed for this month.