Thank you NHS!
This is something I've been meaning to say for a while, and smokingboot's latest post finally encouraged me to write.
Lots of people write about their negative impressions of the NHS and health services in general. I've only ever come across one person enthusing from a patient's perspective: sixtine, whose clear and positive writing puts me to shame. I thought I'd add my own thoughts.
I had my daughter last year. If not for the care I received, I'd be dead.
I had a difficult pregnancy with bad all-day morning sickness, bleeding and eventually severe pre-eclampsia, one of the three chief causes of maternal mortality. It's easy to complain about the inconvenience of maternity appointments, having to take time off work to attend, not getting to see the health professional of your choice. Still, when I developed signs of the disease at 34 weeks (which I'd missed, despite my own education, my family history and several people telling me how puffy I looked), I was immediately sent to the hospital, appropriately managed, and when I needed it, I had a clean, safe operation and was delivered of a healthy baby. I had amazing support after the birth, particularly in establishing breast feeding, which isn't terribly easy, even when you haven't had a preterm section.
I don't know how much a ten day stay in hospital, C-section, drugs, physiotherapy, lactation support and five days in special care for a neonate costs, but I'm glad I didn't have to pay it. I'm glad that for all the worries I had, finding the money wasn't one of them. I couldn't have asked for better care for myself or my daughter, when we really, really needed it.
And just as an extra - my grandfather had a heart attack the year I was born. Thirty one years later, he's fit enough to play with his great-granddaughter, due in no small part to the first class care he's received.
No healthcare system is perfect. Ours is very, very good.
Lots of people write about their negative impressions of the NHS and health services in general. I've only ever come across one person enthusing from a patient's perspective: sixtine, whose clear and positive writing puts me to shame. I thought I'd add my own thoughts.
I had my daughter last year. If not for the care I received, I'd be dead.
I had a difficult pregnancy with bad all-day morning sickness, bleeding and eventually severe pre-eclampsia, one of the three chief causes of maternal mortality. It's easy to complain about the inconvenience of maternity appointments, having to take time off work to attend, not getting to see the health professional of your choice. Still, when I developed signs of the disease at 34 weeks (which I'd missed, despite my own education, my family history and several people telling me how puffy I looked), I was immediately sent to the hospital, appropriately managed, and when I needed it, I had a clean, safe operation and was delivered of a healthy baby. I had amazing support after the birth, particularly in establishing breast feeding, which isn't terribly easy, even when you haven't had a preterm section.
I don't know how much a ten day stay in hospital, C-section, drugs, physiotherapy, lactation support and five days in special care for a neonate costs, but I'm glad I didn't have to pay it. I'm glad that for all the worries I had, finding the money wasn't one of them. I couldn't have asked for better care for myself or my daughter, when we really, really needed it.
And just as an extra - my grandfather had a heart attack the year I was born. Thirty one years later, he's fit enough to play with his great-granddaughter, due in no small part to the first class care he's received.
No healthcare system is perfect. Ours is very, very good.