The NHS has recently been a hot topic; as a result of £40 billion of cuts to NHS funding this decade, and billions being siphoned off towards privatisation – it’s not difficult to see why it has been deemed a crisis.
New Year’s eve saw utter chaos as ambulances were forced to queue for up to five hours simply to hand over patients to A&E, whilst seriously ill patients are left on trolleys in hallways and waiting rooms. One man, an eighty-year-old father, who suffers with epilepsy and severe dementia was one of those left on a trolley for around 36 hours before he received treatment.
His daughter, Jackie Weaver said, “You can’t blame the staff. It’s not their fault. Despite the pressure they were under, they were very attentive and made sure my dad had food and was changed. The NHS is at breaking point and something needs to be done.”
This is the reality of today’s NHS.
I shouldn’t be in tears everyday at work because of the lack of resources and lack of capacity when dealing with critically unwell patients. When did it become the norm to Nurse people in corridors and waiting rooms? When is it going to change? #NHSCrisis
— Stein Villiers (@steinshellbie) January 2, 2018
It’s a brutal and harsh environment for NHS staff who are currently forced to work under extreme pressure with decreasing resources, time, and efficient funding. Not to mention abuse they receive from disgruntled patients who are left waiting, sometimes for days, for basic treatment. Staff numbers have dropped in recent years due to feeling underpaid and not being able to cope with the stress working in the sector brings.
https://twitter.com/DullOwl/status/948274518304235521
Last night I had that feeling of relief when you’re going home after a shift where you’ve gone 15 rounds with Mike Tyson, but then quickly followed by guilt that you’re leaving your mates in the shit. Like a firefighter walking away from a burning building #NHSCrisis #NHS
— Anu Mitra (@AcmeDR) January 3, 2018
The government has come under fire for not doing what they can to protect our British health care system; the NHS has become so underfunded that there are worries it will never recover. With so much pressure on the NHS and the crisis becoming more and more real, it’s important we all know when and where to get treatment and advice to avoid wasting time and resources.
The Stay Well advert explains perfectly what health issues require what treatment.
If you're not sure where to get medical help this winter, have a look at this…
Let's try to use our #NHS the best we can.#NHScrisis pic.twitter.com/FdpKVQITCB
— Ranj Singh (@DrRanj) January 3, 2018
