I had an interesting case the other day in A&E, with how the NHS is failing its most-needed.

A 60 year old patient with ANCA vasculitis and bed-bound due to multiple strokes. Her 2 daughters had been full time carers for her for 15 years - now she had not been able to pass urine fully and after 4 weeks of struggling and being moved around GPs and A&Es - they decided to spend their family savings to go see a private urologist and kidney specialist - who did all the scans in a relatively quick turnaround fashion - came up with a simple way to treat the retention - intermittent catheterisation. This was taken up by the 2 daughters who were happy to do it to their mum twice a day. This was a British South-Asian/Indian family.

Now by experience of working in the field, I know for a fact that had this person been from a less family-orientated culture or were from a community who didn't prioritise family, they'd be lost to the system and possible come back to A&E with a cardiac arrest or even worse, death. The NHS was built on this idea that we can out-source all the issues concerned with the family to social services - carers, free hospitals and care and social workers. Now, almost none of these are really efficient or well-funded enough to look after members of society who are the most vulnerable. (Out of 7 days in A&E at King's College London, there are homeless people sleeping on a chair somewhere for 6 of them - and get a free cup of tea and a sandwich - then leave the next morning.)

I know that 7/10 children would decline putting a catheter up their mum or dad's urethras - and would leave it for the district nurse or GP to sort it out. So....where does that leave us? Are we bad children? Are we more of a fragmented society due to initial outsourcing of our caring needs? Or is there a huge change coming which leaves the people most vulnerable and on the edge - even more vulnerable to easily resolved conditions.

I say, we need easier and fairer access to healthcare with less red-tape and more appreciation for the profession than litigation. So we can care for our loved one better and be much more involved in their care. Shout-out to those lovely daughters who were more knowledgable about their mother's needs and medical issues than any single consultant looking after her.

#NHS #freehealthcare #UK #privatehealth #family #socialcare

I always find it tricky helping out family and friends. The NHS says its best not to treat them as it will cause some sort of bias and it will lead to over-diagnosis or over-treatment. There seems to be some sort of shame attached to asking a doctor friend about medical advice or taking up too much of their time.

I actually find myself almost forcing my family and friends to cough up whatever medical insecurities have been running in their minds. I know that maybe this is closely linked to British culture - and I know if I was in the US or India, people would be very different.

Regardless, I think it's interesting to think why we want to have our healthcare providers removed from being any sort of close relation to us. I was always taught to think "What would I suggest to this person, if they were my uncle or my parent or sister?" So why not actually practice that? Maybe there is comfort in knowing that this random doctor won't judge you?

Anyway, health access thought fart.

Here to explore the future of decentralised healthcare. I want to use my clinical expertise and knowledge to open up healthcare to anyone and everyone around the world. Happy to offer medical consultation and advice for sats.

#introductions #freedom #nostr #healthcare