Thread by @fleetstreetfox

I’ve been quiet because I’ve spent the past two days on a paediatric ward with possibly-appendicitic (?) #Foxcub. We’re home now, she seems to have had a weird infection which is slowly improving, but couple of things of to say…

(Everyone leaves a hospital either so relieved and happy they’re evangelical about the NHS, or in pain of some sort which can make them rage at it. I am in first camp. But will *try* to limit this to facts.)

1. In the space of 48 hours we saw 7 doctors. GP, paediatrician, surgeon, junior doc, registrar, another jr and surgeon registrar. A dozen nurses. Sonographers. And there is no way on EARTH an insurance policy, or my income, would otherwise have got us more than 2 or 3 of them.

2. There was still not enough of them. Surgeons covering entire hospital were also covering the children’s ward, and popping in when emergencies allowed. This was mid week, no ambulance queues, ward half full. We had to wait hours for bloods to be interpreted and discussed.

Which is fine - she wasn’t dying, others were. But if they don’t have enough staff on a Wednesday evening in July what the fuck is it going to be like on Saturday night, when covid returns, or in flu season? Just not sustainable.

4. Male doctors were all from Indian sub continent. Females were all from South Africa. I saw only 7, but ALL of them. We do not have enough medics. We are not training enough medics. There are not enough medics to recruit. This again is not sustainable.

5. Nothing compares in my mind to the miserable wail of babies in a MSF tent in a famine. But a children’s ward is still grim - mums pacing corridors, the conversations you overhear, the cancer bell hanging there arbitrarily choosing who will ring it tomorrow.

6. How the nurses stand it every day is gobsmacking and awesome. Every one an absolute fucking hero, nice as pie, kind, empathetic, understanding. Senior registrars with 30yrs training spoke to my 6yr old as an equal and showed her respect. She was calm and happy. Amazing.

7. These doctors had just been in an emergency where someone’s day had gone horribly wrong, blood guts brains whatever, and then they walked up to a little girl with a tummy ache and gave her absolute laser focus, full attention and care.

8. But by fuck they hate this government.

9. Just talk about the car park charges and the nurse rolls her eyes, I say Tories and she looks ready to kill. Mention parties and you’d have to tie them down. There’s a lot of people in the NHS, and whoever has the best chance of booting the current lot will win their vote.

I appreciate that’s not a fact but a prediction, but I did say “try”.

10. Late last night #foxcub couldn’t sleep, we saw a cleaner with his trolley. And I told her what he did, and how much he was paid, and how doctors and nurses get all the attention but without a clean hospital they couldn’t save a single life.

And she said to me “it’s cruel that people don’t respect him” and suggested he get paid the same as the doctor. So I gave her a hug and said what a good idea that was, because although it’s impractical she’s a little social justice warrior and thinking of others when she was ill.

To conclude:

1. If you have fever & pain on right side, get it checked out.

2. Thank fuck for the NHS.

3. Grown-ups running the country, please. Children to advise on morals.

4. The 1.25% NI rise was going to the NHS. Our next PM will almost certainly cut it. Think on that.