The Hospital - discuss

Did anyone watch this last night? (see here).

For those that did not, it is basically about incidents (i.e. alcohol related casulties) that are pushing the NHS and its staff to its very limit. Last nights episode was focused on A&E on a Friday and Saturday night - it ranged from legless teenagers who were intoxicated to the point of unconsciousness, to alcohol related fights, to being run-over as a result of (possibly) not paying attention to the road.

I found it quite an interesting, sad, upsetting, frusturating and irritating programme.

The founding principle of the NHS is free healthcare for all, at the point of delivery. Also, it is non-judgemental - anyone who steps through their doors with any kind of illness/disease will get treatment. Sadly, not many realise just how much our treatment can cost.

Although the NHS can't be selective and choose one group of people to treat over another or choose one illness/disease to treat over another (defeats their principle, unethical, discriminatory etc), it got me thinking -

should the NHS be more picky about who they treat? Should the NHS make repeat offenders (so to speak) foot part of their treatment bill?

Personally - I think society needs a major overhaul (I take the stance of a health psychologist focusing on an educational model). It is all about education from the very beginning - instilling those values and awareness from a young age. For example, one guy on the programme almost died as a result of his friend drink-driving. Yet once recovered he happily went out and continued the same behaviour.

Feel free to discuss and debate

disclaimer: I know there is not one answer that will please everyone, I know this topic may well trigger off a hot debate but please keep it on topic. I just thought it was an interesting thing to discuss - especially since there is now a question of whether the NHS or the church should pay for hospital Chaplains (see here).

[timwilky]

daughter works in local A&E. she tells me they have their regulars

toxic terry being one such example

It's a difficult one. The drink driving lad wasn't just continuing his behaviour, he was laughing and proud of it, even when his *mate* was in HDU!

What to do-I don't know. Refuse treatment to drunk and disorberly people? I'm all for the paying, that would als help.

[yorkie_chris]

The current regime seems to be intent on destroying pubs where there is at least some small level of control, whereas you can buy enough horrible cider to get paggered for a couple of quid and this gets ignored.

Instead of stomach pumps etc. you could just start chucking buckets of ice cold water over people to sober them up. Or do that as well as the stomach pump. Sober them up and give a good reason not to get so $hitfaced again!

I think if people start to fear going to hospital when they are drunk enough to require it, then you will get more people dying at home/wherever else. Maybe that's Darwinism at work... a little self responsibility never hurt anyone... Well, it did. But it does the gene pool the world of good.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Instead of stomach pumps etc. you could just start chucking buckets of ice cold water over people to sober them up. Or do that as well as the stomach pump. Sober them up and give a good reason not to get so $hitfaced again!

I think if people start to fear going to hospital when they are drunk enough to require it, then you will get more people dying at home/wherever else. Maybe that's Darwinism at work... a little self responsibility never hurt anyone... Well, it did. But it does the gene pool the world of good.

i like your thinking

Originally Posted by Miss Alpinestarhero

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should the NHS be more picky about who they treat? Should the NHS make repeat offenders (so to speak) foot part of their treatment bill?

Yes with repeat offenders, but I wish they'd drop their sanctimonious (and downright rude) treatment of anyone unfortunate enough to have an accident on a Friday/Saturday night. I appreciate that they must see a hell of a lot of drunks who need stitching up who are just chavvy ***ts who get into a pagga every time Stella touches their lips, but the assumption that because you've been drinking, you're automatically at fault winds me up. One of my friends suffered an injury on a night out that he was in no way responsible for, nor could he have forseen or avoided it. He would have definately still suffered it had he been stone cold sober instead, but because we'd had a few jars we were treated like dirt.

[gruntygiggles]

Hmmm, didn't see the programme, will watch it later on demand if you tell me what channel it was on. Maybe I will change my views after watching it, but I doubt it.

Ceri JC, I hear what you're saying, but I remember spending a Saturday evening in Frenchay A&E a few years ago waiting for a friend to be treated and I had picked her up from a night out, she was a bit drunk and had been pushed over by lads coming out of a club and her knee needed stitching. She too was treated a little unfairly and judged, but I wasn't going to make the nurses evening any worse by criticising them when they have to deal with the kind of lads that were in there trying to fight with the police. These nurses and doctors are at huge risk, so I think on evenings like these, we just need to turn the other cheek and be grateful that they stay in work and do their jobs. Many facing such threats would simply throw in the towel.

As for how to tackle the problem....I wouldn't want to make people afraid of getting treatment, but maybe there could be a system whereby if someone is treated for injuries and is over a certain level of intoxication more than 3 times in 12 months, they are fined and that money goes towards the cost of their treatment.
Saying that, I think the same for lots of things. If you keep having to have medical care because you have illnesses directly associated to alcoholism, addiction, obesity, smoking etc........and you refuse to give up what is making you ill, you should have to take some financial rsponsibility. Is it fair that someonewho has eaten themselves into morbid obesity and is 30+ stone, having an extremely expensive gastric bypass or similar on the NHS, including all the aftercare, then has to go back because they have failed to follow the eating instructions, stuffed their faces and burst the internal stitches can just keep doing this??? I'm not saying it shouldn't be offered. But, is it fair that they keep getting very expensive treatment despite obviously not making any effort to actually stop over eating.
A different examply would be transplant patients. The NHS stand is that they cannot discriminate against someone who is an alcoholic, but is it fair that someone with an addiction gets to have a life saving transplant, an enourmous amount of aftercare, rehabilitation etc, all paid for by the NHS, then slips back into it and gets the same support all over again, without having to contribute?
I think every person should be given every chance at a better, healthier life and so should never be denied any treatment because of any reason. But if you are being treated and then require repeat treatment just because you won't help yourself, you should have to take some responsibility.

Just my opinion and hope I got it across well.

Ive not seen the program but heres my thourghts. ish.

i think that if you are admitted for anything and it is found to be self inflicted (this could range from drinking, smoking to speeding on your bike) then you should be held responcible for the costs?

(sorry aboput the spelling)

I think everyone's entitled to medical services... free medical services. Kids on alcohol and repeat offenders, drugs etc, should be the responsibility of the police, not the NHS.
My opinion

Edit: sounded a bit weird...... the police should deal with repeat offenders but treatment should obviously be offered by the NHS. Treatment should be given for free every time is my point.

[flymo]

It really is incredible what goes on thats caused or related to alcohol. The programme was pretty sad really in the way it showed the attitude of some people.

Often you hear the staff say that they are not in a position to judge people who are drunk. When the drunks come around the next day everybody is laughing and joking about it.....maybe that needs to change. If you get yourself sloshed and end up in hospital as a result maybe you should not be encouraged.

If public opinion is that you should be ashamed of yourself then maybe thats a good thing. Its the fact that some people think its cool to get slaughtered that encourages it to go on. If you feel like a total tosser the next day because of the way you get treated it may cause you to think again.