Good morning Wednesday

[lissie]

Sorry to read that Jen
Our Kent hospitals are a bit of a joke at the moment.
Where are you going--QEQM?

[jenniren]

Yes, it's the QEQM Lissie.

It's too late for the private list Saundra, that's full up for overspill NHS patients until end of April.

[Kaz]

It's appalling Jen I'm so sorry! xxx

[Diflower]

Oh no Jen!
I am so sorry xxx

[AliasAggers]

I'm so sorry for you, Jenny.

I just can't understand why so many NHS hospitals have drastically reduced the number of beds over the last few years.

What you are now going though now is typical of what is happening to so many people now, and it's just not good enough.

[JoM]

Oh Jen This is awful

[meriad]

Just had the dreaded phone call, I've been cancelled again

There are no beds, they hope to get me in the next 1-2 weeks. Trying to look on the bright side, better to know now rather than sitting around all day tomorrow and then getting sent home. Feeling quite resigned now, won't believe it's happening until they walk me into theatre!!

Jen, I am so so sorry - that's just so wrong Fingers crossed you don't have to wait 2 more weeks (((hugs)))

[meriad]

I'm so sorry for you, Jenny.

I just can't understand why so many NHS hospitals have drastically reduced the number of beds over the last few years.

Aggers, I'm not sure it's because bed numbers have been reduced, but more because beds just aren't available. My colleagues' elderly mom had a bit of a tumble and was taken to hospital for a check up. She was finally seen late in the afternoon and the care home she lives in said that if she's not back by 9pm then she needs to stay in the hospital as they'd not be able to get her to her bed. If it wasn't for the fact that the doctor on duty told them in no uncertain terms that regardless of time she would be brought back to the care home chances are she'd have spent the night there which would have resulted in a bed blocked by a person healthy enough to go home.

And that is where the problem is - people able to go home from a health point of view, but many just have no where to go or the ability to get home

[Kaz]

That's true Ria, but Aggers is also right, bed numbers have reduced drastically in the last 20 years

[JoM]

They have, you only have to look at our area to see that.
Stafford hospital was quite a large and fully functioning facility up until a few years ago, now the majority of wards have been closed which in turn is causing problems with neighbouring hospitals.