In article ,
Tony Bryer wrote:
On Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:27:19 +0000 (GMT) Dave Liquorice wrote :
Having to guess how long your out patients appointment is going to
take is daft. When I bust me ankle last year the outpatients visits
could be anything from 15 mins to over an hour.

Worse here in Melbourne at the Alfred Hospital anyway: I came off my
bike in July and fractured my pelvis - six weeks on crutches, no op
necessary fortunately. Three follow up outpatient appointments,
typically 0940 appointment = getting called in at 11.30. Parking is
pay on exit, say 2-3 hours A$12 = £6.60

I'm having physio for a 'frozen' shoulder. Had three appointments so for -
each one bang on time. But no parking whatsoever at the clinic - apart
from in the street. ;-)

--
*The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:01:15 GMT, The Medway Handyman wrote:

My daughter has been called out to; run out of paracetamol, baby has
been crying for nearly an hour, bad period pains, my £20 blood
pressure monitor tells me I'm nearly dead (the £16k one in the
ambulance didn't) etc etc.

I really think that ambulances attending calls like that ought to be
charged for, say £50 a time.

LAS reckon its £160 per call cost to them (or us, as its a division of the
NHS).

Not to mention numerous scroats od'ing on drugs and endless drunks.

Back of the queue.

I'd agree. Alas 'duty of care'.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:01:15 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:14:00 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

You'd be amazed what some people consider is an emergency.

Quite, caught "Real Life Rescues" or something similar the other
night. One of the 999 operators related a tale of someone calling 999
as they couldn't find their TV remote and didn't know how to switch
off their TV without it.

My daughter has been called out to; run out of paracetamol, baby has been
crying for nearly an hour,

Waiting in A&E with my son who'd cut through the base of his thumb
(can be serious) opening a tin of rice the place suddenly went quiet
and in less than 5 minutes a member of an ambulance crew rushes
through with a baby.

Grandad (?) Ca. 68 and three other kids stay in the waiting area

After a few minutes a nurse comes out and says to Grandad. "Now then
Mr Jones there's nothing wrong with the baby. You've called an
ambulance already this week haven't you, why did you call the
ambulance today."

Grandad replies "The baby was quiet for a long time".

According to the local health authority the cost of three ambulance
call-outs = Ca. £800 quid.

bad period pains, my £20 blood pressure monitor
tells me I'm nearly dead

Most probably 'cos of low batteries.

(the £16k one in the ambulance didn't) etc etc.
Not to mention numerous scroats od'ing on drugs and endless drunks.

Blood Sweat & Tea is a good read.

Derek

Derek Geldard wrote:
On Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:01:15 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:14:00 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

You'd be amazed what some people consider is an emergency.

Quite, caught "Real Life Rescues" or something similar the other
night. One of the 999 operators related a tale of someone calling
999 as they couldn't find their TV remote and didn't know how to
switch off their TV without it.

My daughter has been called out to; run out of paracetamol, baby has
been crying for nearly an hour,

Waiting in A&E with my son who'd cut through the base of his thumb
(can be serious) opening a tin of rice the place suddenly went quiet
and in less than 5 minutes a member of an ambulance crew rushes
through with a baby.

Grandad (?) Ca. 68 and three other kids stay in the waiting area

After a few minutes a nurse comes out and says to Grandad. "Now then
Mr Jones there's nothing wrong with the baby. You've called an
ambulance already this week haven't you, why did you call the
ambulance today."

Grandad replies "The baby was quiet for a long time".

They do get a lot of 'regulars' who know the system. Mention chest pain or
difficulty in breathing & you go to Cat A immediately.

According to the local health authority the cost of three ambulance
call-outs = Ca. £800 quid.

Around £500 in London, but they have less distance to travel, so thats
prolly about right.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:13:16 GMT, The Medway Handyman wrote:

I really think that ambulances attending calls like that ought to
be
charged for, say £50 a time.

LAS reckon its £160 per call cost to them (or us, as its a division of
the NHS).

Only a token fee for such calls. £50 is only a months Sky or a weeks
ciggies or 3 nights down the pub.

Not to mention numerous scroats od'ing on drugs and endless
drunks.

Back of the queue.

I'd agree. Alas 'duty of care'.

Cuts both ways people have a "duty of care" to themselves.

--
Cheers
Dave.

After a few minutes a nurse comes out and says to Grandad. "Now then
Mr Jones there's nothing wrong with the baby. You've called an
ambulance already this week haven't you, why did you call the
ambulance today."

Grandad replies "The baby was quiet for a long time".

Poor grandad I say. Where were the ****ing parents one wonders?

In article o.uk,
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:13:16 GMT, The Medway Handyman wrote:

I really think that ambulances attending calls like that ought to be
charged for, say £50 a time.

LAS reckon its £160 per call cost to them (or us, as its a division of
the NHS).

Only a token fee for such calls. £50 is only a months Sky or a weeks
ciggies or 3 nights down the pub.

Not to mention numerous scroats od'ing on drugs and endless
drunks.

Back of the queue.

I'd agree. Alas 'duty of care'.

Cuts both ways people have a "duty of care" to themselves.

Slippery slope. If you decide to restrict or whatever treatment for those
who have harmed themselves through drug abuse etc, how about those who
take part in dangerous sports?

--
*The longest recorded flightof a chicken is thirteen seconds *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:13:16 GMT, The Medway Handyman wrote:

I really think that ambulances attending calls like that ought to
be
charged for, say £50 a time.
LAS reckon its £160 per call cost to them (or us, as its a division of
the NHS).

Only a token fee for such calls. £50 is only a months Sky or a weeks
ciggies or 3 nights down the pub.

Don't forget what a nice little earner ciggies and booze are for the
govt. Most of the benefits they hand out probably come straight back to
them in taxes.


Not to mention numerous scroats od'ing on drugs and endless
drunks.
Back of the queue.
I'd agree. Alas 'duty of care'.

Cuts both ways people have a "duty of care" to themselves.

Stuart Noble wrote:

After a few minutes a nurse comes out and says to Grandad. "Now then
Mr Jones there's nothing wrong with the baby. You've called an
ambulance already this week haven't you, why did you call the
ambulance today."

Grandad replies "The baby was quiet for a long time".

Poor grandad I say. Where were the ****ing parents one wonders?

First, g parents are taking on more of the burden of looking after g
children these days and second, speaking as a g parent of 2 girls, you
won't get me to panic over a situation.
If you have children of your own, you will have had times where when
they were just home from hospital, you wake up during the night and
listen for their breathing. I know I did. If I could hear it, I went
back to sleep.
Bringing up your own children teaches you what is serious and what is
not, if you are aware of symptoms of serious problems.

The only time I have been scared, was when our eldest g daughter broke
her thigh, at the top of the bone, by falling on a bucket rim and social
services started to sniff around for child abuse. I was up and down the
country many times during that period (we live 266 miles apart.)

Perhaps it was because of that and chatting to the nurses that they
backed away. (I had a contingency plan to hijack her if they had started
to move in.)

Dave

Stuart Noble wrote:

Don't forget what a nice little earner ciggies and booze are for the
govt. Most of the benefits they hand out probably come straight back to
them in taxes.

Besides which they may be the only answer to the pensions crisis...

Andy

Dave wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

After a few minutes a nurse comes out and says to Grandad. "Now then
Mr Jones there's nothing wrong with the baby. You've called an
ambulance already this week haven't you, why did you call the
ambulance today."

Grandad replies "The baby was quiet for a long time".

Poor grandad I say. Where were the ****ing parents one wonders?

First, g parents are taking on more of the burden of looking after g
children these days

We've turned it into a burden. I remember child rearing as a pleasure
(well, almost)

and second, speaking as a g parent of 2 girls, you
won't get me to panic over a situation.
If you have children of your own, you will have had times where when
they were just home from hospital, you wake up during the night and
listen for their breathing. I know I did. If I could hear it, I went
back to sleep.
Bringing up your own children teaches you what is serious and what is
not, if you are aware of symptoms of serious problems.

Amazing how quickly you forget how to pick up babies and change nappies
though. The main thing is that children are all different, and only the
parents are really qualified to look after them. The idea that you farm
them out to all and sundry so mum can "get back to work" is
fundamentally flawed.

The only time I have been scared, was when our eldest g daughter broke
her thigh, at the top of the bone, by falling on a bucket rim and social
services started to sniff around for child abuse. I was up and down the
country many times during that period (we live 266 miles apart.)

Perhaps it was because of that and chatting to the nurses that they
backed away. (I had a contingency plan to hijack her if they had started
to move in.)

Dave

Andy Champ wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

Don't forget what a nice little earner ciggies and booze are for the
govt. Most of the benefits they hand out probably come straight back
to them in taxes.

Besides which they may be the only answer to the pensions crisis...

Andy

Yes, encourage pensioners to go out and get bladdered. Trouble is, there
aren't enough pints in the brewery to make me fancy female pensioners.

Dave wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

After a few minutes a nurse comes out and says to Grandad. "Now then
Mr Jones there's nothing wrong with the baby. You've called an
ambulance already this week haven't you, why did you call the
ambulance today."

Grandad replies "The baby was quiet for a long time".

Poor grandad I say. Where were the ****ing parents one wonders?

First, g parents are taking on more of the burden of looking after g
children these days and second, speaking as a g parent of 2 girls, you
won't get me to panic over a situation.
If you have children of your own, you will have had times where when
they were just home from hospital, you wake up during the night and
listen for their breathing. I know I did. If I could hear it, I went
back to sleep.
Bringing up your own children teaches you what is serious and what is
not, if you are aware of symptoms of serious problems.

The only time I have been scared, was when our eldest g daughter broke
her thigh, at the top of the bone, by falling on a bucket rim and
social services started to sniff around for child abuse. I was up and
down the country many times during that period (we live 266 miles
apart.)
Perhaps it was because of that and chatting to the nurses that they
backed away. (I had a contingency plan to hijack her if they had
started to move in.)

Isn't it bl££dy awful that we have to think like this? Being a somewhat
older parent when my second child was in the primary school, (in my 40s), I
took the limited opportunities I had (due to work) to either take him to
school or collect him. The dubious looks I got whilst waiting for him to
leave from other parents at the school gate were most offputting.

Stuart Noble wrote:
Andy Champ wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

Don't forget what a nice little earner ciggies and booze are for the
govt. Most of the benefits they hand out probably come straight back
to them in taxes.

Besides which they may be the only answer to the pensions crisis...



Yes, encourage pensioners to go out and get bladdered. Trouble is,
there aren't enough pints in the brewery to make me fancy female
pensioners.

I smiled as I'm sure I know what you mean!

Earlier today, I took my octogenarian pater out to lunch at his pub, (he now
resembles the road sign warning you of old folk). He could do with a man
with a red flag walking behind him on the footpath warning others of
congestion ahead.

I could only shovel a half of Directors down his throat whilst he had a
hearty meal so no chance of getting him bladdered!

Whilst at the pub, which was full, (great, that's income), a younger and
much more spritely couple than my father came and sat beside us to have a
meal. We fell into conversation and it transpired that the lady was 89! Fit
as a fiddle and must be near the top of the MENSA tree. Wonderful
conversation. They regularly go out to various pubs in the locality but
don't get bladdered so I think there could be difficulty with your plan!

Dave
wibbled on Saturday 07 November 2009 16:12

Stuart Noble wrote:

After a few minutes a nurse comes out and says to Grandad. "Now then
Mr Jones there's nothing wrong with the baby. You've called an
ambulance already this week haven't you, why did you call the
ambulance today."

Grandad replies "The baby was quiet for a long time".

Poor grandad I say. Where were the ****ing parents one wonders?

First, g parents are taking on more of the burden of looking after g
children these days and second, speaking as a g parent of 2 girls, you
won't get me to panic over a situation.
If you have children of your own, you will have had times where when
they were just home from hospital, you wake up during the night and
listen for their breathing. I know I did. If I could hear it, I went
back to sleep.

Ah yes. For some reason, the 1st is always the worst. They look so fragile
and you're scared to death that they will get all tangled up in the bedding
and kill themselves.

The 2nd kid: whatever...

Bringing up your own children teaches you what is serious and what is
not, if you are aware of symptoms of serious problems.

My daughter had a funny turn when she ran a massive fever in literally
minutes, went weird and started going comatose. Scared us nearly to death.
Fortunately the 999 operator was really good and knew the score. Told us to
expect convulsions (she did), told us how to handle her when it happened
and told us it should pass. It did. By then, the ambulance had arrived.
Hospital kept her under observation and said it was a slightly rare but not
unknown thing and to keep neurofen handy in the future as it was the most
effective over the counter drug at dropping a fever quickly.

Then there was the time she ate a peanut and we discovered she had a nut
allergy (the anaphalactic shock type). Seemed to spend a lot of time in A&E
and the local paedeatric unit those couple of years... Along with my son
who has a milk allergy that causes asthmatic attack type symptoms.

Won't catch me taking them to the doctor's everytime they have the
sniffles... We're just grateful that the things that are wrong with them
are avoidable and thus in every practical respect they are otherwise
totally healthy. Makes foreign holidays interesting though. "What's: do you
have soya milk, in Czech?..." And "Is your meal totally nut free? in
French". We tend to prep a few flash cards these days just to be sure.

I would hope, when I'm a grandad, I'll still have a sense of perspective
about these things.

The only time I have been scared, was when our eldest g daughter broke
her thigh, at the top of the bone, by falling on a bucket rim and social
services started to sniff around for child abuse. I was up and down the
country many times during that period (we live 266 miles apart.)

Perhaps it was because of that and chatting to the nurses that they
backed away. (I had a contingency plan to hijack her if they had started
to move in.)

Not pleasant. Can't imagine what that would be like.


--
Tim Watts

This space intentionally left blank...

Stuart Noble
wibbled on Saturday 07 November 2009 18:10

Andy Champ wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

Don't forget what a nice little earner ciggies and booze are for the
govt. Most of the benefits they hand out probably come straight back
to them in taxes.

Besides which they may be the only answer to the pensions crisis...

Andy

Yes, encourage pensioners to go out and get bladdered. Trouble is, there
aren't enough pints in the brewery to make me fancy female pensioners.

No... All that matters is: is there enough beer to make the barmaid fancy
you!

;-

--
Tim Watts

This space intentionally left blank...

Bruce wrote:
On Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:53:15 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
On Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:33:32 +0000, Bruce wrote:

The announcements are either an HSE requirement ...
Crikey are they that LOUD and preceeded by a BING BONG?


Yes, BING BONG, they're the ones. ;-)

Went there today and they've only gone fixed the car park so you have to
pay/spend enough. Damn.

--
Rod

Stuart Noble wrote:
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:13:16 GMT, The Medway Handyman wrote:

I really think that ambulances attending calls like that ought to
be
charged for, say £50 a time.
LAS reckon its £160 per call cost to them (or us, as its a division
of the NHS).

Only a token fee for such calls. £50 is only a months Sky or a weeks
ciggies or 3 nights down the pub.

Don't forget what a nice little earner ciggies and booze are for the
govt. Most of the benefits they hand out probably come straight back
to them in taxes.

Good point. Us smokers contribute at least 5 times the cost of treating
smoke related illness in the tax we pay on fags. So you non smokers are
actually NHS spongers.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Clot wrote:
Dave wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

After a few minutes a nurse comes out and says to Grandad. "Now
then Mr Jones there's nothing wrong with the baby. You've called an
ambulance already this week haven't you, why did you call the
ambulance today."

Grandad replies "The baby was quiet for a long time".

Poor grandad I say. Where were the ****ing parents one wonders?

First, g parents are taking on more of the burden of looking after g
children these days and second, speaking as a g parent of 2 girls,
you won't get me to panic over a situation.
If you have children of your own, you will have had times where when
they were just home from hospital, you wake up during the night and
listen for their breathing. I know I did. If I could hear it, I went
back to sleep.
Bringing up your own children teaches you what is serious and what is
not, if you are aware of symptoms of serious problems.

The only time I have been scared, was when our eldest g daughter
broke her thigh, at the top of the bone, by falling on a bucket rim
and social services started to sniff around for child abuse. I was
up and down the country many times during that period (we live 266
miles apart.)
Perhaps it was because of that and chatting to the nurses that they
backed away. (I had a contingency plan to hijack her if they had
started to move in.)

Isn't it bl££dy awful that we have to think like this? Being a
somewhat older parent when my second child was in the primary school,
(in my 40s), I took the limited opportunities I had (due to work) to
either take him to school or collect him. The dubious looks I got
whilst waiting for him to leave from other parents at the school gate
were most off putting.

In my early 40's I helped to run a local youth club for 7 to 12 year olds.
We occassionally had a kid who fell over or became ill. To take them home
or to A&E we had to ensure one male & one female assistant were present,
which on occassion left the club very short of staff.

We were all parents of kids at the school & all CRB checked, but the
hysteria involved meant we had to cover our backs.

Bloody awful as you say.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Clot wrote:
Dave wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

Isn't it bl££dy awful that we have to think like this? Being a
somewhat older parent when my second child was in the primary school,
(in my 40s), I took the limited opportunities I had (due to work) to
either take him to school or collect him. The dubious looks I got
whilst waiting for him to leave from other parents at the school gate
were most off putting.

In my early 40's I helped to run a local youth club for 7 to 12 year
olds. We occassionally had a kid who fell over or became ill. To
take them home or to A&E we had to ensure one male & one female
assistant were present, which on occassion left the club very short
of staff.
We were all parents of kids at the school & all CRB checked, but the
hysteria involved meant we had to cover our backs.

Bloody awful as you say.

I have both the Hygiene and CRB sustifficates in order to run charitable
events in the locality that I've lived in close to 30 years.

Within the next couple of weeks I shall be ensuring that (as I have for
several years) Santa is available for the little folk. He must not have a
child on his knee, He shall not be available for little folk without an elf
outside the Grotto and must ensure that an adult is present in the Grotto
with the child.

Last year on one occasion, Santa was let down by his Elf and I have to
confess that for a very short period of time Santa was in the Grotto on his
own with a small child. Santa was not happy. To be frank, he was concerned
that one of the Elfin Group would be there to capitalise on the
opportunity.Not that Santa had any inclination abuse the child.

A couple of years ago, a policeman brought his children to the Grotto and
asked about me. I was happy to respond.

Clot wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Clot wrote:
Dave wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:
Isn't it bl££dy awful that we have to think like this? Being a
somewhat older parent when my second child was in the primary school,
(in my 40s), I took the limited opportunities I had (due to work) to
either take him to school or collect him. The dubious looks I got
whilst waiting for him to leave from other parents at the school gate
were most off putting.
In my early 40's I helped to run a local youth club for 7 to 12 year
olds. We occassionally had a kid who fell over or became ill. To
take them home or to A&E we had to ensure one male & one female
assistant were present, which on occassion left the club very short
of staff.
We were all parents of kids at the school & all CRB checked, but the
hysteria involved meant we had to cover our backs.

Bloody awful as you say.

I have both the Hygiene and CRB sustifficates in order to run charitable
events in the locality that I've lived in close to 30 years.

Within the next couple of weeks I shall be ensuring that (as I have for
several years) Santa is available for the little folk. He must not have a
child on his knee, He shall not be available for little folk without an elf
outside the Grotto and must ensure that an adult is present in the Grotto
with the child.

Last year on one occasion, Santa was let down by his Elf and I have to
confess that for a very short period of time Santa was in the Grotto on his
own with a small child. Santa was not happy. To be frank, he was concerned
that one of the Elfin Group would be there to capitalise on the
opportunity.Not that Santa had any inclination abuse the child.

A couple of years ago, a policeman brought his children to the Grotto and
asked about me. I was happy to respond.



That "Bad Santa" film always cheers me up at this time of year

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:21:18 +0000, Rod
wrote:
Bruce wrote:
On Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:53:15 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
On Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:33:32 +0000, Bruce wrote:

The announcements are either an HSE requirement ...
Crikey are they that LOUD and preceeded by a BING BONG?


Yes, BING BONG, they're the ones. ;-)

Went there today and they've only gone fixed the car park so you have to
pay/spend enough. Damn.


Yes, that's a pity. But the useful - though not totally reliable -
red/green indicators above each parking bay worked throughout.

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:07:43 +0000, Tim W wrote:

We tend to prep a few flash cards these days just to be sure.

That could be both fun on the one hand and useful on the other.

Have you got a set for ...

"My granmother's postillion has been struck by lightening ?

Derek

Derek Geldard
wibbled on Sunday 08 November 2009 16:05

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:07:43 +0000, Tim W wrote:

We tend to prep a few flash cards these days just to be sure.

That could be both fun on the one hand and useful on the other.

Have you got a set for ...

"My granmother's postillion has been struck by lightening ?

Derek

No, because I'm not Hungarian

;-)

--
Tim Watts

This space intentionally left blank...

On Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:42:19 +0000, Tim W wrote:

Derek Geldard
wibbled on Sunday 08 November 2009 16:05

On Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:07:43 +0000, Tim W wrote:

We tend to prep a few flash cards these days just to be sure.

That could be both fun on the one hand and useful on the other.

Have you got a set for ...

"My granmother's postillion has been struck by lightening ?

Derek

No, because I'm not Hungarian

;-)

Anyway, why does it matter if her postillion isn't as dark as it used to
be :-)



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

"Bob Martin" wrote in message
...
in 238303 20091105 095750 "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:


Others on this thread have suggested an alternative -- pay on exit.

Sounds like a way of having the carpark jammed with abandoned cars. And
also requires more sophisticated equipment than a simple ticket machine.

It works. Car park at QA Hospital Portsmouth is operated by NCP. You
collect
a token on entry and pay at a machine before leaving. Standard NCP
procedure.
Of course, as NCP is a private profit-making venture the ethics of making
a profit
out of sickness and illness are debatable.

There's always going to be a "profit" element of charging for an ancillary
service that could be provided for free, even if it only represents the
salary of the man(men) who manages the charging process (who wouldn't
otherwise have a job if there were no such charges)

tim