Britain is rightly proud of the National Health Service. However, the institution has experienced its fair share of shortcomings in recent years.
After all, the NHS has long been underfunded, and the problem has been brought to light by activists, campaigners, and politicians frequently. Controversies have also occurred around data breaches, staff pay, and patient quality of care. Despite many people heralding the NHS, things are from perfect.
If you’re soon to go through the NHS yourself, you may experience a number of problems. The wait times to be seen by a consultant can vary, as can those when scheduling surgeries big and small. It can be tough to know what to do in these situations, and you may not wish to present more problems for a service that’s already under strain.
Still, something must be done. Here are the things you should do if you encounter problems with the NHS.
Don’t Panic
Encountering problems with the NHS can be stress-inducing, particularly if you suffer from health issues requiring immediate attention. That said, panicking in this situation will almost certainly do more harm than good.
Try your best to remain calm. If you have no time to lose, a mindset that will help you orchestrate solutions to your problem will work best. There are several ways you can proceed from these dire circumstances, and you need to truly believe that if you’re ever going to make progress.
Rely on your support network for positive energy. Let them motivate you into action and listen to all their words of encouragement and assurance. Focus on your own sense of mindfulness and partake in meditative pastimes or favourite hobbies to ease your worries. Take extra care to soothe your anxieties in your downtime.
Look Into Region Statuses
People often think of the NHS as a singular entity. However, as per its name, it spans the entire nation. Branches, professionals, and circumstances vary from place to place.
Try not to listen to all of the doom and gloom that the media projects about the NHS. Judge the situation for yourself. For example, see how the service is faring in your region specifically. Things may look more promising in your area. After that, you may be able to seek out the treatment you need instead of automatically assuming no help is available.
Search nearby locations too. Other viable NHS facilities may only be a short car or bus ride away. Try to remember that you may have other options at your disposal. Do your best to explore each one of them.
Secure Private Insurance
The NHS is indeed under pressure. Therefore, if you search other regions for assistance, there is always a chance you may not receive it. In those situations, you’ll need to take matters into your own hands.
Seeking out private coverage could help. If you would like to learn more about health insurance visit this website at the earliest opportunity. Switch Health can instruct you on everything you need to know here. They explain that you pay a monthly price for your cover and get whatever help you need precisely when you need it. They can also inform you on coverage types, walk you through the claims process and provide free market reviews to help you know what coverage you can expect.
Private insurance can help you to bypass the NHS wait times entirely. Appointments with health professionals can be quick and convenient, and you can also facetime with your GPs for an instant consultation. Research all the other perks that come with these arrangements and benefit from the peace of mind that follows.
File a Complaint
You should complain if the quality of care you received was poor. That way, you can approach things in the most proactive way possible and make your allegations more credible.
There are multiple ways you can expose NHS shortcomings. For example, you can report problems to another body like the Care Quality Commission or flag problems with a specific healthcare professional to those regulating them if you have suffered any misconduct.
Complaints may be viewed as being more credible if you gather your evidence first. It could be medical documents or other records that prove the level of care you received. Take your time collating it all, and structure your complaints around each piece of data.
The NHS has its own complaints procedures for you to follow as well. You can make a complaint within 12 months after the incident occurring, or 12 months after you become aware of the incident. Therefore, you can take your time and attend to the other matters listed in this article first before launching these proceedings.
Tell Your MP
You may not think very highly of your MPs, and you might understandably assume little will come of your remarks. Still, depending on what you experienced, keeping them informed of any failings within the NHS might help others if they choose to act on your information.
After all, if NHS staff can air their job-related grievances to their MP, then you should be able to detail your experiences as a patient too. You can write to your MP about almost anything, and if you have received inadequate healthcare, then that’s undoubtedly worthy of their attention.
Try to remain respectful during these interactions, whether you email them, write them letters, or meet them in person. Focus on the facts where possible and present your case clearly. After that, they may better understand your experience and perhaps know of ways to help you.
Even if nothing comes of your efforts, doing this might help you feel better about things. You will have taken something as high as it can go here and done everything you can to stop others from experiencing what you did. That is a noble effort in and of itself.
Find Likeminded People
After implementing practical measures and airing your concerns, you may still be left with lingering hurt and disappointment. Many might have experienced similar things.
Browsing forums and message boards that are filled with similarly wronged individuals could be a cathartic experience. Talking to light-minded souls can ease many burdens, and friendships can flourish from shared happenings. Moreover, you also benefit from anonymity here, so you can speak freely about your experiences without revealing yourself can be useful.
Moreover, you may be able to implement lasting change by finding like-minded souls and kickstarting a campaign together. Spreading awareness of your experiences, protesting, or setting up charities could all be hugely impactful courses of action, depending on what you were subject to. Strong communities can be built around these healthcare struggles, and they can create lasting change.
Sadly, numerous healthcare problems can be enormously isolating. However, if you continue to engage with people, you stand a much better chance of conquering these demons together. Your own struggles can be turned into fuel to help others, too, helping you feel better and build a more meaningful life for yourself.
Conclusion
It’s worth mentioning that most people will likely not encounter problems with the NHS. However, standards should be high, and shortcomings are not permissible when it comes to your health. If you are disappointed in your experience, try to remain level-headed and secure treatment elsewhere first. Your well-being is your first priority. After that, you can interrogate the issue further, expose the problem, and then work on getting through these troubling times with kindred spirits.
