The shortage of Midwives has been broadcast today as another crisis for the NHS. I trained and qualified as one such professional in 1993. On completion of our training which saw 12 newly qualified, fresh and excited new Midwives our hospital became an NHS Hospital Trust. It declined to employ the entire lot at their training pay scale of a top E grade. Instead they offered us 3 month temporary contracts at bottom D.( Starting pay for newly qualified nurses) Then Newly qualified Midwives started on bottom F or should have done. As a result and with no surprise they lost the whole lot who returned to general nursing on their E grade pay scales. I was the only one offered my E grade with work on the Midwifery bank. The bank work dried up and I became another statistic. Why would anyone want to join that brigade when they are so poorly treated and under valued?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2514107/Ban-smoking-grounds-hospitals-urged.html Drs and Nurses have enough to do already. This just takes the biscuit.

This situation just isn't getting any better. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2597558/Overworked-doctors-forced-look-70-elderly-patients-single-shift-missing-vital-signs-illness.html

' Under Doctored, Under Nursed....' Why, after all the Government said it was doing but what has it done? Not a lot it would seem. I know of a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon who is so demoralised he loathes the job he loved to do because he simply can't do it as his standards would want. He can not use the hip prosthesis he knows will wear, work and perform better because the procurement process is now not down to him but to some pen pusher who bought a cheap job lot and has dictated they must be used up. His salary ( like all NHS Medical and Nursing salaries) has been halved and his team cut back to the point they are working at three times the pace with a skeletal work force to cover the increase in work load. I wonder if Mr C really knows these very real facts at grass roots level. I don't think so.

This takes the biscuit as well- it certainly isn't news- its been happening for at least 20 years since I think, the Blair regime allowed free use of agency staff to cover NHS shortages. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2597442/Hospital-pays-1-800-agency-nurse-work-single-shift-thats-163-hour.html

Mrs Rebbonk has had trouble getting one of her prescription drugs for the last couple of months, and has been issued with shortages slips on each visit. Today, the chemist has finally admited that he can't get them any more. (not sure why, but I'll guess it's down to cost!)

So Mrs Rebbonk walked next door to the doctor to ask for an appointment to seek an alternative drug. The receptionist said that there were no appointments available until July. Mrs Rebbonk explained that she could no longer get her drugs and needed a replacement, PDQ; the recptionist miraculously found a slot tomorrow afternoon at 4.00!

Mrs Rebbonk has just returned from the Doctors. He says that the drugs are still available and that she ought use another pharmacy!

Flabergasted!

I tend to use my local co-op pharmacy; they seem to have some idea of how to do their job, as opposed to some major high street retailers.

Oh dear, Mrs Rebbonk has just returned from the Ricoh arena where she asked two more pharmacists (Tesco and Boots). Both have told her the drug is no longer available.

Mrs Rebbonk looked a funny colour as she went out of the door to see her doctor....

This is all down to inexperienced, young GPs and chemists. (Actually, that is all Professions and Trades- nurses especially)The training for all has been diluted.. My neighbor had the same problem over the last two days. Her two little foster children have developed eye infections(recycled no doubt between the two) She took them to the pharmacy and was told by the trained chemist this was due to Hey Fever so just do the cool boiled water eye wash thing. That was yesterday. When she showed me , it was obvious they had eye infections and chloramphenicol drops were in order. I suggested she got some Brolene drops in the interim until an appointment could be obtained from the surgery but again(different chemist, different shop) said no, just do eye washes. This morning, worse and very uncomfortable with copious amounts of green goo from both girls' eyes, her GP prescribed drops. She went to the pharmacy- they can't get them, There was a lot of ' umming ' and ' Ahhring ' about age appropriate meds as these weren't appropriate for them at 6 and 4 so she went back to the GP, waited etc, Chloramphenicol drops prescribed. Hopefully, she's been able to administer them and the infections will now become gone. I rest my case.

Took a call from the doctors' this morning, the drug is no longer available!

Mrs Rebbonk has an appointment scheduled for Tuesday morning, I would love to be a fly on the wall... She'll be crabbier than hell as she doesn't like to rise before midday! Good luck to the Doc'!

Yesterday Mrs R dropped in to the chemist to collect her monthly prescription. They admitted making it up, but couldn't find it and asked her to return later.

Sadly, that wasn't possible so she returned today.

The chemist had needed to make up another prescription, but couldn't provide the necessary slip for Mrs R to request her next batch of drugs. She was left to approach the doctor and request a replacement.

This is simply not good enough! The incompetency of this chemist (it's not the first time) is unbelievable, and when it goes wrong the customer is put out and left to sort out the problems for themselves. At £8 per item, the NHS is now £16 directly out of pocket, plus quite a bit more for repeating activities that hadn't ought be necessary.

I have no reason to think this chemist is any different to any other, so multiply this up over the country and you start to see where some of the NHS budget is going!

The other shock this little episode brought home to me was that the chemist has no process in place to show that anyone has collected their drugs.

All in all, a very poor show.

My chemist is most helpful and I have heard, most chemists in Bedworth are.
When I needed prescriptions and forgot to reorder in time he lent me some to 'tide over'
Also he queried a new one the doctor prescribed for a chest infection, asking my permission to ask my doctor, because he thought a different -new -one was on the market.He was right too.

I've used the same chemist for years. I remember, about 15 years ago, I had a dose of sinusitis & concussion at the same time (don't ask!) and the doctor prescribed me cocodamol & ibuprofen. The pharmacist took a quick look at the prescription, walked over to one of the display shelves and gave me the equivalent own brand pills over the counter, saving me the best part of £5. I saved some cash, he made a bit of profit and ensured I kept going back due to his excellent service - everyone's a winner!

Boots in Bedworth do that too.