The grumpy thread

[Remspoor]

Don't worry about the NHS your loverly Sir 2teir is going to sort it M8.

Here in Spain. Reserve an appointmnet online using my digital ID. Max wait is three days I have had one on the same day. Can make a phone appointment where you do not see the doctor face to face. Usually for prescription renewals.

If you run out of meds the pharmacy will allow you to get them and later you can let them know the prescription has been renewed. Prescriptions are sent electorally.

Hospital waiting  times are the issue here. Depending on what it is. But usually 6 months to a years wait for every day medical problems.

[chadders]

It works pretty well around here although we haven't needed to see a doctor urgently.

If you don’t consider it urgent you fill out an internet form which includes how long you're willing to wait, e.g. 1 day, 2 days etc.. They then get back, usually within 12 hours or so to schedule a phone call, often with a doctor and usually the next day or an appointment with a nurse practitioner or doctor which is usually within a week. 

Given that we have a pretty old demographic I don't think that it's too bad.

 

[andy18s]

A friend's experience over here....

"Ok I know I've gone in about this before but it never ceases to amaze me. Walked into the Doctor's at 8.45 this morning with no appointment. Was in front of my GP within 5 minutes. Sent me to the lab, had blood and urine tests done and back in the car and on my way home for 9.15.

 

Oh I almost forgot. I went to the couriers and picked up a parcel included in that 30 minutes as well..... and didn't need to pay for parking anywhere! People in the UK used to ask me why I wanted to move to a "backwards" country like Bulgaria? 😂"

[Pieman]

28 minutes ago, andy18s said:

A friend's experience over here....

"Ok I know I've gone in about this before but it never ceases to amaze me. Walked into the Doctor's at 8.45 this morning with no appointment. Was in front of my GP within 5 minutes. Sent me to the lab, had blood and urine tests done and back in the car and on my way home for 9.15.

 

Oh I almost forgot. I went to the couriers and picked up a parcel included in that 30 minutes as well..... and didn't need to pay for parking anywhere! People in the UK used to ask me why I wanted to move to a "backwards" country like Bulgaria? 😂"

"BUT IT'S FULL OF FORRINERS INNIT M8?"

[Remspoor]

I am grumpy with myself. I have had to admit defeat.

Many things have meant this had to happen. But my Westminster has gone to the scrappy.

Owned it for 22 years. Most of the time I was trying to repair it one way or another. There is no way I can part it out. If I did it means I would be the owner for ever and a day. I kept one or two bits as a memento.

 

A sad day.

[Noel Tidybeard]

19 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

I have to wonder, is there some official body you can complain to about this sort of shit? some sort of ombudsman or such?  because thats just complete bollocks and genuinely not fair nor is it right, how they can waste your time on things your already know then refuse to hear you about your actual concerns, and its also a horrible use of what little use of resources there are

given the amount of stories I have heard of people who have gotten depressed and then killed themselves because they could not get the support they need from the system, this sort of thing *really* angers me that its still happening, espically to someone like you, who really does not dserve any of this sort of bollocks, that you seem to get straddled with far too often

I really wish there was something I could do for you in that regard! its all the small injustices that really piss me off too, like that time you where driving the camper-van and got tugged for "driving it aggressively" just because you dared down shift a gear in preperation for the up coming roundabout, yet all the genuine scrotes that run around in illegal cars are completely left alone 

 

yes the practice manager for a start

[Noel Tidybeard]

you could always try "well i was told i need a f2f appt"

[BorniteIdentity]

4 hours ago, artdjones said:

Maybe the answer is the Irish solution.

I pay €60 for an appointment, and it's literally always been next day. ( Those on very low incomes, pensioners and small children get it free.) If your health is so important maybe it's worth spending money on. I know the NHS is supposed to be free, but if the alternatives are, wait years for a free GP appointment about real issues, and maybe die young, or go private and maybe extend your life by many years?

 

Anyone says this out loud in England and you’re a FUCKENTORYLOL, but the whole thing is about to collapse. 

I’d happily pay £50 a throw to see a doctor (as per Channel Islands). It would sort the wheat from the chaff and keep things a lot more efficient. 

I agree with everything you’ve said. We’ve all got money to waste on various death traps, so we should have it to invest in our health. Fist shaking saying “ThIs ShOUld Be FrEE lol” leaves you in the same place. 

Ultimately nothing is free, so you may as well just pay. 

[artdjones]

8 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Anyone says this out loud in England and you’re a FUCKENTORYLOL, but the whole thing is about to collapse. 

I’d happily pay £50 a throw to see a doctor (as per Channel Islands). It would sort the wheat from the chaff and keep things a lot more efficient. 

I agree with everything you’ve said. We’ve all got money to waste on various death traps, so we should have it to invest in our health. Fist shaking saying “ThIs ShOUld Be FrEE lol” leaves you in the same place. 

Ultimately nothing is free, so you may as well just pay. 

I don't like paying €60 a throw, but I don't want to die for the sake of saving €60. And I dont even have any alarming symptoms. If I got any I'd be down the practice so fast I'd be a blur. And when alarming things have happened in the family same day appointments have been no problem. When my wife developed appendicitis symptoms I was told "bring her straight down." Diagnosis confirmed straight away, and straight into hospital.

[IronStar]

34 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Anyone says this out loud in England and you’re a FUCKENTORYLOL, but the whole thing is about to collapse. 

I’d happily pay £50 a throw to see a doctor (as per Channel Islands). It would sort the wheat from the chaff and keep things a lot more efficient. 

I agree with everything you’ve said. We’ve all got money to waste on various death traps, so we should have it to invest in our health. Fist shaking saying “ThIs ShOUld Be FrEE lol” leaves you in the same place. 

Ultimately nothing is free, so you may as well just pay. 

You’re already paying £ plenty through taxes and contributions from your paycheck. Might as well expect something in return for the money.

It’s same here, with similar private practice prices, but that doesn’t make me any less grumpy I’m paying hundreds a month into a health system I can’t use because it’s absolutely fucked.

[New POD]

2 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

yes the practice manager for a start

Ask them to clarify the complaints procedure in writing and specifically the escalation to the Local Comissioning Trust, in the event that you are still not satisfied. 

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, BorniteIdentity said:

We’ve all got money to waste on various death traps

Given the tumbleweeds blowing through the For Sale forum at the moment, I'm not convinced that we have...

[Zelandeth]

Ah crap.  Guess who forgot to pay the Heathrow ULEZ scam...sorry, I mean charge...when picking up his mother-in-law from the airport at 0545 on Monday morning...Just remembered now.

[LightBulbFun]

30 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Ah crap.  Guess who forgot to pay the Heathrow ULEZ scam...sorry, I mean charge...when picking up his mother-in-law from the airport at 0545 on Monday morning...Just remembered now.

Hey, TPA is ULEZ exempt just saying! and the Mother-in-Law can go in the special Mother-in-law seat they have, the floor, where the folding wheelchair normally goes

on a slightly more serious note, ironically its not far off until the Trabant is ULEZ exempt also, imagine the scene that would be, picking someone up (dropping someone off) from Heathrow in a Trabant! 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Regarding GP appointments, I use Bendenden Health now.  There have been a few occasions recently where something has been just below the level of the 'Urgent Care' centre but we can't get an appointment at the GP.  It's more limited than a GP but we've had no issues getting a a telephone appointment.  When my other half developed an infected insect bite on holiday, she literally booked on the app in the airport in Sweden and then got a call a couple of hours after we'd landed.  Prescription made out that can be redeemed at any pharmacist and on our (long) drive diverted off to a pharmacy, picked up the prescription and carried on with our journey.

It's about 16 Pounds a month but it's worked well for us so far...

[High Jetter]

42 minutes ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

It's about 16 Pounds a month but it's worked well for us so far...

Wife got their cover when told she might* need a cataract op. She's had both eyes done now, absolutely brilliant treatment. Our nearest one Tenterden) is a pain to get to though.

[SunnySouth]

22 hours ago, Remspoor said:

I am grumpy with myself. I have had to admit defeat.

Many things have meant this had to happen. But my Westminster has gone to the scrappy.

Owned it for 22 years. Most of the time I was trying to repair it one way or another. There is no way I can part it out. If I did it means I would be the owner for ever and a day. I kept one or two bits as a memento.

 

A sad day.

A sad day indeed; but it is what it is. You tried, hard.

[Metal Guru]

On 12/09/2024 at 22:08, IronStar said:

You’re already paying £ plenty through taxes and contributions from your paycheck. Might as well expect something in return for the money.

It’s same here, with similar private practice prices, but that doesn’t make me any less grumpy I’m paying hundreds a month into a health system I can’t use because it’s absolutely fucked.

The NHS costs us  £3k pa each. Hardly free. (NHS budget is about 10x the black hole)

[sheffcortinacentre]

Could've saved 6million recently.

[Minimad5]

On 31/07/2024 at 22:55, High Jetter said:

Beans Meanz Heinz. We've tried various own brandz, we know what we like. #old giffer

When you've repaired the equipment that sorts, blanches, tins, cooks and labels them ... you soon learn there isn't anything special about them, the kit is impressive mind. Buy M&S own brand they're cheaper and tastier 👍

[Dave_Q]

Not too sure where to put this, I'm not especially grumpy about it but wanted to share.

Absolute @sierraman spec consumer here has got himself a car (2014 Astra diesel) from one of these no credit check rent 2 rent 2 buy shitehawks, then bought a £250 private plate on tick to put on it.

The car has then exploded and the loan shark has taken it back and is holding the car, and plate to ransom unless matey pays for the engine work.

His main concern is getting the private plate back.

I know people need transport, including people who struggle to get mainstream credit, but he seriously needs to take some of the £250 his plate is worth and get either a bus pass or a Micra from the auctions.

[sierraman]

2 hours ago, Dave_Q said:

Not too sure where to put this, I'm not especially grumpy about it but wanted to share.

Absolute @sierraman spec consumer here has got himself a car (2014 Astra diesel) from one of these no credit check rent 2 rent 2 buy shitehawks, then bought a £250 private plate on tick to put on it.

The car has then exploded and the loan shark has taken it back and is holding the car, and plate to ransom unless matey pays for the engine work.

His main concern is getting the private plate back.

I know people need transport, including people who struggle to get mainstream credit, but he seriously needs to take some of the £250 his plate is worth and get either a bus pass or a Micra from the auctions.

It’s typical of the poor thought process that morons have. Financing old fucked cars… check… A private plate on a £2,000 car… not understanding people need paying when they mend your car…

Most of us have had times when we’ve had the shitty end of the stick money wise but you can’t help but think sometimes these peoples continued run of ‘bad luck’ is because basically they’re fucking stupid. 

[wuvvum]

I've lost the locking wheel nut key for the Ampera.  Which is a bit* of an annoyance.  I had it last week, and I could have sworn I put it back in its case, but evidently I didn't - I must have left it on the wheel nut.  I haven't actually been anywhere in the car since then - I just backed it out of the drive and parked it outside the front of the house - but then if the key fell off when I was doing that it's probably either been picked up by someone or hit by a passing car and punted into oblivion.

I'm hoping one of the key matching services on eBay can come up trumps with a replacement - it's out of action until I do because I need to change the CV boot and I really need the wheel off to do that.

[barefoot]

MOT expires 358 days...

Did chap 'own' it just 7 days before it went pop?

[barefoot]

2 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

I've lost the locking wheel nut key for the Ampera.

...and, see infamous locking wheel nut thread!

[artdjones]

Why is the pronunciation of French names on Google Maps so ear grindingly awful.

Almost every town in France will have a Place de la République.

The Google version? Imagine a 25 year old PR girl from Esher saying "Turn left onto Playce dee lar Republikew". And that's mild compared with some others.

[Pieman]

4 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Why is the pronunciation of French names on Google Maps so ear grindingly awful.

Almost every town in France will have a Place de la République.

The Google version? Imagine a 25 year old PR girl from Esher saying "Turn left onto Playce dee lar Republikew". And that's mild compared with some others.

I've got to drive in Hungary next month.  Fuck knows what Google Maps will do with that!

[IronStar]

Just now, Pieman said:

I've got to drive in Hungary next month.  Fuck knows what Google Maps will do with that!

Turn off the navigation voice. It utterly butchers anything but English, because they never thought they could mix’n’match languages in there. 

[Pieman]

Just now, IronStar said:

Turn off the navigation voice. It utterly butchers anything but English, because they never thought they could mix’n’match languages in there. 

I only listen to it, looking at it distracts me too much.

[wuvvum]

26 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Why is the pronunciation of French names on Google Maps so ear grindingly awful.

Almost every town in France will have a Place de la République.

The Google version? Imagine a 25 year old PR girl from Esher saying "Turn left onto Playce dee lar Republikew". And that's mild compared with some others.

When my parents moved back to Blighty I went car hunting with my dad in Wales.  His iPhone eventually gave up trying to pronounce place names and just spelled them out instead - presumably thinking they were extremely long acronyms rather than actual words.