Comments on: The seedy side of the NHS http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/ I'll get there one day. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:50:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7-beta3 hourly 1 By: Andy http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/comment-page-1/#comment-91409 Andy Sat, 20 Dec 2008 19:01:05 +0000 http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/#comment-91409 @madhu,who are you directing that comment at? The only people in the article or comments that were looking for a sick note were myself and sheila. In my case my employer did not demand one and in sheila's case according to her statements her daughter really needed one (absent for 5+ days) but was given bad advice that led to her not being able to get one. So just who do you feel is being cowardly? Or are you just having a very bad Christmas and feel the need to lash out on the interweb? @madhu,who are you directing that comment at? The only people in the article or comments that were looking for a sick note were myself and sheila. In my case my employer did not demand one and in sheila’s case according to her statements her daughter really needed one (absent for 5+ days) but was given bad advice that led to her not being able to get one. So just who do you feel is being cowardly? Or are you just having a very bad Christmas and feel the need to lash out on the interweb?

]]> By: madhu http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/comment-page-1/#comment-91407 madhu Sat, 20 Dec 2008 18:42:40 +0000 http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/#comment-91407 Does it not occur to any of you that your gripe should be with your college/employer etc who demands a doctor's certificate rather than with the GP who will not immediately see you and give a certificate because he's busy seeing people who need medical attention? Of course not... you're too cowardly to confront them. Does it not occur to any of you that your gripe should be with your college/employer etc who demands a doctor’s certificate rather than with the GP who will not immediately see you and give a certificate because he’s busy seeing people who need medical attention? Of course not… you’re too cowardly to confront them.

]]> By: klob http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/comment-page-1/#comment-82891 klob Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:33:34 +0000 http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/#comment-82891 The whole situation is ridiculous. If you are genuinely sick then why should you have to pay for a note? A worthless bit of paper? if you have avoided wasting a doctors time by not calling them out (being ill over the weekend) and then on Monday your slightly better, well enough to be able to go to the surgery anyway, get diagnosed, and then get charged for a sick note, from the wrong date, which is utterly worthless. As your sickness began before then. It's a complete dilemma, you wouldn't want to contact your doctor as it would waste valuble time, but in order to be able to prove that you were genuinely ill then you would have to contact your doctor. The whole situation is ridiculous. If you are genuinely sick then why should you have to pay for a note? A worthless bit of paper? if you have avoided wasting a doctors time by not calling them out (being ill over the weekend) and then on Monday your slightly better, well enough to be able to go to the surgery anyway, get diagnosed, and then get charged for a sick note, from the wrong date, which is utterly worthless. As your sickness began before then. It’s a complete dilemma, you wouldn’t want to contact your doctor as it would waste valuble time, but in order to be able to prove that you were genuinely ill then you would have to contact your doctor.

]]> By: Laura http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/comment-page-1/#comment-51245 Laura Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:02:38 +0000 http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/#comment-51245 oh deary me! If this is what our nation has come to where's the hope for the mental health sector?! Are there people left in the world that are compassionate with, or without a payroll? Where is trust? I am 20 and can't see a future for our country, i wish i were proud, i wish my generation could look up to you guys! Presuming your older anyway. Take care. oh deary me! If this is what our nation has come to where’s the hope for the mental health sector?! Are there people left in the world that are compassionate with, or without a payroll? Where is trust? I am 20 and can’t see a future for our country, i wish i were proud, i wish my generation could look up to you guys! Presuming your older anyway. Take care.

]]> By: sheila http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/comment-page-1/#comment-40224 sheila Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:52:03 +0000 http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/#comment-40224 I rook myd daughter who has been in bed for a week to the doctors to get a certificate for college, she had flu (as had we all) and was really poorly, I had telephone the surgery on the5th day of her illness and they said if she went back to college the following day she would be able to self certificate, as she had exams (a levels) the following week she really tried to feel better taking all sorts of flu medication and was determined to go in on the Friday so that she could self certificate, she ws still very poorly and stayed in bed all that Friday and weekend, (knowing she had her A level exam on the Tuesday) I telephoned the doctor again on the Friday and stated she would need a certificate, they did not tell me that she would have to be seen that day, they did not have an appointment until the Monday by which time she was much better, back in college but doctor would not issue a certificate because he had not seen her (she had not gone to the surgery because she was ill- although they knew she was ill because I had telephoned twice in that week) It just does not make any sense to me, I then said to the doctor so I should have called you out, he said you could have but I would not have come! How does this work, if you have a bad cold you do not want to take up somebodys appointment who coud need medication for really serious illnesses so you stay away from the surgery (in bed I might add) as theis flu had gone through the whole family. But you go to the surgery as soon as you are feeling better but cannot get a sick note because they have not seen you, I would have thought it would be down to the discretion of the doctor, this particular doctor could see that my daughter was now well and back in college - 1st day - she was only one day out of self certification but he insisted he would not give her a sick note, any comments! I rook myd daughter who has been in bed for a week to the doctors to get a certificate for college, she had flu (as had we all) and was really poorly, I had telephone the surgery on the5th day of her illness and they said if she went back to college the following day she would be able to self certificate, as she had exams (a levels) the following week she really tried to feel better taking all sorts of flu medication and was determined to go in on the Friday so that she could self certificate, she ws still very poorly and stayed in bed all that Friday and weekend, (knowing she had her A level exam on the Tuesday) I telephoned the doctor again on the Friday and stated she would need a certificate, they did not tell me that she would have to be seen that day, they did not have an appointment until the Monday by which time she was much better, back in college but doctor would not issue a certificate because he had not seen her (she had not gone to the surgery because she was ill- although they knew she was ill because I had telephoned twice in that week) It just does not make any sense to me, I then said to the doctor so I should have called you out, he said you could have but I would not have come! How does this work, if you have a bad cold you do not want to take up somebodys appointment who coud need medication for really serious illnesses so you stay away from the surgery (in bed I might add) as theis flu had gone through the whole family. But you go to the surgery as soon as you are feeling better but cannot get a sick note because they have not seen you, I would have thought it would be down to the discretion of the doctor, this particular doctor could see that my daughter was now well and back in college - 1st day - she was only one day out of self certification but he insisted he would not give her a sick note, any comments!

]]> By: The ongoing struggle » Blog Archive » My eyes! The goggles do nothing! http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/comment-page-1/#comment-38305 The ongoing struggle » Blog Archive » My eyes! The goggles do nothing! Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:20:23 +0000 http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/#comment-38305 [...] Last year, some people mistakenly got the impression that I do not like my doctor. This is completely false; I think he’s pretty good actually. He seems very efficient, seeing me and most others in mere minutes, yet in the few times I have seen him I’ve never felt that he was trying to rush me out the door. He always takes the time to discuss treatments, and doesn’t get too exasperated when I bring up other things unrelated to my appointment. [...] [...] Last year, some people mistakenly got the impression that I do not like my doctor. This is completely false; I think he’s pretty good actually. He seems very efficient, seeing me and most others in mere minutes, yet in the few times I have seen him I’ve never felt that he was trying to rush me out the door. He always takes the time to discuss treatments, and doesn’t get too exasperated when I bring up other things unrelated to my appointment. [...]

]]> By: Andy http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/comment-page-1/#comment-9472 Andy Thu, 29 Mar 2007 18:40:39 +0000 http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/#comment-9472 Just to close this one off, work told me to keep my sick note as it would be best not to have it in my record if it doesn't need to be. Apparently they didn't really care about that aspect and had just taken an interest to be sure I was OK. So it seems I was being far too paranoid after all, and the militant doctors that have been reading can take solace in the fact that I wasted some money. :) Just to close this one off, work told me to keep my sick note as it would be best not to have it in my record if it doesn’t need to be. Apparently they didn’t really care about that aspect and had just taken an interest to be sure I was OK.

So it seems I was being far too paranoid after all, and the militant doctors that have been reading can take solace in the fact that I wasted some money. :)

]]> By: taras http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/comment-page-1/#comment-9141 taras Sun, 25 Mar 2007 23:19:10 +0000 http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/#comment-9141 If you lot, excluding Adam Pringle, really are doctors, I feel very sorry for your patients. You must treat them like absolute scum. (I am lucky enough to attend an excellent NHS GP in a well-run surgery.) If you lot, excluding Adam Pringle, really are doctors, I feel very sorry for your patients. You must treat them like absolute scum. (I am lucky enough to attend an excellent NHS GP in a well-run surgery.)

]]> By: Andy http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/comment-page-1/#comment-9137 Andy Sun, 25 Mar 2007 23:04:42 +0000 http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/#comment-9137 I'm guessing this article got posted to a doctor's forum or something then, by the number of abuse-filled comments I have waiting for moderation. adam pringle: thanks for your comments. I certainly didn't feel it was worthless but it may well be that it is seen that way, that a sick note that's not legally required presents a poorer image. In this respect I'm sure I am naive since I don't spend a lot of time visiting doctors trying to con things out of them, and I'm sure GPs have seen it all in their time. My point is that it made me feel like I was doing something seedy, so it's a lot more likely that I won't bother in future. nhs doctor: I would like to remind you once again that I did not seek a doctor's appointment solely to get a sick note, and I don't think it is very clever to write threatening comments in people's blogs. To the rest of you whose comments aren't going to get approved, it' not because I'm trying to suppress what you have to say - it's pretty much the same as what has already been said, so there's just no point. Most of you don't appear to have actually read the article and believe that I: - am complaining about paying for a sicknote (I'm not, I didn't legally need one and I said I realised that right away) - sought a doctor's appointment solely for a sicknote (I didn't, it was a referral after a hospital stay and the sick note was incidental, but writing all about the tests and the nature of my illness wouldn't have made an very interesting blog entry) - am bitching about the GP's behaviour (I'm saying the thing made ME feel seedy, like I was doing some kind of shady deal.) I can see adam pringle's point about how it would be seen as worse and just a worthless bit of paper in situations where someone had a poor attendance record at work, so my comment about people being signed off for weeks and doing cash in hand work probably wasn't fair (I'm sure there are, but I agree that private sick notes don't enable it). But for me I think it is still worth having since I don't have a poor attendance record and it will at least show that I saw a doctor. I won't approve any more comments that just repeat the assertion that I'm a whiner who took a few days off work for no good reason and then wasted NHS time getting a sick note in the hope that I won't get in trouble. I think I've already explained the situation and so that would just be my word against yours; I don't really need to have such exchanges with people on the Internet. Thanks for reading! I’m guessing this article got posted to a doctor’s forum or something then, by the number of abuse-filled comments I have waiting for moderation.

adam pringle: thanks for your comments. I certainly didn’t feel it was worthless but it may well be that it is seen that way, that a sick note that’s not legally required presents a poorer image. In this respect I’m sure I am naive since I don’t spend a lot of time visiting doctors trying to con things out of them, and I’m sure GPs have seen it all in their time. My point is that it made me feel like I was doing something seedy, so it’s a lot more likely that I won’t bother in future.

nhs doctor: I would like to remind you once again that I did not seek a doctor’s appointment solely to get a sick note, and I don’t think it is very clever to write threatening comments in people’s blogs.

To the rest of you whose comments aren’t going to get approved, it’ not because I’m trying to suppress what you have to say - it’s pretty much the same as what has already been said, so there’s just no point. Most of you don’t appear to have actually read the article and believe that I:

- am complaining about paying for a sicknote (I’m not, I didn’t legally need one and I said I realised that right away)
- sought a doctor’s appointment solely for a sicknote (I didn’t, it was a referral after a hospital stay and the sick note was incidental, but writing all about the tests and the nature of my illness wouldn’t have made an very interesting blog entry)
- am bitching about the GP’s behaviour (I’m saying the thing made ME feel seedy, like I was doing some kind of shady deal.)

I can see adam pringle’s point about how it would be seen as worse and just a worthless bit of paper in situations where someone had a poor attendance record at work, so my comment about people being signed off for weeks and doing cash in hand work probably wasn’t fair (I’m sure there are, but I agree that private sick notes don’t enable it). But for me I think it is still worth having since I don’t have a poor attendance record and it will at least show that I saw a doctor.

I won’t approve any more comments that just repeat the assertion that I’m a whiner who took a few days off work for no good reason and then wasted NHS time getting a sick note in the hope that I won’t get in trouble. I think I’ve already explained the situation and so that would just be my word against yours; I don’t really need to have such exchanges with people on the Internet.

Thanks for reading!

]]> By: arowana http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/comment-page-1/#comment-9130 arowana Sun, 25 Mar 2007 22:36:26 +0000 http://strugglers.net/~andy/blog/2007/03/23/the-seedy-side-of-the-nhs/#comment-9130 Just to make a point andy did say he was refered to his GP via the hospital he also said the sick note was only "one" of the things he went to his GP for. So lets not jump on his back, My GP's have Charged for sick notes for a while now as i think it cuts down on the wasters who are getting one to avoid being found out at work. Just to make a point andy did say he was refered to his GP via the hospital he also said the sick note was only “one” of the things he went to his GP for. So lets not jump on his back, My GP’s have Charged for sick notes for a while now as i think it cuts down on the wasters who are getting one to avoid being found out at work.

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