Girl, 3, has heart operation cancelled three times (UK socialized healthcare)

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article6147701.ece

Quote:

April 23, 2009 Girl, 3, has heart operation cancelled three times because of bed shortage

(PA) The case of Ella Cotterell highlights a growing problem of cancelled operations in the NHS David Rose

A three-year-old girl awaiting heart surgery has had her operation cancelled three times this month because of a shortage of beds.

Ella Cotterell was due to have aorta-widening surgery on Monday at the Children’s Hospital, Bristol. But 48 hours beforehand, the operation was cancelled for the third time as all 15 beds in the intensive care unit were occupied, her parents said.

A hospital spokesman said that procedures would be reviewed, but the case highlights a growing problem of cancelled operations in the NHS.

More than 57,000 surgeries were postponed for non-clinical reasons, including a lack of beds, last year " 10 per cent more than the previous year.

Latest figures show that the problem persists. At least 43,000 operations were cancelled in the first nine months of 2008-09, with nearly 1,800 patients not being treated within 28 days of their original scheduled date....

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@gungasnake,

In the various NHSs, waiting lists vary widely. (Emergency cases get instant access.)

Patients waiting can choose to have a procedure done outside their local NHS district in order to be seen more quickly, and if the waiting time is long can often get private treatment at public or abroad (e.g. in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany).

I wonder how the waiting list in the USA would be if everyone could get an operation without having to pay for it ...

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@gungasnake,

There are plenty of true stories just like this one (and worse) north of the border in Canada and across the pond.

Just say NO to Obama socialized health care

1 Reply

@gungasnake,

Are you saying nothing like this ever happens in the US? I have a heart surgeon relative, who now lives in and works in Canada, because he couldn't stand the way insurance companies were causing his patients to suffer, and in some cases die, because they didn't want to pay for necessary care.

Or are you saying America is too stupid to figure out how to supply all their citizens with quality healthcare because the British haven't figured it out?

I'm doomed if I have a problem that requires surgery and I'm an American who owns a successful business and employees six people .

American hospital beds are available because Americans can't afford healthcare or their insurance company refuses to pay for procedures. The American systems has casualties in the millions not just the thousands.

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@Green Witch,

Plenty of Canadian patients cross the border into the US seeking better health care
without suffering the long wait the Canadian health care system is known for.

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@Green Witch,

Green Witch wrote:

American hospital beds are available because Americans can't afford healthcare or their insurance company refuses to pay for procedures. The American systems has casualties in the millions not just the thousands.

That's what is published.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

A situation that will only be made worse if Obama socialized health care is adopted.

1 Reply

old news really, as you can see from this article in 2005

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article420702.ece

Quote:

THE NHS may be cancelling more than twice as many operations at short notice than the government has acknowledged.

The figures, disclosed in reports prepared by individual hospital trusts, contradict ministers’ claims that “only” 66,000 operations a year are cancelled.

Instead, the figure is estimated to be at least 132,000.

The “real” cancellation data add to the row caused last week when it emerged that Margaret Dixon, 69, had had an operation to rebuild her shoulder cancelled seven times. Dixon’s case was highlighted by Michael Howard, the Tory leader, to show up what he said were government failings on health.

The pressures on the NHS were highlighted last night when it emerged Great Ormond Street children’s hospital in London had been forced to call off some operations and close up to one fifth of its beds at some points because of a £1.7m deficit for the current financial year.

Just because the UK is having problems with health care is no reason to call off reform in the United States IMO...we must watch and learn.

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@H2O MAN,

Strange as the likelihood of anyone in the US getting a new heart without either a million in the bank or one hell of a good insurance policy is near zero and this is somehow a better system?

Reading one story after another in newspapers of parents and love ones trying to raise the funds to get such treatment in the US or of people dying because they could not raise such funds.

In fact when I was visiting a family member years ago in a hospital the woman in the next bed was being told by a doctor that she would not be giving a new heart as she have neither the money or the insurance to cover it.

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@H2O MAN,

A situation that will only be made worse if Obama socialized health care is adopted
=====================================
Hmm telling that to someone who had just got done going without one drug for six months that my doctor told me I should have before winning the battle with my insurance company does not wash at all.

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I realize one could come up with several horrible stories that will exaggerate rare exceptions,
but I also realize Obama's socialized health care will only make matters much worse.

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@Green Witch,

Quote:

Or are you saying America is too stupid to figure out how to supply all their citizens with quality healthcare because the British haven't figured it out?

There are several real problems with healthcare in the US. All would benefit from the sort of thing TR referred to as "trust busting"; none would benefit from a government takeover such as Oinquebama is proposing.

The single biggest problem by far is the BS lawsuits. Lawyering doubles the cost of medicine in America by all accounts and I have to assume that the reason nothing has ever been done about THAT is that the trial lawyers' guild is one of the two main pillars of financial support of the demoKKKrat party, the other being govt. worker unions.

1 Reply

@H2O MAN,

H2O

Quote:

Plenty of Canadian patients cross the border into the US seeking better health care
without suffering the long wait the Canadian health care system is known for.

Pure bunk!

If you're interested in the facts and not the myths H2O...read this
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_12523427

Myth: Taxes in Canada are extremely high, mostly because of national health care.

Myth: Canada's health care system is a cumbersome bureaucracy.

Myth: The Canadian system is significantly more expensive than that of the U.S

Myth: Canada's government decides who gets health care and when they get it.

Myth: There are long waits for care, which compromise access to care.

Myth: Canadians are paying out of pocket to come to the U.S. for medical care

Myth: Canada is a socialized health care system in which the government runs hospitals and where doctors work for the government.

Myth: There aren't enough doctors in Canada.

1 Reply

@panzade,

No.

It's a fact!

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@gungasnake,

Gunasnake try floating the idea of taking medicare away from the seniors and see how they hate government single payer health care.

1 Reply

@H2O MAN,

Plenty of Canadian patients cross the border into the US seeking better health care without suffering the long wait the Canadian health care system is known for.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And people are crossing the border to buy drugs far cheaper from the US by the bus load and people are marrying Canadian to get those bad health care benefits according to one news story I saw.

1 Reply

@BillRM,

That would be fear mongering.

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@BillRM,

The US government already has it's hand in the US drug business and ObamaCare would only make matters worse.

1 Reply

@H2O MAN,

The US government already has it's hand in the US drug business and ObamaCare would only make matters worse.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh with our free 'market' we now pay far more for the same drugs than the rest of the world and going with a program that is the same/similar as the rest of the Western world is somehow going to raised our drug prices even more?

Would you please explain this other then pointing to the anti-christ Obama?

1 Reply

@BillRM,

The US government already has it's hand in the US drug business - it's not a free market.

Just blame Bush for all of your problems...

0 Replies

Girl, 3, has heart operation cancelled three times (UK socialized healthcare)

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