It's 2008 technology is making lives easier. There are so many things people can do shop without even getting out of bed, email somebody on the other side of the world. That's just the internet.
Hospitals today have very advanced equipment which allows so many incredible tests to be carried out, and the most complex surgery to be successfully completed. Please note the focus on technology and equipment. These are the great things. So what about the people who work with this technology? Or the people reading the results that these amazing machines can tell them the inside of our bodies?
Is this where the NHS fails us?
Whilst in hospital, one lady was waiting for her consultant to come along. She was about to find out whether he would operate on her. In her mind, she pictured the scene. The doctor walks in, pulls the curtains around, takes a seat and finally gives her the news. The reality was in fact, far from her expectations. She saw her consultant walking down the ward. As she caught his eye she smiled nervously. Her smile soon disappeared from her face when she heard the doctor shout to her across the ward.
"I will not be operating on you, you are too fat!"
With no further explanation, he simply walked past her to another patient. Tears streamed down her hot, bright red cheeks as she felt all eyes on her. The rest of the patients on that ward heard his cruel words.
Elsewhere that same day, another young lady was reduced to tears after seeing her consultant whilst on the ward. She had been told that the doctors had "no time" to investigate her problems. She would be sent home with a catheter in a small tube inserted into her bladder to prevent urine retention. Her bladder and bowels had stopped working, and the doctors did not have time to help her. Instead, she would be seen as an outpatient in 6-8 weeks time. Meanwhile, her pain relief had been stopped and the 20 year old lady had to suffer with the agony that her retention caused.
Two examples of how our fellow human beings; doctors have let people down. Doctors, who have a responsibility towards their patients. Technology cannot replace doctors it simply helps them to identify the problems their patient is experiencing. The NHS could carry on spending millions of pounds on new and improved equipment, but does any money go on training? Not necessarily medical training, but simple communication skills?
And it is not just the medical doctors that let us down. Even worse, is how psychiatric patients are spoken to and treated by psychiatrists.
While speaking to her consultant during a case review, one young lady spoke of how she had no hope for the future; "I can't see things ever getting better. All I see is that my life will always be like this and I will always feel like this and I do not want to live my life in this mess because it feels unbearable" she explained. Her psychiatrist nodded, and began to explain her point of view to the vulnerable 21 year old in-patient.
"It seems to me you have Borderline Personality Disorder. Have you never thought that you might have to accept that this is how you feel? There is no cure for this disorder, accept that this is you and get on with it" the doctor told her patient. With that, the patient was sent back to her room on the ward, where she spent the rest of the day crying. To her, the consultant had just confirmed that there is no hope this is her life. Now she felt even worse, her future seemed even bleaker and her condition deteriorated over the weeks following this meeting. Despite feeling at risk of harming or killing herself, the young girl was discharged from hospital because there was "nothing" they could do.
Another example of people being let down, by people who are supposed to be in a position to protect and care for people in their care.
What has to be done to improve todays NHS? How are staff failing to treat their patients with the respect and dignity that all humans deserve?
It's 2008 with improved technology should come better insight, and in effect, more understanding and empathy.
Kerri Jones, 21 from St Helens, Merseyside UK.
Her lifelong label is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
She is the one with the problem as it is her personality that is wrong. It
doesn’t matter that she suffered at the hands of her alcoholic step-father for
the first 9 years of her life, or that she underwent other mishaps.
The past means nothing in her life, according to her
consultant. Kerri’s personality is not quite right, and there is nothing anybody
can do. Living with depression, PTSD, self-injury to name but a few, her life is
far from simple. After various suicide attempts and dangerous self-inflicted
injuries, how is she still alive?
Writing!
She writes to save her mind becoming exhausted. She writes
her most inner-thoughts and feelings down and sees the pain she feels. Only then
can she deal with it.
This author of this Article has choosen to make this article available with free reprint rights. Click here to copy this article.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
