“Derriford is a classic example of a poorly managed NHS hospital. I have dealt with the hospital since 1994, it was bad then and has become progressivly worse.There are too many layers of weak indecisive managment. If there was an Olympic medal for passing the buck several Derriford managers would be in line for a Gold. In many cases it is not a question of being understaffed bur poorly organised and inefficient. The late cancellations is a prime example, patients consistantly arrive late in theatre which makes the lists run over and leads to cancellations. There is of course the added pressure on consultants to finish on time so as not to keep their private patients across the road at the Nuffield waiting! The target orientated policies of New Labour have done much to destroy the ethos of the NHS, patients are now a number which has to be proccesed through the system.
We might have bright shiny new hospitals all over the country, which we will all be paying for over the next 30 years,but the standard of services and operational efficiency continues to decline.
Mind you it's not all negative as some companies have made millions running Treatment Centres we don't need.”

“Think it is terrible the state of the NHS in Plymouth
Too many overpaid posts achieving little
Rarely a good word in the press
Read the Board Meeting minutes , seems little to worry about other than minor issues
Ignoring the major issues
why send so many senior staff and directors on away trips to meetings , what is the cost , cant they meet locally”

“Pettal
Not blaming you but blaming the system. I think everyone in both the UK and the Us appreciates the fact that doctors, and more especially the nurses, work long hard hours doing a job that most of us are not capable of doing. We do appreciate it!”

“I think alot of u are missing the point, yes u do have to wait a long time in A & E and sometimes doctors get it wrong, dirty wards are unacceptable, however how can we see people quicker when we are working with half the staff we should, if I've got someone who is bleeding and needs prompt attention how can I possibly clean the cubicles. Cleaners are employed by an outside source, the NHS gives them a contract coz it's cheaper, but obviously does not work. Training opportunities for health care providers are limited therefore the standard of education is not what it was 5 years ago, which is cruical to providing high quality health care. The NHS could be a wonderful thing if the government ploughed money into it and the money was spent wisely. Suppose if it were a bank it would get billoins?! But the doctors and nurses who work VERY hard because they love their job work miracles, and bring people who are on the brink of death back to life, thats an amazing thing and should not be forgotten. It's those people who are holding the NHS together and should not be punished for mistakes made by the trust's directors and the government.”

“Sounds like this hospital needs an over haul from the comments I've read. This would be totally unacceptable here in the US., where many of us have to pay a high price for health insurance, this kind of stuff wouldn't fly! One of the problems with National Health Care is the waiting time to be seen and in particular the waiting time for some surgeries and not being able to be seen by the doctor you prefer. But good health care comes at a price that many here in the states can not afford. It would be nice if there was a happy medium.”

“Quote-"600 cancelled operations last year..
Richard Best, the trust's director of operations, said staff have worked hard to bring figures down"
------------------------

Only 600 to go mate..”

“My Mum waited 3 years for a hip op at Derriford, and in the end they gave up and sent her to a private hospital in Exeter. On the other hand, when she and my Dad have to go there for yearly checkups, they always seem to get good, courteous, timely care. However Emergency Rooms are the same the world over, too many people who should be going to their regular doctor and leaving the ER for real emergencies. And not enough staff to cope with the people who show up with colds and the flu while people with broken bones wait in agony. I waited 7 hours in an ER here with what the paramedics thought was a burst gall bladder. turns out it was food poisoning!!!! I felt terrible - like I totally wasted their time.”

“Silent Observer,
Are you a wind up?.
Bridget no doubt like the majority of us you DO PAY national insurance contributions and therefore treatment is NOT free.
I like Bridget expect and should get a decent standard of care and cleanliness. To miss a broken foot is negligence and to expect to see filth in cublicles is disgusting. Obviously you don't have the same standards of cleanliness as we expect.”

“bridget,lets hope you never need to visit derriford again,after all you only told us your bad points, would love to hear about how the medical staff fixed your foot and your sons broken ankle or is that not part of the story just how bad it was,why not try having to pay for treatment like the states or even worse no medical help what so ever,my advice would be stop moaning and look at the whole picture, not just the blinkered view you have, also would love to know the meaning of thiffy?”

“i agree with you pettal i will say 1 thing i was disappointed when i broke my foot to be told by a ears , nose and throat doctor in casualty that nothing was wrong with my foot after 3 days my foot was swelling very bad and going purple this caused me to go to cumberland centre there i was xrayed again and told my foot was broken in 2 places then sent to derriford again were this time i seen a bone doctor not ears nose and throat doctor the trouble with derriford they cant be bothered as rush off there feet and the same thing happen to my son when he broke his ankle also the cublicle we got placed in wwas all blood on the floor and a used needle left on side do you think this is a proper manner to place someone in this !!!!!! i think shut the place down and give it a good clean also the cleaner do not care when visiting a patient i saw a dinner lady who comes round with the dinners drop fork on the floor pick it back up and place in the tray no wonder people as got germs up there and my friend was given a towel by the nurses which had blood on it and looked like never been washed in its life thiffy it was like it had been used to clean the floor god fore bid but i would never go to that hospital again it is disgushing and thiffy”