The British government apologised Wednesday after a damning official report into a hospital likened by one patient’s relative to “a Third World” health centre. Stafford Hospital in central England was found to have appalling standards of care, putting patients at risk and leading to some dying, according to a report on Tuesday. Between 400 and 1,200 more people died than would have been expected in a three-year period at the National Health Service (NHS) hospital, according to an investigation by the Healthcare Commission watchdog.
Receptionists with no medical training were left to to assess patients arriving at the hospital’s accident and emergency department, the report found. Julie Bailey, whose 86-year-old mother Bella died in the hospital in November 2007, said she and other family members slept in a chair at her bedside for eight weeks because they were so concerned about poor care. “What we saw in those eight weeks will haunt us for the rest of our lives,” said the 47-year-old. “We saw patients drinking out of flower vases they were so thirsty.
“There were patients wandering around the hospital and patients fighting. It was continuous through the night. Patients were screaming out in pain because you just could not get pain relief. “It was like a Third World country hospital. It was an absolute disgrace.”
I had a friend once who was admitted to a Caribbean hospital which will go unnamed. When the hospital ran out of hot water, and he required a hot water pack, they just filled it up with coffee. Problem solved!
why is it we are trying to follow their example when their care is so bad.
so instead of a few million Americans with out insurance (but full access to medical care )we are now going to give every one free horrible medical care
way to go President Obama and you stinking libs
This is what we can expect to be the norm if the liberal democrats get their way and enact their “universal health care”. No one will get proper treatment, patients will languish in conditions not fit for a third world prison, and the “health care” providers will laugh all the way to the bank.
Cheaper to bury a patient than treat them.
Gotta love government run health care. Still, 3 years before someone took action? Why is it that government run hospitals take so long to get in trouble? Walter Reed took years before enough people complained to get it looked into.
It seems like Private hospitals get reamed pretty quickly if they pull stuff like this. Is it because they can’t be sued or is it the massive bureaucracy slows everything down to a crawl?
This article must be fake. Every lib knows that Nat H.C. is da bomb. ROFL
#5 HMOs are no better than the liberal democrat vision of Universal Health Care.
Why would you want to pay for an HMO that decides who gets treatment, who dies, and often refuses to pay for promised coverage?
HMOs, like the nightmare of Universal Health Care, are driven by profit margins; the human factor is ignored. Who cares that people are dying because the HMO wants to save a few bucks?
Time to wake up, America!
# 5 Hugh Ripper said, “Besides, you can still pay for private health insurance if you want,”
Hmmm, pay twice in the UK for what you pay once in the US for.
Good deal! ROFL
#7 Paddo-O
Thats IF you want private health insurance. Why you would pay those money grubbing, welching criminals a cent is beyond me. You might as well just save the money and pay cash when you break your leg.
#8 Angel
They are like spoiled little brats who have been told to by thier mum that they have to share with the other kids.
Hospital o’ Horrors. I was wondering if it was a mental or dental centre. Doesn’t matter, soon they’ll have Sharia-care in the country formerly known as Great Britain.
People are forgetting to mention that people in Great Britain government per person spends pays half of what American per person pay for health care. In America, insurance companies and doctors charge lots of money for services. In Great Britain, the prices are control by the government. Doctors do not lose the incentive to work, since they still make a lot of money and they can make more money by offering special care packages to companies.
# 12 antho42 said, “People are forgetting to mention that people in Great Britain government per person spends pays half of what American per person pay for health care.”
And for that they get Hospital O’horror. Good deal.
#8, well you see here in the US many of us do not like to give up what we perceive as a fundamental freedom in order to save a buck.
Is it perfect? Nope. But in my experience (someone who has worked in both British, Canadian, and American Hospitals), its better than the alternative.
My main problem with Government Run Health Care is by its nature it takes away choice. Now if I had the option to opt out of the taxes, and would not be allowed to use the Government Run Hospitals or doctors that would be fine. Also any such system would have to pay for itself, no stealing from other taxes to pay the inevitable short falls.
Of course a system like that would collapse in weeks. In order for Government run health care to work its got to screw someone (either by making some pay more than others for the same services, or withholding services to some).
So tell me why would I want to adopt a system run by Politicians, who will then use it to seize a sizable portion of my income, while taking away my choice, for some perceived security?
Who was it that said that those who trade liberty for security deserve neither?
#12:
You can thank ridiculous lawsuits for at least part of the high prices in the States.
16,
They have a logical fallacy with this. What is “insurance” but the commingling of multiple peoples money to provide a return when you win the lottery. In this case, when you get sick…
I think that Americans are hell-bent against health care because of Ronald Reagan’s record back in the 50’s.
A not-for-profit health insurance system might be a good solution. Private companies, but not trying to maximize their shares…
# 17 Named said, “They have a logical fallacy with this. What is “insurance” but the commingling of multiple peoples money to provide a return when you win the lottery. In this case, when you get sick…”
Wrong. What people don’t like is the gov’t deciding that you have to make a personal purchase and limiting your choice. Nice misdirect but not everyone is stupid as yourself.
18,
“What people don’t like is the gov’t deciding that you have to make a personal purchase and limiting your choice.”
You don’t have an implementation of social health care to use as a framework. What you have are anecdotes. But, what else you have in the US is the ability of the insurance company to deny claim arbitrarily. Your fear of public health restrictions are IN PLACE by your holy private insurance practices.
Why don’t you close the basement door so your mommy and daddy don’t have to listen to your ranting? Give them a break.
What I don’t like is: Between 400 and 1,200 more people died than would have been expected in a three-year period at the National Health Service (NHS) hospital, according to an investigation by the Healthcare Commission watchdog.
That’s the Government saying this hospital gave such poor care that at least this many extra people ended up dead!
That doesn’t even touch the ones that had a bad experience but made it out alive!
#1 What access? The US system makes rational healthcare contingent on economic class.
Ever heard of a social contract? You want natural law?
Read more, stupid.
As a younger person of limited means, working for his living, I know this: One trip to the ER would ruin me.
My fault? Possibly. Our fault? Certainly.
We are always in bondage to some sovereign. We can’t even chose whom.
Ahh, some of you Americans never fail to take one bad example from a country with universal healthcare and blow it all out of proportion, saying “See? Universal healthcare doesn’t work! This just proves it!”
Are there problems with universal healthcare? Absolutely. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t work, or that the American way is better. I’m Canadian and I’ve never, ever known anyone to go broke due to a medical procedure, or fail to get the attention they needed it when they needed it.
Looks like q potted plant to me
What Americans are yet to comprehend is what we Canadians put up with – but yet have an escape valve of need be of “going South”
The role of Canada’s health care system is to provide union jobs
The only thing that grows is not the level of care but of the bureaucracy , which is a giant self serving cancer, who spend all day making graphs and charts on how wonderful health care is in Canada – regardless of reality or service levels
More than 30 % of Canadians have absolutely given up of finding a G.P.
The role of the doctor is to be the front not to provide care , or even parcel out care – but to deny care and tests
There was a case in Manitoba where a poor paraplegic who while waiting for a routine catheter unplugging, waited over 30 hours in the emergency ward of the major hospital and then died
At the inquest the head people of the bureaucracy were found to be repeatedly lying – vs the actual proof and video tapes
The only answer was that the death or events were “irrelevant”
From their twisted self serving perspective it is “irrelevant”
All that matters are their graphs and charts devoid of any reality to anyone else
#25 – I have no experience with the Canadian system but what you say about the bureaucracy sounds very similar to the British system. I lived there (Scotland) for a number of years and the Stafford story sounds like a rerun of numerous such stories I read about in the papers. Seemed like every six months or so there would be a major scandal of poor health care. Many doctors and most dentists were pulling out of the system so they could earn some money and not be told how to practice. Another oddity, National Health services were not uniform across the system. One hospital would approve a service while another would deny it! And, speaking of bureaucracy: The NHS (last I heard) was the largest employer in Europe! Just imagine the bureaucrats.
#22 – “I’ve never, ever known anyone to … fail to get the attention they needed it when they needed it.” Then you haven’t been paying attention, Skippy. The Canadian press is full of stories of delayed or rationed health care. And the Canadian system is among the better examples of socialized medicine. You know, the practice of medicine is not like on the TV show ‘House’ where a patient might get three or four MRI scans in a day. But it shouldn’t be where you have to wait a week or a month to get one, either. And that is an all too common situation in Canada.
I am not against changing our system of health care in the US of good ole A. I just don’t think the new system should be modeled on one that is proven to be broken. And don’t ask me how I would fix it ’cause I don’t know how. I do know (or at least believe) it needs to start with tort reform. The last time I practiced medicine in the States, I paid my insurance company more than I paid my entire staff (ok, it was a small office – only four staff) and my attorney more than my head nurse. And, dammit, that’s just wrong!
Yes, the Canadian’s will tell you government run health care sucks too!
Pedro – I don’t know you but when you say : “I guess in the end, the only choice we have is who screws us, a private entity or a government …” I fear you are very, very right.
29,
Probably. but, with the government, you can vote them out or become the government yourself. Corps will just pack up and leave. A la Haliburton.
# 19 Named said, “You don’t have an implementation of social health care to use as a framework. ”
You are dense. There are many countries that have gone that route to examine. Cut down on the meds.
31,
How about France? Did you examine that one? No. Why would you try to disprove your own opinions?
Why don’t you inventory the larder again before the board of directors goes shopping for groceries?
Or, do you have “staff” for that?
#23, nono,
#8 (Angel)
Are you claiming that 3rd world prisons are humane?
Are you insinuating American prisons are humane?
Gee, guys, react much? Try putting away your hot buttons for an hour or two–if you can. How about a little partisan rehab? You could room with your favorite media panderers. Maybe your health insurance will pay for it!
In the mean time, try to remember:
Arguing on the internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you’re still retarded.
# 32 Named said, “How about France? Did you examine that one? No. Why would you try to disprove your own opinions? ”
Once again, you are a moron. I’ve lived in France. I wouldn’t trade my personal insurance in the US for France’s system, ever.