Junior Doctors Strike

[*Glenn* 854]

On Topic : I fully support the medical profession taking action to get wage increases to retain staff in NZ. When this Govt. wastes money in other areas and our medical resourses are stretched to stupid levels, the system will break down and the level of care will deminish. Not something I like to see happening.

Years ago I had a skiing accident and was nearly dissabled by A&E medical staff at Middlemore. By taking my own action because I knew something was wrong, I went private, things got sorted and I went legal, I received a (medical missadventure ??) lump sum ACC pay out. I dont think you get these nowadays.

I'm not bitter about my experience, I'm just one of many that have had similar things happen, the doctor probably was one who had done a 12hr shift under stress and made a mistake.

I make mistakes in my proffession too. We are only human and cant possibly get it right 100% of the time.

Off Topic: I'm glad my youngest daughter is an accountant ( I'm very proud of that ) She enjoys her profession, shes happy and she gets well paid for what she does.... and it will get better for her as time goes on. Her job can be stressful meeting deadlines, but she is not constantly under stress. Ask doctors if that sounds like the work environment that they work in. I dont think so. How many companies and small businesses run efficiently without one of these proffessionals ?? My wife is also one of these proffessionals. She is the Financial Controller for the Privacy Commissioners Office and she loves her job too.

I'm not here to criticise anyones proffession or career path (unless its criminal) each to there own, I just hope they enjoy it, like I enjoy mine. I have really no education, 3 years high school, failed school cert and left high school with a shitty leaving certificate. I'm quite proud of what I have achieved through the years. Most of all I'm proud of my two daughters. Both have BA's, my eldest is a clothing designer in London.. And they are both happy.

All of our career paths are important in the structure of the society we live in. The most important thing for me, is to be happy and have happy people around me.

So, I'm uneducated as society would put it, or thats how my school principal would see it. Yet doctors, lawyers, judges, politicians, electrical engineers, accountants etc etc all come to me to seek my help.

Any way....I'm happy

My achievements without an education:

A happy wife (34yrs together)

Two happy daughters (achievers)

My own business (successful) I've been self employed since 1983

I own and live on a lifestyle block in Hunua, I own the business and the business property and have property in Australia. I travel overseas, do what ever I want whenever I want and I'm enjoying life.

End of rant....hell!!! I'm spilling my guts out here

BTW: I'm not offended by Cains comments about my daughter. Everyone has an opinion of how they see things

Cheers

Glenn

[bmw.maniac 1]

Talking about insurance, has anybody ever seen 'John Q'?

[cainchapman 0]

My original comment to Glenn was a tonugue in cheek comment. I'm sorry to see you are all so precious. I'm a sh*t stirrer and I don't care about your feelings. I never said that being an Accountant or Lawyer was an unworthy career. Just one I wouldn't do. I would also work for PwC. The are an excellent employer.

Julius Caesar was a truly superb Lawyer & Politican. There you go, I've named one that has done some good.

I was not implying that Engineers were better than any other career either. This thread has something to do with career selection and the pros and cons of whichever you decide upon.

[Grant 4]

This is completely off topic, but on the topic of which professions are more worthwhile than others.

I'm a Management and Project Consultant - now that is a profession that is truly worthless. I charge to tell people how to do the things they already do (albeit I might change the way in which they do things), or manage the things that they are too lazy/busy to do for themselves!!

I enjoy it though, I get to meet and work with all sorts of people.

Cheers

Grant

[*Glenn* 854]

On topic:

Would the people on here that are involved with health care know approximately when the level of health care started to deminish?? Just curious thats all

In my previous post I mentioned an experience I have had which was in 1985. I've been in hospital twice. In 1969 I was involved in a car accident and ended up in Middlemore with facial injuries. Damage to my skull, the side of my face and ear torn back, eyebrow found on the road by the ambulance driver...ended up with repairs by the panel beater ( plastic surgeon ) and 182 stitches in my face.

The level of care given was great...excellent even

The 1985 experience was terrible (16 yr period). A botched up lumbar puncture and a leg put in a cast without being repaired.

The level of care......absolutely terrible

So I would have to guage from my experiences, that this has been teteriorating for a long period of time. On the other hand ....just bad luck maybe.

So, from 1969 till the present we have had different Governments. Are they to blame, or the Health Administrators running the health system ??. Or maybe its all of us, for putting up with the crap they are dishing out to us.

[Nic325i 0]

I wonder what sort of wage doctors were on years ago when computers were not about. Back then it would be books and going off what you have learnt at university.

I'd imagine there were a lot less treatments available even 20 years ago - and probably quite a few "harden up" pills prescribed also.

Really ? The bank is only interested in one thing and thats what you have 'left' to pay them after the IRD has had its pound of flesh. Dont for one second think they will give you any benefit of the doubt.

14 hour shifts in intensive care is just wrong. Even the nurses were doing environment they are in its just crazy and Im supposed to put my trust in people who are so tired they cant add up ?

You are exactly right on both of the above - the bank is only interested in how much is left to pay them. Ergo student loan does have an effect, but effectively as an extra tax. When we got our mortgage the bank (ASB incidentally) showed how much they would loan us with and without a large student loan - it was f$%^ all difference. I think the rule of thumb they work on is about 5* gross salary.

On tired doctors, it is ridiculous. After seven 10 hour nights in a row my girlfriends conversational ability regresses to about that of a four year old...

On topic:

Would the people on here that are involved with health care know approximately when the level of health care started to deminish?? Just curious thats all

Haven't been paying attention long enough to have the answer, but I suspect that a lot of it would be down to luck. However, it could also be due to our decline in the OECD rankings - 1st in the 1950's (???) to 2nd division now.

Re: comments about nurses, I believe they got a pretty generous pay settlement about 18 months ago. At any rate, from what I've heard nurses are like every other profession - some are excellent, some are really really sub par.

Regards

An engineer

[Grant 4]

This is also on-topic

Maybe because I have nothing from that long ago to compare, but I have been to hospital once myself, have been twice during the birth of our two boys, and then once when our oldest boy got a bad case of Bronchialitis. I have found that the healthcare system not not be all doom and gloom.

When I went for myself (a few years ago now), I stumped up and went privately (as I would have been put on a waiting list for a long time - as it was nothing too urgent, just damned painful). The level of care I received privately was very good (but costly - essentially $6k for a small operation and a nights stay).

Both our kids were born at Auckland hospital within the last two years. On both occassions the births were not 100% straight forward, and involved more than just the midwife during labour. On both occassions we were very impressed with all aspects of the facilities, the specialists we saw, and care my wife received.

When Ash (our oldest kid) got really sick, and the A&E told us to take him straight to Starship we did so. It was late on a Sunday night. Starship was brilliant, and did their best throughout our visit (thankfully we didn't have to stay) to make it comfortable. The two doctors we saw were extremely good, their diagnosis was correct (whereas the GP at the A&E had made an incorrect one, and prescribed the incorrect medicine) and Ash's recovery was exactly as they said it would be.

Also, at Starship they discovered a hole in Ash's heart. Subsequently he had to spend another day at Auckland hospital at a later date with him to have a heap of tests, be ssen too by specialists etc. Again we were happy with the level of care and impressed by the medical professionals we dealt with.

I think that the whole medical field is a damned tricky one. I guess when we move to the US later in the year, I will be able to make comparisons - however over there medical insurance is required, and their is no such thing a "free" healthcare like there is here.

This is a very interesting topic, and one that I think can be debated about forever (and probably will be). I really don't think that there is a magic answer, and that any government, no matter what party is in power will be able to resolve - especially in a small first world country like NZ, where we don't have the economies of scale that I think (I may be completely wrong) are required to have an exceptional "free" healthcare system.

Cheers

Grant

[Yuen 16]

Cain, in your case then it was misunderstood. It's hard to convey jokes through the internet. That's what emoticons are for

The opinions expressed nicely are an interesting read. I am just sick of coming on to Bimmersport for relaxation and seeing people argue.

[Braeden320 0]

When I was 7 I had Coarctation of the Aorta, I was in Greenlane hospital for 2months, Starship couldn't give the support I needed after the op back then.

The operation should have been performed when I was a baby but it wasn't picked up. Apparently I had a 30% chance of living through the operation.

Have a 20cm scar from that operation

More recently I had both of my wrists operated on, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. It got so bad that I had constant pins and needles and couldn't type for more than a few minutes at a time.

The public waiting list was 9months so the the company I work for (Durham Finance, My Family's Business) paid to get it done privatly.

I have a lot of time for everyone in the medical profession, From Cleaners to Docters in my experience they do an excellent job in often adverse conditions.

Cheers and good luck with they payrise, You all deserve it - Not just the docters.

Edited May 2, 2008 by braeden.

[M325is 0]

When I went for myself (a few years ago now), I stumped up and went privately (as I would have been put on a waiting list for a long time - as it was nothing too urgent, just damned painful). The level of care I received privately was very good (but costly - essentially $6k for a small operation and a nights stay).

Maybe you should look at medical insurance. I think its the way to go now days. Private hospitals are just so much better then public. No waiting, no poor quality staff.

[M325is 0]

More recently I had both of my wrists operated on, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. It got so bad that I had constant pins and needles and couldn't type for more than a few minutes at a time.

The public waiting list was 9months so the the company I work for (Durham Finance, My Family's Business) paid to get it done privatly.

Can you PM me who did this for you and how much. As I need it in both my wrists. Kinda scary through as I rely on my wrists 100% at work.

[Grant 4]

Maybe you should look at medical insurance. I think its the way to go now days. Private hospitals are just so much better then public. No waiting, no poor quality staff.

We have full medical insurance, have had for a long time (about 6 years). Wouldn't be without it.

I am insured up the wazoo. I'd be a good person to kill, would make my wife very financially comfortable.

Cheers

Grant

[Braeden320 0]

Can you PM me who did this for you and how much. As I need it in both my wrists. Kinda scary through as I rely on my wrists 100% at work.

Pm'd, Its not as bad as it sounds

[*Glenn* 854]

Can you PM me who did this for you and how much. As I need it in both my wrists. Kinda scary through as I rely on my wrists 100% at work.

I'll slash your wrists for you tomorrow if you want Shelley (joke)

[lidistick 70]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story....jectid=10510510

Won't be the last.

2 senior Anaesthetists quit from Greymouth Hospital. (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10510359)

Its chronic understaffing and a lack of staff retention.

Edited May 15, 2008 by lidistick