Hope St.

If you read this column last week you'll know that AngryBritain had a little run in with the West Herts NHS Trust. Round 2 was duly scheduled for yesterday and we arrived bright and early for Mrs AB's appointments.

 

What a difference.

 

The first was with a lovely lady. Full of experience, wisdom and most importantly humility to Mrs AB's concerns. She listened, answered our questions, told us the no-nonsense facts about what we had requested and genuinely seemed to have the AngryBaby's best interests at heart. She listened, she listened hard and we appreciated it.

 

The second, was a kindly older gentleman. Just by looking at him you could tell he had bedside manner honed over many years of dealing with pregnant women like Mrs AB. He too listened to what she had to say, again told her the facts, offerred time to think about things and then left the door open for her to see him again before the AngryBaby makes an appearance.

 

Both of these people, in AngryBritain's opinion, did their jobs with the utmost care and professionalism, unlike the person last week who coldly shut the door.

 

These two have restored some of AngryBritain's faith in the NHS. There are still good people in the service, battling against the odds and bureaucracy to provide genuine patient care. You'll find a few of them on Twitter, and if you have an account you should have a look at @LucyKD @drsimonc @EmmaRhoyds

 

I'm sure a few of you caught The Hospital again last night on C4. This week it was the obese seeking surgery to cure their 'illness'. The upshot, gastric bands being given out like Smarties to people who could really just stop eating cake.

 

With this sort of madness, I guess it isn't really any wonder the NHS is in such a mess and some of those working within it have all but given up. But all the time people like the two Mrs AB and I saw yesterday, and those medical Twitterers are still working at hospitals around the UK, you never know, there might just still be hope.

Can you dig it?

'Can you dig it?' sung the Mock Turtles into my ipod-ed-ears this morning as the escalator reached skyward into London Bridge station. The dreary trudge into the office on dirty public transport in complete contrast to the happy chilled out days of my early 20's when the Mock Turtles were 'in'.

 

Back then I had money in my pocket, a mobile phone the size of Paris, a tank full of petrol and hardly a care in the world. Life was good then and full of opportunity. The world was Brtiain's Oyster.

 

'Things can only get better' eh?

 

Fast forward 15 years and look where we are now. A broken shell of country, immoral, debt-ridden and so it would seem without a light at the end of the tunnel. Just look around you today, can you see one happy face in your office?. One person who knows their future is secure and that Britain is still full of promise?. No?, me neither.

 

You may have caught 'The Hospital' on Channel 4 last night. For me Britain today was summed-up by the drunk driver and his pals. On the night of the incident, not a Policeman in sight dealing with this smirking idiot nor seemingly a drop of remorse for tearing the back of his friends head off and nearly killing him.

 

Jump forward six months and both he and his almost-dead friend are back the pub. The drunk driver having lost his licence and been fined, now having a jolly good laugh about the whole thing. And the best bit, the half-dead friend looking forward to his sizeable insurance payout. What a jolly jape eh? ...

 

So how do we change it? AngryBritain.com doesn't have all the answers, for that we need you. We need to know what's wrong with Britain today from you the people it affects daily, and we need people to know about it. Please keep sending us your 'Beef' to angryman@angrybritain.com or via Twitter @AngryBritain and do tell your friends and colleagues about us. If you want to read what others have already said log on to www.angrybritain.com/beef.html 

 

We've sent a link to this blog post to both the hospitals featured in the programme last night, a little support to show them Britain does care and that we do appreciate the amazing work they do.

 

'Can you dig it?' maybe not, but you can certainly help make it better. AngryBritain.com