[smudgie]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

These things are a problem but tbh they're not the major issue when it comes to unnecessary treatment costs. Yes, these surgeries are expensive but the number being done is relatively small...

...the MAIN problem is minor injuries and ailments. People going to their GP for antibiotics because they have a sniffle, or A&E for any minor bump / scrape / burn. Each individual treatment cost is of course far lower than those big surgeries... but there are a few people getting major surgeries. There are literally MILLIONS of people using the NHS for things that they could, and should, quite effectively treat at home on their own. I genuinely believe that a huge part of the solution is general health education, so that people can accurately assess their own health / an injury and know how to treat minor things without needing to lean on healthcare. Of course sometimes you're going to be sick enough to need medical attention, or sustain an injury that might need looking at, but people seem to be A) really bad at knowing the difference and B) really impatient (e.g. people will go to a doctor if they're ill and not totally better after 2 days, EVEN IF their symptoms are obviously improving not worsening... let your body heal! Let your immune system work!)

But yeah... those "little things" stack up to costing needless fortunes. It's not even always that people are entitled / selfish, either - people are anxious about their health, they are inclined to want "an expert opinion" and have totally lost the ability to self-assess and treat minor ailments. There should be a mandatory weekly class in schools - it's just as important as something like P.E.

That’s the crux of it TS.
Common sense, or maybe common knowledge seems to have gone awol.
Why on earth anybody with a cough or sniffle thinks they need a doctor or antibiotics is beyond me.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by smudgie

That’s the crux of it TS.
Common sense, or maybe common knowledge seems to have gone awol.
Why on earth anybody with a cough or sniffle thinks they need a doctor or antibiotics is beyond me.

My wife has a friend who drives us nuts, she gets her daughters antibiotics for EVERY little thing. I'm convinced she'd get them for a sprained ankle. And then after she gets them, half an hour after the first dose she'll be like "Oh yes, _____ feeling much better now, see the antibiotics must have helped" ... when that's not even how they work! It's literally impossible that it's the antibiotics... the capsule probably hasn't even digested yet!

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

My wife has a friend who drives us nuts, she gets her daughters antibiotics for EVERY little thing. I'm convinced she'd get them for a sprained ankle. And then after she gets them, half an hour after the first dose she'll be like "Oh yes, _____ feeling much better now, see the antibiotics must have helped" ... when that's not even how they work! It's literally impossible that it's the antibiotics... the capsule probably hasn't even digested yet!

Placebo.
Give them a smartie and tell them it will make them feel better.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

My wife has a friend who drives us nuts, she gets her daughters antibiotics for EVERY little thing. I'm convinced she'd get them for a sprained ankle. And then after she gets them, half an hour after the first dose she'll be like "Oh yes, _____ feeling much better now, see the antibiotics must have helped" ... when that's not even how they work! It's literally impossible that it's the antibiotics... the capsule probably hasn't even digested yet!

The Doctors need to be tougher with people and not hand them out like that imo, it's ridiculous

[Maru]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

My wife has a friend who drives us nuts, she gets her daughters antibiotics for EVERY little thing. I'm convinced she'd get them for a sprained ankle. And then after she gets them, half an hour after the first dose she'll be like "Oh yes, _____ feeling much better now, see the antibiotics must have helped" ... when that's not even how they work! It's literally impossible that it's the antibiotics... the capsule probably hasn't even digested yet!

That's not a good idea, because we will build immunity the more they are used. To abuse them like that, she is doing more harm than good.

My doctors like to give me antibiotics for the flu, just in case it's bacterial even when they already know what is going around is viral. So I usually don't fill it.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Maru

That's not a good idea, because we will build immunity the more they are used. To abuse them like that, she is doing more harm than good.

Yeah... we've given up on trying to tell her this .