I wasn't going to write anything today but I must mention the efficiency of NHS. Yesterday I had to go for a pressure check-up on my eyes. So off we went on the train to Halifax, got an Uber, and arrived at the hospital. Wrong hospital! We should have gone to the first hospital I had attended in Huddersfield. So the receptionist at the desk just picked up the phone, screened the appointments list on the Huddersfield site and found another appointment. We had three quarters of an hour, Ubered again, and arrived with 15 minutes to spare. Surprisingly in all these appointments I have had they have gone through pretty quickly.
We had to tell the first receptionist we were carless and relied on Ubers to get us to places. Four grandchildren and two grown-up children and not one of them drives. It could be my answer to the environmental crisis of course but Ubers are relatively cheap and we are still using someone else's petrol. And it is quite exciting to wait for one, they are followed by satellite I presume, so you can count down the minutes until they arrive.
I have just been to Lidl to find something for tea for everyone, third visit this week. I find the spicier meals that A and K eat are too much for me so I look for something gentler. I bought salmon croute and will make cauliflower cheese plus mashed potatoes will be the accompaniment. Are we going down the ultra processed food which is the fashionable news of the moment. Somehow the fusses about food are never quite taken up seriously and the supermarkets still sell stuff with emulsifiers and aspartame in.
Cauliflower cheese - yum - I could eat it every day.
ReplyDeleteSo could my daughter Pat, she scraped the bowl clean.
DeleteThere seem to be many criticisms of Huddersfield and Halifax hospitals but from my many experiences over the past 15 months I have only praise for them.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to the subject matter of previous posts I've commented on, I was very impressed with Mhairi Black's recent speech in the Commons "This is not a cost of living crisis, this is a cost of greed crisis" which someone pointed be to.
Problem with news it always has to pick up the negative news about the NHS. But I suppose it is which department you have to go to that is either crowded or not.
ReplyDelete'Greed Crisis'. It is at last being recognised for what it is, it is a bit late to hold their feet to the fire though, those that have got rich on government hand out and corruption will escape or flee as Johnson did. Did not hear the speech but of course Mhairi Black is young and ready to fight.
I love receptionists like that! So friendly and efficient and ready to help!
ReplyDeleteShe definitely knew her job Ellen, I feel sorry for receptionists they are the stopgap between you and your doctor and they normally get the hassle from cross patients.
DeleteIt's wonderful that your appointment could all be sorted out so quickly. I've been cooking very simply for us, things that can be cooked ahead, or at least partially prepared and then quickly thrown together. I made chicken salad, with onions, celery, and grapes and a sprinkle of terragon, mixed with mayo. You can either plop a dollop in a cantelope half or put it on bread.
ReplyDeleteComing as I do from the wilds of North Yorkshire Debby this part of Yorkshire (west) is completely confusing with all its big towns. We have Manchester, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax and Leeds. That sounds a delicious meal, I was refusing to buy chicken though because Lidl have been accused of getting their chickens from a cruel source.
ReplyDeleteI'll put it on my list, though canteloupe has never figured at Lidl.
As you probably know, you can rate the Uber driver online and not only that, they can rate you too. I know people that have behaved so badly in their cars that no driver will pick them up!
ReplyDeleteYes my daughter always gives them 5 stars and her rating is good as well;) I was against them for quite a while but realise the world changes and you have to accept it. But.....probably will never be able to use the app myself.
DeleteWe couldn't manage without a car. It takes Keith a long time to even get from the house to the car at the moment (though I pray for improvement in the way of better blood pressure levels, which is the main problem). When you live in the country, a car is essential. I doubt Uber even operates in our area. We couldn't contemplate trying to get to Hospital appts (Hereford, 40 miles away) without a car.
ReplyDeleteFood greed - absolutely. I've been saying this since the start with everything in the supermarkets going up not just pennies but nearly doubling in price. "Oh it's the war in Ukraine etc" - no, it's profiteering, pure and simple.
I still try to cook from scratch as much as possible, though sometimes I fall down the hole of an instant something in the freezer - though believe me when I am tired from sleeping badly I don't give a damn what I eat!!
I doubt also Uber operates in the countryside, the mileage would be too great for a start Jennie. Sometimes cooking overwhelms me but when I spoke to my son last weekend, he said, mum you have always cooked for everyone. I Think it is making up meals for everyone tastes that is the problem.
ReplyDeleteI do hope Keith at least makes some progress towards better health Jennie, it is a worry.
Oh dear - if you don't mind me saying, it was rather silly of you to go to the wrong hospital. I hope that this was a mistake that you won't repeat.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, stone cold stupid. I shall try not to mess up the NHS again!
ReplyDelete