09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Nov 14, 2021 15:30:11 GMT
My 2nd Covid vaccination was on 8th April 2021. Advised by family to book a booster online today which I did (for 17th November which is the earliest I can get) despite not getting any sort of notification from the NHS. As someone who is elderly but doesn't avidly follow the news, rarely listens to radio or TV but uses the internet extensively I wonder when the NHS would have told me an extra jab is recommended/desirable. Is the NHS fit for purpose. If this is an example of their efficiency and effectiveness I suggest there needs to be changes. at the very least, text message notifications are going out very shortly after the 6 month mark e.g. 6 month + a few days. Given that you can typically book an appointment for not very far away (as noted by your ability to book for the 17th despite that being the very earliest you could have it) that means in general if you do nothing more than react to notification from the nhs you will still be getting your booster within one to two weeks of the 6 month mark. Whatever other problems with the nhs, I hardly think your failure to get a notification ahead of your 6 month mark is a sign of a problem. And yes I would hope that now you can book at 5+ months someone will quite quickly change a parameter in the system and send out notifications prior to 6 months. But not exactly a damning failure that it has not yet been done. 8th April + 6 months = 8th October. Therefore my booster jab will be over 7 months after my 2nd jab or 5+ weeks after I should haver been notified that I was due for my 3rd jab. Not sure I understand your point when you say that if you react to notification from the NHS you will be getting your booster within one to two weeks of the 6 month mark when my point was that it's already 4 weeks after the 6 month mark and I have not been notified of anything by the NHS.
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Nov 13, 2021 23:39:03 GMT
If people can't be bothered for whatever reason to turn up for an appointment perhaps the NHS should decide they have rejected treatment, do not want treatment and wait for another referral from their GP. How difficult is it for people to contact a hospital to say sorry, something is more important to me than my appointment or I just can't be bothered to attend.
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Nov 13, 2021 23:32:56 GMT
There are more and more expensive treatments available which the NHS may or may not be able to give because of cost, maybe a small payment for appointments might help? Particularly where people don't turn up. Initially I was quite pro the idea of payments for appointments, or penalty charges for not showing up. Then I spoke to a couple of doctor friends of mine and they lead me to think about:- * My old lady neighbour, who is intimidated by tech (especially crappy NHS tech) and admin, and gets flustered and upset as a result, and fluffs things like appointments. * Somebody who doesn't have English as a first language. * Somebody who has a mental health or substance abuse issue. * A single parent who is trying to juggle work and childcare, with no support, and now needs medical help. * Just... random that life can throw at you. One of those doctor friends of mine is a psychiatrist. 40% of his appointments are no shows. But, almost by definition, those patients are likely to be vulnerable. And I'm not sure we should be "punishing" people for their vulnerability. Unfortunately (?) I think that this aspect of how the NHS provides the service it does is just a baked in part of the cost. By all means charge the idiots who turn up at A&E with an ingrowing toenail but...
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Nov 13, 2021 23:23:36 GMT
My 2nd Covid vaccination was on 8th April 2021. Advised by family to book a booster online today which I did (for 17th November which is the earliest I can get) despite not getting any sort of notification from the NHS.
As someone who is elderly but doesn't avidly follow the news, rarely listens to radio or TV but uses the internet extensively I wonder when the NHS would have told me an extra jab is recommended/desirable.
Is the NHS fit for purpose. If this is an example of their efficiency and effectiveness I suggest there needs to be changes.
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Nov 10, 2021 9:09:30 GMT
I left school 57 years ago at 16 because my family needed me to work to contribute to the household (I could have left school at 15 years but my family decided that it was more important I took some GCEs for employment opportunities). Since leaving school I have obtained a BA and MBA. I very much doubt my IQ has increased much since I was 16 years old so I do question if a degree should be considered as being reflective of IQ. I do acknowledge that my capacity to critically assess an argument has increased. As I have stated previously I couldn't decide if I should vote for or against remaining in the EU. My main concerns were the lack of democracy in the EU + the UK's loss of sovereignty in terms of leaving and the favourable trading conditions we had if we remained. There were many other issues I took into consideration but I've just mentioned the main issues that to me were important. My opinion since Brexit hasn't changed and I am still undecided if Brexit was correct or not. Can I say that I am dismayed that there wasn't the oven ready deal we were assured existed and that the UK seems to be lacking in able negotiators.
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Oct 7, 2021 20:30:48 GMT
I have an array of solar panels on my roof which, for the vast majority of the year, means my consumption of electricity during daylight hours is virtually nil. There is a significant amount of generated electricity I don't use (despite my best efforts) which is exported to the grid but there doesn't seem to be any indication that any payment will be increased for this export. Has anyone any suggestions as to where I can find a site that gives a cost/benefit analysis of buying, installing and using battery storage for electricity generated at home. My belief is that energy prices will stay at or around the present level or increase slightly for perhaps 6/12 months but will again increase significantly in the UK over time so becoming electricity neutral would be in my best interests. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Oct 7, 2021 19:59:42 GMT
I have an array of solar panels on my roof so I export electricity that I don't use (despite my very best efforts) to the grid when the sun shines. As the price of electricity has significantly increased will my payments for my electricity increase?
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Sept 7, 2021 14:59:57 GMT
I note that on the eyewear loan the borrower paid the initial 3 payments of capital and interest late and since, for the past 27 months, has paid interest only. Just out of interest will the management of Rebuilding Society have a limit as to how long they will agree to extend the loan. Could the management of Rebuilding Society tell us exactly how long THEY intend to continue to accept interest only payments? Please note that I am in my 70s and expect to die in the next 5 years. Will this loan be repaid before my death?
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Sept 7, 2021 14:49:40 GMT
The shares that Bobo promotes were selling for 128 per share in June. Now we are being encouraged to buy these shares and told that 110 per share is a "good" price. Why are forumites being encouraged to buy these shares when the offer price is on a downward trend?
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Sept 7, 2021 14:32:39 GMT
If you bought TRIG at the next funding round it would cost you about 110p and you would earn roughly 5% dividend (probably/possibly). You do the maths. I bought about 1K worth of these shares almost 6 months ago. Join me in losing money if you have more money than sense or avoid like I wish I had done.
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Jul 17, 2021 15:10:38 GMT
My favourite ad of all time is the Cadbury chocolate ad with the gorilla drumming to Phil Collins "In the air". Couldn't wait for it to appear again on TV as I couldn't believe what I had just seen,
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Jul 13, 2021 12:39:40 GMT
mask wearing is more about protecting others than it is protecting yourself - its about providing a barrier to airborne transmission at the point it might occur. So the idea that its about taking your own decisions to protect yourself, which is essentially what the govt is now saying or relying on, is both hollow and one that comes from a rather selfish 'me first' ethos. Precisely why a level of legal regulation is still required IF one thinks these are thing we should be doing. If one thinks these are things we should not be encouraging, then it is entirely reasonable to say 'its over to you'. If however you think these are things we should be encouraging for benefit at a population level - which are the words emanating from govt - then it is IMHO an abdication of governmental responsibility to pass the buck. Again, if this was primarily about protecting yourself, then different, but it isn't. Your failure to wear a mask significantly impacts my safety even if I am. This is going to be the source of huge conflict in daily life for quite a while. The problem is, when do you stop wearing your mask? Will you carry it for the next 20 years, because Covid is endemic, it isn't going away now, it's with us for good, according to the experts. At what point will we feel we can occupy the seat next to another on a train, unmasked, without everyone feeling uncomfortable? They must have dealt with this problem after the Spanish Flu and other flu outbreaks in our history. We have to define the end-game better, because I have no intention of carrying a mask forever. Life must return to normal. Someone needs to lay down a marker. As Steerpike says, Prof Whitty attempted just that at the outset, using the excess deaths measure. Just a small point. I understand that the NHS now suggests that FFP3 masks will prevent the virus from entering through the nose/mouth and so protect the wearer. Glasses give some protection but NHS advises that visors are necessary + of course the need for gloves, hand washing and sanitising. My personal view is that this virus will go the way that SARS1 + Spanish flu went - the virus will slowly become less infective and prove less likely to cause serious disease but will always exist in some populations. As someone who is retired I have decided that I will continue to wear a mask when I'm in an indoor area and the general public has easy access ie supermarket, bus etc and even on a crowded street where I cannot maintain the 2m social distance. I will happily meet friends and family without masks in well ventilated rooms or outdoors. As winter approaches outdoors will become difficult for meeting friends but we may have other solutions given time and more information
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on Jun 10, 2021 18:48:37 GMT
As I was due to travel to Spain to see my family on 5th June I decided to take a LAMP test on 3rd June. Alas it was +ve so I arranged to take a rather expensive PCR test with results in 24 hours which was also +ve (needless to say I'm still in the UK and am isolating until 13th June or until the LAMP test says I'm -ve). I have been telling people I have no symptoms at all but I have had a runny nose which I normally get at this time of year due to hay fever. I wonder if I have the India (delta) variant - who knows because I don't. Perhaps I should add I am in my mid 70s and am fully vaccinated with the Astrazenica vaccine.
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Chat
Stocks
Jun 1, 2021 20:45:28 GMT
Post by 09dolphin on Jun 1, 2021 20:45:28 GMT
Keitha, Which companies are you talking about?
|
|
09dolphin
Member of DD Central
Posts: 630
Likes: 856
|
Post by 09dolphin on May 28, 2021 18:59:35 GMT
Just spent a very informative hour reading information from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation about the pandemic and the worldwide forecasts for the next few months that an American friend recommended I would include the link if I knew how to post it but I found it using a simple Google search typing in "healthdata.org/covid".
|
|