Grumble Thread

[LHC]

Azerbaijan Premier Muhktar Babayev welcomes Cop 29 by claiming coal and natural gas God's gifts to humankind while in the same speech blaming the West for climate change. Meanwhile, in Pakistan...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nCJ45mG5T4

Azerbaijan was always an odd choice of host for a COP conference. Oil and gas account for more than 90% of its exports and over 50% of its GDP and its quite possible that the entire oil industry started in Azerbaijan (there are records showing it was trading in oil and petroleum as early as the 3rd Century and the very first industrial oil well was drilled in 1847 close to its capital, Baku).

It's also an opaque, authoritarian state with an ultra rich elite whose wealth is centred on oil and gas production. Its hosting of COP29 appears to be more about extracting more money out of the West while still maintaining its fossil fuel industries for as long as possible than any commitment to dealing with Climate Change. Just a few days before the Premier's address supporting oil and gas as a 'gift from God', the chief executive of Azerbaijan's COP29 team was found to be using the conference to arrange new oil and gas deals.

[Serial_Apologist]

Tried uploading the link to Radio 3 for Sounds to listen to COTW in the usual way just now, and was confronted with a demand to input my password. Went to the next stage, which showed my email address correctly and the password I last used, a long time ago. "Password not recognised" So I had to register a different new one - a simple procedure. But why, all of a sudden, a need to sign in? Has anybody else experienced this?

[teamsaint]

Tried uploading the link to Radio 3 for Sounds to listen to COTW in the usual way just now, and was confronted with a demand to input my password. Went to the next stage, which showed my email address correctly and the password I last used, a long time ago. "Password not recognised" So I had to register a different new one - a simple procedure. But why, all of a sudden, a need to sign in? Has anybody else experienced this?

Not that I use it much, but mine seems to have reset, and I haven’t bothered trying to log in. By chance heard an episode of COTW rgis week, and really enjoyed it. KM did a good job I thought ,in restrained and questioning mode. Must try to catch some more of it.

[Petrushka]

Tried uploading the link to Radio 3 for Sounds to listen to COTW in the usual way just now, and was confronted with a demand to input my password. Went to the next stage, which showed my email address correctly and the password I last used, a long time ago. "Password not recognised" So I had to register a different new one - a simple procedure. But why, all of a sudden, a need to sign in? Has anybody else experienced this?

I had to log in to iplayer last week but my details, the same since 2008, were already there and it only took a few seconds to do it.

A more serious grumble is that the iplayer app on my blu ray player (bought less than a year ago) has suddenly disappeared without warning . The usual reason seems to be the BBC no longer support the operating system but I've no way of knowing or finding out. I can still watch on my laptop and phone, but I can no longer watch on TV and, as a fully paid up licence payer, I'm not happy!

[teamsaint]

I had to log in to iplayer last week but my details, the same since 2008, were already there and it only took a few seconds to do it.

A more serious grumble is that the iplayer app on my blu ray player (bought less than a year ago) has suddenly disappeared without warning . The usual reason seems to be the BBC no longer support the operating system but I've no way of knowing or finding out. I can still watch on my laptop and phone, but I can no longer watch on TV and, as a fully paid up licence payer, I'm not happy!

The internet radio function disappeared from my Marantz system a few years ago.Apparently Marantz wouldn’t pay to keep the software up to date. Which made that particular piece of future proofing redundant !!

[oddoneout]

Tried to make a doctor's appointment yesterday, as my sore knee is now causing additional problems. It's never a particularly easy process as there aren't enough doctors - never have been. The receptionist asked a lot of questions and there was much keyboard activity and perusing different different screens before saying apologetically that she didn't have any appointments left for that day - which threw me as an on the day appointment was the last thing I would have expected(and in fact have never had) - and after a bit more clacking and searching came the announcement that there weren't any appointments in the next 4 days either. Well again I wouldn't have expected that - a good outcome would be an appointment in a fortnight, with 3 or 4 weeks being the more usual - it's why they can't be made online, as the calendar doesn't go that far ahead. She said she would phone if a cancellation became available before the surgery closed. No phone call so I went in again today. A different receptionist confirmed details that had evidently been left from yesterday and then offered an appointment for 2nd December. I asked why that hadn't been offered the previous day and she said airily "oh it's with the nurse, not the GP. She'll have a look and decide if you need an xray or a physio referral". I didn't pursue it as there was a queue, but went back later when it was quiet to ask if this was a new arrangement, and she said that GP appointments are only available on the day, and "you don't need a GP appointment for your sore knee", hence the nurse appointment. Oh well, at least it gets the ball rolling; now I just have to hope it doesn't go off in the wrong direction!

[eighthobstruction]

....yes ooo, if your practise has a physio dept, that is quite often a more flexible more easy quicker destination for an app't, ....physio's in my experience are the maverick rule defiers....at our practise I go directly (online) to physio's for quick attention....generally I've given up on GP's....they are wonderful if you can get to see one, but the wait is too long (though quicker than your practise)....best of luck...(my knees going too.)

[Old Grumpy]

Seems this is a widespread problem (and not just in the UK):

https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/blog/why-is-it-difficult-to-see-a-GP-now

I must say our local GP practice is excellent, but appreciate this is probably the exception rather than the rule.

[Petrushka]

Seems this is a widespread problem (and not just in the UK):

https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/blog/why-is-it-difficult-to-see-a-GP-now

I must say our local GP practice is excellent, but appreciate this is probably the exception rather than the rule.

It's the same here. In addition, the Practice Nurse is first rate.

[Serial_Apologist]

Seems this is a widespread problem (and not just in the UK):

https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/blog/why-is-it-difficult-to-see-a-GP-now

I must say our local GP practice is excellent, but appreciate this is probably the exception rather than the rule.

So is ours - which leads me to wonder why good practices are not pursued elsewhere. Something to do with the fact that practices operate autonomously?

[oddoneout]

So is ours - which leads me to wonder why good practices are not pursued elsewhere. Something to do with the fact that practices operate autonomously?

Yes, they each do things their own way. There will be a lot in common in many cases, but the differences can be frustrating where, as in my case, surgeries not very far apart are very different in terms of appointment waits and facilities. If I lived about a quarter of a mile down the road I would be in the catchment area for a 2-village practice which is run on a different model from my own and where, until recently, same day or next day GP appointments were the norm. They also can provide simple scan and other facilities which I have to travel to the city for. The downside is that I can't walk to the surgery, but there is an hourly bus service that goes to one of the villages. They have been affected by the national shortage of GPs, as 3 retired within a fairly short space of time and have not been fully replaced. However since they are nurse-led practices that isn't as big an issue as is the case in mine, where they haven't, until recently, seemed willing to even think about alternative models of service provision, such as nurse practitioners, to manage the chronic lack of GPs, which goes back at least 15 years. It's not a situation that's going to be improved when 4000 patients from another practice in town that is being closed are split between the 2 remaining practices but with no guarantee that staff will transfer/be increased as well.
And those "in charge" wonder why A&E admissions include so many patients that could and should be seen by GPs...

[Serial_Apologist]

Yes, they each do things their own way. There will be a lot in common in many cases, but the differences can be frustrating where, as in my case, surgeries not very far apart are very different in terms of appointment waits and facilities. If I lived about a quarter of a mile down the road I would be in the catchment area for a 2-village practice which is run on a different model from my own and where, until recently, same day or next day GP appointments were the norm. They also can provide simple scan and other facilities which I have to travel to the city for. The downside is that I can't walk to the surgery, but there is an hourly bus service that goes to one of the villages. They have been affected by the national shortage of GPs, as 3 retired within a fairly short space of time and have not been fully replaced. However since they are nurse-led practices that isn't as big an issue as is the case in mine, where they haven't, until recently, seemed willing to even think about alternative models of service provision, such as nurse practitioners, to manage the chronic lack of GPs, which goes back at least 15 years. It's not a situation that's going to be improved when 4000 patients from another practice in town that is being closed are split between the 2 remaining practices but with no guarantee that staff will transfer/be increased as well.
And those "in charge" wonder why A&E admissions include so many patients that could and should be seen by GPs...

The same applies with the extra work now being dumped onto pharmacies. The one I go to for my prescription is now so run off its feet the staff haven't even the time to look customers in the face any more, let alone say hello, as used to be the case. I had enjoyed my little chats when first visiting there.

[oddoneout]

The same applies with the extra work now being dumped onto pharmacies. The one I go to for my prescription is now so run off its feet the staff haven't even the time to look customers in the face any more, let alone say hello, as used to be the case. I had enjoyed my little chats when first visiting there.

And that's assuming you can even find one, given the rate of closure. I also worry about the potential for (more)mistakes to be made.

[Serial_Apologist]

And that's assuming you can even find one, given the rate of closure. I also worry about the potential for (more)mistakes to be made.

Like most of the current problems that are being made endemic, such as inadequate building regulations monitoring, road maintenance, sewage infrastructure updating, and keeping youth centres open by adequate funding, no foresight was applied to pre-emptive cost-saving solutions. Every decision nowadays seems to be determined by short-termism with no transparency on the part of unaccountable authorities.

[antongould]

Well the pain is not over - having trousered the 40 notes I set off to Wor Branch where after the necessary wait in a queue I saw a nice you lady who tried to cheer me up by telling me yes this happened quite a bit and it was mildly frustrating, but face to face was the only way it could be done. She took my debit card, asked for my pin and when that worked said she would swiftly remove the dreaded marker - and finally said "that's all done you will be able to close them now" BUT even though I had Lady Gould's debit card she couldn't close hers it would have to be face to face!!! So I went home and tried to close them and you can probably guess what didn't happen ...... !!!!
So I thought I will give it a couple of days for the system to update - but still this morning no joy. So back on the Chat Line to Mr. AI first and then an operator who was as mystified as me - he could see the marker and I would have to go back to the Branch ..... so I rang Customer Services who said she would reraise my complaint and send an email to the branch but, if I wished, I could ring them and provided a number .......... It rang out for a while and then cut me off ..... like Emma Clarke I want to scream ........

Forgive me any reader who has made it this far if I have provided an interim update but it looks like I haven’t, anyway ……. a letter arrived saying my complaint was closed, !!!! so I rang the number shown on the letter and told our tale of woe again …… after trying the “it has to be in the branch” line again, she accepted I had been there and done that and it hadn’t worked and said I will close them all now if you wait on the line, which I did and after a few days they were closed. She would not however close Lady Goulds accounts as I had to “put her on to go through security” - she passed and I, like a gentleman waited on the line for her with, eventually, the same mildly happy result.
So given all the time spent and exasperation I raised another complaint detailing the whole sorry saga - I used the standard online complaint form which in its notes warned me it may take up to EIGHT WEEKS to resolve the complaint, but that I would get an acknowledgment and after 4 weeks if the complaint was not resolved a progress letter. Neither were forthcoming so I rang again and yet another nice young lady said she would chase it up and someone would be in touch.
Nothing - so yesterday as the 8 week bell was about to toll I rang again and was told someone would be in touch …… which they were this afternoon.
I first had to go through security giving them my name, address, current account number and date of birth. I was also asked for the balance on a savings account I have ….. I said I didn’t know - I am very rich - did I have to climb the many stairs in Gould Towers for my iPad …… seemingly I had - so I did and we moved on. I was told all the points I had raised had been addressed as follows
The branch staff had been retrained on how to close the accounts rather than telling the great unwashed to go home and close them themselves ….
These types of Standard saver accounts must be closed in branch and the wording in the banking app that suggests they can be closed online will be changed
- I asked why and was told that is how they are designed !!!!!!
But in recognition of my annoyance and inconvenience they would pay me £130 in compensation …… and here I played, if I say so myself, a rather fine card …… saying “are you sure that’s not £125 … ???? He seemed rather flustered and said sorry that it was and how did I know … ??? I said I got a notification last night that £125 (with no details) had been paid into a savings account for the family lottery fund ….. and asked how they chose the account …. “Oh at random” was the reply.
i have now really lost the will to carry on …….. but my, oh my, indeed you just couldn’t make it up ……