Nationalized Health Care

**Dave1984** · 02-27-2007, 18:22

I think the main gripe I have with the NHS here in the UK is how loooong everything takes. Usually I don't mind because I'm healthy and all, and like someone said emergencies are dealt with fairly quickly, but for anything else the waiting list can be years and years if you're unlucky. My mother is terminally ill although you'd never know it to look at her, she keeps incredibly fit (mainly to help with dealing with the disease) and so can function in the main as a normal healthy person, but I'm certain that if she'd had all the treatments and operations so far on the NHS, she'd be dead. For the most recent problem which hospitalised her on Sunday, they told her that they could do a kind of placeholder surgery but couldn't do anything actually effective for another 9 months because of the waiting lists.
Fortunately my father (who she's divorced from) put her on his medical insurance so she's getting the full operation privately within the week.

Aside from the terrible inefficiency, huge waiting lists and the fact that about 75% of the time you can't get a doctor who speaks English, I think the major problem with it is that you have to pay for it anyway, even if you pay medical insurance as well to get private treatment. Why can't we pay for that INSTEAD of the NHS? It just doesn't make sense.

**BDC** · 02-27-2007, 19:06

Why can't we pay for that INSTEAD of the NHS? It just doesn't make sense.

Social justice? Patriotism? Because it means you don't need to give money to charity and can still feel good about yourself?

Or because all A&Es are NHS?

But yeah, waiting lists are ridiculous. What's even more stupid is things would be cheaper for the most part if surgery was done straight away.

**Adrian II** · 02-27-2007, 19:14

Originally Posted by lars573

For us "your GP" is the doctor with whom your medical records are on file. And one GP or GP office (which has several doctors) can only carry so many patients.

Same here. 'My GP' is the one who holds my records, who knows me and my family from previous occasions, etcetera. Like practically every GP in The Netherlands, he opens shop at 7.30 or 8.00 hrs and everyone with an acute problem or tight (work) schedule can come and get a consultation.
And why not? What is the problem in other countries? Morning sickness?

**Tribesman** · 02-27-2007, 19:29

Aside from the terrible inefficiency, huge waiting lists and the fact that about 75% of the time you can't get a doctor who speaks English

Hmmmmmm....the fact that about 75% of the time you can't get a doctor who speaks English....is that bollox ?
Lets see , perhaps Rory could help out here since I assume he is registered with the people over there who register doctors so that they can work as doctors .
So perhaps the resident British doctor could be so kind as to explain how 75% of doctors working over there are not actually working over there since they are not registered because language is a requirement to get registered ?

It would seem that the fact is indeed of the testicular variety .

**lars573** · 02-27-2007, 23:22

Originally Posted by Adrian II

Same here. 'My GP' is the one who holds my records, who knows me and my family from previous occasions, etcetera. Like practically every GP in The Netherlands, he opens shop at 7.30 or 8.00 hrs and everyone with an acute problem or tight (work) schedule can come and get a consultation.
And why not? What is the problem in other countries? Morning sickness?

Well in Canada there aren't enough of any kind of Doctors to go round. And most GP's work 9-5, mon-fri.

**rory_20_uk** · 03-01-2007, 11:56

There are rarely Doctors who have a poor grasp of English. They are generally very, very few. There are more who speak English with a noticeable accent.

Waiting lists are falling and have been for some time, mainly due to the massive increase of funds to the NHS.

Your mother might be dead if she'd had all treatments on the NHS. Another question is should good money be thrown after bad to get a few more days for one person with extremely expensive surgery, or spent on a cheap long lasting option for others? The NHS is here for us all, not just yourself / family. That's what Pprivate healthcare is there for.

Terrible efficiency? The NHS used to be extremely efficient, especially when you worked out what Doctors were paid per hour (often less than the current minimum wage) I agree that things have gone downhill as of late. The need for targets has required an army of people to document stats for the target, make graphs and plans around the target and generally add to the number of managers who add no value to the NHS.

I agree that there are many things that the NHS needs to do - such as charging £10 to attend A&E, or for minor calls for an ambulance. No only would this free up hospitals from masses of work, but would help focus people on what A&E means.

You had some good points, but sadly the Daily Mail editorialism clouded them.

**Scurvy** · 03-01-2007, 13:01

Originally Posted by rory_20_uk

I agree that there are many things that the NHS needs to do - such as charging £10 to attend A&E, or for minor calls for an ambulance. No only would this free up hospitals from masses of work, but would help focus people on what A&E means.

I agree with whole post, but wouldnt it be a better idea to charge for uneeded ambulance calls, or time-wasting A&E appointments (i realise that could be hard to enforce)

**gunslinger** · 03-01-2007, 18:52

LOL I'm glad to hear that abuse of free health priveledges isn't only an American problem. I have heard first-had reports from paramedics about people who receive government benefits calling the ambulance if they want to get to the part of town the nearest hospital is in. My favorite story was about a woman who lived in a small town who would call for an ambulance every Friday night, be transported to the hospital in the city, refuse treatment, and then go to the bars for the evening. One Friday night she complained of a severe headache. The ambulance crew, very familiar with her habits, loaded her up and ignored her during the transport to the hospital. When the crew handed the patient off to hospital staff, a nurse realized that the patient had died en route to the hospital.

**Scurvy** · 03-01-2007, 20:49

Originally Posted by gunslinger

My favorite story was about a woman who lived in a small town who would call for an ambulance every Friday night, be transported to the hospital in the city, refuse treatment, and then go to the bars for the evening. One Friday night she complained of a severe headache. The ambulance crew, very familiar with her habits, loaded her up and ignored her during the transport to the hospital. When the crew handed the patient off to hospital staff, a nurse realized that the patient had died en route to the hospital.

**rory_20_uk** · 03-01-2007, 22:03

Originally Posted by Scurvy

I agree with whole post, but wouldnt it be a better idea to charge for uneeded ambulance calls, or time-wasting A&E appointments (i realise that could be hard to enforce)

If you're ill, the treatment you would get for £5 / £10 is amazing good value for money. If not, well, at least you're paying for the service you're abusing.

**Tribesman** · 03-01-2007, 23:23

There are rarely Doctors who have a poor grasp of English. They are generally very, very few. There are more who speak English with a noticeable accent.

So right , I went to an english hospital once .
The doctor was from Norfolk , that is a bloody terrible accent .
Then again , he probably said the same about mine .