The British NHS........ What is your view? (page 3)

ozziepost

that would be those holding British passports???

trevor

Ballistic - it is because:

The British National health Service is the best free Health Service in the World - unless you happen to be British.

LittleToe

Do they give horse-shots?
LOL

I've worked for the NHS for nearly six years.
It's hard to progress, being so large (both personally and organisationally).
There's disparity between areas, but the one I live in is excellent.

I pay about 1/4 of my gross salary in tax and "National Insurance" contributions, and that proportion is fairly consistent, with the poor paying an even smaller slice and the rich paying a larger one.
However, for that I can get an appointment with my Doctor pretty much when I want, all the treatment I need (albeit with a short delay for non-life-threatening stuff) and subsidised prescriptions for drugs.

IMHO I only have one life, so I don't begrudge paying for it.
If I felt something was personally more urgent, and could afford it, there's always the Private HealthCare sector to go to, like when I got my eyes corrected by laser, two years ago.

I have heard many horror stories about it, but proportionally they are small. I'm glad we have it available.

stillajwexelder

Well it sure as hell (no matter how bad it is ) be better than going into a US doctor/hospital and worrying about how to pay for your treatment

Simon

If the National Health Service is so bad, why does one famous Australian world tours company recommend all back packers come to the UK first to get all their shots?

Getting some 'free shots' is not to be confused with proper healthcare. Oh, and thats just Ausies freeloadin' Vaccinations and stuff is not the problem. The real issue is the appaling, filthy conditions where basic cleaning isn't done, workers do not clean their hands between patients and people go in for minor things get the superbug and then die. They couldn't manage to find a blanket for my grandad when he was cold the the whole fucking hospital. Thanks Mr Blair. Where the hell has all my NI and tax being going? What's it been spent on? Whenever ANYONE that I know has had to have anything beyond basic treatment its been a shambles. Sure, there are some good people who do a good job but the system as a whole doesn't work and would easily consume 90% of the nations finances without getting better. For some bizzarre reason politics in the country is obsessed with "who can spend the most" on the NHS instead of who can provide a good, working healthcare system. The NHS system has never been copied in any other country. Strange eh? People in the UK go abroad for treatment or pay AGAIN to go private.

bisous

Simon, an off topic question, but I am truly curious: Have you ever been to the United States? If so, where?

LittleToe

He's been to Florida, and was attended to by a midwife on Hallowe'en
His tonsils have never been the same since

I agree that things have gone downhill on the wards since they changed the cleaning service.
Further, the HealthService has been doing more and more, since the 60's, with resource not rising to match.

the_classicist

The NHS system has never been copied in any other country. Strange eh?

Actually, I looked it up (I was wrong before): Canada's health care system is modelled after the NHS.

The real issue is the appaling, filthy conditions where basic cleaning isn't done,

That's a problem in British Columbia too, especially after the government contracted cleaning services out to private companies at the lowest bidder. There's been quite a few stories about people being turned away from the hospitals because they are so busy. There was one case in the news in which a kid hit his head, went to the hospital, and the triage nurse told him to go home. Later, he died of a brain haemorrhage. There has also been cases of people catching infections after getting C-sections because the hospitals are so dirty (the news went into one hospital room where the air vents were caked with dirt).\

They couldn't manage to find a blanket for my grandad when he was cold the the whole fucking hospital. Thanks Mr Blair. Where the hell has all my NI and tax being going? What's it been spent on? Whenever ANYONE that I know has had to have anything beyond basic treatment its been a shambles.

Care for the elderly is poor also. The government nursing homes are really horrible places to go to. My grandma paid a lot of money to stay in a private care home ($5000/month, and they kept increasing the amount you had to pay). I feel sorry for those who could not afford to do something like that.

Simon

Simon, an off topic question, but I am truly curious: Have you ever been to the United States? If so, where?

Yes, I have been to San Diego, California, New York City, New York (State), Tampa, Orlando, Tallahasse, Panama City, Florida, Great Falls, Montana, Washington, D.C. and probably a few other places.

La Jolla beach is nice.

bisous

I see a couple of my favorite cities in there (NY, D.C.)... I know you aren't inspired to visit the US any time soon, but if you ever travel here again you should definitely add San Francisco to your itinerary. One of the most beautiful cities in the world (yes I'm biased having been born in the SF Bay Area) .... but I've also travelled to many cities here and abroad so possess an informed opinion. Another reason for a visit is the majority of the Americans who reside in the SF Bay Area could provide spirited, internationally and culturally aware discussion and debate.

cheers!

The British NHS........ What is your view?

Share this