NHS - I complaine but...

woodbon

Hi,This is how I felt after watching the news on telly last night. I'll admit to a strong sense of bias. I am a critic of the NHS, as much as anyone, but when I heard some Americans quoting rubbish about how bad the service is, how much better it is not to have universal health care, I felt my heckles rise, and my British spirit rising to the surface and thought it may not be perfect, but we do get treatment. Expensive tests and procedures are carried out, people stay in hospital with state of the art equipment and nurses and doctors who are some of the best trained in the world. We want a minor healthcare problem solved or referred and we see a GP in fairly quick time. Maybe its not perfect, needs constant attention and does sometimes make awful mistakes, but it is their free at the point of use, no credit card needed. And its easy to opt out of if you want extra care, like a private room. More individual attention.

Its great in America, but you need to have a lot of money, and if you don't, well, dont get ill. I've no idea how they treat people with cronic illness like arthritis and I'm glad I don't have to find out. So although we moan, I wouldn't live without it.
Sorry a long rant

thisledome1

That is exactly how i feel perhaps the NHS isnt perfect and it could do with a really good sort out ,but at least when we are ill we know we will not be turned away form any hospital or gp surgery because we dont have health insurance .
Can you imagine how it would be if those people who couldnt afford insurance ,how would they get treatment .No iam sorry that conservative mp needs kicking out of the party .We are so quick to knock our own country ,its about time some one started waving the union jack .

We have the best doctors and nurses in the world ,they come from abroad to train here .
J

englishrose

I agree with everything said. On the whole I think I receive wonderful care and I know I am costing the NHS a fair packet. I beleive that if you have medical insurane in the USA and have a lifelong condition like RA you could well striggle to get cover. So God bless the NHS. I know NICE has been critizsed and this is a difficult area but how can we afford every tratment at any cost. Clearly choices have to be made as the money pot is not a bottomless pit.
Jane

skezier

Hi Sue,

I also echo all the above. I know sometimes they seem to be procrastinating and messing us about but overall they do a fantastic job. The staff, especially the nurses, are under huge pressure due to lack of money and bad managment at our hospital and yet they are really kind and good. I owe the NHS my life for at least 3 things and had I been in the U.S I would have died on any of those occasions. So I guess I thank them. Luv Cris

woodbon

As much as we complain - and I think complaits are needed sometimes, we do have a fantastic basic system, the problems and breakdowns in communication are important to be addressed, and hopefully over the years things will get better because we will make it better.
Love Sue

frogmorton

I'm with you too Sue!
I finally did my back in in Florida 6 years ago and they drugged me up (checked I was insured first!!!) and did their tests and then un-drugged me and sent me home!
Took 12 months to get the ins money back!!! Over £1000!!!
Long live the NHS!!!
Toni x

airwave

Without going on for hours, there are two main drawbacks to the health systems:-

The American system does not include the poorer sections of the community and has no real intent to move beyond that.

The NHS has been interfered with by politicians. They never could learn to stand back and not organise something.

To add to either system would only cause a cockup on a tremendous scale. Sorry, what did you say, they are changing both........? Oh dear!

8) Its a grin, honest!

eckstardeluxe

Did you hear the Americans criticising our system and some said "have you see the Brit's teeth?" One was the size of a house.

Bliddy cheek, no fillings here mate. As my hubby said after seeing that "I bet she can't say she has no fillings!"

airwave

eckstardeluxe wrote:

Did you hear the Americans criticising our system and some said "have you see the Brit's teeth?" One was the size of a house.

Bliddy cheek, no fillings here mate. As my hubby said after seeing that "I bet she can't say she has no fillings!"

I think they're correct about our teeth, I certainly can't afford to get all the work done, I wouldn't mind some new teeth.

As for the outsize shapes, we are a little way behind, just for now.
8) Its grin, honest!

jemima

You ever seen an American's teeth when they have no insurance? There are 45 million of them without insurance too! Know about the charges to get your teeth fixed in America? Makes our top whack patient contribution look like pin money! A filling can easily run over $1000 (that's about £625!).

Very often you see people in their 70s and 80s still working in supermarkets in order to get the health insurance that goes with the job.

Can anyone name more than a few countries in the world where source of treatment is completely free? Anyone got any idea of what the health service was like in the UK before we got the NHS in 1948? You had to pay to go to the doctor - if you couldn't afford it, you didn't go, just like in America currently.

Ever seen a health service in another country which will treat an American on vacation completely free if they have an accident and only stay in a short stay ward? Yep, the good old NHS strikes again! Do they do that in America for Brits? Nope, sometimes they won't even treat you unless you can come up with your health insurance documents.

So when something goes wrong with your small part of the NHS and you feel inclined to complain, just remember how nothing can be perfect 100% of the time and how lucky we are that it even exists and how unlucky the Americans currently are as they have nothing like it. So, all those comments from Americans? Sour grapes I call them....

valval

hi its ok 4 those americans with money and insurance what about those who que 4 hours to see some one and might even not get seen ,then and all in one big hall with no space of there own.i love the n h s warts and all at least we dont have to put up with what those poor americans do its a case of i am ok so thats all that matters wonder how many of them go to church on a sunday then turn there backs on others in need all week :roll: :roll:

airwave

Whoa, I'm just acknowledging that no system is perfect and there are faults in all. I have first hand experience of the NHS and yes, I have been let down very recently. But I do not want to change it for theirs or any other system.

I am very happy to live within our democratic socialism/monarchist democracy or whatever leaning it has or its meant to be, during this term of government. Its GB and thats where I'm at!

Why are some having non-lifesaving treatment when others can't get cancer treatment? Or am I just being old fashioned about priorities?

8) Its a grin, honest!

eckstardeluxe

I think we are not seeing the whole picture through the media.

Whilst pregnant on another Forum for pregnant mothers and for all nations, I could not count the amount of Americans that said they had considered moving to our country because of the NHS. They get charged a fortune when they are pregnant through their insurances, if they don't have it, they have to pay for all their ante-natal appointments and scans, then of course the birth. A non straight forward birth or surgical birth is in the thousands of dollars.

Additionally they get almost no maternity leave at all, some are expected back to work after 2 weeks!! 8 weeks is the norm.

Loads of them would love free health care.

livinglegend

84% of people in the USA have health insurance and the other 16% are not denied treatment, but are treated at public clinics/hospitals. Visa or green card holders agree not to be a burden on public services and are expected to take out medical insurance.

One option to consider is teacher's hospitals, which are far cheaper than regular hospitals and often even free, despite a generally excellent level of care. As in this country, insurance companies will not cover you for existing or long term conditions.

Most full-time employers offer health insurance coverage. Usually, you are covered automatically, either with no or little financial contribution from you. If you are a student, most schools offer student discount plans. And if you are in any type of organized professional organization or union, they may offer coverage plans as well.
http://www.knowitallmall.com/library/weekly/aa111802a.htm

As for waiting for A&E treatment for several hours, I have done that with the NHS on several occasions. Both systems have pros and cons, they consider theirs is better and we consider ours is because it is what we are used to.

Joseph 8)

woodbon

I never thought I'd get so many replys. Our system is far from perfect but, at least we don't have to think about finding 'cheap' hospitals. We should I think that we should all try and look after are health service, and that means complaining, when we have a grievence. At the same time, we should keep to the rules, too when visiting or as a patient.

I think our system is good and well worth keeping. It could be better and we, as users should do our bit towards making it better. I was once kept waiting nearly 3 hours for a CT scan. Someone from the team explained to us that the person in the scan was an emergency. When he came out we were warned to not look, as he had major head injuries. Not a case for complaint, I felt.
During the same hospital stay, they called a senior radiologist in to scan my liver, and discovered I needed life saving treatment. No wait. All this just anecdotal evidence, but I know what I prefer.

Love Sue

butterfly1

I've had very good experiences with the NHS and also bad experiences. I'm currently going through a bad experience but will remain objective. I don't don't think our system works well for people with chronic conditions like us. Please remember it is not "free". Those of us in paid employment are paying about 10% of our salary towards the NHS and a pension scheme which we're being told won't exist when we retire (if you're currenly under about 50). I am fortunate to work for a company who pays for private healthcare which is brilliant for acute conditions but private healthcare in this country does not cover chronic conditions like arthritis. So it's a catch 22 situation. I was lucky to get a quick diagnosis because I have private healthcare but as soon as I was diagnosed I was sent back to the NHS. In the beginning the care was great until I could no longer take DMARDS due to adverse reactions and the next option was anti-TNF then due to funding I have had to managed on anti-inflams and painkillers which no longer work but still they won't put me on the anti-TNF due to funding. It's a postcode lottery in this country which is very unfair and the guidelines that are set by NICE are so off the mark it's untrue.

In Switzerland they have a fully private system like in America and most employers pay an additional sum on top of your salary for private healthcare insurance. The insurance is not allowed to discriminate against pre-existing conditions and you can choose whichever doctor you wish and depending on what premium you have you can also opt to have complementary treatment. If you are unemployed or on a low salary there is also a system in place similar to our NHS system so the poor will get treatment if they do not have insurance. The treatment and care is of a high standard. A couple of years ago I had an allergic reaction to Sulpha when I was on a business trip there and was taken to A&E and immediately taken to a cubicle and saw a doctor within 10 minutes. If I had been at home I would probably have had to sit on a chair in the waiting room for about 4 hours.

I think we should keep the NHS but the government need to rethink how they spend the money and give better care to the chronically ill and not limit the treatment they need. I also think that private healthcare providers like BUPA should also cover chronic conditions. If they did, those of us fortunate to have the private health insurance would continue on that path and not drain the NHS. I am paying tax for the NHS (national insurance) and also get taxed on my BUPA as a benefit in kind and can't get anywhere with either of them.

Rant over!

englishrose

Someone mention the days before the NHS -I am old enough to remember those days - and the school dentist. My mother was always worried that any us us would become unwell. I know the finances were a real worry to her. School dentists - I think there must have been a special dental school were all the butchers were trained. How I suffered as a kid under their hands.
Jane

woodbon

Hi I understand your point about the swiss system, but the Swiss economy is very much richer, I understand, than ours. Although we do need to be watching other countries and listening to peoples ideas to decide how what changes need to be made and the best way of making them. The NHS is far from perfect and certainly not free, I know, we tend to talk about the 'free NHS' but I think that most people understand it is payed for by our taxes, the vital thing for me is 'Free at the point of use' If you are rushed into hospital, with a serious problem the you do not have to worry about if your insurance cover will be enough.

I feel that the NHS does have an awful lot wrong with it but, its what we have its got an awful lot right with it too. When I was very ill once, after surgery, I had private insurance at the time. The Consutant treating me told my husband not to transfer me from NHS care to private within the same hospital, as the private ward didn't have the same facilities as the High Dependancey ward. I had to wait until he decided that the risk of transfer was acceptalbe.
Gosh I've gone on a too much!!! :

Going back to the item that started me off - I just hated the sight of those Americans pulling our NHS apart and not bothering to think that they need to examine their system and keep an open mind about other countries. Phew. Me hands are aching!!!Sue

eckstardeluxe

englishrose wrote:

Someone mention the days before the NHS -I am old enough to remember those days - and the school dentist. My mother was always worried that any us us would become unwell. I know the finances were a real worry to her. School dentists - I think there must have been a special dental school were all the butchers were trained. How I suffered as a kid under their hands.
Jane

I know your pain although I'm 33. I qualified as a Dental Nurse in 1994, don't do it now, rubbish pay for a very demanding job.

The people we used to see who had been "butchered" or even slapped!!! by the old dentisit's used to come in and have to get Temazepam. I remember many a time having to sit with someone older and hold their hands and try and calm them down because they had such horrific memories from the old dentists or school dentists. Seeing a grown person crying because of that is not nice at all.

woodbon

Hi, thanks everyone for the comments - I didn't realise what I was starting when I posted, but I'm glad I did. I just felt so angry, hearing those comments made by people who mostly, have no experience. Also just because somethings not working as well as it should, most of us don't just chuck it out, we examine it and see how to mend it or change its use. Sorry whaffle. At least I think we've proved arther does'nt effect the brain!!! Love Sue

eckstardeluxe

woodbon wrote:

Hi, thanks everyone for the comments - I didn't realise what I was starting when I posted, but I'm glad I did. I just felt so angry, hearing those comments made by people who mostly, have no experience. Also just because somethings not working as well as it should, most of us don't just chuck it out, we examine it and see how to mend it or change its use. Sorry whaffle. At least I think we've proved arther does'nt effect the brain!!! Love Sue

It's true though Sue.

My case in point, pursuing my medical negligence claim against the NHS. I have found evidence of neglect in my notes and about 6 solicitors wanting to take it on, but going to go with my union through work.

Even so. I am fully aware they made mistakes but that was certain people and they should be held accountable for what they did and failed to do. But - I still want an NHS. There are lots of great Drs out there for every one that made errors. If I didn't go through with this it might happen again to someone and they might shake things up to prevent this happening to someone else. Plus at least I can say to my kids when they are older, I tried my best. I didn't sit back and let them get away with it.

But the treatment I've had now has been terrific, ironic that I should want the NHS but at the same time go through with this.