Communist England & Their Communist Healthcare

 In the last 7 days Iain and I both needed to go to the doctor to get antibiotics for sinus/chest infections. (Yay for cold and flu season.)

On two separate Monday mornings, we both called the doctor's office the moment they opened.

We had to call a couple times as the line was busy, but we both got through within 5 minutes. We both received same-day appointments - mine was at 9:40 after calling at 8am, Iain's appointment was for 10:30 after calling at 8:30am.

And as far as our wait at the doctors went - we both had our appointment, were written our prescription, went to and from the pharmacist and had the medicine in our systems within an hour of our appointment time. 

Yes, if I needed an operation or something more involved than a prescription for Amoxicillin it would take longer, and there would be a waiting list. But this is why we also have PRIVATE health insurance that we pay for through Iain's work.

The NHS is a base system. It's entry level. If you want quicker better faster stronger medical care, you can pay for it. However, if you can't afford it, then you stay on the NHS. EVERYONE can be on the NHS.

It's not perfect but it means that people like me who are self employed can follow their dreams without panicking about what happens if they break a leg or get seriously ill.

I'm unsure what people who live outside of the UK think the NHS is like, or what my experiance is like when I go to the doctor. 

Do they expect we wait outside in the cold, in long lines, just praying and waiting that perhaps we'll see a nurse or a doctor, like communist Russia? Or like waiting for food during WWII?

You call. You get an appointment. You get your medicine. 

Of course it's not always that easy for everyone. Of course if it's something more serious it can get much more complicated. 

However, no matter how much more complicated things can get or how much longer you have to wait for an appointment in some areas - you still have the option, where as places like America where the unemployed and the poor or even the young who are just starting out on their own don't have that option. 

They should have that option. Everyone should have that option. There's nothing COMMUNIST about that. If anything, it's HUMANE. 

Image via x-ray delta one

Comments

[Vixel]

Hear hear!

[flamedot]

Glad you had a better experience than I. My local doctor said I could have an appointment in two weeks time.

I totally agree that we are lucky to have options. Thank dog for the Soho walk-in clinic!

[Claire]

Thank you! I have a former-friend right-wing angry UK girl who seems to get very invested in USA politics (believe she wants to live there). In amongst her general Glenn Beck style ranting (the reason we are not now friends), she seems to think the nhs system is idiotic. It's nice to have someone remind ms that there's sensible people in existence. :)

[Theresa Caruana]

I agree, but I was surprised by my Mum's story. She an American Citizen living in the south east of England and had to have a partial mastectomy twice within four years. The first time she went private because she thought it would be a better service. She was very disappointed and found the staff at the Nuffield hospital to be inexperienced. Her second operation was under the NHS as was her reconstruction, check ups and seven year replacement. She is so happy with her specialist who has been with her since the second op, and the far superior level of care she has been lucky enough to receive. She still has private healthcare but now uses it to see specialists if there's anything going on with her health that the GP can't explain. For the big complicated ops, as long as there's no waiting list it's NHS for my Mum every time. That's a mighty fine choice in my books and a great service considering the population of this tiny Island. Both Mum and I who remember the US private healthcare system are so grateful for this free service. Big Up NHS!!!!!