Stinkypup

Really sad - it still exists for the OP but maybe not for that much longer. We also left the NHS for Canada about 7 years ago having worked as GPs for a long time. All I can say,having kept in touch with colleagues and via the Medical media such as Pulse is that it was the best thing that we ever did. I enjoy my work here in BC and feel appreciated- unlike the beaten into the ground GPs in the UK. I cannot imagine that you Ozzidoc or us will be the last docs to flee the sinking ship.

Editha

No practices have closed near me. There is a wait of a week to see the doctor for non-urgent matters, but if it is urgent she can fit me in the same day.

In the news, it has been reported that many practices are refusing new patients.

I don't understand your last comment, about emergency work; nobody expects their GP to deal with medical emergencies. What is your point?

I agree the NHS is in crisis, but the situation is not as bad as you suggest.

Sally Redux

At our practice, what that means is that you can book up to two weeks ahead for routine appointments but if you need one for an urgent matter the GP will see you on the day.

Sally Redux

Agreed.

Lion in Winter

I often have to wait four weeks for a non-emergency appointment witb my doc in the US. Difference is I pay through the nose for the privilege (private insurance premiums through work).

I'll take the NHS. But of course I would like it better funded.

Ozzidoc

One in eight GP jobs are unfilled:
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Of course I no longer use the NHS, but it doesn't mean that I don't understand the current realities of the NHS in England. There are over 200,000 GMC registered doctors who use the professional and social forums on the "doctors only" site I frequent daily.

The reason it doesn't seem as bad as it is to many BE users, is that practice staff are working their tails off to try to maintain business as usual.

Ozzidoc

That sounds perfect. Excellent.

Ozzidoc

"No-one expects GPs to deal with medical emergencies.." Please tell that to the general public. In my experience. Patients still attend their GP practices with acute chest pains, sprained/injured joints. And don't get me started on the people who want a home visit.

(And of course sadly people also attend A&E inappropriately - my favourite was a patient who had a headache for 40 minutes. First headache, not taken any pain relief. )

One colleague has described the NHS as an all you can eat buffet with the chef producing ever more expensive delicacies. It cannot survive in its current form.

May I ask which part of the country you are in?

Editha

Sorry, but this is boringly regular theme on this forum. Doctors who have chosen to work abroad claiming the NHS is collapsing, followed by members of the forum, actually living in the UK, pointing out that they are receiving perfectly decent medical care.

Of course that doesn't mean that everything in the NHS is hunky-dory. There is currently a severe funding shortfall, although the shortage of doctors is largely the result of a failure of planning - not training enough. But you medics who have decided to work abroad do rather overplay the doom and gloom.

I get a more balanced view from the GP, two surgeons, and a senior NHS manager who are friends of mine.

Ozzidoc

I chose to no longer work. Despite my life being strewn across three continents, I have only worked as a medical doctor in England. I get a very balanced view from the sixty or so former medical school colleagues and former consultant colleagues I still remain in regular contact with as well as the approximately 400 regular contributors to the doctors-only forum I read daily.

I last worked, as a medical doctor, in February 2014. All up, I was close to 1/2 million pounds out of pocket due to my choice to train as a medical doctor rather than remain in my former career.

Editha

Good for you.

Editha

I currently have a cancer scare (which I'm confident is going to be nothing). I saw my GP last Wednesday who referred me to a consultant. Today I was given an appointment for Monday 13th June -- 19 days.

In Edmonton Alberta, my dentist referred me to a consultant because she was concerned that a spot in my mouth might be a melanoma. I was given an appointment for 3 months time. If it had been a melanoma, I would probably have been dead by then.

Stinkypup

I'm glad that you are being seen so rapidly. I thought that for a cancer referral you should be seen in 14 days, it was when we were working in the UK. 19 days not bad though. I found it frustrating that patients with possible cancer saw the specialist in 2 weeks then had to wait a lot longer for say a CAT scan which made the two week wait times a bit meaningless.

With regard to your Alberta referral, I'm not sure who you were referred to, if an oral surgeon, then that doesn't surprise me due to lack of them over here- unacceptable, I totally agree. Here in BC, referrals for example for breast cancer where we are are typically seen within 7-10 days and investigated and I've had two patients who were operated on 5 -7 days later. Similar stories with say colorectal and urological cancers . There will always be good and bad waits whereever one is in the developed world.

I'm certainly not here to denigrate the NHS. It serves the population well despite limited resources. Everyone is working as hard as they can but sadly report that they often feel that they are drowning in demand. There are obviously areas with adequate doctors and there are under doctored areas where life isn't certainly so good. Obviously that's a massive problem in Canada as well. Morale unfortunately amongst GPs is without doubt very low with huge numbers of early retirements, career changes, emigrating or simply leaving medicine.. Such a shame. I would love to get a mix between the two systems but sadly that isn't going to happen.

christmasoompa

I've been seen within the 14 day guideline twice in the past year after going to my GP. And my mother (in another part of the country) is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer, and I can't fault the NHS. She was seen by a consultant within a week of being told her mammogram had detected something, had biopsy results given to her on a Thursday (less than a week after seeing the consultant) and was operated on the following Tuesday.

She's just finished radiotherapy and I'm not sure I've ever been more grateful for the NHS, both for catching her cancer so early and for starting her treatment within a couple of weeks of her routine mammogram that found the cancer.

FWIW, I can also get a GP appointment for the same day where I am.

Just thought I'd add that for the OP so they don't get disheartened about the NHS. It's still doing an amazing job for most.

britoutofwater

Who knew that this thread would live on in my absence! Well updated news is that I was offered a position and have another interview next week, so heading back for good is very likely at this point. I think I'll manage to hold back any qualms about my "settled purposes" and will just register with a GP when I arrive.