Kotare

Impressed.

Got a GP appointment the day after after I phoned - cost $28
A prescription as a result cost $15
Appointment to take off a skin cancer 5 days later $200 (UK it cost me £800).

It may not be totally free but it works!

MrsFychan

wish out appt was that cheap. $48 round our way for GP's appt and thats with funding.

Hope you are feeling well now

Kotare

Thanks.

I was surprised, perhaps they do tatty pensioner rates :-) if I hadn't been registered with the Practice it would have been $80 though

MrsFychan

yes if we were not funded we would be paying $80+. Its also helpful to find out when surgeries apply for the funding as we got caught out when we first came over and missed the first one of the year by 2 weeks so we had to wait another couple of months before we could be funded.

BEVS

I do not understand this.

Are you writing that the NHS charged you 800GBP to remove some suspect skin cancer suspects?

Kotare

No - Bristol Spire charged me £800 to remove a skin cancer (same day) - the NHS waiting list was 4 - 5 months and involved a referral to a consultant, then a subsequent outpatient op. Life is too short (and with that kind of lead time getting shorter).

Grayling

I wondered that as well

I have had a few removed by the NHS with no charge.

BEVS

The difference being that in NZ skin cancer is a big, huge time problem. In the UK it is not so much so.

Yup . Catching the NZ funding is important. Is the same for all manner of stuff.

I am intersted in NZ as that is where I live.

If you cannot pay for the skin cancer minor sqwelch at your local surgery, what is the wait time

Kotare

I don't think much longer wait but the funding is limited to low income I think.

Given the posts on NZ med, I think advising prospective immigrants on costs is worthwhile - especially the 'user pay' to most NZ services, unlike UK where it is 'free' but of limited efficiency

Ps NHS 24 hr Hospital strike today

Sparkleydiva

That is cheap

We pay $56 per appt, $21 per repeat script

And if i need anything further, their first question is if i have private cover, otherwise they're not sure they can refer on the public system. Had lots if exoerience of the latter and being declined to be seen, despite me having ms and my daughter has lupus. So not all great experiences.

Sparkleydiva

No need to have a go at the junior doctors striking. For all of its issues, if you are critically ill, in my opinion nothing beats the NHS. Am very oroud of it, its values and have worked in ED for many years. No one ever turned away, no matter how trivial the issue. Def not the same here i can say from experience.

Grayling

The NHS is no less efficient than the NZ system.

...and the strike is not 24 hour....it is for 9 hours and the same tomorrow.

I understand that junior doctors also went on strike in NZ in 1992 and 2006 so I am not sure what point you are trying to make

BEVS

They are not the NZ system are they. Either for funded or elective surgery.

Both are possible for either country if one has the funds You need the funds . More so here IMO.

Sparkleydiva

I am with you. I suspect he is trying to say Nz system is better, but from personal and professional experience it is far from this.

BEVS

Well. We all protect what we know. Kotere is a Kiwi at heart and from birth perhaps.