Another regretful expat returning home
#16
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,148
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
Keep dreamin' The UK can no longer afford the NHS in its current form - it's costing them over GBP100b a year and they sure as shit ain't getting GBP100b in value. Any attempt to try and sort it out is shouted down by the left and other rent seekers. It will fall apart or be reformed aka user pays something. Everything free for the anyone who turns up cannot continue UK's national debt is mental. Your military no longer has the capability to defend your country (at a time when the demands on them have never been heavier and there are an estimated 450 jihadis living in the UK right now), but hey, you've got a mediocre cradle to the grave welfare system. Happy days Despite its faults, Medicare is a more affordable system for the nation that although there may be some charges there is an ultimately free system that everyone can use when they really need it. There are GPs that are free to the user too if you look around. Australia is a wealthier country than the UK and our social, welfare and health costs are lower - much more sustainable Each to their own.......
#17
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
I would argue that Australia is better off and no health system is free. How can it be sustainable if salaries are higher, but costs are lower? And just because a country is classed wealthier, doesn't mean the people are better off and it's also personal choice. Hong Kong is a wealthy country, but I wouldn't fancy living in a high rise block and breathing that dirty air every day, so again each to their own. Every country has debt and we're basically all in the same boat. Climate change might be more of an issue than those jihadists, because look how many heat related deaths you have in Australia and it will only get worse. You also don't know haw many of them are actually in Australia.
If you examine the metrics that are used to grade countries on economics, living standards, longevity, educational attainment etc, Australia is ahead of the UK in all of them. Before you have a go, a lot of this is to do with the systems that the UK put in place in her dominions (Canada, NZ, Australia, SA) and the USA centuries ago - Britain's gift to the world. The upstarts were bound to exceed the host - nature of the beast. These are cold hard facts. Saying that, after the many years of socialist mismanagement that followed the greatness of the Thatcher era, the UK is going a long way to repairing the damage
I like the UK and I was there very recently but you could really see the gulf between the have's and have not's - a stark reality in the northern cities that I visited. Every country has this to degree, be it Norway or Mozambique but in the UK it is very pronounced compared to Australia
Jihadists are a real problem for the UK but man-made climate change is not happening and is a socialist/anti-west beat up
Last edited by Amazulu; Nov 20th 2015 at 11:51 am.
#18
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
Because the NHS resists all attempts to reform itself - aided by the left and other rent seekers and an electorate that refuses to face reality. Problem is that that reality will happen whether the electorate likes/wants it or not
#19
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,786
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
Its down to personal experience, as I said.
However as the thread has now come down to discussing jihadists I am signing off from it.
#20
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,148
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
What are living standards? You have a yuppie living in Sydney spending a fortune on rent for a crappy apartment and eating fast food all day, or you might have a shop assistant in Scotland, living in the country eating fresh food from the garden. The point is that you have choices in both countries and living standards are different for all of us.
Last edited by Moses2013; Nov 20th 2015 at 12:21 pm.
#21
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
What are living standards? You have a yuppie living in Sydney spending a fortune on rent for a crappy apartment and eating fast food all day, or you might have a shop assistant in Scotland, living in the country eating fresh food from the garden. The point is that you have choices in both countries and living standards are different for all of us.
#22
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
Same here. Never had healthcare problems in the UK, always speedy and efficient. Here it costs me a bomb just to see a GP - although I get same day service - and I have a constant battle about refusing to go for blood tests etc that are unnecessary. I did the specialist stuff in the UK very quickly and easily, I do not need to spend a $$$ here to be told what I already know.
Its down to personal experience, as I said.
However as the thread has now come down to discussing jihadists I am signing off from it.
Its down to personal experience, as I said.
However as the thread has now come down to discussing jihadists I am signing off from it.
NHS faces worst financial crisis in its history - Telegraph
I'm alright jack
Be part of the solution. Then again, you could always vote for Corbyn. He has all the solutions
Oh shit, I was forgetting, there are no jihadists in utopia
#23
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
What are living standards? You have a yuppie living in Sydney spending a fortune on rent for a crappy apartment and eating fast food all day, or you might have a shop assistant in Scotland, living in the country eating fresh food from the garden. The point is that you have choices in both countries and living standards are different for all of us.
Life expectancy (WHO 2013)
1 Japan 84
2 Australia 83
9 Norway 82
19 UK 81
Corp. finance - who'd f**king do that for a living? Tossers
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 175
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
Same here. Never had healthcare problems in the UK, always speedy and efficient. Here it costs me a bomb just to see a GP - although I get same day service - and I have a constant battle about refusing to go for blood tests etc that are unnecessary. I did the specialist stuff in the UK very quickly and easily, I do not need to spend a $$$ here to be told what I already know.
Its down to personal experience, as I said.
However as the thread has now come down to discussing jihadists I am signing off from it.
Its down to personal experience, as I said.
However as the thread has now come down to discussing jihadists I am signing off from it.
The quality of service is the other thing. here is the quality of service if your in London i think you would probably get good service but forget it if your not near a main centre,and not one person i spoke to had a speedy and efficient service.
As i said before all a want to do is get people to DYOR before jumping into moving back there is a lot wrong with this place and some people will not be able to afeard to go back if they discover its not all rosy on there return.
BTW while im typing this on the NEWS is the NHS is in finecial meltdown with no hospital able to sustain its curent level service
#25
Bitter and twisted
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Upmarket
Posts: 17,503
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
I dont know how you do it as every one i have spoken about this has the same issues with waiting for weeks for a doctor and much much longer for any treatment.
The quality of service is the other thing. here is the quality of service if your in London i think you would probably get good service but forget it if your not near a main centre,and not one person i spoke to had a speedy and efficient service.
As i said before all a want to do is get people to DYOR before jumping into moving back there is a lot wrong with this place and some people will not be able to afeard to go back if they discover its not all rosy on there return.
BTW while im typing this on the NEWS is the NHS is in finecial meltdown with no hospital able to sustain its curent level service
The quality of service is the other thing. here is the quality of service if your in London i think you would probably get good service but forget it if your not near a main centre,and not one person i spoke to had a speedy and efficient service.
As i said before all a want to do is get people to DYOR before jumping into moving back there is a lot wrong with this place and some people will not be able to afeard to go back if they discover its not all rosy on there return.
BTW while im typing this on the NEWS is the NHS is in finecial meltdown with no hospital able to sustain its curent level service
I have been back six months and have had a few health issues to deal with and the service, both GP and hospital, so far, has been excellent.
In many ways better than that in Australia.
#26
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
In Aus it really pays and I mean pays to know your local service provider.
Took me a while, but I found a bulk billing skin specialist here in Melbourne.... result 150 bucks in my pocket ever time I visit. I do have to drive to Melton though. Which is 35ks from me. He is really good as well if anyone wants his name...
Actually
I've not paid for a gp visit in decades.... There are 3 bulk billing practices within walking distance of me. One really good at least the equal of the best private practice, one with the bedside manner of Basil Fawlty..... still good though.... then the usual crap in and out the door ones used for medical certificates.
The very good one saved my life, no joke recently... I went to him for a sick note after two days off and he spotted something very dodgy on my neck and insisted that I go to a skin specialist the very next morning.... I went to a local one and it cost me 240 bucks to get a biopsy, biopsy was back within 2 days as a low level melanoma... she insisted that I make an appointment for a plastic surgeon whilst in her surgery... as she knew it was melanoma. This little life saving episode cost me 520 bucks out of pocket thats with private cover... 400 admin fee at the plastic surgeons and 120 non returnable at the first skin doctors.... whom I've sidetracked for the one in Melton for follow ups.
Here's a Bulk Billing skin specialst.... very few of those on the ground, That's worth travelling across Melbourne for. Trust me he is good. (Trained in England actually) He'll do a biopsy in his surgery, unlike most GP's.
Bakery Square Medical Centre - Contact Us
Took me a while, but I found a bulk billing skin specialist here in Melbourne.... result 150 bucks in my pocket ever time I visit. I do have to drive to Melton though. Which is 35ks from me. He is really good as well if anyone wants his name...
Actually
I've not paid for a gp visit in decades.... There are 3 bulk billing practices within walking distance of me. One really good at least the equal of the best private practice, one with the bedside manner of Basil Fawlty..... still good though.... then the usual crap in and out the door ones used for medical certificates.
The very good one saved my life, no joke recently... I went to him for a sick note after two days off and he spotted something very dodgy on my neck and insisted that I go to a skin specialist the very next morning.... I went to a local one and it cost me 240 bucks to get a biopsy, biopsy was back within 2 days as a low level melanoma... she insisted that I make an appointment for a plastic surgeon whilst in her surgery... as she knew it was melanoma. This little life saving episode cost me 520 bucks out of pocket thats with private cover... 400 admin fee at the plastic surgeons and 120 non returnable at the first skin doctors.... whom I've sidetracked for the one in Melton for follow ups.
Here's a Bulk Billing skin specialst.... very few of those on the ground, That's worth travelling across Melbourne for. Trust me he is good. (Trained in England actually) He'll do a biopsy in his surgery, unlike most GP's.
Bakery Square Medical Centre - Contact Us
Last edited by ozzieeagle; Nov 20th 2015 at 9:22 pm.
#27
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: bute
Posts: 9,740
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
I always get an appointment with the GP on the day that I phone up, if it is a weekday. Referral to a specialist takes a bit longer. When I had a heart attack I was helicoptered to the Emergency Facility in Paisley. Not BUPA - NHS in Scotland.
#28
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
I dont know how you do it as every one i have spoken about this has the same issues with waiting for weeks for a doctor and much much longer for any treatment.
The quality of service is the other thing. here is the quality of service if your in London i think you would probably get good service but forget it if your not near a main centre,and not one person i spoke to had a speedy and efficient service.
As i said before all a want to do is get people to DYOR before jumping into moving back there is a lot wrong with this place and some people will not be able to afeard to go back if they discover its not all rosy on there return.
BTW while im typing this on the NEWS is the NHS is in finecial meltdown with no hospital able to sustain its curent level service
The quality of service is the other thing. here is the quality of service if your in London i think you would probably get good service but forget it if your not near a main centre,and not one person i spoke to had a speedy and efficient service.
As i said before all a want to do is get people to DYOR before jumping into moving back there is a lot wrong with this place and some people will not be able to afeard to go back if they discover its not all rosy on there return.
BTW while im typing this on the NEWS is the NHS is in finecial meltdown with no hospital able to sustain its curent level service
For hospital treatments I would say that (and I know we are lucky) what is on offer around here knocks spots off what I would have got in Aus - like I doubt anyone would be waiting 18 months for a gall bladder removal!
I know the NHS is not perfect and our local (IMHO comparatively excellent) hospital is having some problems at the moment but it has done very well by my olds!
#29
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Sydney
Posts: 396
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
Indeed. At a personal level we all make the choices that affect our quality of life. For instance a poor person could eat well but a wealthy person could eat shite. I was referring to the statistics that are used to rate the performance of nations. Statistics that are not pulled out of a lucky packet (did you get those in the UK BTW?) - per capita GDP both nominal and PPP, HDI etc. Stats from the UN, WHO, World Bank, EU, CIA, IMF, OECD. Australia is ahead of the UK in all of them. Before you start, this was bound to happen - look at Canada, USA. NZ. Nature of the beast
https://data.oecd.org/hha/household-debt.htm
#30
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1
Re: Another regretful expat returning home
Hi All,
Just wanted too say to those of you thinking about returning to UK think it through very seriously! it sure is an eye opener! been back a year after being in oz for 9 years and i am looking forward to going back to oz! UK has changed so much for the worse in my mind - living in Scotland its winter for 11 months of the year and definately gets you down..............
Just wanted too say to those of you thinking about returning to UK think it through very seriously! it sure is an eye opener! been back a year after being in oz for 9 years and i am looking forward to going back to oz! UK has changed so much for the worse in my mind - living in Scotland its winter for 11 months of the year and definately gets you down..............