gobbyjock

Ok some of you may not want to read this thread as it could be seen as a bit woe is me, so if thats the case please feel free to bugger off to another thread.
My mum got taken into hospital back at the beginning of August, she had fluid in her abdomen & lungs ,heart failure, gallstones, tumours on her ovaries and a 50/50 chance of having cancer and a couple of other things too. They tried to do a biopsy but had to stop as it was hurting too much and couldn`t put her under anaesthetic as they didn`t think she would come out of it. After 2 weeks in hospital she told them she`d had enough and was going home and that if it was cancer she didn`t want treatment anyway (my dad died of cancer 6 years ago). I work in a hospital and my eldest sister is a nurse, I`ve always defended the health service and for the most part think it`s bloody good value for money however the service my mum has recieved leaves a lot to be desired, they lost her notes, they were supposed to arrange for tests - they didn`t. When the tests did finally happen they told her to go to her GP for the results -the GP said oh why are you here have you been in hospital (it was the GP who called for the ambulance when mum collapsed in her surgery!!) then it turned out the GP didn`t have the results and mum would have to see the consultant. A few phonecalls to the consultants PS and they found the results (eventually after they`d lost them) only to given an appointment in November!! Mum went to see the consultant today only to be told that she has hardened lungs?? Because of the scarring on her lungs she`ll probably be on oxygen soon - we still don`t know if she has cancer or not (it could be on her ovaries or it could be on her lungs but hidden due to the scarring) WTF!!!!
Is this what the health service is like OZ - please don`t tell me it`s worse!!

jad n rich

Personal experience, good points, because you pay for a lot of things, even for the kids! its easier to see a doctor, if you have private you can see a doc for most things very quickly, but may still have some expenses to pay.

If you want to use the free system you will have waits, like the UK if you have a heart attack and collapse you will get in , however if you need some corrective surgery and dont have private you will face a waiting list, often long! Some states such as Queensland are now considering making high income earners $33,000 !!! how do they call that high pay for any surgery to relieve waiting lists. Because of the size of australia those in country areas often face services they require being 1000 miles plus from home.

Medical error, as long as hospitals employ humans that will exist, but read up on doctor death if you think crap wont happen here :scared: Plenty of superbugs too.

Like the UK the papers are full of medical horror stories, waiting lists, funding problems and current affair shows with people with the wrong leg chopped off

gobbyjock

You just wonder what the answer is, like you said where you ahve humans you`ll have human error. It just seems like the whole system is under threat of collapse. How much on average is the private health cover - any ideas??

NedKelly

Since being here we have had occasion to use the health service several times. Firstly for a broken finger (don't ask) and secondly my son had his appendix whipped out after acute appendicitus.

In both instances we were seen by a doctor within 15 minutes, the hospital was spotlessly clean, you could park without paying, the doctors and nurses understood english and we were kept informed about what was going on. When my son has his appendix out my wife was invited in the operating theatre to watch,the food was excellent, and he made a full recoverery in 10 days. Having said that we did go private and it was covered under insurance. The heatlh service here is a reason to move on it's own.

gobbyjock

Nice to hear some positives (I`ve never encountered bad dealings with the health service here in the UK myself apart from a dodgy dentist wearing a robbers mask but that another story)However I guess it doesn`t take much to give you a jaded view and I`m just really appalled at the way my mum has let down. I personally know loads of doctors and nurses doing bloody good jobs but it just takes one bad experience to make you re-evaluate the system.

glittababe

good and bad wherever you go I'm afraid! We had two incidences in aus where the kids were poorly and received well below par care. Got back to UK, got oliver straight into hospital and sorted, so fabulous. However that was met a few months later by hubby collapsing at GP surgery with renal colic and not one person at GP's doing anything about it. Didn't even know how to call an ambulance! We have since received very grovelling letter from GP saying how sorry he was etc etc Its all much of a muchness X

gobbyjock

Bloody hell mate that must have been scarey!! I guess at the end of the day it comes down to luck of the draw no matter where you are

glittababe

ooooo hun look at the number of posts you've done, 666!

gobbyjock

LOL - that just about sums me up mate

Rich and Angie

Yep you have ups and downs here in Oz, i work for a private hospital and have seen some horrific things that makes you think being private can be a lot worse than public. Remember when your'e private your'e a wallet extension for a doctor, unless you know what they should be doing or are treating how do you know its a good service, or do people regard first class treatment like where i work as good because of the fantastic food and movie channels??????
There are some fantastic public hospitals like in the UK and some good private but make sure that the treatment you receive or are going for is necessary and your private care is not paying for the doctors new boat.

Boomie

very true rich......


look at the medicals we all have to go through to move to oz........

money for old rope i'd say!


boomie

bondipom

If you pay up front you get served quick here in Sydney but everything depends on your hospital and health authority. There are very similiar stories in the public system here as those from the NHS. The current wait for a paediatrician is month where we go and 2 months over at Westmead. The wait for the Allergy clinic at Randwick is about 4 months and similiar at Westmead. I have read stories of year long waits in QLD and people flying down to Melbourne for treatment for kids allergies and reflux. Out in the country you may as well throw a dice and just hope you don't have anything needing a specialist.

So far I think we have spent $1200 up front for paediatricians, gastroenterologists ($280 an hour), X-rays and ultrasounds. I think medicare has paid back about $1000 as we have hit the safety nets. If you suspect a private doctor is using you as a cash cow you can always pay for a second opinion here.

Private birthing here can be hit and miss caesarian rate vary wildly with private doctors being very scalpel happy.

Personally I have always found the NHS excellent although the waits can be long. The NHS also offers free dental surgery that could cost $10,000 here.

It is ashame ones ability to pay determines the speed of treatment.

gobbyjock

Do you think it will become more like America where they check your insurance as soon as you are out of the Ambulance?? I mean $33000 is quite a low threshold (I think anyway)

jad n rich

Not america worse they check it before you get into the amublance, one way or another most states require you to pay ambulance insurance or a levy, if your not paid up the ambulance bills you, when I worked at the medical centre people could be bleeding, heart attack but they or family would argue we dont have insurance and cant afford ambulance

Now qld has a scheme where your electricity accounts are charged a levy to cover it.

Re waiting lists the most common one where there were delays was for cancer treatment and heart surgery, people would often sell a home or take a loan to pay for speedier treatment on private.

gobbyjock

So does that mean you need health insurance and also seperate insurance to cover the cost of the ambulance??