British Expats - How to get a GP

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- - How to get a GP (https://britishexpats.com/forum/australia-54/how-get-gp-701765/)

Re: How to get a GP

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professional Princess (Post 9121582)

They do them free for all women over 40 in WA, I had my first one two years ago and I am due this year, they do them every two years. In the UK they do them over 50 unless you have a mother or aunt that had cancer which is bollocks, total bollocks, my friend was diagnosed at 41 with no family history, I do sometimes wonder if it is a cost cutting thing and this stupid age for PAP smears, my 20 year old friend went to have one and was turned away.

I wont miss my appointments thats for sure.

Has that changed then in the last 4 years since i moved, or is it different in england to Scotland?:confused:
I always had regular pap smears in the uk from an early age with no family history no problem. As far as i know Mammograms were only done regularly for over 50's unless you had a history or noticed a lump though.

Re: How to get a GP

Quote:

Originally Posted by fish.01 (Post 9126804)

Do you have a reference that compares elective surgery between the two systems?

Getting a full picture gets a bit murky, made more difficult by differences in data collection and now some public patients are getting surgery carried out in private hospitals. You might find something useful here: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ma...ph-index09.htm

Lots of others refs out there:).

Re: How to get a GP

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotdownunder (Post 9126833)

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Cerv...ening-Test.htm

Cervical screening is a free service on the NHS. Depending on which country you live in, you may be called at different ages for cervical screening:.

First invitation for screening in England is at age 25. It is age 20 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Routine recall (repeat screening test):

â—¦Age 25 years: first invitation to cervical screening in England.
â—¦Age 25-49 years: cervical screening tests are every 3 years. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland cervical screening is 3-yearly from age 20.
â—¦Age 50-64 years: cervical screening tests are every 5 years.
â—¦Age 65 years: routine cervical screening ceases.

Women over 65 years of age should be screened if:

â—¦They have not had a cervical screening test since the age of 50.
â—¦A recent cervical screening test has been abnormal.

Cervical screening does not stop simply due to age until a woman with a previously abnormal cervical screening test has had 3 negative results.

Re: How to get a GP

Ah, I see, but it is a bit odd and strange how, despite it being a national health service, they make the start point for screening a different age - you would think they would have a medical perspective on what age was the best to start from and apply it across the board.:huh:

Re: How to get a GP

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotdownunder (Post 9127248)

The health researchers would have collected data about how many cases of cervical cancers occur, normal or abnormal tests, age of women having the test, etc, etc. They would also have data on the age that women become sexually active (looking at such things as contraceptive pill prescriptions), and match their Pap smear programmes to local data and this would vary from country to country - see below for US and Canada.

From another website (http://www.womens-health.co.uk/pap.html)

When to Start and How Often?
In the UK women who have a registered general practitioner (GP) will be asked to have their first Pap test once they turn 25, since before this age cervical cancers rates are extremely low. In the US and Canada, women who are 18 or older are encouraged to take the test. There is, however, no set age at which it is optimal to begin having Pap tests.
If you are under 25 and have been sexually active for more than three years, then it is recommended that you have a Pap test. The three-year waiting period is encouraged so as to avoid overtreating common abnormalities that can occur within the first years a woman becomes sexually active.

Re: How to get a GP

There's a good Canberra bulk billing thread on The-RiotACT. But feedback indicates that are we should watch out for Dr ? ;)