You know you are in Australia when...
Nov 2nd 2011, 4:27 am
#871
Officially Bewildered
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
Posts: 5,523
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
Actually, thinking about it.. the first time we lived in Wales (but this time in mid-Wales) they had open surgeries too - but they didn't do any appointment system alongside it, which was an absolute pain in the arse.
Nov 2nd 2011, 4:33 am
#872
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
I tried, they were closed
It was the same at our local surgery in York (although not quite as bad as you described, you could usually get an appointment within a couple of days) - the absolute best system I came across was when we lived near Wrexham. There, you could make an appointment with the doctor of your choice or if it was urgent, you could bob along on a morning and wait to see whichever doctor was doing an open surgery that day.
It was the same at our local surgery in York (although not quite as bad as you described, you could usually get an appointment within a couple of days) - the absolute best system I came across was when we lived near Wrexham. There, you could make an appointment with the doctor of your choice or if it was urgent, you could bob along on a morning and wait to see whichever doctor was doing an open surgery that day.
11 hours diiference now. We had the same no appointment needed open surgery about ten years ago. That was good. 
But these days the demand is simply too great.
Nov 2nd 2011, 7:45 am
#873
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Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
I often have to wait a few days or maybe until the next week to see my GP here, generally there is no difference for us in either country. People get sick and injured in both countries so I can't see how a doctor in one country can see more patients than another doctor in a different country ?
Nov 2nd 2011, 8:01 am
#874
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: at the bottom of a wine glass
Posts: 28,176
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
I often have to wait a few days or maybe until the next week to see my GP here, generally there is no difference for us in either country. People get sick and injured in both countries so I can't see how a doctor in one country can see more patients than another doctor in a different country ?
Nov 2nd 2011, 8:32 am
#875
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
I often have to wait a few days or maybe until the next week to see my GP here, generally there is no difference for us in either country. People get sick and injured in both countries so I can't see how a doctor in one country can see more patients than another doctor in a different country ?
That's also true.
Nov 2nd 2011, 8:46 am
#876
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Nov 2nd 2011, 9:01 am
#878
Bitter and twisted
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Upmarket
Posts: 17,503
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
They order lots of unnecessary tests which you end up paying for. It wastes a lot of resources which should be put into providing decent treatment for those who are actually ill...and which is sadly lacking in much of the public sector.
You can hardly visit a GP here without having a battery of unnecessary blood tests.
Don't kid yourself that this is more thorough...they are protecting their own arses....this is an unfortunate by product of a semi private system and the litigation which such a systen spawns
You can hardly visit a GP here without having a battery of unnecessary blood tests.
Don't kid yourself that this is more thorough...they are protecting their own arses....this is an unfortunate by product of a semi private system and the litigation which such a systen spawns
Nov 2nd 2011, 9:27 am
#879
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
Can an independent verify this? And does this mean you get locked in in the UK?
I didn't have a doctor - well I never knew who he or she was. Everytime I presented at hospital for an injury I chucked the letter for my GP in the bin...I figured they had better things to do.
Nov 2nd 2011, 9:42 am
#880
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
They order lots of unnecessary tests which you end up paying for. It wastes a lot of resources which should be put into providing decent treatment for those who are actually ill...and which is sadly lacking in much of the public sector.
You can hardly visit a GP here without having a battery of unnecessary blood tests.
Don't kid yourself that this is more thorough...they are protecting their own arses....this is an unfortunate by product of a semi private system and the litigation which such a systen spawns
You can hardly visit a GP here without having a battery of unnecessary blood tests.
Don't kid yourself that this is more thorough...they are protecting their own arses....this is an unfortunate by product of a semi private system and the litigation which such a systen spawns
Having said that, if the tests show up other issues then I'd rather have them done than not done - especially now I have put more mileage on.
Nov 4th 2011, 4:16 am
#881
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
Nov 4th 2011, 5:01 am
#882
Possum. Amiculum. Latrina
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Footloose
Posts: 3,427
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
I've just been to the GP in Airlie Beach for a coral cut that won't heal and I was in there for a good half hour chatting away. He was a very friendly German fellow . Accustomed to feeling guilty for wasting the 30 seconds you get with a UK quack i kept trying to get away but no... More friendly chat! Wunderbar
Nov 4th 2011, 5:07 am
#883
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
I've just been to the GP in Airlie Beach for a coral cut that won't heal and I was in there for a good half hour chatting away. He was a very friendly German fellow . Accustomed to feeling guilty for wasting the 30 seconds you get with a UK quack i kept trying to get away but no... More friendly chat! Wunderbar
What is it about coral? I too sustained a coral cut a couple of years ago, it took ages to heal
Nov 4th 2011, 5:11 am
#884
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
I've just been to the GP in Airlie Beach for a coral cut that won't heal and I was in there for a good half hour chatting away. He was a very friendly German fellow . Accustomed to feeling guilty for wasting the 30 seconds you get with a UK quack i kept trying to get away but no... More friendly chat! Wunderbar
Looks like German doctors like it here - probably because they earn so much money
Nov 4th 2011, 6:53 am
#885
no stressin no fussin....
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Fantasy Island....
Posts: 12,616
Re: You know you are in Australia when...
My wife is having an op on her shoulder in a few weeks (private but really easy to get appointments). The surgeon is German and has only been here a year (loves it BTW). I know another German doctor who is with The RFDS.
Looks like German doctors like it here - probably because they earn so much money
Looks like German doctors like it here - probably because they earn so much money