FWIW Bevs, I felt the same before I moved. It appears to be quite dependent on where you live, but I didn't have any problems getting an appointment at the local medical practice, usually within 24 hours and there were always appointments set aside for emergencies. I also had timely referrals to two different consultants. I broke my big toe and went to a walk in clinic (since closed down ), from triage to x-rays to seeing a doctor to confirm the fracture (and getting a good old moon boot) was about 1 hour.

The only thing that I didn't like was I rarely saw the same doctor twice, which made any sort of continuity of care difficult. All the doctors at the practice could access any patient's notes but there's nothing like the same pair of eyes and the same set of ears. Again, that's probably location/practice dependent.

As I was under 60 I paid for all my prescriptions (of course they're subsidised by the NHS), from memory it was about £8 per script. As Scouse was over 60 all his prescriptions were free. Plus of course his bus pass, he took great delight in just waving that at the driver while I was scrabbling around for change

Just to add another good benefit that returning British pensioners get immediately. The bus pass. This scheme is administered by county councils. In England, it’s a very simple application, just prove your identity and permanent address (I used passport plus newly updated U.K. driving license, and a passport photo.) Bus pass came by return of post.

Pulaski - to address a point you made in an earlier post. Yes, it is wicked windy in Norfolk. And, I agree, it often makes it feel cold in the winter when actually it’s 10 or 12 degrees! But overall, mild temperatures and LACK OF RAIN make it a climate you can happily do outdoor activities virtually every day.

I’ve had two doctors appointments this winter. On both occasions, I rang the office at 8:15. She got a doctor to ring back in a few minutes, the doctor quizzed me and set up an appointment for later that morning. I walked to the office, and on both occasions was called in literally within 30 seconds of my appointment time! I saw two random docs - both looked to be very old, seventies or eighties, so I assume they are “on call” retirees. Both had satisfactory outcomes though...