How is Health care in the UK
Sep 1st 2010, 7:33 pm
#31
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Back in the UK!
Posts: 1,097
Re: How is Health care in the UK
Last Friday night my 84 yr old MIL woke up during the night covered in blood. It was a nose bleed...but she takes Warfarin and hasn't had a nose bleed before and this was a particularly heavy bleed. Without a second thought an ambulance was called...within a few minutes she was on her way to the hospital. Upon arrival at A&E she was in seen immediately and was there for 5 hours while various tests were carried out.
She didn't have to think about the cost of the ambulance or the tens of thousands of pounds the visit to A&E would cost her.
Posts such as the opening post make me so angry. During the last 12 months of my mother's life she had outstanding medical care. The UK Social Services is second to non IMO. Mum had 4 care workers a day...the first to get her out of bed, bathed, dressed and give her breakfast. The second to give her lunch, the third to give her dinner and the fourth to get her undressed and make sure she was safely in bed. For years her family doctor has called to see her...even called at her home to give her flu shots. I could go on...but what would be the point...some only open threads to flame.
She didn't have to think about the cost of the ambulance or the tens of thousands of pounds the visit to A&E would cost her.
Posts such as the opening post make me so angry. During the last 12 months of my mother's life she had outstanding medical care. The UK Social Services is second to non IMO. Mum had 4 care workers a day...the first to get her out of bed, bathed, dressed and give her breakfast. The second to give her lunch, the third to give her dinner and the fourth to get her undressed and make sure she was safely in bed. For years her family doctor has called to see her...even called at her home to give her flu shots. I could go on...but what would be the point...some only open threads to flame.
The OP seems to have forgotten that the free healthcare he'd like for his wife is the product of a nasty Socialist government.
Sep 2nd 2010, 12:38 am
#32
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 20
Re: How is Health care in the UK
A good friend of mine broke her pelvis in a bad accident last year. A care worker came to her house every day to help her shower, dress, etc. It was help she couldn't have done without, yet she hadn't demanded it, it was a service that was provided, free of charge. If she'd been in the US, she'd be bankrupt by now.
The OP seems to have forgotten that the free healthcare he'd like for his wife is the product of a nasty Socialist government.
The OP seems to have forgotten that the free healthcare he'd like for his wife is the product of a nasty Socialist government.
Sep 2nd 2010, 12:46 am
#33
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Back in the UK!
Posts: 1,097
Re: How is Health care in the UK
Well if you actually read what I said you would realise that I was never asking for free health care. Yes I had a dig at the useless democrats but my original post was trying to find out what I can expect if we move backto the UK in terms of medical care for my wife. So can we just stick to the question at hand.........because if anyone mentions barry or the smashed tomato or the weasel then I will have to respond.
just sayin'
Sep 2nd 2010, 12:48 am
#34
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,023
Re: How is Health care in the UK
Well if you actually read what I said you would realise that I was never asking for free health care. Yes I had a dig at the useless democrats but my original post was trying to find out what I can expect if we move backto the UK in terms of medical care for my wife. So can we just stick to the question at hand.........because if anyone mentions barry or the smashed tomato or the weasel then I will have to respond.
Did you change identity? I thought you were VTLeedsbloke?
Sep 2nd 2010, 12:51 am
#35
A lion in your lap
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Sparta NJ
Posts: 7,605
Re: How is Health care in the UK
you are a typical cool-aid liberal that believes all the c**p your party is professing....and you are such a fool if you think the health bill is going to give my wife long term care...the bill that they took so much time to read, that they didn't bribe for votes, that they discussed in full view of the public, that will bring down costs.........NOT.......Everything a liberal does is all about one thing and one thing only.......CONTROL. When the democrats bankrupt the country with all their spending dreams, it will lead to higher taxes and health care rationing........and how do they do rationing?? If you have a 50 year old and a 80 year old both wanting the same operation guess who is sh*t out of luck. Yes I have had good jobs with good insurance but I have also been unemployed for a year in that 11 years and had state health insurance during that time.........yes I was very grateful for it but I was glad to get off it once I secured my next job because of all the bureaucratic nonsense you had to go through and this is what democrats have given this country.
Sep 2nd 2010, 1:08 am
#36
Bon Vivant
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 2,956
Re: How is Health care in the UK
Sounds more like a troll to me ! 
Sep 2nd 2010, 1:30 am
#37
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2009
Location: Toronto
Posts: 220
Re: How is Health care in the UK
out side of all the political crap etc, i would like to offer my opinion:
I have lived in both the UK and Canada (a few times lol) The Uk is a much better system for patient care over all. Both hubby and I have worked for the NHS and know it from the inside out. I have had pregnancies in both countries, delivered and raised children in both countries.
The only place it falls down is in the GP prescribing part. But that could be specifically the GP I had. The way it worked was at the beginning of each year the GP practice was give a lump sum as an operating budget from the government. This lump sum paid all expenses plus it paid for the cost of the drug prescribed to the patient. When you get a prescription in the UK you pay a flat fee to have it filled no matter what the medicine is and how much of it you get. The cost of the drug comes out of the GP's budget for that fiscal year. Our GP was all about fancy cars etc. so....
Here lies the problem, our GP would not prescribe easily and if he did it was maybe not the best one for the illness but the most cost effective or cheapest one. We only found out and understood how this worked when our middle child crashed on xmas day. He had gotten an infection that was treatable, but GP told us for 3 months on and off it was viral ...no test were ever done. I should have pushed harder, but i was 8 months preggers with a broken pelvic bone. Turns out he had a bacterial infection that had he been treated with the right meds he would have never had suffered. We spent 2 weeks in PICU with our 2 year old entubated and on life support. We were transferred to the best hospital in the UK to deal with his type of illness (for Free) that hospital put us up in a family room to sleep at the hospital (for Free). We then spent months after dealing with him coming of morphine and the date rape drug. I gave birth 3 weeks after we got home from the PICU unit. I tell you I was a tired panda.
On a great note all the acute care was FREE and amazing!! The head of A&E in our hospital always dealt with us directly and ensured that we were always taken care of. When he crashed I had him in the the hospital already waiting to be seen. It took 11 staff to bring him back. They were amazing and dedicated, there never was any question if we could afford what they were doing ...everything that could be done was!
So I guess ...make sure you have a good GP and all is well. the specialist, acute, the after care, the support workers are all the best.
I have lived in both the UK and Canada (a few times lol) The Uk is a much better system for patient care over all. Both hubby and I have worked for the NHS and know it from the inside out. I have had pregnancies in both countries, delivered and raised children in both countries.
The only place it falls down is in the GP prescribing part. But that could be specifically the GP I had. The way it worked was at the beginning of each year the GP practice was give a lump sum as an operating budget from the government. This lump sum paid all expenses plus it paid for the cost of the drug prescribed to the patient. When you get a prescription in the UK you pay a flat fee to have it filled no matter what the medicine is and how much of it you get. The cost of the drug comes out of the GP's budget for that fiscal year. Our GP was all about fancy cars etc. so....
Here lies the problem, our GP would not prescribe easily and if he did it was maybe not the best one for the illness but the most cost effective or cheapest one. We only found out and understood how this worked when our middle child crashed on xmas day. He had gotten an infection that was treatable, but GP told us for 3 months on and off it was viral ...no test were ever done. I should have pushed harder, but i was 8 months preggers with a broken pelvic bone. Turns out he had a bacterial infection that had he been treated with the right meds he would have never had suffered. We spent 2 weeks in PICU with our 2 year old entubated and on life support. We were transferred to the best hospital in the UK to deal with his type of illness (for Free) that hospital put us up in a family room to sleep at the hospital (for Free). We then spent months after dealing with him coming of morphine and the date rape drug. I gave birth 3 weeks after we got home from the PICU unit. I tell you I was a tired panda.
On a great note all the acute care was FREE and amazing!! The head of A&E in our hospital always dealt with us directly and ensured that we were always taken care of. When he crashed I had him in the the hospital already waiting to be seen. It took 11 staff to bring him back. They were amazing and dedicated, there never was any question if we could afford what they were doing ...everything that could be done was!
So I guess ...make sure you have a good GP and all is well. the specialist, acute, the after care, the support workers are all the best.
Sep 7th 2010, 12:43 pm
#38
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Montreal
Posts: 139
Re: How is Health care in the UK
You will have to live for 6 months in the UK before you are entitled to NHS treatment so consider this should you make the move.
Sep 7th 2010, 1:30 pm
#41
The Kwisatz Haderach
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: North Wales
Posts: 8,080
Re: How is Health care in the UK
Any legal resident is entitled to NHS care, sometimes they want you to give more info to prove you are back to stay, but not always.
Sep 8th 2010, 12:07 am
#42
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2009
Location: Toronto
Posts: 220
Re: How is Health care in the UK
Actually if you are a british citizen, all you need is your NHS number. With this Coverage is immediate upon arrival back. If you don't know your number you need to contact the Local health authority you resided in last and request it. Simple process really. The Uk still does not have a functioning national IT patient database. I and my both worked in the NHS IT field for over 10 years and many of our friends are still in it. lol we are pretty up to date on all the records and procedures.
Sep 8th 2010, 8:29 am
#44
Finally Home!
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Used to be New York, now North Yorkshire
Posts: 3,610
Re: How is Health care in the UK
A good friend of mine broke her pelvis in a bad accident last year. A care worker came to her house every day to help her shower, dress, etc. It was help she couldn't have done without, yet she hadn't demanded it, it was a service that was provided, free of charge. If she'd been in the US, she'd be bankrupt by now.
The OP seems to have forgotten that the free healthcare he'd like for his wife is the product of a nasty Socialist government.
The OP seems to have forgotten that the free healthcare he'd like for his wife is the product of a nasty Socialist government.
The same thing happened to my MIL and she got great home care - something that would never be given in 'the best healthcare system in the world.' Plus the fire department arrived the day after she got home from hospital and explained that because she was sleeping downstairs and was an invalid, they needed to install extra smoke detectors. All free of charge. Plus my FIL got an allowance to stay in a hotel for the weekend during his caring for her. Apparently it's something they do to give FT carers a break. He didn't want it, but I thought it was great anyway.
Sep 8th 2010, 8:34 am
#45
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,099
Re: How is Health care in the UK
The same thing happened to my MIL and she got great home care - something that would never be given in 'the best healthcare system in the world.' Plus the fire department arrived the day after she got home from hospital and explained that because she was sleeping downstairs and was an invalid, they needed to install extra smoke detectors. All free of charge. Plus my FIL got an allowance to stay in a hotel for the weekend during his caring for her. Apparently it's something they do to give FT carers a break. He didn't want it, but I thought it was great anyway.
