Jerseygirl

Now, now...play nicely. Please cut out the insults...thank you muchly.

formula

If you can find a good NHS dentist. Many didn't like the bands and went private instead. Some do private and NHS. Some private costs aren't far off the NHS charges.

michali

That is the challenge! I signed on as an NHS patient but the dentist keeps pushing private on me! The only thing I have had on NHS is a filling and that broke.

formula

Make sure it's a good dentist and change if it isn't. The same with a GP surgery.

If you are near London you can use supervised students at a dental teaching hospital, but only if you don't have a dentist.

Bud the Wiser

Slightly off topic, but health care related.

I was talking to someone who has health care through her husbands work, ( local government US ). The employers are phasing in monthly staff 'penalties'/payments for health care based on whether an employee, and his/her family, have taken preventative health check ups, if they are overweight, are smokers, have high blood pressure/cholesterol without actually taking measures to bring them down, amongst others.

Penalties include being excluded from health coverage all together and the payments ( fines! ) are per person. Therefore, a family of four could face severe financial hardship.

OK, this is the US, but the above is about people taking more responsibility for their and their families overall health.

Coming to the UK any time soon?

Shard

They are talking about it.

Lose weight and give up smoking or you can't have surgery, hospital tells patients | Daily Mail Online

dunroving

At some point the great British public has to take more personal responsibility for their health - and stop going to the A&E for every cold and sniffle.

Shard

Lots of debate on the reasons why people are going. For example 111 has been found to be instructing people to go to A&E for minor respitory issues. Population has increased. GPs have fewer open hours. Etc.

formula

It's not only the GBP, it's also those who didn't bother to get health insurance when they visited the UK and don't want to pay. Plenty of forums tell these people to go to A&E as they won't be billed. That's why the study recommended that the government ended free A&E to everyone to significantly reduce the pressure on the UKs A&Es. Abuse it and you lose it.

For those that will continue to be allowed free A&E in England; in the past there have been discussions to charge a fee to those who visit A&E when a doctor deems it wasn't urgent. France bill those that those who call an ambulance when the doctor said they didn't need one and we have seen the UK EHIC change so that now the UK now won't pay for those French ambulances either if wasn't needed.

Then there was that idea the last government had, to charge for each visit the GP in a 'those that use them the most, pay the most'. That would also stop people going there for every sniffle or make them think twice about continuing to exercise to lose weight when they have a knee pain (as seen on the uk-yankee forums) when they said it didn't matter as they don't have to pay in the UK. If being "free" means that you don't have to take personal responsibility for your own health, then perhaps it is time the UK charged for GP consultations/non-urgent visits to A&E.

In the future we may even see a residency requirement when people return to the UK, as Canada does for their citizens to stop abuse on their health service.

The UKs health service is the worlds 4th biggest employer and was the 3rd until Walmart took over Asda. Something has to change.

LondonSquirrel

Those who use the most pay the most. The sickest in other words. Nice. My mum currently has to go to see the nurse every week to check her Warfarin levels because she has atrial fibrillation and is at risk of developing a blood clot. No way could she afford to pay £50 a week out of her state pension and tiny little pension from the 11 years my dad had his local government pension before he died of a brain tumour. She'd just have to have a stroke and let the NHS pay for her round-the-clock care she would need.

formula

This government says there should be free GP consultations and have written that in the Immigration Act 2014. It was the last government that wanted to charge and I would hope that if another Labour government did make NHS England operate a GP charge, then they would make exceptions. However, as they have now said that they plan to increase taxes in England if they get into government to pay for more nurses for NHS Scotland, I wouldn't be too sure on that.

Bud the Wiser

Recent Panorama programme. " NHS- The Perfect Storm'

Narrator a bit over dramatic, but some sensible ideas being put forward with regarded to the future of the NHS.

Downton Gabby

Wow.

robin1234

I agree, I saw this when it was broadcast. It was over dramatic (I think all documentary makers are forced into this mode.) But the basic message was quite hopeful; intelligent integration of medical services with care can lead to cost effective, humane long term care.

Bud the Wiser

Today's news virtually ensures that changes ( charges ) are inevitable.

Guardian > NHS facing £2bn deficit and 'worst financial crisis in a generation' | Society | The Guardian

Telegraph > NHS faces biggest financial crisis 'in a generation' - Telegraph

Independent > NHS in financial crisis after posting £1 billion losses in just three months | UK Politics | News | The Independent

Choose your bad news.: