jen_andreson

Exactly. It's impossible to generalise as it's all postcode/zipcode/insurance plan specific, and the posts on this site teach us that (amongst other things) and the importance of finding what works for our individual situation. I had a wonderful GP in the UK and then we moved...and had horrible problems. We went from a practice of 15 doctors/15,000 patients (big budget/lots of capacity) to a 2 doctor practice that was really struggling.

When we moved here we asked more questions and put a lot of effort into finding a practice that would work for us. For example, if one is an 'established' patient, that is has registered and met with the GP during a 'meet and greet' (as they call it) to review history, maintenance meds, etc, then one is guaranteed same day appts. It may be with a doctor other than the PCP, but they guarantee an appt. They have walk-in from 8-9 each morning for children, which is also helpful as I've young ones. For those who are not established, waiting can be up to a week. I guess a lot of people list one of the doctors as a PCP but don't officially register, and so they don't get immediate appts.

TruBrit

my bessie mate in the uk is a practice manager in surrey and i was with her last week and she was updating me on the NHS practices and she confirmed it with me. call your surgery and check it out. especially for children and asthma that's pretty serious, can't leave that until another day.

jen_andreson

That's good. We're over here now, so it's no longer an issue for us, but glad to know it's being addressed.

TruBrit

oh ok i wasn't too sure if you were here or there...

scrubbedexpat097

Well look on the bright side. What if you managed to get an appointment for your physical sometime before the end of this year and the doctor finds something he is concerned about and sends you to the hospital for further testing. You will then have to meet your deductible but then after looking at the results he may decide you need some other tests or maybe a minor procedure and now it is January and a new year and you will have to make another deductible ............so waiting until next year for your physical might not be so bad after all


(I'm sure it wont happen to you anyway and you'll pass your physical with flying colours!)

NC Penguin

I kind of wonder why anyone would schedule their physical for so late in the calendar year for that very reason.


NC Penguin

Triumphrob

Cos I never had this problem before. Ive always been seen within a few weeks. I hate having to pay massive amounts of dosh to insurance companies, then pay large deductibles, only to be told I cant be seen by a ROBOT!!!
Have a nice day!

Elvira

AFAIK the law (UK) is that patients have to be offered an appointment within 2 days.

And believe they still do home visits.

Jerseygirl

The doctor always visits mum at home because she is 86 and is no longer mobile. He called this week to give her the Flu shot.

Elvira

I don't now what I would have done without home visits when I suffered a billiary colic in the middle of the night when my (premature) twins were only 3 weeks old. If it had happened here, I expect my husband would have had to drive me to an ER... :scared: One of our GPs arrived within half an hour (at 2 in the morning!) to give me an injection.

If only people inthe UK realised how lucky they are to have this service. I hear it is abused at times . How does the song go: "you don't know what you’ve got til it's gone; they paved paradise and put up a parking lot"

jen_andreson

That's great--glad you had good support from your GP, esp with two little ones. My docs here do home visits--esp when a pregnancy is involved. Since moving here we have been very fortunate and I am grateful every day because of it. My OB does actual internal exams (after my going 30+ years and 2 pregnancies without one) and potentially saved the life of me and my youngest by catching a problem early in my pregnancy. How awful to think I could have lost my child, all because UK doctors send women off to a midwife without any internal exams, routine bloodtests, etc. My eldest no longer has asthma trouble, as she receives medicine that works for her, not the NICE baseline that doesn't help her. She is thriving. It's a relief to pay a health care premium instead of an extra tax and private care bills, as it's the first time in 2 years that everyone is consistently healthy.

The NHS is a wonderful system in premise, but there needs to be some consistency across the trusts. Once that is overhauled, it will be brilliant again.

Jerseygirl

LOL I was going to post earlier that my doctor here does home visits but thought no one would believe me.

jen_andreson

It's another example of how there are so many variables at play: location, GP personality/ethics, insurance plan, postcode, etc.

Jerseygirl

Quite...and pros and cons for both US and UK systems.

jen_andreson

Definitely! All we do is try to do what's right for us, and hope that one day there is more consistency, in both countries, so that everyone receives a superior level of care.