In the UK we are so lucky. We have the National Health Service also known as the NHS. Free to all. Paid for by our taxes. In general, even if you are not resident in the UK, you will be treated, particularly if it is an emergency, and only later will questions be asked about insurance, reciprocal agreements etc. In general, you will get a high standard of care. Like everything else, some places are better than others. We owe a debt to the people who work there, providing front line care 24 x 7.
Emergency Care
A friend had a bad fall a few weeks ago. We took her to Accident & Emergency at about 13:00. She was checked pretty promptly, and several x-rays later, and a temporary plaster cast, she was able to go home at 15:30. Unfortunately it was a bad break, so she had to return the next morning to get surgery. Cost to her – nothing. (Except the total frustration of 6 weeks healing time and not being able to write or drive!)
Now there are a lot of discussions about unnecessary waste. I can’t say I saw much waste when I was there. The only thing we noticed was 2 cleaners walking around with the cleaning trolley, but only 1 was doing any work. The other would stand with the trolley. I would question why they didn’t use 2 trolleys, and get the job done in half the time! If a job needed 2 cleaners, I am sure they could put out a call for additional support. Everyone was friendly and polite. The A&E unit was quiet. I certainly wouldn’t want to be there at 11pm when the self-injured drunks turn up.
When It Works Really Well
Back to the reason I started this post. My husband has to have some minor surgery. He will be a day patient. He first went to his doctor on 25th October. It was agreed he needed to be dealt with, but it was absolutely non-urgent. Within a week, he had an appointment with a consultant on 23rd November, at the appropriate hospital, which was in Livingston, a 30 minute drive away. As parking might have been difficult, my husband decided to take the ‘hospital bus’. There is a bus that goes between the various local hospitals. As a pensioner, the bus is free. (Everyone in Scotland over the age of 60 gets a bus pass and can travel anywhere in Scotland by bus for free!)
He saw the consultant and was put on the waiting list. At that time the waiting list was about 10 weeks. About a week ago he got a call. He could be treated quicker if he was prepared to go to Glasgow (an hour away by car). So he now has an appointment for the surgery in mid January. He got all the paperwork yesterday. Should he wish to, he can claim for travel expenses, not only for himself but also for a companion. He wont be claiming, but if you were on a limited budget, this would be important.
We get regular screening for breast cancer and bowel cancer, all free. Vaccination for children is free. Flu jabs for a large part of the population are also free, and if you aren’t eligible, but still want to get one, it is only £11.50. Dental treatment for many is free, and even if you have to pay, the total bill is limited. Essential treatment only, not cosmetic dentistry (That is why as a nation, we often have snaggly teeth!)
When it doesn’t work so well
Now, there are waiting lists for many things, particularly for knee and hip operations. A friend was first referred for a knee operation in November 2017, she only saw the consultant in October 2018. She is still waiting for her operation. Unfortunately for her she is in a lot of pain, and becoming less mobile. Hopefully she will get taken in February or March next year. But knees and hips are not urgent, more and more people are needing them, we are all living longer, and people sometimes need the same procedure more than once.
If you need medication, your preferred treatment might not be available on the NHS, so your doctor will be unable to prescribe it. The rules differ from area to area – commonly referred to as the postcode lottery. One lady, I am aware of, with cancer can’t get a new treatment in the North of England, but could get it if she moved to Scotland. Each Health Authority can choose what they fund and what they don’t, so they prioritise different things.
Things we could do to help
Give Blood – This Christmas in Edinburgh, we have an appeal for blood donors. In the UK, giving blood is voluntary and you don’t get paid for it. I used to give regularly (the blood donor truck visits many of the larger workplaces), but I had to stop because I was ill for a while. Now fit and healthy at 63, I have just checked the regulations and I am still eligible to donate, so I will organise myself to do that before Christmas, if there is an available slot. It only takes an hour, and you get a cup of tea and a biscuit when you are finished!
Don’t bother your doctor unless you are really ill. Our surgeries are clogged, and I know from talking to a few GPs that many people who come to see them don’t need to be there. Add into that, many people don’t attend the appointments they do make. What a waste of a precious resource.
Don’t ask for unnecessary prescriptions. In Scotland everybody gets free prescriptions, but not in England. It averages out about £250 a person, each year. A cost of £1.3bn in Scotland. Now that money could be used for different things. Many people can afford to pay, so why don’t we charge where we can. Pre 2011, there were systems in place where different categories got free treatment (pregnant, pensioner, on benefits, chronic conditions). You could make a one-off annual payment of about £100 if you were going to need regular medication, and didn’t meet the free criteria. So don’t ask your doctor to prescribe things that are cheaper to buy in the supermarket.
Thank you NHS
So Thank you – NHS. You save me a fortune in health insurance. I know if I am seriously ill, I will be treated. If it isn’t urgent I might have to wait a while, but so what. I know I pay for it through taxes, but to be honest, I would pay some more, if it would make a difference.
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