There's one aspect about the NHS that's never mentioned in any of these UA-cam videos. Because the NHS is government run, it is a unifying subject. Come election time the opposing political parties and thier respective supporters will argue about many different political issues but they will always say the same thing when talking about the NHS and NHS funding is always at the top of list of every political parties manifesto of policies for the future. One thing all sides agree on is supporting our wonderful NHS and our nhs heroes. A subject that unifies society right across the full spectrum of politics and our societies large diversity.
@@stuartfitch7093 agreed but the NHS has a ridiculous amount of wast and middle management. And does need remodelling in a way to combat this. As regardless of what government is in power it’s never enough money to fill its bottomless hole.
@@stuartfitch7093 the tories always under fund it and then privatise parts of it. They've been doing that since the 2012 health & social care act. Too many people aren't aware what they're doing.
The NHS waiting times are exaggerated in this video. If anyone is seriously worried about an illness they will be able to see a doctor (not a nurse) the same day or the following day. Very recently I found blood in my urine. I phoned the doctors’ practice at about 11.30am and by 12.15pm I was being seen by a doctor. By 1pm I had a prescription for medication and was on my way to hospital for blood tests. I was home by 2.30pm having had the blood tests and having collected the medication which was £0 because I am over 60yrs old. The blood problem seemed completely gone by the following day but I was asked to take a urine sample which showed ‘microscopic’ drops of blood invisible to the human eye. My GP wanted to be sure though that all was well. Over the next 2 weeks I had a CT scan, Ultrasound scan, a urology procedure and a ‘camera-down-the-throat’ procedure. Total cost for all this was £0. I was cleared of any cancer problem. The NHS is brilliant and the staff are so friendly and helpful. A member of stall commented to a female patient - “We don’t care if you are the Queen of England or a bag lady. You’ll get the same level of care!” My wife has been a type 1 diabetic since she was 11 years old. She’s 68 now and has never had to pay a penny for any medication (for any illness) nor any hospital operations although, as stated in this video, she does have to contribute part of the cost of dental care. Eye care is free because it is related to her diabetes. The vast majority of us in the UK think the USA are mad to put up with their health ‘service’!
Weird once I had to wait like 3hrs so that the doctor check on me then she told me to get medication for an infection the i had to wait like an hour and a half to finally get the medication
Hematuria is a common early indicator of potential cancer - its presence doesn't mean you HAVE cancer, it is simply a possible explanation - that's why you were offered fast track treatment - and quite right too! The NHS system works - I know because I have benefited from its services in the past.
I have had two friends who both have the same serious chronic condition. One lives in the USA and one here in the U.K. My friend in the U.K. has had several complicated surgeries and takes many expensive drugs to control her condition and needs regular visits to the hospital to monitor her. All her treatment has been free. My friend in the US has been through the same tells me she is in so much debt she will never be able to pay it all back. I also had a friend in the US who died of cancer and was literally selling his possessions to help pay for his medical treatment, he would have paid nothing had he lived here and the treatment he received in the US was poor. You will never convince me that the US system is better. The NHS has it’s faults but I am proud that we have it here and the medical staff are dedicated, wonderful people. When you are seriously ill it is not a time to be worrying about whether you can afford treatment. Nobody should end up destitute because they got sick, it is just morally wrong.
Yeah I think the videos was rather vague on the important stuff. Prescriptions aren’t free all the time, only if it’s a repeat that’s long term - i.e diabetes You go to a GP for a chest infection; 2 weeks course of some steroid based meds - £15-20. Also wait times are different for each surgery, and that depends on the hospital as they’re local, so a hospital in Manchester will have different lengths than say, Northampton. It changes even more when the cancer treatment wait may be shorter than the wait for something more commonplace like a hernia. TLDR: Wait times change place to place and depending on the procedure.
@@ebonyeyes1986 -Come on! It was obvious she hadn't grasped the context of "non-emergency v emergency". She'd be sat with the broken legs/arms, burns and cuts, and people with back/stomach pain...she'd never see a heart attack victim unless rushed through on a gurney!
I work for the NHS as a A and E respitionist but I am also a cancer patient. I have weekly chemo at over £3000 a session and I have payed for nothing. I have had secondaries for 14 years and if it was not for the NHS I definitely would not be here! Proud to work for them and be looked after by them 💙
@@baldy3064 it isn't based on those contributions though- hypothetically, if you'd never paid tax in your life you would still receive treatment for free if you needed it.
Some things can be a long wait here, but I think this video really blows it out of proportion. The last time I needed my GP, I phoned for an appointment, saw the doctor, and got my prescription inside of two hours. This was a non emergency during a national lockdown. I love the NHS
@@SalemEverett we have to have walk in clinics otherwise I’d have to go to A&E just for antibiotics! I personally have never been to a good GP, although my medical knowledge is now at a point where I can just directly ask for what I want
@@jackdaniels4346 yeah im from ipswich suffolk and my friend broke her leg and had to wait 6 hours for it to get properly looked at so im assuming where ur from has a lower population or has more nurses/doctors on duty
I've got to wait 12 months for mental health treatment, it's forced me to go private. But, I have that choice. It's not either or, I've had some great treatment on the NHS but at this stage it isn't the right thing. Saying that, I believe I can transition from private to NHS if I want and when it's available.
@@jackdaniels4346 not sure because I don’t live in that big of a city and sometimes the waiting times in A&E have been huge. Like my brother had to wait like 5 hours
Waiting times do vary. If you turn up on a Friday or Saturday night, you'll probably have to wait as A&E is often full of idiots who over estimate their ability to handle alcohol. Also, bank holidays (GP's surgeries closed) & Saturday afternoons (spoting injuries) can be busier.
I’m English and I can tell you that what I’ve paid through my wages (in 53 years) towards the NHS is a piddly amount compared to the cost of the care I’ve received. However, all the years that I didn’t need the NHS my contributions were paying for someone else. This is the beauty of the system. Everyone gets it free at point of delivery. The peace of mind that this delivers is priceless. As far as prescriptions are concerned(England only). There is a charge, I think it’s £9.35 per item. So a box of 30 tablets £9.35. If there was a second box of different tablets then another £9.35. I saw a GP(family doctor) in the hospital when I had kidney stones and she prescribed Morphine for the pain and it was a massive bottle. £9.35. Also when I was admitted to A&E (your ER) all the pain medication they gave me( and it was a lot) was included in the treatment. No prescription charge.
This is misleading because in Scotland all medication is free All the private doctors are the same No the GP are doctors it means General Practitioner Doctors refer you to specialist like surgeons Waiting times are misleading doctors work in groups as a clinic and you make an appointment Now get them to compare with Scottish NHS No waiting times to see a doctor
Even in England where there is a £9.35 Prescription Charge, if you use a lot of meds you may choose to buy a Prepay Certificate (a "Season Ticket") if you prefer...it costs about £108 for a year...that's right all your prescribed meds for a year, and it can be paid monthly by direct debit choose. If you have a long-term condition like diabetes you get your meds free, if you're a child your meds are free, if you lose your job they're free, and when you hit 60 years old they're free too.
Yes to all the above! Also worth noting that prescriptions in Scotland are free, for students and a lot of under 18s across the UK are free, and for people on low income are often subsidised and therefore cheaper!
Let's get this straight. In the UK you see a GP first, unless your an emergency (road accident etc. GPs are fully qualified doctors who solve a great many problems and prescribe drugs, they will refer you to a specialist if they think it appropriate. This flow works well and you may rarely need to go to hospital for minor illnesses.
Flavour. I'm a nurse at a NHS hospital in the north of England. If you want to know what it's really like get in touch and I'll answer any questions for you. The NHS is mostly wonderful.
The USA has socialised police, fire service, roads, education, military and libraries, so there is 'socialism' in the USA The same doctors can work in the private sector and the NHS in the UK
Philip, I meant to say this in my response. Thanks. I worked for several consultants in the NHS who also had private clinics. So you see the same consultants - just quicker. There are also some procedures that can't be performed in private hospitals as they don't have the specialist equipment or, perhaps, the specialist nursing staff for them.
If you have anything that is broken you go to A & E (Accident and Emergency) department at the local hospital and you will be triaged but you will be treated usually within a 2-3 hours the same day.
'Pre-existing conditions' is a massive issue in the US. I had a birth defect, my oesophagus went to my lungs, not my stomach. Happens in 1 in 200,000 babies. In the UK I was transferred from Watford to Great Ormand Street (big children's hospital in London). They operated on me and gave my mum somewhere to stay for free. Got a lifetime of aftercare etc. Parents formed a support group in the UK that went worldwide. In the USA children born with the same problem were considered to have a 'pre-existing condition' so no insurance would cover the operations and care. Families there were forced to incur costs that would cripple them financially. We are so lucky the WW2 generation wanted to make a better country for everyone and created the NHS
In the A&E department, we have a triage nurse that basically prioritises each patient according to their symptoms and vitals. Most people who have heart attacks are likely to arrive in an ambulance which means they bypass all the waits and go straight to a ward.
A few years ago I walked into A&E with chest pains. I was walked straight through into resus ahead of everyone else in a packed waiting room. As you say it’s all about triage. Walk in with a cut finger, as long as you’re not bleeding to death you’ll probably wait a few hours, walk in as I did and you’re treated straight away. It’s all about need and priorities not who has the fattest wallet.
The wait times are based on medical need as assessed by the doctors, not on what the patient says they want. Waiting for operations will be longer for non-urgent cases, that is where the medical condition is not acute and will not deteriorate with time. Major heart surgery will be undertaken as soon as possible and people having heart attacks will be seem immediately. Your major heart surgery will cost you personally nothing as it is all paid for by everyone collectively through taxes. The cost of many thousands of pounds just gets absorbed by the system.
@@lynnhamps7052 Glad to hear you had a good experience. I personally had skin cancer, wasn't too deep thankfully. What I wanted to add was the aftercare and regular checkups for cancer patients as well. In the US each of those specialist checkups would cost thousands. The NHS is such a great system.
A Public Health Service could be possible in the USA if the leaders all decided to be less selfish , unfortunately in America the government is ran by corporations/billionaires . (Vote for progressive presidents/congress people such as aoc or bernie sanders) it will be a tough fight, but if people become more progressive there’s a possibility that (hopefully you could also get an nhs) ... sending love from England ❤️👍 and yes I appreciate the nhs everyday 😅 (also it wont take weeks unless it’s just a check up or a non urgent thing ... if it’s a bad injury they go to A&E which is usually sorted out super quick )
I had Bowel Cancer about 10 years ago, from discovery to being cured including Chemo and Surgery the cost to me was completely free including all Drugs that I needed, I'm now 85 years old and God bless the NHS.
The video is talking about the wait times for NON-emergency treatments. I fractured my hand once, went to the hospital, waited about half an hour before the x-ray, than about another 10 minutes for the specialist to talk me through the results. In and out in less than an hour. For free.
There’s a show/documentary in the UK called 24 hours in A&E. They have shorter clips on the ‘Channel 4’ UA-cam channel. Basically follows doctors and nurses in the emergency department in a London hospital. Could be interesting to watch so you get to see what emergency healthcare is like. The NHS is UK’s best quality, I couldn’t imagine not having it.
U.K. resident here. Someone I know has a lifelong chronic disease, at 35 years. One of the drugs he has costs £60,000 a year, but he only has to pay the standard prescription charge under the NHS.
@@sibbo-v6n Not for ALL long-term illnesses, by any means. However, if you have more than (I think) 11 or 12 prescriptions a year, a prescription Pre-Payment Certificate, more commonly known as a prescription season ticket, will cost just over £100 and covers all your out-patient prescriptions - however many there are - for a full year at that fixed cost.
A GP is a doctor, they are probably what you would call a family medicine doctor, they see you and can treat or prescribe medication for many conditions, if they feel you need to see a specialist, like cardiologist, imaging or PT etc they will refer you to them, this is where the long wait time can occur. In the UK we can't directly refer ourselves to secondary services or request specific tests be run like you can in the USA
Which makes sense because meeting the patients I’ve met the waiting lists for specialists would be a decade long because EVERYONE would want to see one :’)
Technically, when this stereotype was gaining speed, we didn't shower. Of course, not showering is only half of the story. Most British homes didn't have a shower so we literally couldn't shower, we had baths. Stereotypes are accurate, to a point, but certain details are committed or forgotten over time
And no, no, no, no, no - you do not have to wait for urgent care. But you might have to wait a few minutes longer for a "nose bleed" than someone dying from a heart attack. If you have a non urgent issue then that might take a little time. My mother's hip replacement, from diagnosis to op was around 4 months but then all free at the point of delivery including the op, drugs, 12 weeks of physio, and home aids like a raised loo seat and walking aids which were delivered to her door.
It’s weird how as a brit I don’t even think about how I’m getting treated for free when I go to the hospital, it’s just so normal to me to go in and get free health care that the thought of paying for something when you’ve broke a bone or something is crazy to me
I obliterated my ACL and the operation to repair it and all the subsequent physiotherapy didn't cost me anything, I'm so thankful we have the National Health Service here in the UK.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 I got a super fast treatment here in the UK. The NHS saved my life! I have never in my whole life paid for any medical treatment in any other way than through paying my tax and still got top level care in clean hospitals. Never had any financial worry for medical treatment. The NHS is funded by all FOR ALL, that's true compassion!
General practitioners are doctors. They’re the equivalent of your primary care doctors. The people you go to when you first notice something is wrong and then they can give you prescriptions or refer you to specialists or order tests. They aren’t assistants or nurses. You might see a nurse first for different reasons such as sexual health.
The main difference is in perception. If you're paying for it you expect service. That's not an automatic right here, because treatment is based on prioritization of need. It's meant to prevent queue jumpers.
The pharmaceutical company's still get paid for their medicines. You also seem to mis-understand the situation, if you go into hospital with a broken nose, you do not need to wait weeks, they will see you there and then. The waiting list is for things like operations or going to get tests etc.
My step dad had anti-cancer treatment; the series of pills cost £2500+. He didn't have to pay anything. Waiting lists can be long but it's all based on the seriousness of your medical condition. You go into the ER with a cut hand then you can wait hours (been there!), but if you have a heart problem you go to the front of the queue.
I'm Indonesian, we have our form of Universal Health Care here and i pay only about 10 USD per month or about the same price for 1 time family lunch (4 prsn) at McDonalds here in Indonesia. And i have almost all covered including free-prescription medicine, hospital and operation. For childbirth, it only cover for normal delivery procedure. Caesarean operation is covered in special condition only, where normal delivery cannot be performed safely. Doctor service (not specialist) are open 24 hours in government clinic at every district.
OK, my story. Over the past three and a quarter years I've visited my GP 14 times. I've been to the hospital for various reasons 31 times. I've had 34 procedures of various sorts including 3 operations, numerous cystoscopies, cystograms, blood work, CT scans and MRI scans. One of the operations was a major one to remove a cancerous kidney which would otherwise have killed me by now. I'm on two medications which I pick up from the pharmacy once every four weeks. And none of it has cost me a penny. Other angles: The reason some Brits (generally those on higher incomes) choose to go private is that the wait times are shorter and the accommodation more luxurious, but the great majority of us are bloody glad we've got the NHS to take care of us. Even the more right-leaning of the political parties understand the basic dictum: whatever you do, don't mess with the NHS. The NHS isn't always perfect - what system is? - but at least we don't have to refuse an ambulance when we get hurt because we can't afford it. If you broke your nose, you would go to A&E (Accident and Emergency) and it would be fixed within a day. Only certain groups get totally free prescriptions, but the others pay a small contribution amounting to a few pounds. Thanks for being an American and saying that Socialism isn't necessarily bad. It isn't. It seems to me that Americans are conditioned to see it that way by the big money in a free market economy, and there are enough dumb asses who can't see beyond believing what they're told to believe. I could go on and on about the NHS. I could tell the story of the black nurse who squeezed my hand the night of the kidney operation. You'd need to hear the whole story to understand why it meant such a lot to me. The fact is, the NHS nurses are a lovely, skilled, respectful bunch of people, and so are the doctors, the admin staff and everybody else. Believe me, the NHS is a wonderful thing.
Think this vid was made by someone who doesn't really understand how the NHS works, its left you with some erroneous ideas about it. Its actually a lot better than this vid implies. (Obviously no system is perfect though).
It's interesting listening to that narrator shoving his opinion in by overstating the "waiting times" twice. It's a pity that a neutral opinion can't be found on a video like this. By definition a UK narrative would extol it's virtues and a US one will down play as this one did slightly.
i had an accident a few years ago and crushed my right foot, it took two operations, plates and screws of titanium to mend my bones, 9 days in the hospital, a plaster cast and a year of physio to get me walking. now stuck with a permanent limp i worked out that it would have cost a quarter of a million dollars, I live in the UK, and am so lucky for it
I live in England. Paying for Private health care in the UK, as far as I am aware, its just less waiting time. The same doctors and nurses are also working for the NHS.
Why is Socialized Medicine seen as a bad thing in the USA? Whats the difference between having other services paid via taxes, think police or fire services and medicine?
in my experience, waiting time for seeing a GP is like 20 minutes and i mostly could pick up a prescription the same day - for something like a broken nose you would go to Accident & Emergency and you might have to wait longer but no one with a cold would be going to a&e 😌 just wanted to add i meant 20 minutes physically in the gp office, phoning for an appointment has a couple of days waiting 👍🏼
most waiting times are only longer for non-essential stuff, breast reduction, ingrowing toenails, joint replacements. any injury broken bones, heart attack, stroke, get immediate treatment. The surgeon who did my triple heart bypass 12 years ago is the same surgeon who does private care and charge thousands for it in the same hospital in the same operation theatres and all the drugs and treatment since have cost me zero at the point of use. I know which system I prefer.
On videos of people asking Americans if they would like something like the NHS, quite a few said they wouldn't want the government making decisions on their behalf. This does not happen in the UK, the government do not decide your treatment. The doctors do. The doctors will do what they think is the best treatment for you and if you don't like your doctor, you can ask for a referral.
You need to watch programs like '24 hours in A&E' to get a real idea of how our hospital emergency department works (your ER). The BBC'S Ambulance series is also great (gives you an idea of how we prioritise patients).
I had a mild stroke, the ambulance paramedics decided I did not need the local A & E. to where I went 2 days later because I didn't feel too good and got a 'rollicking' and ""Where have you been the last 2 days ?". Paramedics don't get it right every time.
A few months ago, I was blue lighted away to hospital and woke up in intensive care several days later, after having an Ileostomy and a stoma bag fitted... I spent three weeks in hospital. My Ileostomy (stoma) bags are free each month on the NHS... Gawd knows how much that would cost in the U.S.
I’ve got friends in California USA,they mentioned that they have to go to a particular pharmacy to get a prescription done. Is this dictated by the insurance company? In the UK nearly all pharmacies will deal with NHS prescriptions, and you can go to any pharmacy to get your prescription done.
I’m so thankful for the NHS and free healthcare because I’m epileptic and have been since I was 4 and my family have income from the government since my parents have their own issues so they can’t work. So we are very blessed we don’t have to pay🙏🏼
About the wait times in the UK, if you are in an emergency situation where you life is in danger you will have no wait time, if you have broken an arm or something similar you might have to wait a couple of hours, if you want to see a GP and its something urgent you can get an appointment on the day, but if it is non-urgent you might have to wait a couple of weeks. Then when it comes to referrals to different specialists e.g. dermatology, you will have to wait approx 2 weeks. Then when it comes to certain other things that are non-urgent e.g. removal of a cyst, it could take months!
Prescriptions are free in Wales 🏴 I went to the hospital in the USA with my Australian friend and we ended up with a bill of $15,000, I was shocked by the itemised bill we got but her insurance paid in full
@@mch-gaming1437 Except no... because the country with the powers to borrow (England) is in debt.. do you think the countries without borrowing powers created that? England itself is being subsidised through borrowing! It's funny af, that little Englanders still thinks the other countries in the UK are being given extra money from English pockets - away and bolt, ya rocket!
@@Hiforest A severe misunderstanding of economics there. But the simple fact of the matter is that the Scottish government spend more from Westminster than they put in, so an independent Scotland would not be able to subsidise their value especially with the lowering of oil prices and the move toward renewable energy, it's the reason the EU will not allow an independent Scotland to join. Also at no point did I say I was English anyways
You can get private health insurance in the UK _but_ you don't opt out of the NHS system and can still access NHS services if you need them, just like everyone else
This video is really exaggerating the NHS waiting times. As a UK citizen I can’t put into words how brilliant it is. One of the greatest achievements of The UK
Absolutely!! The NHS isn’t built for the amount of people we have and the more abuse we take working there the more of us move to Australia or other places. I could earn twice as much in Australia as I do here and I wouldn’t work 12.5 hour shifts without even having a lunch break). I do that though because I am trying to see people as quickly as I can (and it’s still not good enough). Seeing how people treat us is why so many people choose to work at Aldi for the same money without the same abuse. Every staff member that leaves makes it harder for everyone else.
When the NHS finds something it moves blindingly fast. My friend Colin after months of nagging got dragged to the doctor by his girlfriend. Wednesday morning he goes to the GP, they draw blood and tell him to phone up on Monday for results. Thursday evening he gets a call and a nurse asks if he can come in to station 12 in Ayr Hospital on Friday as they need to investigate. He goes in and the nurse takes him to an office with a name and Senior Oncology Consultant on the door. After a chat he is put in a bed and they take about an armful of blood. Saturday he enjoys the morning with the medical imaging team. Saturday evening the consultant turns up and asks him if possible to get his girlfriend in at 2 PM on Sunday. They then went through the diagnosis with both of them. He had an aggressive bowel cancer and his options were go home with painkillers and live 3 months or spend 6 months in hospital getting chemo and radiotherapy. He opted for 3 months at home.
The private healthcare reduces waiting times, but it's the same doctors and nurses that work in the NHS. They use private patients to increase salary and help fund extra NHS surgeries.
On the NHS we also get "health visitors" after having babies. These are assigned to new parents, they're a bit like midwives, and they come out to visit you at home after birth to check on mum and baby, weigh baby, check stitches are healing, answer questions and provide breast feeding support. They return every few months to check baby's cognitive and physical development.
With me being British I will say that I have never waited more than a week for my appointment, and a lot of the time for me at least they just tell you to wait 30 minutes in the waiting room to be seen 🤷♂️ I don’t know how it is for others though
When Americans refer to NHS funding they call it a "TAX" as though its a dirty word. Here it's referred to as National Insurance and that's how we think of it. It's an insurance policy and like any other policy we hope not to use it but happy it's there when we do. As the video mentioned prescriptions cost around $12 but lots exempt such as students, children, low income and many more.
@@martinbatley9512 yes, I think NI goes toward pensions etc now. Our PAYE goes toward the NHS (and everything else the Government wants to use it for ....!!!).
In Wales, all prescription and medicines are free...Emergency treatment is free and fast only routine treatment is rationed but wait times can vary depending on the treatment.
Triage nurses cut down on wait times. If you have a paper cut - good luck seeing someone. If you have something more serious then you get seen faster. For me - I went in with a swelling on my neck. Ultra sound done the same day. MRI the day after and spinal tap the day after that. Started chemo for cancer two days later.
If you come to the UK you will find you watched that short in a Very American way. A broken nose could be fixed almost immediately whilst removal of an unsightly wart would wait till a surgeon's diary allowed.
If you decide to go private you will get a private room and on some occasions you will get the same surgeon and some surgeons work both in the NHS and also do private work and you may also be treated in an NHS hospital. You are mainly paying to be seen quicker and to bypass the NHS waiting list. But organisations such as BUPA and SPIRE do have their own hospitals but there are fewer of these.
NHS is the National Health Service and is the umbrella organisation for all public health care or its funding. Prescriptions cost about £9 each in England (free in Scotland, not sure about Wales) but you can get an annual prepayment for just over £100 for unlimited prescriptions. The NHS for instance pays much much less for drugs and buys generics where possible, identical drugs purchased commercially in the US can cost many times more than the NHS pays here.
A broken nose would be seen as an emergency as if it gets worse or seizes could cause breathing difficulties. Heck, even a broken finger would be seen within a few hours. You really have to have something that won't cause any issues within the next few days to get put on a waiting list.
You get no better doctors by going Private it just reduces waiting times. The biggest secret of private healthcare in the UK is that outside of specialties that are not covered by the NHS, private Doctors are just NHS doctors moonlighting
I think you are getting confused over "non-urgent care" and "treatment". If you break your nose it will be dealt with as soon as the heart attack person is out of the way. Usually in an A&E department patients are triaged and dealt with by need. NICE, that they mentioned , then decides which non- urgent thing to concentrate on, hip replacement, glaucoma, etc and you can end up waiting for those.
Brit here. The difference in the cost of healthcare in the UK and the US is largely due to the fact that in the UK we pay pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies less for their products.In the UK, if you want to sell medicines and suchlike in large quantities, you have to sell to the NHS, and they will negotiate a reasonable price - they are bound by law to do so, and can and do prosecute companies if they are found to be overcharging. By contrast, in the US, medication etc. is payed for mostly by insurance companies, who have a weaker negotiating position and less incentive to drive a hard bargain as they can simply pass an increase in cost on by increasing their premiums. With regard to the fixed cost of prescriptions in England - if the medicine is cheaper to buy from the pharmacy without a prescription, it's a safe bet that either your GP or the pharmacist will tell you. In general, Brits respect the system and don't go to the doctor for a headache or a cut finger. Pharmacists are happy to recommend over-the-counter medicines for minor ailments and will tell you to go see the doctor for medicines that require a prescription. If you go to your local GP with, say, a blocked ear, you will be seen by a nurse who is qualified to treat it immediately, and who will refer you to the doctor if it turns out to be a symptom of a more serious problem, who in turn will refer you to a hospital if necessary - it's only then that waiting times can become an issue, and medical issues that can wait often do. For a broken nose the GP would send you to A&E (Accident and Emergency, the British equivalent of ER) and you might have to wait a few hours to be seen at worst, because they operate a triage system, with a qualified nurse deciding who needs to be seen immediately and who can sit and read a magazine until their turn comes.
All through my life I've had use of NHS services for various reasons, some emergency, some not. The idea of having to worry about payment seems an odd concept.
The only reason to go private is to reduce the wait time and have nice private room etc, the treatment will be the same standard . Usually doctors work privately and for the NHS so you get the same person. All doctors have been trained through the NHS.
The only real reasons to go private are those private rooms and the possibility of jumping the queue for your ingrowing toenail or tennis elbow treatment... :-)
If its important, you will be seen quickly. When I was recently diagnosed I saw my doctor the same day and a specialist by the end of the week. Blood tests, full body scans and 6 month of chemotherapy all for free. No complaints from me. 😎
So I've worked for the NHS for many years. 5 in A&E, 6 in outpatients, 3 in preventative care and a couple as bank staff (non permanent staff). A&E is a wonderful place to work. Its hectic and high stress at times but that pulls staff into close working relationships. If you walk into a&e with a minor injury (and yes a basic broken arm IS a minor injury) you will be trialed by a nurse then seen by a doctor within 4 hours. For free. (If you are a foreign national your details are taken and you/your insurer is billed by the NHS later at NHS prices not at the cost it would in your home country). If you need further care you could be admitted for short or long term care within the hospital system or asked to return for outpatient appointments. Outpatients. Either you've been to a&e and asked to come back, you've seen the emergency out of hours GP service and been referred or your own (free) GP/gp surgery has referred you. An assessment appointment wmis booked for anything up to 12 weeks away. You usually get given options of where and when. Then if you need treatment you will receive it normally within 18 weeks of the initial referral. If you need a routine investigation (mri scan, CT etc) you may get referred for that directly. Routine operations can take up to 3-4 months (I can't remember exactly as that wasnt my area). So nasal polyps etc will be a longer wait. More urgent operations will be much quicker. If you have been to the GP with a suspected cancer you will be seen by a consultant within 2 weeks of that date. Investigations may be done within that initial appointment and treatment will happen quickly (dependant on type or cancer etc). All medications given to you within the hospital are free. If you need to continue them after leaving you will need to pay a fee for each item prescribed (£9 approx) unless you are exempt (children, the elderly, people on state benefits, those with chronic conditions such as diabetes) if you think you may need several prescriptions in a year you can buy a yearly card for about £109 which will cover all prescriptions that year. Dental treatment is subsidised as is opthalmic care. Dental has a scale of what to pay depending on treatment. Opticians charge for initial assessment and then for any product you need (glasses/contacts/hearing aid - some Opticians are hearing centres as well). Those exempt from paying prescriptions are usually given free or lower cost dental and eye care also. Preventative care can also be free! If you want to loose weight? See a GP for a referral to a health trainer/dietician/consultant for gastric banding etc. If you are experiencing depression? See a GP to discuss options (medication or talking therapy, which usually has a very long wait time). The NHS is paid for by everyone to help everyone. If you want private treatment you can have it and still use the NHS as well. My partner needs private care for operations due to autism. A private facility has extra staff and better privacy for him. I can also stay with him every minute he's not in surgery which you can't in an NHS ward. It helps his anxiety. Our NHS gp can refer him to a private consultant (who is also his NHS consultant) or we can book a private appointment directly. An initial assessment will be much longer (20-60 minutes where an NHS appointment is usually 10/15 mins for an assessment) giving him time to settle and get his thoughts out. The private consultant appointment is usually a two way conversation about care instead of being consultant led. Operations will be done sooner and in a private facility with private rooms (instead of going back to a ward of up to 40 people). More nursing staff per person and a longer check up with the consultant afterwards. The actual operation is the same. My partner has had the same operation with the same consultant but one NHS and one privately.
It is probably not quite so bad as the video makes out. If we have a medical emergency like something you would go to the ER for then I can call an ambulance or present myself at the ER and I will get treatment and get admitted to hospital straight away if it's required. If we don't feel well then we can arrange an appointment with our GP (General Practice Doctor) This can be in a few days or often we can arrange for a telephone consultation and the GP will call us back the same day and will ask us to visit them the same day if they can't help over the phone. If the GP thinks we need to see a specialist depending on how serious the GP thinks our issue is, then they will either refer us to a hospital specialist and we will get put on the specialists waiting list, or they will arrange for us to be seen directly by the hospital within the AAU (Acute Assessment Unit) or SAU (Surgical Assessment Unit). Our GP is truly the gate keeper they will decide on the next steps following our initial contact. I only see a nurse for things like regular vaccinations, vitamin injections and some health screening sessions otherwise I see my doctor. For prescriptions it varies. Generally, if a GP writes you a prescription, then most people will pay around $13 for each individual drug (bottle or container, not tablet 😉). If you have certain life long conditions like diabetes, then all prescriptions are free. If you receive drugs as an inpatient in hospital then you will receive these free. For example: I to take regular meds and receive frequent drug infusions totalling about $30 000 a year. I do not pay anything extra for these at all. Of course, we do have Private Health providers in the UK too, so if people want to pay and see those doctors they can but they will still pay the same regular tax as everybody else. It is very common for specialists to have a contract with the NHS for some hours then work other hours within their own practice. So the quality of the specialists in both Private and the NHS healthcare system are the same. I am happy with a capitalist system on the whole BUT I think when it comes to health care I prefer the option of a social health care system as I do not think how much money you have should dictate whether you receive treatment or not. I personally think we have the right balance. I proudly work within our NHS, though not in a clinical role. There are a number of US UA-camrs in the UK who cite the US health care system as the reason they stay in the UK. I think it's really sad that people feel they need to live elsewhere because they say that they just can't afford to live in their own country because of these costs.
I owe the nhs my sight when my retina detached in my right eye, I had a gas bubble inserted to repair it & then a year later I had to have another eye operation due to cataract in that eye. That probably would have cost thousands in insurance but I got the treatment for free
Going private is very often about waiting times and choosing your specialist. On the NHS a lot of stuff IS pretty quick, but for some procedures, there can be a wait. That tends to be things that aren't considered an emergency. At the GP surgery the nurse practitioners often deal with stuff like injections, regular diabetes checks etc to keep the doctor free for those likely to need prescriptions.
My friend has skin cancer and goes to the NHS for treatment. After each mole is removed she transfers to the private wing of the same hospital. The NHS consultant sees her on his way to the car park. Food is the same but they have better tea, china cups and wine with dinner.
The benefit of private in the UK is mainly shorter wait times for specialised health problems. The doctors/surgeons who perform this specialised healthcare privately are more often than not the same doctors employed by the NHS, and the operations themselves are often preformed in NHS hospitals. So by going private, you are receiving the same quality of care, just that waiting lists are shorter. Having said that anything that is considered quality of life threatening is often dealt with on the NHS with urgency, it would only be routine operations that have long NHS waiting lists.
To comment on the wait times, they will only make you wait for minor to almost major incidents/illness, e.g I had a chest infection and had to wait for 2 hrs to get meds. However, if you are legit drying they will see you instantly.
Another thing the NHS does is annual health checks for the over 60s checking your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, checking of diabetes and common types of cancer. All free.
A few years back I went to my local hospital to see a GP out of surgery hours actually, it was during a public holiday when my GPsurgery was closed, I saw the doctor who hospitalised me there and then for blood clots in my leg and I was given excellent treatment for my condition and I saw the Consultant, the head of the department, regularly during my almost 2 1/2 to 3 werk stay in the hospital.
We shower daily, we brush our teeth. We are very hygienic as a nation. Waiting times is for non-essential treatment. If you are in need of treatment you get it immediately or with in hours. If your life is at risk, you receive treatment immediately. People who opt for private medical care are getting the same treatment from the same doctors as some doctors split their time between NHS & Private works. Friend I have use private care to get access within days, or an opinion. Pharmaceutical companies get their monies, but the NHS negotiates as the biggest customer so they can get the lowest prices. The UK has huge buying power. I have always received service quickly. The longest I have had to wait was 5 hours in casualty (A&E). I am diabetes, my drugs are free, eye care is free, dietary care is free. Cancer sufferers receive free treatment and drugs. We have community healthcare, where nurses visit to dress wounds that may need changing daily. It is available from the cradle to the grave
the only reason I've seen people go private is either because it's very hard to see a gp during the pandemic, or for mental health stuff where there are often huge waiting lists and people want to get soon to quicker
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Erm.... the UK is every bit as capitalist a country as the USA.
There's one aspect about the NHS that's never mentioned in any of these UA-cam videos.
Because the NHS is government run, it is a unifying subject.
Come election time the opposing political parties and thier respective supporters will argue about many different political issues but they will always say the same thing when talking about the NHS and NHS funding is always at the top of list of every political parties manifesto of policies for the future.
One thing all sides agree on is supporting our wonderful NHS and our nhs heroes.
A subject that unifies society right across the full spectrum of politics and our societies large diversity.
@@stuartfitch7093 agreed but the NHS has a ridiculous amount of wast and middle management.
And does need remodelling in a way to combat this.
As regardless of what government is in power it’s never enough money to fill its bottomless hole.
@@JohnSmith-ki2eq UK is not a country, it's a voluntary union and Scotland is a Socialist Country.
@@stuartfitch7093 the tories always under fund it and then privatise parts of it. They've been doing that since the 2012 health & social care act. Too many people aren't aware what they're doing.
The NHS waiting times are exaggerated in this video. If anyone is seriously worried about an illness they will be able to see a doctor (not a nurse) the same day or the following day.
Very recently I found blood in my urine. I phoned the doctors’ practice at about 11.30am and by 12.15pm I was being seen by a doctor. By 1pm I had a prescription for medication and was on my way to hospital for blood tests. I was home by 2.30pm having had the blood tests and having collected the medication which was £0 because I am over 60yrs old.
The blood problem seemed completely gone by the following day but I was asked to take a urine sample which showed ‘microscopic’ drops of blood invisible to the human eye. My GP wanted to be sure though that all was well. Over the next 2 weeks I had a CT scan, Ultrasound scan, a urology procedure and a ‘camera-down-the-throat’ procedure. Total cost for all this was £0. I was cleared of any cancer problem.
The NHS is brilliant and the staff are so friendly and helpful. A member of stall commented to a female patient - “We don’t care if you are the Queen of England or a bag lady. You’ll get the same level of care!”
My wife has been a type 1 diabetic since she was 11 years old. She’s 68 now and has never had to pay a penny for any medication (for any illness) nor any hospital operations although, as stated in this video, she does have to contribute part of the cost of dental care. Eye care is free because it is related to her diabetes.
The vast majority of us in the UK think the USA are mad to put up with their health ‘service’!
I totally agree with you 🇬🇧
Weird once I had to wait like 3hrs so that the doctor check on me then she told me to get medication for an infection the i had to wait like an hour and a half to finally get the medication
Hematuria is a common early indicator of potential cancer - its presence doesn't mean you HAVE cancer, it is simply a possible explanation - that's why you were offered fast track treatment - and quite right too! The NHS system works - I know because I have benefited from its services in the past.
@@polishcomrade8761 4 hrs or £300 for the pills which is better?
@@ITzDaveXD 12hrs and a dart in the eye is better than $300 for pills
You might find shows like 24 Hours in A&E or the BBC's Ambulance series interesting to watch for more in-depth looks at the NHS
Yes! 24 Hours in A&E is good, for the Police there’s ‘The Force’ with different regions like Essex etc.
OMG yes this
Yes to this 💗 xx
@@basildon9008 or 24 hours in police custody for the police tv show
GP behind closed doors is a good suggestion too 👍🏼
I have had two friends who both have the same serious chronic condition. One lives in the USA and one here in the U.K. My friend in the U.K. has had several complicated surgeries and takes many expensive drugs to control her condition and needs regular visits to the hospital to monitor her. All her treatment has been free. My friend in the US has been through the same tells me she is in so much debt she will never be able to pay it all back. I also had a friend in the US who died of cancer and was literally selling his possessions to help pay for his medical treatment, he would have paid nothing had he lived here and the treatment he received in the US was poor. You will never convince me that the US system is better. The NHS has it’s faults but I am proud that we have it here and the medical staff are dedicated, wonderful people. When you are seriously ill it is not a time to be worrying about whether you can afford treatment. Nobody should end up destitute because they got sick, it is just morally wrong.
100% agree with you on that
Amen to that !
I know....its criminal, so sorry for your friend. xx
Absolutely!
You wouldn't have to wait for a broken nose to be treated. You'd go straight away to an accident & emergency department in a hospital
@@ebonyeyes1986 yeah exactly imagine comparing a heart attack to a fucking broken nose
Yeah I think the videos was rather vague on the important stuff.
Prescriptions aren’t free all the time, only if it’s a repeat that’s long term - i.e diabetes
You go to a GP for a chest infection; 2 weeks course of some steroid based meds - £15-20.
Also wait times are different for each surgery, and that depends on the hospital as they’re local, so a hospital in Manchester will have different lengths than say, Northampton. It changes even more when the cancer treatment wait may be shorter than the wait for something more commonplace like a hernia.
TLDR: Wait times change place to place and depending on the procedure.
@@akacocox2365 Prescriptions in Wales and Scotland (not sure about N.I?) are free for everyone.
@@yattacka9493 really? I’ve only not been charged when I was unemployed
@@ebonyeyes1986 -Come on! It was obvious she hadn't grasped the context of "non-emergency v emergency". She'd be sat with the broken legs/arms, burns and cuts, and people with back/stomach pain...she'd never see a heart attack victim unless rushed through on a gurney!
If breaking bad was set in UK the whole series would be 3 minutes long.
A few months in reality but I see your point.
Ok LMAO
He wouldn't need to make money for treatment... how would that take months?
Not really waiting times are insane
@@Runner-Boy For cancer? Where in the country are you?
I work for the NHS as a A and E respitionist but I am also a cancer patient. I have weekly chemo at over £3000 a session and I have payed for nothing. I have had secondaries for 14 years and if it was not for the NHS I definitely would not be here!
Proud to work for them and be looked after by them 💙
Thank you for your service :). Xx
You paid your taxes - that means you've paid your way for your health care. Wish you well...
@@baldy3064 it isn't based on those contributions though- hypothetically, if you'd never paid tax in your life you would still receive treatment for free if you needed it.
💞💞
Live long and prosper. Our govt might not think much about you and your colleagues, my friends, family and I adore you all!! I hope you heal. 🤗🤗
Some things can be a long wait here, but I think this video really blows it out of proportion. The last time I needed my GP, I phoned for an appointment, saw the doctor, and got my prescription inside of two hours. This was a non emergency during a national lockdown. I love the NHS
@@SalemEverett depends on your GP- my GP wait is 3-5 weeks (depending on the time of year). So I have to go to walk in centres.
@@SalemEverett we have to have walk in clinics otherwise I’d have to go to A&E just for antibiotics!
I personally have never been to a good GP, although my medical knowledge is now at a point where I can just directly ask for what I want
This can be quite right but in my case any urgent maybe life threatening illnesses are dealt with as a priority.
@Garry Arden wow, no wonder they make you wait longer than anyone else if you act like that.
Yeah I can always get a same day appt here if I ring in the morning and if not I can get an out of hours through 111.
I'd rather have long waiting lists than be financially destitute
@@jackdaniels4346 yeah im from ipswich suffolk and my friend broke her leg and had to wait 6 hours for it to get properly looked at so im assuming where ur from has a lower population or has more nurses/doctors on duty
I've never had to wait for treatment with NHS,I'm 53. The video is a bit dodgy In my humble opinion.
I've got to wait 12 months for mental health treatment, it's forced me to go private. But, I have that choice. It's not either or, I've had some great treatment on the NHS but at this stage it isn't the right thing. Saying that, I believe I can transition from private to NHS if I want and when it's available.
@@jackdaniels4346 not sure because I don’t live in that big of a city and sometimes the waiting times in A&E have been huge. Like my brother had to wait like 5 hours
Waiting times do vary. If you turn up on a Friday or Saturday night, you'll probably have to wait as A&E is often full of idiots who over estimate their ability to handle alcohol. Also, bank holidays (GP's surgeries closed) & Saturday afternoons (spoting injuries) can be busier.
I’m English and I can tell you that what I’ve paid through my wages (in 53 years) towards the NHS is a piddly amount compared to the cost of the care I’ve received. However, all the years that I didn’t need the NHS my contributions were paying for someone else. This is the beauty of the system. Everyone gets it free at point of delivery. The peace of mind that this delivers is priceless.
As far as prescriptions are concerned(England only). There is a charge, I think it’s £9.35 per item. So a box of 30 tablets £9.35. If there was a second box of different tablets then another £9.35. I saw a GP(family doctor) in the hospital when I had kidney stones and she prescribed Morphine for the pain and it was a massive bottle. £9.35. Also when I was admitted to A&E (your ER) all the pain medication they gave me( and it was a lot) was included in the treatment. No prescription charge.
In Scotland even our prescriptions are 100% free.
This is misleading because in Scotland all medication is free
All the private doctors are the same
No the GP are doctors it means General Practitioner
Doctors refer you to specialist like surgeons
Waiting times are misleading doctors work in groups as a clinic and you make an appointment
Now get them to compare with Scottish NHS
No waiting times to see a doctor
Even in England where there is a £9.35 Prescription Charge, if you use a lot of meds you may choose to buy a Prepay Certificate (a "Season Ticket") if you prefer...it costs about £108 for a year...that's right all your prescribed meds for a year, and it can be paid monthly by direct debit choose. If you have a long-term condition like diabetes you get your meds free, if you're a child your meds are free, if you lose your job they're free, and when you hit 60 years old they're free too.
Yes to all the above! Also worth noting that prescriptions in Scotland are free, for students and a lot of under 18s across the UK are free, and for people on low income are often subsidised and therefore cheaper!
If you have certain conditions like Diabetes prescriptions are free
I've always found it odd that some Americans consider public health care as socialism but not public education which they already have!
These same people often boast about how amazing their military is too. The irony is lost on them.
Let's get this straight. In the UK you see a GP first, unless your an emergency (road accident etc. GPs are fully qualified doctors who solve a great many problems and prescribe drugs, they will refer you to a specialist if they think it appropriate. This flow works well and you may rarely need to go to hospital for minor illnesses.
Flavour. I'm a nurse at a NHS hospital in the north of England. If you want to know what it's really like get in touch and I'll answer any questions for you. The NHS is mostly wonderful.
The USA has socialised police, fire service, roads, education, military and libraries, so there is 'socialism' in the USA
The same doctors can work in the private sector and the NHS in the UK
Philip, I meant to say this in my response. Thanks. I worked for several consultants in the NHS who also had private clinics. So you see the same consultants - just quicker. There are also some procedures that can't be performed in private hospitals as they don't have the specialist equipment or, perhaps, the specialist nursing staff for them.
If you have anything that is broken you go to A & E (Accident and Emergency) department at the local hospital and you will be triaged but you will be treated usually within a 2-3 hours the same day.
and if it’s broken badly you are brought in by ambulance and treated straight away
'Pre-existing conditions' is a massive issue in the US. I had a birth defect, my oesophagus went to my lungs, not my stomach. Happens in 1 in 200,000 babies. In the UK I was transferred from Watford to Great Ormand Street (big children's hospital in London). They operated on me and gave my mum somewhere to stay for free. Got a lifetime of aftercare etc. Parents formed a support group in the UK that went worldwide. In the USA children born with the same problem were considered to have a 'pre-existing condition' so no insurance would cover the operations and care. Families there were forced to incur costs that would cripple them financially. We are so lucky the WW2 generation wanted to make a better country for everyone and created the NHS
Film maker forgot to mention free ambulance service in the UK, too...
In the A&E department, we have a triage nurse that basically prioritises each patient according to their symptoms and vitals. Most people who have heart attacks are likely to arrive in an ambulance which means they bypass all the waits and go straight to a ward.
A few years ago I walked into A&E with chest pains. I was walked straight through into resus ahead of everyone else in a packed waiting room. As you say it’s all about triage. Walk in with a cut finger, as long as you’re not bleeding to death you’ll probably wait a few hours, walk in as I did and you’re treated straight away. It’s all about need and priorities not who has the fattest wallet.
*sats were dangerously low
i swear they have triage in the USA too.
The wait times are based on medical need as assessed by the doctors, not on what the patient says they want. Waiting for operations will be longer for non-urgent cases, that is where the medical condition is not acute and will not deteriorate with time. Major heart surgery will be undertaken as soon as possible and people having heart attacks will be seem immediately. Your major heart surgery will cost you personally nothing as it is all paid for by everyone collectively through taxes. The cost of many thousands of pounds just gets absorbed by the system.
.. dont forget cancer patients too. They get immediate and sometimes long term care as well..
@@lynnhamps7052 Glad to hear you had a good experience. I personally had skin cancer, wasn't too deep thankfully. What I wanted to add was the aftercare and regular checkups for cancer patients as well. In the US each of those specialist checkups would cost thousands. The NHS is such a great system.
Appreciate the NHS! 🥺💕
We do 🇬🇧🇬🇧💗💗
A Public Health Service could be possible in the USA if the leaders all decided to be less selfish , unfortunately in America the government is ran by corporations/billionaires . (Vote for progressive presidents/congress people such as aoc or bernie sanders) it will be a tough fight, but if people become more progressive there’s a possibility that (hopefully you could also get an nhs) ... sending love from England ❤️👍 and yes I appreciate the nhs everyday 😅 (also it wont take weeks unless it’s just a check up or a non urgent thing ... if it’s a bad injury they go to A&E which is usually sorted out super quick )
don’t you worry we do!!!
Are you coming over here now then?!
It has saved so many lives.
I had Bowel Cancer about 10 years ago, from discovery to being cured including Chemo and Surgery the cost to me was completely free including all Drugs that I needed, I'm now 85 years old and God bless the NHS.
The video is talking about the wait times for NON-emergency treatments. I fractured my hand once, went to the hospital, waited about half an hour before the x-ray, than about another 10 minutes for the specialist to talk me through the results. In and out in less than an hour. For free.
There’s a show/documentary in the UK called 24 hours in A&E. They have shorter clips on the ‘Channel 4’ UA-cam channel. Basically follows doctors and nurses in the emergency department in a London hospital. Could be interesting to watch so you get to see what emergency healthcare is like. The NHS is UK’s best quality, I couldn’t imagine not having it.
I have the feeling that socialism is very often confused with communism in America for some reason... or am I wrong?
True socialism is lower staged communism. Socialism often times leads to communism.
I believe that communism is a form of government, while socialism is a form of economics.
@@ceruleanprince7139 Can you name one country today where socialism has led to communism. In fact name one country that is run as a communist country.
NHS isn't Socialism!
@@freebornjohn2687 North Korea. 😉
U.K. resident here. Someone I know has a lifelong chronic disease, at 35 years. One of the drugs he has costs £60,000 a year, but he only has to pay the standard prescription charge under the NHS.
Prescriptions for long term illnesses are free.
@@sibbo-v6n Not for ALL long-term illnesses, by any means. However, if you have more than (I think) 11 or 12 prescriptions a year, a prescription Pre-Payment Certificate, more commonly known as a prescription season ticket, will cost just over £100 and covers all your out-patient prescriptions - however many there are - for a full year at that fixed cost.
Waits are for non urgent stuff - emergencies get priority! Your broken nose would not have to wait.
A GP is a doctor, they are probably what you would call a family medicine doctor, they see you and can treat or prescribe medication for many conditions, if they feel you need to see a specialist, like cardiologist, imaging or PT etc they will refer you to them, this is where the long wait time can occur. In the UK we can't directly refer ourselves to secondary services or request specific tests be run like you can in the USA
Which makes sense because meeting the patients I’ve met the waiting lists for specialists would be a decade long because EVERYONE would want to see one :’)
We don't... shower? That's a new one on me!
I have a shower every year - on my birthday - whether I need it or not ;)
@@clymtc That your hippy bath day? 😂😂
@@clymtc I prefer to get the tin bath out. Especially if I’m the last one in it.
@@alisonrandall3039 oh crikey; that brings back memories of when I was a kid!
Technically, when this stereotype was gaining speed, we didn't shower.
Of course, not showering is only half of the story.
Most British homes didn't have a shower so we literally couldn't shower, we had baths.
Stereotypes are accurate, to a point, but certain details are committed or forgotten over time
And no, no, no, no, no - you do not have to wait for urgent care. But you might have to wait a few minutes longer for a "nose bleed" than someone dying from a heart attack. If you have a non urgent issue then that might take a little time. My mother's hip replacement, from diagnosis to op was around 4 months but then all free at the point of delivery including the op, drugs, 12 weeks of physio, and home aids like a raised loo seat and walking aids which were delivered to her door.
We don't brush our teeth????? Of course we do! We even floss! We have electric toothbrushes too.
We also have healthier teeth than Americans - fact.
We don't have fluoride in our water either if we want to put fluoride into our bodies that's our choice not the government's
It’s weird how as a brit I don’t even think about how I’m getting treated for free when I go to the hospital, it’s just so normal to me to go in and get free health care that the thought of paying for something when you’ve broke a bone or something is crazy to me
I obliterated my ACL and the operation to repair it and all the subsequent physiotherapy didn't cost me anything, I'm so thankful we have the National Health Service here in the UK.
When private heath care providers screw up and you have an emergency you get transfered to an NHS hospital and the state gets the bill!
All the time second class care in the private sector
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 I got a super fast treatment here in the UK. The NHS saved my life! I have never in my whole life paid for any medical treatment in any other way than through paying my tax and still got top level care in clean hospitals. Never had any financial worry for medical treatment. The NHS is funded by all FOR ALL, that's true compassion!
I had exactly the same experience. The NHS is a gift.
General practitioners are doctors. They’re the equivalent of your primary care doctors. The people you go to when you first notice something is wrong and then they can give you prescriptions or refer you to specialists or order tests. They aren’t assistants or nurses. You might see a nurse first for different reasons such as sexual health.
The main difference is in perception. If you're paying for it you expect service. That's not an automatic right here, because treatment is based on prioritization of need. It's meant to prevent queue jumpers.
no. you always get treated
You can live with broken nose, not sure it's the same with a heart attack
@@tonybennett9964 in fact there is no actual care or treatment for broken nose maybe some pain killers.
The NHS is a brilliant thing to have and our government should treat them better.
I mean over here in the UK waiting times never really bother us, if somebody needs treatment urgently we wait that's how it's always been.
If you need treatment urgently you get it immediately, or am I missing some sort of sarcasm here?
They mean that if someone needs urgent treatment, the other people are happy to wait
The pharmaceutical company's still get paid for their medicines. You also seem to mis-understand the situation, if you go into hospital with a broken nose, you do not need to wait weeks, they will see you there and then. The waiting list is for things like operations or going to get tests etc.
My step dad had anti-cancer treatment; the series of pills cost £2500+. He didn't have to pay anything. Waiting lists can be long but it's all based on the seriousness of your medical condition. You go into the ER with a cut hand then you can wait hours (been there!), but if you have a heart problem you go to the front of the queue.
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland prescriptions are free
Freeloaders
I get free medication because I had to sign something from the doctor who gave me a card that will give me free medication
In Scotland we have free eye test as well....🏴
@@georgejob7544 except our footie team - they can’t spot the opposition goalposts 😥
The U.K. had an entirely private health care service, until we didn’t
I'm Indonesian, we have our form of Universal Health Care here and i pay only about 10 USD per month or about the same price for 1 time family lunch (4 prsn) at McDonalds here in Indonesia. And i have almost all covered including free-prescription medicine, hospital and operation. For childbirth, it only cover for normal delivery procedure. Caesarean operation is covered in special condition only, where normal delivery cannot be performed safely. Doctor service (not specialist) are open 24 hours in government clinic at every district.
The long wait times are misleading. If you broke your nose, you would go to the a&e and be treated within 2/3 hours.
OK, my story. Over the past three and a quarter years I've visited my GP 14 times. I've been to the hospital for various reasons 31 times. I've had 34 procedures of various sorts including 3 operations, numerous cystoscopies, cystograms, blood work, CT scans and MRI scans. One of the operations was a major one to remove a cancerous kidney which would otherwise have killed me by now. I'm on two medications which I pick up from the pharmacy once every four weeks. And none of it has cost me a penny. Other angles:
The reason some Brits (generally those on higher incomes) choose to go private is that the wait times are shorter and the accommodation more luxurious, but the great majority of us are bloody glad we've got the NHS to take care of us. Even the more right-leaning of the political parties understand the basic dictum: whatever you do, don't mess with the NHS. The NHS isn't always perfect - what system is? - but at least we don't have to refuse an ambulance when we get hurt because we can't afford it.
If you broke your nose, you would go to A&E (Accident and Emergency) and it would be fixed within a day.
Only certain groups get totally free prescriptions, but the others pay a small contribution amounting to a few pounds.
Thanks for being an American and saying that Socialism isn't necessarily bad. It isn't. It seems to me that Americans are conditioned to see it that way by the big money in a free market economy, and there are enough dumb asses who can't see beyond believing what they're told to believe.
I could go on and on about the NHS. I could tell the story of the black nurse who squeezed my hand the night of the kidney operation. You'd need to hear the whole story to understand why it meant such a lot to me. The fact is, the NHS nurses are a lovely, skilled, respectful bunch of people, and so are the doctors, the admin staff and everybody else. Believe me, the NHS is a wonderful thing.
Think this vid was made by someone who doesn't really understand how the NHS works, its left you with some erroneous ideas about it. Its actually a lot better than this vid implies. (Obviously no system is perfect though).
It's interesting listening to that narrator shoving his opinion in by overstating the "waiting times" twice. It's a pity that a neutral opinion can't be found on a video like this. By definition a UK narrative would extol it's virtues and a US one will down play as this one did slightly.
i had an accident a few years ago and crushed my right foot, it took two operations, plates and screws of titanium to mend my bones, 9 days in the hospital, a plaster cast and a year of physio to get me walking. now stuck with a permanent limp
i worked out that it would have cost a quarter of a million dollars, I live in the UK, and am so lucky for it
I live in England. Paying for Private health care in the UK, as far as I am aware, its just less waiting time. The same doctors and nurses are also working for the NHS.
Why is Socialized Medicine seen as a bad thing in the USA? Whats the difference between having other services paid via taxes, think police or fire services and medicine?
We do not have " free " healthcare in the UK, it is paid for through our taxes.
in my experience, waiting time for seeing a GP is like 20 minutes and i mostly could pick up a prescription the same day - for something like a broken nose you would go to Accident & Emergency and you might have to wait longer but no one with a cold would be going to a&e 😌
just wanted to add i meant 20 minutes physically in the gp office, phoning for an appointment has a couple of days waiting 👍🏼
If you want a non emergency GP appointment it can be a few weeks wait in my experience
With me it's a couple of days for an appointment
most waiting times are only longer for non-essential stuff, breast reduction, ingrowing toenails, joint replacements. any injury broken bones, heart attack, stroke, get immediate treatment.
The surgeon who did my triple heart bypass 12 years ago is the same surgeon who does private care and charge thousands for it in the same hospital in the same operation theatres and all the drugs and treatment since have cost me zero at the point of use. I know which system I prefer.
I love the NHS. Most people see it as the pride of the country, particularly after covid.
On videos of people asking Americans if they would like something like the NHS, quite a few said they wouldn't want the government making decisions on their behalf.
This does not happen in the UK, the government do not decide your treatment. The doctors do. The doctors will do what they think is the best treatment for you and if you don't like your doctor, you can ask for a referral.
You need to watch programs like '24 hours in A&E' to get a real idea of how our hospital emergency department works (your ER). The BBC'S Ambulance series is also great (gives you an idea of how we prioritise patients).
I had a mild stroke, the ambulance paramedics decided I did not need the local A & E. to where I went 2 days later because I didn't feel too good and got a 'rollicking' and ""Where have you been the last 2 days ?". Paramedics don't get it right every time.
A few months ago, I was blue lighted away to hospital and woke up in intensive care several days later, after having an Ileostomy and a stoma bag fitted... I spent three weeks in hospital. My Ileostomy (stoma) bags are free each month on the NHS... Gawd knows how much that would cost in the U.S.
It’s not free it comes out of your taxes every month! They’d tax us for breathing if they could!!!
I’ve got friends in California USA,they mentioned that they have to go to a particular pharmacy to get a prescription done. Is this dictated by the insurance company?
In the UK nearly all pharmacies will deal with NHS prescriptions, and you can go to any pharmacy to get your prescription done.
I’m so thankful for the NHS and free healthcare because I’m epileptic and have been since I was 4 and my family have income from the government since my parents have their own issues so they can’t work. So we are very blessed we don’t have to pay🙏🏼
About the wait times in the UK, if you are in an emergency situation where you life is in danger you will have no wait time, if you have broken an arm or something similar you might have to wait a couple of hours, if you want to see a GP and its something urgent you can get an appointment on the day, but if it is non-urgent you might have to wait a couple of weeks. Then when it comes to referrals to different specialists e.g. dermatology, you will have to wait approx 2 weeks. Then when it comes to certain other things that are non-urgent e.g. removal of a cyst, it could take months!
Prescriptions are free in Wales 🏴
I went to the hospital in the USA with my Australian friend and we ended up with a bill of $15,000, I was shocked by the itemised bill we got but her insurance paid in full
Also free in Scotland
And subsidised by the English taxpayer - be glad you're not independent
@@mch-gaming1437 Except no... because the country with the powers to borrow (England) is in debt.. do you think the countries without borrowing powers created that? England itself is being subsidised through borrowing! It's funny af, that little Englanders still thinks the other countries in the UK are being given extra money from English pockets - away and bolt, ya rocket!
@@Hiforest A severe misunderstanding of economics there. But the simple fact of the matter is that the Scottish government spend more from Westminster than they put in, so an independent Scotland would not be able to subsidise their value especially with the lowering of oil prices and the move toward renewable energy, it's the reason the EU will not allow an independent Scotland to join. Also at no point did I say I was English anyways
@@Hiforest what you said makes no sense.
You can get private health insurance in the UK _but_ you don't opt out of the NHS system and can still access NHS services if you need them, just like everyone else
and dont forget its the same doctors! private is just a nice little side income for them
Pritate healthcarebetter beds, TV, Internet... Its the same doctors, you can still choose your doc in the NHS x
NHS has internet everywhere now.
True, I choose private for the convenience. And seeing a doctor faster and at my convenience. Same doctors all either way. Same level of care.
This video is really exaggerating the NHS waiting times. As a UK citizen I can’t put into words how brilliant it is. One of the greatest achievements of The UK
Absolutely!! The NHS isn’t built for the amount of people we have and the more abuse we take working there the more of us move to Australia or other places. I could earn twice as much in Australia as I do here and I wouldn’t work 12.5 hour shifts without even having a lunch break). I do that though because I am trying to see people as quickly as I can (and it’s still not good enough). Seeing how people treat us is why so many people choose to work at Aldi for the same money without the same abuse. Every staff member that leaves makes it harder for everyone else.
When the NHS finds something it moves blindingly fast. My friend Colin after months of nagging got dragged to the doctor by his girlfriend. Wednesday morning he goes to the GP, they draw blood and tell him to phone up on Monday for results. Thursday evening he gets a call and a nurse asks if he can come in to station 12 in Ayr Hospital on Friday as they need to investigate. He goes in and the nurse takes him to an office with a name and Senior Oncology Consultant on the door. After a chat he is put in a bed and they take about an armful of blood. Saturday he enjoys the morning with the medical imaging team. Saturday evening the consultant turns up and asks him if possible to get his girlfriend in at 2 PM on Sunday. They then went through the diagnosis with both of them. He had an aggressive bowel cancer and his options were go home with painkillers and live 3 months or spend 6 months in hospital getting chemo and radiotherapy. He opted for 3 months at home.
The private healthcare reduces waiting times, but it's the same doctors and nurses that work in the NHS. They use private patients to increase salary and help fund extra NHS surgeries.
I’ve thought about moving to the US one day but the main thing stopping me is your healthcare system and not having the nhs
On the NHS we also get "health visitors" after having babies. These are assigned to new parents, they're a bit like midwives, and they come out to visit you at home after birth to check on mum and baby, weigh baby, check stitches are healing, answer questions and provide breast feeding support. They return every few months to check baby's cognitive and physical development.
With me being British I will say that I have never waited more than a week for my appointment, and a lot of the time for me at least they just tell you to wait 30 minutes in the waiting room to be seen 🤷♂️ I don’t know how it is for others though
When Americans refer to NHS funding they call it a "TAX" as though its a dirty word. Here it's referred to as National Insurance and that's how we think of it. It's an insurance policy and like any other policy we hope not to use it but happy it's there when we do. As the video mentioned prescriptions cost around $12 but lots exempt such as students, children, low income and many more.
National insurance funds the benefits system - it is insurance against being unable to work. The NHS is funded through income & general taxation.
@@wangdangdoodie there is still a small amount of NI that goes to the NHS but it seams its no longer as much as when I started work
@@martinbatley9512 yes, I think NI goes toward pensions etc now. Our PAYE goes toward the NHS (and everything else the Government wants to use it for ....!!!).
In Wales, all prescription and medicines are free...Emergency treatment is free and fast only routine treatment is rationed but wait times can vary depending on the treatment.
Triage nurses cut down on wait times. If you have a paper cut - good luck seeing someone. If you have something more serious then you get seen faster. For me - I went in with a swelling on my neck. Ultra sound done the same day. MRI the day after and spinal tap the day after that. Started chemo for cancer two days later.
If you come to the UK you will find you watched that short in a Very American way. A broken nose could be fixed almost immediately whilst removal of an unsightly wart would wait till a surgeon's diary allowed.
A removal of a wart is usually done at a GP surgery anyway - don’t need to see a surgeon
If you decide to go private you will get a private room and on some occasions you will get the same surgeon and some surgeons work both in the NHS and also do private work and you may also be treated in an NHS hospital. You are mainly paying to be seen quicker and to bypass the NHS waiting list. But organisations such as BUPA and SPIRE do have their own hospitals but there are fewer of these.
NHS is the National Health Service and is the umbrella organisation for all public health care or its funding. Prescriptions cost about £9 each in England (free in Scotland, not sure about Wales) but you can get an annual prepayment for just over £100 for unlimited prescriptions. The NHS for instance pays much much less for drugs and buys generics where possible, identical drugs purchased commercially in the US can cost many times more than the NHS pays here.
Prescriptions are free in Wales.
A broken nose would be seen as an emergency as if it gets worse or seizes could cause breathing difficulties. Heck, even a broken finger would be seen within a few hours.
You really have to have something that won't cause any issues within the next few days to get put on a waiting list.
You get no better doctors by going Private it just reduces waiting times. The biggest secret of private healthcare in the UK is that outside of specialties that are not covered by the NHS, private Doctors are just NHS doctors moonlighting
Any emergency services you require will be done asap waiting time is after care
I think you are getting confused over "non-urgent care" and "treatment". If you break your nose it will be dealt with as soon as the heart attack person is out of the way. Usually in an A&E department patients are triaged and dealt with by need. NICE, that they mentioned , then decides which non- urgent thing to concentrate on, hip replacement, glaucoma, etc and you can end up waiting for those.
Brit here. The difference in the cost of healthcare in the UK and the US is largely due to the fact that in the UK we pay pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies less for their products.In the UK, if you want to sell medicines and suchlike in large quantities, you have to sell to the NHS, and they will negotiate a reasonable price - they are bound by law to do so, and can and do prosecute companies if they are found to be overcharging. By contrast, in the US, medication etc. is payed for mostly by insurance companies, who have a weaker negotiating position and less incentive to drive a hard bargain as they can simply pass an increase in cost on by increasing their premiums.
With regard to the fixed cost of prescriptions in England - if the medicine is cheaper to buy from the pharmacy without a prescription, it's a safe bet that either your GP or the pharmacist will tell you.
In general, Brits respect the system and don't go to the doctor for a headache or a cut finger. Pharmacists are happy to recommend over-the-counter medicines for minor ailments and will tell you to go see the doctor for medicines that require a prescription. If you go to your local GP with, say, a blocked ear, you will be seen by a nurse who is qualified to treat it immediately, and who will refer you to the doctor if it turns out to be a symptom of a more serious problem, who in turn will refer you to a hospital if necessary - it's only then that waiting times can become an issue, and medical issues that can wait often do. For a broken nose the GP would send you to A&E (Accident and Emergency, the British equivalent of ER) and you might have to wait a few hours to be seen at worst, because they operate a triage system, with a qualified nurse deciding who needs to be seen immediately and who can sit and read a magazine until their turn comes.
All through my life I've had use of NHS services for various reasons, some emergency, some not.
The idea of having to worry about payment seems an odd concept.
The only reason to go private is to reduce the wait time and have nice private room etc, the treatment will be the same standard . Usually doctors work privately and for the NHS so you get the same person. All doctors have been trained through the NHS.
The only real reasons to go private are those private rooms and the possibility of jumping the queue for your ingrowing toenail or tennis elbow treatment... :-)
If its important, you will be seen quickly. When I was recently diagnosed I saw my doctor the same day and a specialist by the end of the week. Blood tests, full body scans and 6 month of chemotherapy all for free. No complaints from me. 😎
So I've worked for the NHS for many years. 5 in A&E, 6 in outpatients, 3 in preventative care and a couple as bank staff (non permanent staff).
A&E is a wonderful place to work. Its hectic and high stress at times but that pulls staff into close working relationships. If you walk into a&e with a minor injury (and yes a basic broken arm IS a minor injury) you will be trialed by a nurse then seen by a doctor within 4 hours. For free. (If you are a foreign national your details are taken and you/your insurer is billed by the NHS later at NHS prices not at the cost it would in your home country). If you need further care you could be admitted for short or long term care within the hospital system or asked to return for outpatient appointments.
Outpatients. Either you've been to a&e and asked to come back, you've seen the emergency out of hours GP service and been referred or your own (free) GP/gp surgery has referred you. An assessment appointment wmis booked for anything up to 12 weeks away. You usually get given options of where and when. Then if you need treatment you will receive it normally within 18 weeks of the initial referral.
If you need a routine investigation (mri scan, CT etc) you may get referred for that directly.
Routine operations can take up to 3-4 months (I can't remember exactly as that wasnt my area). So nasal polyps etc will be a longer wait. More urgent operations will be much quicker.
If you have been to the GP with a suspected cancer you will be seen by a consultant within 2 weeks of that date. Investigations may be done within that initial appointment and treatment will happen quickly (dependant on type or cancer etc).
All medications given to you within the hospital are free. If you need to continue them after leaving you will need to pay a fee for each item prescribed (£9 approx) unless you are exempt (children, the elderly, people on state benefits, those with chronic conditions such as diabetes) if you think you may need several prescriptions in a year you can buy a yearly card for about £109 which will cover all prescriptions that year.
Dental treatment is subsidised as is opthalmic care. Dental has a scale of what to pay depending on treatment. Opticians charge for initial assessment and then for any product you need (glasses/contacts/hearing aid - some Opticians are hearing centres as well). Those exempt from paying prescriptions are usually given free or lower cost dental and eye care also.
Preventative care can also be free! If you want to loose weight? See a GP for a referral to a health trainer/dietician/consultant for gastric banding etc. If you are experiencing depression? See a GP to discuss options (medication or talking therapy, which usually has a very long wait time).
The NHS is paid for by everyone to help everyone.
If you want private treatment you can have it and still use the NHS as well. My partner needs private care for operations due to autism. A private facility has extra staff and better privacy for him. I can also stay with him every minute he's not in surgery which you can't in an NHS ward. It helps his anxiety. Our NHS gp can refer him to a private consultant (who is also his NHS consultant) or we can book a private appointment directly. An initial assessment will be much longer (20-60 minutes where an NHS appointment is usually 10/15 mins for an assessment) giving him time to settle and get his thoughts out. The private consultant appointment is usually a two way conversation about care instead of being consultant led. Operations will be done sooner and in a private facility with private rooms (instead of going back to a ward of up to 40 people). More nursing staff per person and a longer check up with the consultant afterwards.
The actual operation is the same. My partner has had the same operation with the same consultant but one NHS and one privately.
Define care, what they said was wait for non essential operations, you can see a doctor pretty easily.
It is probably not quite so bad as the video makes out. If we have a medical emergency like something you would go to the ER for then I can call an ambulance or present myself at the ER and I will get treatment and get admitted to hospital straight away if it's required.
If we don't feel well then we can arrange an appointment with our GP (General Practice Doctor) This can be in a few days or often we can arrange for a telephone consultation and the GP will call us back the same day and will ask us to visit them the same day if they can't help over the phone.
If the GP thinks we need to see a specialist depending on how serious the GP thinks our issue is, then they will either refer us to a hospital specialist and we will get put on the specialists waiting list, or they will arrange for us to be seen directly by the hospital within the AAU (Acute Assessment Unit) or SAU (Surgical Assessment Unit). Our GP is truly the gate keeper they will decide on the next steps following our initial contact. I only see a nurse for things like regular vaccinations, vitamin injections and some health screening sessions otherwise I see my doctor.
For prescriptions it varies. Generally, if a GP writes you a prescription, then most people will pay around $13 for each individual drug (bottle or container, not tablet 😉). If you have certain life long conditions like diabetes, then all prescriptions are free. If you receive drugs as an inpatient in hospital then you will receive these free. For example: I to take regular meds and receive frequent drug infusions totalling about $30 000 a year. I do not pay anything extra for these at all.
Of course, we do have Private Health providers in the UK too, so if people want to pay and see those doctors they can but they will still pay the same regular tax as everybody else. It is very common for specialists to have a contract with the NHS for some hours then work other hours within their own practice. So the quality of the specialists in both Private and the NHS healthcare system are the same.
I am happy with a capitalist system on the whole BUT I think when it comes to health care I prefer the option of a social health care system as I do not think how much money you have should dictate whether you receive treatment or not.
I personally think we have the right balance. I proudly work within our NHS, though not in a clinical role.
There are a number of US UA-camrs in the UK who cite the US health care system as the reason they stay in the UK. I think it's really sad that people feel they need to live elsewhere because they say that they just can't afford to live in their own country because of these costs.
I owe the nhs my sight when my retina detached in my right eye, I had a gas bubble inserted to repair it & then a year later I had to have another eye operation due to cataract in that eye. That probably would have cost thousands in insurance but I got the treatment for free
Going private is very often about waiting times and choosing your specialist.
On the NHS a lot of stuff IS pretty quick, but for some procedures, there can be a wait. That tends to be things that aren't considered an emergency. At the GP surgery the nurse practitioners often deal with stuff like injections, regular diabetes checks etc to keep the doctor free for those likely to need prescriptions.
My friend has skin cancer and goes to the NHS for treatment. After each mole is removed she transfers to the private wing of the same hospital. The NHS consultant sees her on his way to the car park. Food is the same but they have better tea, china cups and wine with dinner.
The benefit of private in the UK is mainly shorter wait times for specialised health problems. The doctors/surgeons who perform this specialised healthcare privately are more often than not the same doctors employed by the NHS, and the operations themselves are often preformed in NHS hospitals. So by going private, you are receiving the same quality of care, just that waiting lists are shorter. Having said that anything that is considered quality of life threatening is often dealt with on the NHS with urgency, it would only be routine operations that have long NHS waiting lists.
To comment on the wait times, they will only make you wait for minor to almost major incidents/illness, e.g I had a chest infection and had to wait for 2 hrs to get meds. However, if you are legit drying they will see you instantly.
Another thing the NHS does is annual health checks for the over 60s checking your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, checking of diabetes and common types of cancer. All free.
A few years back I went to my local hospital to see a GP out of surgery hours actually, it was during a public holiday when my GPsurgery was closed, I saw the doctor who hospitalised me there and then for blood clots in my leg and I was given excellent treatment for my condition and I saw the Consultant, the head of the department, regularly during my almost 2 1/2 to 3 werk stay in the hospital.
We shower daily, we brush our teeth. We are very hygienic as a nation.
Waiting times is for non-essential treatment. If you are in need of treatment you get it immediately or with in hours.
If your life is at risk, you receive treatment immediately.
People who opt for private medical care are getting the same treatment from the same doctors as some doctors split their time between NHS & Private works.
Friend I have use private care to get access within days, or an opinion.
Pharmaceutical companies get their monies, but the NHS negotiates as the biggest customer so they can get the lowest prices.
The UK has huge buying power.
I have always received service quickly. The longest I have had to wait was 5 hours in casualty (A&E). I am diabetes, my drugs are free, eye care is free, dietary care is free.
Cancer sufferers receive free treatment and drugs. We have community healthcare, where nurses visit to dress wounds that may need changing daily.
It is available from the cradle to the grave
the only reason I've seen people go private is either because it's very hard to see a gp during the pandemic, or for mental health stuff where there are often huge waiting lists and people want to get soon to quicker
I'm amazed you are so amazed about things we concider normal over here. Greetings from Belgium.
If I go to my normal doctor I would see him within 1 to 2 days. A specialist neurologist would be 6 to 12 weeks. A broken nose would get 3 to 4 hours.
I'm a type 1 diabetic, I get mine free through medical exemption because anything life threatening to allow you to live a normal life is free
Waiting times vary depending on how urgent it is. Something that wasn’t urgent will have much longer waiting times, than something urgent.