NHS Rant (UK)

[Bonobojt]

I feel really pissed off today about the NHS here in England, I'm a young 25 year old guy and I'm going through some health issues, I remember when I was in Thailand, I could walk in a hospital of my choice, get a lovely warm welcome and choose what kind of doctor I want, nice simple and easy,  see the doctor, explain my symptoms and he will do the necessary tests to get answer's, that's what I want ! tests ! only down side is I of course will be paying money for this, maybe a lot of money, but when it comes to health its worth it.

 

here in good old England I will have to wait 3 months, most likely more, just to see a Urologist. I got a referral for a ENT last month and I still haven't heard back from that. I'm so angry and frustrated about all this, don't get me wrong, there are bad doctor's in Thailand, so I'm not saying its all perfect in Thailand but I would just love to be in Bangkok right now, if you do your research on which doctor to see before going to the Hospital then you'll get a good doctor. 

 

Missing Bangkok right now. 

[chickenslegs]

 

5 minutes ago, Bonobojt said:

...when I was in Thailand, I could walk in a hospital of my choice, get a lovely warm welcome and choose what kind of doctor I want, nice simple and easy,  see the doctor, explain my symptoms and he will do the necessary tests to get answer's, that's what I want ! tests ! only down side is I of course will be paying money for this, maybe a lot of money, but when it comes to health its worth it.

 

You can get all of those things in the UK too, just have to pay for it - as you do here in Thailand.

[Briggsy]

Feel free to go private in the UK. It is available everywhere.

 

Failing that, contact your MP. That may well get things moving.

 

Comparing a private unaccountable health care system in a developing nation to a free (at the point of service) government health care system in a developed nation which must account for every penny spent and all of its actions and decisions to a range of inspecting bodies is like comparing apples to oranges.

[bartender100]

Recently made an appointment with my NHS doctor and got to see him the next day, had an ECG done in the surgery 3 days later, got my free prescription the same day as that, and appointment to have a full cardio done in 4 weeks at the NHS hospital in my region .

 

No complaints from me about the NHS

[Bonobojt]

I guess some people have good experiences and some have bad, its just the long waiting list to see a specialist ! 1 or 2 months is bad enough but 3 or more is a joke. Of course I can see my local GP easily within days or less than a week, but my local clinic doesn't have the facilities to do the tests I need (scans etc..) just wish I didn't have to pay for treatment in a country with free healthcare just to speed things up.

 

I'll look into going to a private hospital, I'm guessing its more expensive here in England or same prices as Thai Hospitals ?

[chiang mai]

Now that the Pound has devalued the prices are going to be very similar I reckon, Thailand never was especially cheap in recent years anyway, especially medical treatment.

[dick dasterdly]

22 minutes ago, Bonobojt said:

I guess some people have good experiences and some have bad, its just the long waiting list to see a specialist ! 1 or 2 months is bad enough but 3 or more is a joke. Of course I can see my local GP easily within days or less than a week, but my local clinic doesn't have the facilities to do the tests I need (scans etc..) just wish I didn't have to pay for treatment in a country with free healthcare just to speed things up.

 

I'll look into going to a private hospital, I'm guessing its more expensive here in England or same prices as Thai Hospitals ?

Of course its going to be more expensive in the UK!  Salaries are far higher, but look on the bright side - if you pay, you are likely to get a better quality of doctor.

 

Not always of course, but the chances are better.

[dick dasterdly]

18 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

Now that the Pound has devalued the prices are going to be very similar I reckon, Thailand never was especially cheap in recent years anyway, especially medical treatment.

I disagree and think Thai prices are still relatively cheap compared to private prices in the UK.

 

But then again, the specialist in the UK is likely to be more qualified and provide better treatment.

[chiang mai]

3 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

I disagree and think Thai prices are still relatively cheap compared to private prices in the UK.

 

But then again, the specialist in the UK is likely to be more qualified and provide better treatment.

 

I'm not up to date on UK medical costs any longer although I did do a price comparison on a PTCA with a single stent about seven years ago. At that time Spire group UK wanted GBP 11,000 for the procedure plus travel costs etc. Bumrungrad wanted 350,000. Today, Bumrungrad wants circa 440, 000 which is 10,500 or near enough in Pounds. Some detail costs here:

 

https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/realcost-thailand-surgery/final-bill-estimate-surgery-cost-pricing?Pid=7243&RealCostPid=1

[Strange]

33 minutes ago, Bonobojt said:

just wish I didn't have to pay for treatment in a country with free healthcare just to speed things up.

 

Am I missing something here, but its not free is it? Paid for by income tax that every person pays. And the UK tax rate is higher per person than say the US (last time I had a look). 

 

So how is this free? 

[Trevor1809]

1 hour ago, Bonobojt said:

I guess some people have good experiences and some have bad, its just the long waiting list to see a specialist ! 1 or 2 months is bad enough but 3 or more is a joke. Of course I can see my local GP easily within days or less than a week, but my local clinic doesn't have the facilities to do the tests I need (scans etc..) just wish I didn't have to pay for treatment in a country with free healthcare just to speed things up.

 

I'll look into going to a private hospital, I'm guessing its more expensive here in England or same prices as Thai Hospitals ?

You can get to see your GP in less than a week! I am lucky if I can get an appointment 3 weeks ahead. It is the attitude of the GPs that I am then made to feel guilty because I am using up his time because I am ill that really annoys me. Isn't that his job and what I pay taxes for?

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, Bonobojt said:

don't get me wrong, there are bad doctor's in Thailand, so I'm not saying its all perfect in Thailand

 

 

[partington]

2 hours ago, Strange said:

 

Am I missing something here, but its not free is it? Paid for by income tax that every person pays. And the UK tax rate is higher per person than say the US (last time I had a look). 

 

So how is this free? 

 

It is "free at point of service".  This means there is no assessment of cost or reimbursement involved, no insurance company, no forms to fill. Anyone eligible gets all the treatment they need as long as they need it by simply turning up at the provider.

 

While of course it is not "free" in the sense that it costs nothing, consider two men in their forties with the same income living in the same street, one of whom has never been sick, and one who has a chronic disease that requires continuous assessment, hospital visits and drugs, and has done for 25 years.

 

They both pay the same tax, therefore it costs the same for 25 years continuous NHS treatment or no use of the NHS at all. The amount you pay is unrelated to the extent of use, and in this sense  means you incur no extra cost whether you use the system or not.

 

You could call this "free" if you like.

Edited October 20, 2016 by partington

[kannot]

3 hours ago, Strange said:

 

Am I missing something here, but its not free is it? Paid for by income tax that every person pays. And the UK tax rate is higher per person than say the US (last time I had a look). 

 

So how is this free? 

unlimited

[Trevor1809]

55 minutes ago, partington said:

 

It is "free at point of service".  This means there is no assessment of cost or reimbursement involved, no insurance company, no forms to fill. Anyone eligible gets all the treatment they need as long as they need it by simply turning up at the provider.

 

And that is the problem. Because it is free at the point of service the NHS treats you as though they are doing us a favour rather than treating us as a right. If my GP can get me out of the door in less than 30 seconds by fobbing me off with "its just flu or just a cough" then he can get onto to doing something more important, more important in his mind at least.

[chickenslegs]

4 hours ago, Strange said:

 

Am I missing something here, but its not free is it? Paid for by income tax that every person pays. And the UK tax rate is higher per person than say the US (last time I had a look). 

 

So how is this free? 

 

It is not "free" but it is (IMHO) amazing value for money.

 

 

 

 

[Trevor1809]

8 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

 

It is not "free" but it is (IMHO) amazing value for money.

 

 

 

 

But if you can't get treated then isn't worth anything. In Thailand they make money by treating you. With the NHS they save money by fobbing you off and getting you out of the door as quickly as possible. If you happen to die because it was serious then that frees up some housing and may be a  job as well.

[smokie36]

I wonder how much income tax this bonobojt has paid into the system he is enjoying the free services of whilst criticising at every turn?

[geriatrickid]

All NHS patients are assessed for their urgency. Urgent and emergency cases are given priority.  OP states that he wants some tests done.  Who requested the   tests? The attending  physician or the OP who has self diagnosed?  If it is not an urgent matter, the patient is ranked  as less of a priority than someone in need of the test. 

 

Foreigners misinterpret the  ease in which Thai medical facilities  sell tests. It is a for profit business and the typcial Thai hospital  physician is  compensated on  referrals and tests. Private clinics send labwork out to   partner operations which in turn compensate the referring physcian. It's a pay to play structure in Thailand.

 

If the OP is unhappy with the NHS, he has the option of going to a private facility and paying for the expedited test, the results of which will be sent to his designated attending physician.

 

 

 

[meatboy]

his last sentence say's it all "i miss bangkok"

the warm welcome he got, and saw a doctor straight away.were staff at SOI COWBOY.

[Sheryl]

As others have said, patient care is triaged by urgency. Obviously, you have been assessed as a "non-urgent" case.

 

Bear in mind your long wait is enabling emergency cases to be treated promptly, something you will value if/when you face an emergency yourself.

 

The government health system in Thailand (which is where the vast majority of Thais get care) works in exactly the same way, and waits for things like CT and MRI are very long here too - so long that those with the means to do so, often pay to have them done privately.

 

If the tests in question come back positive for a serious condition, that will accelerate the pace at which you will be dealt with within the NHS, so getting the tests done privately may be a worthwhile investment.  Suggest you check prices at various private facilities.

 

Diagnostic tests that involve expensive equipment (CT scan, MRI etc) are much, much cheaper in India than virtually anywhere else, thanks to the large population size (which = volume of clients).  So you might also like to consider that and price airfares and costs there.  Coming to Thailand would probably not  save you much if anything as these tests are comparatively pricey here especially for someone from the UK given the current exchange rate.

 

 

[ThaiPauly]

23 hours ago, bartender100 said:

Recently made an appointment with my NHS doctor and got to see him the next day, had an ECG done in the surgery 3 days later, got my free prescription the same day as that, and appointment to have a full cardio done in 4 weeks at the NHS hospital in my region .

 

No complaints from me about the NHS

Hope you are feeling better now me old mate?

[bartender100]

51 minutes ago, ThaiPauly said:

Hope you are feeling better now me old mate?

Yes I am fine thanks, my UK Doc  just wants to check my condition has not got any worse, I have a leaking valve on my heart, but it seems to make no difference to the way i feel, you know 18 years old lol

 

Back in the UK for a while, last Thai trip was 6 years long so nice to be back here for a while, good timing with the way the exchange rate has gone 

 

Nice to go to a few games as well, good luck to Reading

[homeseeker]

OP: Right what u say about the ease of getting medical care in Thailand. I have heard good and very bad stories about the NHS in the UK.

A major problem is  that the UK allows thousands of poor people mainly immigrants etc into the place who can get unlimited health care without paying for it; then the locals who have paid into the system all their lives are pushed to the back of the queue.

 

[BudRight]

On 10/20/2016 at 2:37 AM, chickenslegs said:

 

 

You can get all of those things in the UK too, just have to pay for it - as you do here in Thailand.

 

The issue is that he already pays, in the form of taxes, but receives nothing for it.

[berybert]

On ‎20‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 11:51 AM, Strange said:

 

Am I missing something here, but its not free is it? Paid for by income tax that every person pays. And the UK tax rate is higher per person than say the US (last time I had a look). 

 

So how is this free? 

This is one of my biggest bug bears. I have paid into the NHS for about 38 years and have hardly ever used it. I reckon it must owe me

well over £100,000. Yet people tell me I get a free service should I need it.

[partington]

3 minutes ago, berybert said:

This is one of my biggest bug bears. I have paid into the NHS for about 38 years and have hardly ever used it. I reckon it must owe me

well over £100,000. Yet people tell me I get a free service should I need it.

It doesn't owe you anything unless you get sick.  It's insurance not a bloody Christmas Club.

[berybert]

Just now, partington said:

It doesn't owe you anything unless you get sick.  It's insurance not a bloody Christmas Club.

Its insurance I have never had  the chance not to pay. I do not agree with a national health care system.

If I want it then it should be my choice to pay for it.

[uptheos]

Anyone who doesn't like the NHS can buy private medical insurance.

Without insurance here's what you can expect to pay for certain treatments.

http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/costs/

 

The average cost for a colonoscopy in UK is around 85,000 baht.

http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/conditions-and-treatments/Colonoscopy/

 

You can get a colonoscopy/bronchoscopy deat at RAM for 22,000 baht

 

 

[Strange]

4 hours ago, uptheos said:

Anyone who doesn't like the NHS can buy private medical insurance.

 

On top of paying into the NHS with tax money (and its not pocket change)