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AIBU?

To ask for info about the world's best health system please?

151 replies

haveyourselfamerry · 09/01/2017 21:56

I am assuming that somewhere in Europe/Canada/Australasia there is a system that works better than ours.

I have spent time in US -we can rule that one out right here....

OP posts:

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Crumbs1 · 09/01/2017 22:03

On most indicators the NHS tops the world.
There are some issues but not for majority who receive very good care and treatment. The NHS is at its best when people are seriously ill - heart attacks, strokes, cancers, aneurysm and major trauma type things.

Gwenhwyfar · 09/01/2017 22:05

I think France came first in a WHO ranking. UK came quite high in that list, but I think maybe because of things like value for money rather than patient satisfaction.

I lived in Belgium for a whole and the quality of the care is very good. There are no problems getting a GP appointment whenever you want with whichever GP you want, but it can take longer to see a specialist even though you can go directly to them without necessarily needing to be referred from your GP. Problem is that you pay for it 3 times, partly through your taxes, then through your regular payments to the non-profit insurance organisation (mutuality) and then again when you visit the doctor (or an invoice later in some cases e.g. emergencies). You get half of what you pay the GP on the day back and more than half for serious illnesses so having cancer or something wouldn't ruin you as it would in a strictly private system, but you'd probably worry less about not getting treated on time because of ridiculous waiting lists.

I prefer the NHS in principle, we just need to pay more towards it and run it better.

Gwenhwyfar · 09/01/2017 22:07

Ranking here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_ranking_of_health_systems_in_2000

Sprinklestar · 09/01/2017 22:10

I'm British but live in the US. If you have money/excellent insurance, the healthcare is phenomenal.

Gwenhwyfar · 09/01/2017 22:12

This gives a bit more info
www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/09/which-country-has-worlds-best-healthcare-system-this-is-the-nhs

thisismeusernameything · 09/01/2017 22:14

I don't know what the solution is but I think it starts with access to GPs. My FIL ended up in hospital with pneumonia over christmas because he had no access to antibiotics for a chest infection.

I've since discovered the push doctor service (sure other services exist). You pay £20 and get 10 minutes with a doctor. If you just need antibiotics I think this is great. The prescription gets sent to the chemist of your choice. I feel we waste a lot of time with for healthcare professionals with minor things like this and those that can should look elsewhere to get services they need.

Although I wouldn't be happy to pay more tax to fund the NHS, I am happy to pay for services I need, freeing up my potential appointment for somebody else.

If more people did this, GPs would have more free time and there would be a knock on effect at A&E. I do think that A&E is over used for silly things and maybe a small fee should apply for those that pay prescriptions (cost of a prescription perhaps?)

thisismeusernameything · 09/01/2017 22:16

Forgot to say, I had treatment in Switzerland and got an excellent service. They have a part public/part private system I think.

DailyFail1 · 09/01/2017 22:17

The NHS is the best healthcare system in that it's free at the point of sale. Nobody in the UK has to give up Cancer treatment so they can pay for their children's education.

Postagestamppat · 09/01/2017 22:20

Not the UK. One of my friend's parents was diagnosed with kidney cancer after 1 years of being told it was a stone. Kidney removed. Chemo started 6 months after because the hospital forgot about them. Dead within a year of a brain tumour. Another friend who lives in a Scandinavian country has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Mastectomy carried out and chemo started within a month. Although to be fair I have heard of shocking stories from friends about that country's health care -and it's not free. I don't think that it is free anywhere in the world apart from the UK. Germany is excellent, but they have a costly insurance system that effectively doubles income tax. Although I believe that you get what you pay for.

DailyFail1 · 09/01/2017 22:25

Postagestamppat Aunt's NHS experience: diagnosed with a rare uterine Cancer on a a Monday(GP said biopsy a formality) and radiotherapy started same day, biopsy on Tuesday, by the Friday she was undergoing surgery to remove the tumour. Cancer had been flagged by a nurse at a routine flu jab appointment after aunts complained of bleeding. When the NHS works it really works well.

Crumbs1 · 09/01/2017 22:26

Postagestamppat if you find a lump or suspicious mass on mammogram you get seen within a fortnight and usually less. We do breast cancer very well.

Gwenhwyfar · 09/01/2017 22:27

Sprinklestar, even well off people can get into trouble with the American system if they get something very serious and expensive to treat though can't they? And it doesn't it make people stuck in certain jobs that have health insurance?

hefzi · 09/01/2017 22:29

According to a colleague from the Czech Republic, their health service is excellent, and also free at the point of use. I can't confirm, though, whether this is correct!

Postagestamppat · 09/01/2017 22:30

I think it is not possible to have a health care system that is effectively free in this day and age. We pay for opticians and dentists. Why is there is the hold out for free health? If the public were willing to pay then it could be reformed so that the majority contribute to their health care while the more vulnerable members of society are still cared for. As it is the tories are going to let the nhs go to hell and allow private insurance companies in through the back door leading to an American style system. I'd happily pay for health care if my utility bills were cut. I'd rather the money goes to health than making those foreign companies richer. My prediction is that we're going to end paying for private medical insurance on top of the insane utilities within a couple of decades.

Gwenhwyfar · 09/01/2017 22:40

" I don't think that it is free anywhere in the world apart from the UK. "

You didn't read my link then? A few other places have a free at the point of use system.

Gwenhwyfar · 09/01/2017 22:42

"Postagestamppat if you find a lump or suspicious mass on mammogram you get seen within a fortnight and usually less. We do breast cancer very well."

But if you found it yourself you wouldn't be able to get a GP's appointment to get it checked out.

changingnameforthispost · 09/01/2017 23:16

Gwenhwyfar,

That wasn't my recent experience at all.
I found a lump on the Saturday, saw my GP on the Monday, had received a breast cancer diagnosis by the Friday, and underwent surgery 7 days later and I finished radiotherapy just before Christmas.
Back to work next week!

haveyourselfamerry · 10/01/2017 09:18

Hmm, I think patient satisfaction only counts (in this thread anyway!) in so far as it links to mental health outcomes.

So annoyance of waiting doesn't count. New stress-related illness due to waiting does count IYSWIM.

OP posts:

DailyFail1 · 10/01/2017 09:31

When you tell the GP receptionist you have a lump they usually go through Hell and high water to get you an appointment.

NathanBarleyrocks · 10/01/2017 09:49

Postagestamppat Whilst I agree with what you say, I don't think you can compare general healthcare with dental treatment. The Jezza Kyle types often have terrible teeth as they probs can't afford any treatment but you can't just stop providing all healthcare to the poor and let them die if they have cancer for example.

NathanBarleyrocks · 10/01/2017 09:51

Postagestamppat Ignore my message. I hadn't read yours properly.

ShanghaiDiva · 10/01/2017 09:58

Austria - excellent.
My dad had cancer and had excellent treatment on the Nhs - gp -specialist-surgery all happened promptly and the follow up care was excellent. The Nhs extended his life by 5 years and he died with dignity in the hospice where the care he received was, again, excellent.

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Birdandsparrow · 10/01/2017 10:02

Spain's healthcare system is free at the point of use. I've personally (anecdotally obviously) found it excellent.

DailyFail1 · 10/01/2017 10:37

BirdandSparrow Spanish healthcare is only free for children, pregnant women, and Spanish residents (ie people living and working in Spain and those who moved there before a specific year and have an income over 10k euros). Everybody else pays. Compare that to the NHS where all Europeans currently get free treatment.

Birdandsparrow · 10/01/2017 10:40

Ok fair enough. I've been a Spanish resident since 1999 and always worked.

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