To think we’re lucky to be in Britain?

@Maddy70 where did you move to if you don’t mind me asking?

That's really dreadful. No, it shouldn't take five hours to find essential equipment. I can't imagine how stressful that must have been.

Thank you. She was never going to survive but she should have been made comfortable in her last days. They couldn’t even be bothered to find a ventilator mask to fit her properly. Took them five hours. Presumably someone just needed to walk down to the paediatric intensive care (she was very tiny). Shouldn’t take five fucking hours.

These posts are meaningless unless you specify what the comparison is and what parameters you are referring to.

If you compare the UK to Afghanistan or Syria it’s a slam dunk yes. If you compare it to Norway not so much.

Also health outcomes or education outcomes, again what are you comparing? A good state secondary in an affluent area can probably hold a candle to most comparators but a poorly funded one in a deprived area can be really shit. Ditto the NHS; heavily region dependent. If you live in a prosperous rural area it may be fine, but I can tell you primary care provision in South East London is pretty scary.

I personally like living in the UK because it’s my home but it’s absurd to pretend that it doesn’t have fairly major problems and this knee jerk response of “Well if you don’t like it here, fuck off back to xxx,” is ignorant and unhelpful.

I wish we could have a grown up conversation about the challenges of Britain without it descending into a “Would you rather live in Afghanistan?” zero sum slanging match.

We did this weekend. We were away for the weekend and had excellent service from 111. Given an appointment and medication for a Clinically Extremely Vunerable person. Couldn't fault it.

Same here. MIL was admitted to hospital with severe pneumonia (as diagnosed by GP who called the ambulance) and was left on a trolley in A&E for 48 hours before they started giving her antibiotics, by which time, she was far too far gone and died within a couple of hours of her being on a ward and the AB drip put in. It's diabolical what they get away with. Just 48 hours of being fobbed off, "waiting for doctor", "waiting for blood test results", "waiting for chest x-ray (which they lost so had to be done again). We had to stay with her 24-7 as she was completely ignored by the staff and "someone" had to be there to give her drinks, take her to the loo, give her some food, and stop her falling off the trolley!

I'm sorry about your mum. That must be really hard knowing that more should have been done for her.

The NHS is a pile of shit. My mum was left to die like an animal 13 years ago. No fucking care whatsoever. Most of Europe has a better health care system than us.

Not if you need emergency care. My 80 year old MIL has heart problems and FIL was advised that there was a 4 hour wait for an ambulance last week. He took her in a taxi, she waited 24 hours for a bed in A and E and having spent several days in hospital they discharged her in no better way than when she went in.

My husband and I have been fortunate to have travelled the world, my husband more so, and I always miss home when away and wouldn't want to leave the uk.
I love our little island, my home and where I live (rural nr Bath).

We have both had life threatening issues and NHS been brilliant.

Something that often gets criticised - school system - it's imperfect but is actually amazing and our results are some of the top ones in the world rankings. It is actually top for countries that value childhood and mental health and dont aim to produce fully compliant robotic citizens E.g comparing it to high pressure, extremely long hours, over-tutored robotic learning culture countries. It does extremely well for a hands off, relaxed learning culture.

Very

I think this all the time, OP. In another time or place, my children and I would be dead. But we aren’t, thanks to the NHS and the medical treatments available in this day and age. Blows my mind to think about how slim our chances were of being born British at this time in history, of all the many billions of humans who have ever existed. What luck!
This country is a long way from perfect and it’s sadly slipping backwards in many ways (have also experienced the inept shambles face of the NHS) no doubt about that, but overall I do feel we have a lot to be thankful for here and it doesn’t take more than a few seconds glance over global headlines on any given day to see that.

I get the same service in Yorkshire.

I agree. Don't holiday abroad as there's still so much of the UK to explore.

And I keep finding more nice places, I visited Presteigne recently, stayed at the Radnor Arms - lovely staff. I'm sure I've never been before (or not stopped to walk around) what a lovely place, such a pretty area !!.

London - says it all!

Much I love about the UK but I agree we don't have distinct seasons. Too much cool, grey, wet weather, no matter what the season!
I have a couple of Canadian friends who live here and they complain that the seasons are not distinct here. In Canada they really do have distinct seasons - very cold and crisp winters, very hot summers and Spring and Autumn are distinct too. They said here the seasons kind of blur into one with winter being colder but much of the weather is similar - cloudy and cool.

I don't feel this way. My family have suffered a couple of antisemitic attacks over the past year, including someone coming to our house.

There are many great and amazing things about the UK, you mention some. Some things are good or ticking along, but could be better, they could be a lot worse. Some are pretty crap, but I don't see many options for change or many countries doing it better .

However, come on, in no way do we have distinct seasons.

This is so true.
All our own choices by who we vote for.

I think for me it just feels comfortable and home. I’ve travelled to some very lovely places and which I’d be happy to move to but when I fly home it feels ‘right’.

We are lucky to be living in such a safe country, both the culture and our climate and wildlife etc.

I've been very impressed with the NHS this year. First I called 111 as my son had a tooth ache on boxing day. The phone was answered in less than one minute and was given an appointment for 30 minutes later!

Then DH thought he was having pains in his arms and chest and worried he was having a heart attack. Went to A& E and was immediately taken in and all scans and bloods done etc. He was back home 4 hours later with his results.

Took my teen DD to the pharmacist with a throat infection, again no queue, pharmacist looked her over and prescribed antibiotics. No appointment required.
I had doubts about the labour party but I'm happy with the NHS reforms in my part of London.

What saddens me is that we could be so much better.
We could have better public transport, cheaper housing, better access to healthcare and care. It needs considerable thought, long term planning and money no doubt.
Not much we can do about the weather and no the seasons don't really exist properly anymore.

Agree. I have taken out the highest level of health insurance for myself and my grown up children - higher priority than other expenditure.

Fantastic school system. We have it VERY good compared to many countries. Again, some of my friends have moved back to the UK to access our free school system. I feel very lucky to be able to send my kids.

tell that to the thousands of children with SEN who cannot access an education as there aren't enough specialist school places. There is access for 'typical' kids to schools. However, this is absolutely not the case for many with disabilities. Why pretend this doesn't happen?