To think we’re lucky to be in Britain?

[BooomShakeTheRoom]

• Temperate climate with distinct seasons, all the more important and enjoyable as we see other areas of the world suffer with annual fires, floods, hurricanes etc.
• Basic protection of human rights and freedom. Yes, politically we’re in a strange place globally and nationally (yes, looking at you Reform and Trump voters 😑) but - generally - you can be who you are with minimal risks. That really isn’t the case in many parts of the world still.
• NHS - again, yes it’s stretched and not perfect but it’s still far better provision than most other people have in the world. I have friends and neighbours who have moved back to the UK just for the healthcare.
• 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.
• Pretty decent benefits and state support system. A LOT of people are housed and fed by the system who would otherwise be destitute.
• World class maternity rights.
• Good life/work balance for most. 35-40hrs per week is a lot less than many other countries expect.
• Beautiful coastlines, national parks, vibrant cities, shops, parks, kids entertainment. Again, lots of communities around the world don’t have all of that accessible.

We hear a lot of doom and gloom, but for me at least, I feel very blessed to have won the postcode lottery to have been born here. Could things be better? Of course, certainly. And life can throw us problems regardless. But it could also be a whole lot worse and I’m really thankful for everything I have access to.

Just wanted to post this as media plays a big role in depressing people and I hope this post prompts people to think about what they do have, rather than what they don’t.

(I appreciate people feel differently, just wanted to see a positive post!)

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Afterrain · Today 12:23

MrsSkylerWhite · Yesterday 14:02
Have you experienced NHS A&E in the past year?

We have, several times (life-threatening each time). It was horrendous.
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

Was it Same Day Urgent Care at the hospital. That’s the unit 111 usually refer to if it’s unlikely that hospital admission will be required. It’s effectively like an emergency GP appointment.

The real problems are in A&E in life threatening situations where admission is necessary.

Yes. I feel very lucky. My sister has just passed away from cancer. And I take a lot of comfort from the care and kindness she received from the NHS and the hospice in her last months: so much good here.

My parents moved to the UK in the belief that its schools were world class.

Now I have a SEN child I feel quite disillusioned by it all. "The system is broken" is a line trotted out by both teachers and parents. I am continually surprised that our county is completely unable to support him and many of other SEN kids like him, and the only choices are mainstream, other oversubscribed and inappropriate SEN schools, home school, or fight at a tribunal to get a school in a neighbouring county (which we did in the end) and I think to myself that this is probably not what my parents had in mind when they thought of the UK as a beacon of world class education.

I suppose in their home country there would be no options apart from staying at home, but that seems to be the only option for many parents here anyway.

On the plus side we have also just had a baby and the maternity care for a C-section was simply amazing - I couldn't fault it.

Exactly what I am going through ... my son is over 3 years behind and cannot get any funding so falling further and further it is a constant tough

Sorry about your mum. That must have been awful.

Thanks we were paying more like £350 pm for 2 adults and 3 teen/adult dc. Never claimed in 10 years, felt they were taking the pee and we had wasted the money tbh.
This was a premium policy though, one that lets you choose who/where does your treatment.

I completely agree with you OP. I love this country and wouldn’t choose to live anywhere else.

edit* (I do hate how much rent I have to pay though)

I really dislike living in the UK. After Brexit I feel completely trapped and I can't get out. I wanted better for me and my family but I feel stuck. It's hell on earth.

Schools are shite, NHS is on its arse, the cost of living is ridiculous, crime is horrific. I worry about my child growing up. I don't dare let her out of my sight for fear of something happening to her.

Times are rough for many in the UK and it's getting worse everyday.

“I worry about my child growing up. I don't dare let her out of my sight for fear of something happening to her.”

tThats a sad situation. What do you expect will happen to her? How old is she? Where do you live?

@CottonCandyCrank

It's more about what you see and read on the news. The terror attacks and crime etc. She is only in primary. It just petrifies me. I live north west area

The UK has gone to the dogs. If you can't see it it is because you are like the proverbial frog in boiling water. Place is a complete shithole. I live in foreign climes now and every I come back to visit it is a little bit worse. Rubbish and shit and people and noise and grime. No pride in anything anymore. I'll stay where I am, ta very much and thank my lucky stars.

But the chances of a terror attack are so remote. To use a cliche, cars are more dangerous. Also, we were more at risk when the IRA had their campaign during the 70s and 80s. Even with these odd attacks that occur, Britain feels safer than then.

We has a superb NHS experience 3 weeks ago. DD went to A&E at lunchtime on a Weds, seen by a doctor within an hour. Admitted to a ward with suspected appendicitis by 4pm. She was scanned Thursday morning, appendicitis confirmed and scheduled for surgery that afternoon.

Her operation was delayed until Friday due to several emergencies coming in, but well looked after in the meantime. I was with her on the ward from Weds to Saturday when she was discharged, I was given a bed and bedding each night. Staff were brilliant. Maybe it’s different for children compared to adults, but I couldn’t fault how we were looked after.

I’ve lived in a couple of countries, US, UK, Denmark, France and Germany. The place with the best quality of life would probably be Denmark, Germany and France. I know people in France who have three months holiday, the benefit system is pretty decent (if you’ve worked and paid into it), plus your employee has to pay half of your travel costs, and you get a booklet of 10 euro vouchers to spend on lunch. This was also true in Germany, but I never got the luncheon voucher booklet. All the these places Germany, France and Denmark finish work on time. In France any overtime is accrued hence why some people end up with 3 months holiday! And typically in France you have long lunches, and the restaurants and cafes have lovely touches such as on Mother’s Day they give roses out to all women! And music day in France is also wonderful, everyone finishes work early and people are spilling out onto the streets dancing!
US you rise and fall of your own merit. The UK lacks culture.

We live in a third world country and we're gaslit in to thinking we don't.

•NHS is great - but that's if you can get treatment before your illness disables or kills you.

•Education is a joke. Teachers are leaving the profession left right and centre. Children are being left behind.

•You can't have an opinion on the country you were born and raised (and pay taxes in) without being called a far right extremist.

• Our elderly are being left to die in freezing cold squaller. They can't afford to eat and have no contact with other people.

• The cost of living means families who are in work are using food banks? In the fucking UK?

• The roads are in bits.

I don't know what the answer is, but If is this is the low bar that's been set and we're supposed to be grateful for it, then god help us.

@MrsSkylerWhite
Have you experienced NHS A&E in the past year? We have, several times (life-threatening each time). It was horrendous.

I have. I had a massive heart attack in July and kidney failure in December. DH had a heart attack a year ago. DS had long covid. The care we have all had from the nhs has been exceptional. They have saved my life twice. I am eternally grateful.

I'm not naive enough to think that's everyone's experience is like ours but neither is everyone's horrendous.