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!)

How did you get out? I want out 😪 HELP!!!

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

That’s so insulting, not only to third world countries, but also countries that have been struggling, under dictatorship regimes, at war , etc.

Yes some things could be better. Some things are absolutely shit , and there's little real hope for improvement. Some things have deliberately been destroyed but could be rebuilt. None of it is anywhere near to third world country level.

Yeah Right!! 😏

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.

Aww no how devastating .Try making a joke about the Government, on the phone with a relative and losing your job or having a security team drag you out of your bed to just get beaten and interrogated if you're lucky, or disappear for a while to be "reeducated" if you're not.

You guys have no idea how much freedom you actually have (and have had for a very long time) and how "spoiled" you are because you haven't fucking lived through anything seriously bad country wide. Covid was as close as it got and it broke (understandably) millions in just two years. Imagine decades/centuries of that.

With the benefit of hindsight, leave the UK before Brexit for the EU country of your choice!

Now? See which countries you want to live in and start researching visas and jobs.

I don't think people should consider the UK the best place to live because other countries are worse.

It's good compared to Africa and shit compared to most western European countries.

I don't think people should consider the UK the best place to live because other countries are worse.

Who said it was the best?

I agree. I'm always happy when I fly back from a work trip and I hear we're starting our descent into Heathrow:)
I only hope we will be able to protect the stability we've enjoyed for decades. There are so many parts of the world that are in turmoil. It's creeping near and we need to beware who we put into power. I've bitched about this government's budget because I have a small business. That's small beer. All I care about now is for us to not go the fascist way.

Great to see this positivity OP, far too much negativity on MN.

We’ve used A&E twice for genuine emergencies, in the past 18 months. We got pretty much instant, world class lifesaving healthcare for the price of parking.

Most of the NHS’s problems start with the users, tbh.

Also my kid’s secondary school is really impressive. Anyone going on about Dutch education clearly doesn’t know much about it.

There is lots I love about the UK

but our healthcare system is third world. There are pockets there it is ok. But if you admitted to hospital it’s now third world. That terrifies me

our education system including child health state system - is fucked. Utterly fucked. God help you if your child has any additional needs

it seems many many people are struggling and there is also major wealth at the top. This isn’t a country I want to live in

meanwhile we all scrabble about arguing about men in women’s spaces and net zero (whilst china makes our stuff) and being kind.

I love the humour, the culture and sometimes the weather!

My mother was nearly killed by the NHS very recently, she now has kidney failure due to her poor treatment, which will not only reduce her life expectancy, but also quality of life.

I have on more than one occasion been denied insulin by NHS staff due to extreme incompetence and in some cases having zero knowledge of type one diabetes, had NHS staff expose me to my life threatening allergy on more than one occasion.

I have for the past 3 years and it's near impossible. I dont have the funds to. I don't have the job to enable me to. I still want to be in the European but somewhere where the weather is nicer at least and living is somewhat easier and more enjoyable. I think I suffer with SAD (not diagnosed) but with my moods every winter just tells me this is my issue. I really need to see a Dr but they just prescribe anti depressants and I hate that. I just can't get to bottom of it.

My life compared to some others is good, so I hate feeling like this when there are people who are much worse off... then I feel selfish and feel I don't deserve what I do have. The same on repeat. Eugh!

if you go on any European country specific Reddit, you will see they are bitching about exactly the same things - particularly housing. Grass isn’t always greener!

I'm not sure this is comparing like for like. The UK private system is excellent. In much of the "third world" there isn't a free at point of use version to be compared to the NHS. It's not perfect but it what you get with conservative governments, if you can afford to pay you get great services if you can't afford to pay you get the minimum.

That the thing isn't it? Every country has things people complain about. I worked with lots of Swedes, there were big issues with immigration, the tax rates are high and everyone's tax info is public available. Every country has issues. I think anyone who is low skilled is lucky to be born in the UK, here they are buy clothes from Primark. If they had been born low skilled in China they would be in the sweat shops making those clothes. Highly skilled people are more likely to do well anywhere.

There is no private A & E and private maternity care is non-existent outside London. Private medical care in the UK focuses on routine, non-urgent matters and is therefore not a substitute for the NHS.

What things would people be willing to do to get a better NHS though?

Look after themselves better throughout life?(Drink, drug, obesity, mental health?)
Commit to paying more tax if it could be ring fenced for the NHS?
Fund their own later life care, or look after elderly relatives a bit more?
Pay for health insurance if having things like beauty surgery done overseas?
Taking out insurance for high risk sports activities?
Etc……..

All considerations that could help.

Very good point - many people don't want to eat less, give up smoking etc, don't want to pay more taxes, want the state to look after their elderly relatives. Something has to give.

Yes people can help themselves by doing all of the above.

Not doing the above still doesn’t excuse the state of the system, though.

The U.K. is small and well populated (not over populated when looked at as a whole, although some areas are). Therefore it should be an easy country to run high provision medical care and schooling in. It has a lot of people paying taxes and therefore funding these things, across a relatively compact area, so you should be getting almost like a “buy in bulk” pay off from that. It seems to struggle though. Why is this? Probably because the money is being siphoned off to other areas the government prioritises instead.

I would prefer a model like Canada instead. Lower taxes generally than here, and then you pay your medical tax seperately but to the government. It’s a bit like a private payment but much lower and goes towards state healthcare. It’s more transparent and seemed to give much better healthcare than here. And that was living in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. It was impressive given the size of the country.

it would be interesting to compare how much money per person actually goes to the NHS compared to the cost of the medical tax per person in Canada.

Try making a joke about the Government, on the phone with a relative and losing your job or having a security team drag you out of your bed to just get beaten and interrogated if you're lucky, or disappear for a while to be "reeducated" if you're not.

Not yet, but did you read the news reports of the recent police visit to a grandmother who posted on SM suggesting that her (Labour) councillor should resign over the Whatsapp scandal? Vance is an idealogue, but he had the makings of a point about freedom of speech in the UK under socialism.

DH and I no longer feel "lucky" to be in the UK, despite DH growing up in a war zone and arriving as a highly-skilled migrant working for the NHS. No high net worth individual (or anyone with a choice) is going to stay in a country where basic or emergency healthcare is not available, or only available if you're lucky. As a senior consultant with a clinical management role, ever-increasing amounts of his time are spent on negligence litigation. Many times, the claim boils down to lack of beds/space/capacity - the UK simply has not planned for the massive increases in its population, its elderly or its welfare state. GDP per capita is declining and the burden of income tax on a diminishing few feels unsustainable to our family, even though our salaries are high on paper.

I am no Trump fangirl (quite the opposite), but we are looking at a US move in the next few years. Luckily doctors are in demand everywhere (and the salaries and lifestyle far exceed those available here). I am not a fan of the US health system either (although it's worth remembering that the quality of healthcare for insured patients is outstanding) I am very much in favour of a European-style insurance system as a replacement for the NHS.

That's why we need better education re. poor lifestyle choices that starts in the early years. People no longer smoke because previous campaigns have made them aware of the dangers. The same could probably be achieved for diet & exercise via campaigns, cooking & budgeting lessons throughout school, subsidies for healthy foods / high taxation on UPFs, improving access to outdoor activities, free gym memberships etc. It's the only way to reduce the NHS burden from a population that is no longer healthy beyond a fairly young age.

Yes, I agree with you but plenty of people do still smoke. As is often the way in this country, it's those living in deprivation who are more likely to smoke, eat unhealthily etc. We need to target the poorest of people to try and change bad habits. However, that is easier said than done. Many people living in poverty live miserable lives, don't want to give up pleasure such as smoking and probably lack the time and inclination to start cooking healthy meals from scratch. A whole culture change is need.