But most people don’t need medical trials!!!
for many people moving overseas with a job and medical insurance, or a local social medical system, will mean they have access to far better healthcare than the U.K. at least in my experience (& my wider family experience) of living in more than 5 countries outside the U.K, not limited to EU countries.
Brits who have never left the UK like to think the health care system is superior to others . And for many it may well be but for many it is not.
yes NHS is free at point of access but getting access is an issue. Getting a referral on to the right person is also an issue.
GPs are a great concept but they cannot know everything and the UK GP who believes they are a god is a significant barrier to access. Also a GP with a workload that is too big is also a barrier to access.
medical professionals IME overseas are often much better at partnering with their patients to work out solutions together. Whereas in the U.K. quite frankly many doctors - regardless of age - seem to think they know best. And perhaps that is what the NHS wants them to be like but in the modern era I’m not sure it is the most efficient way forward.
In many countries IF I have recurrent tonsillitis I wil have been seen by my local ENT doc since the start. I would not have gone to the GP for treatment. This means that ENT, who is a specialist, can quite quickly identify an issue and recommend a solution. Whereas in the U.K. you just get fobbed off “no we cannot give you antibiotics, it is “just” tonsillitis. Oh sorry you have had a written warning from work about the amount of time off with this throat but computer says no to antibiotics. Oh well if you insist in making a complaint ok we will give you them now. Oh wow tonsillitis is banished by this wonder medicine. WHO knew that would happen etc etc”
the NHS is broken. And making people sicker. Look at the number of people in their 50s 60s and 70s on waiting lists for knees and hips. Getting worse and worse. Costing the country more through lost sick days, or even other adults giving up work to be carers and the patient needing more treatment for other issues as a result of that bad untreated joint .
off they pop to Lithuania for a private op, or paid for by the NHS, and receive superior after care and suddenly they realise how shit the NHS is at this run of the mill normal stuff. A relative came back from Lithuania after a knee operation and was back on their feet with very little issues after because they stayed for a week and had amazing after care. Care that is just not provided in the UK but leads to a much better outcome. For example In the UK often physio is not started for months yet immediate aftercare could achieve so much. Yet overseas you would also get cryotherapy and hydrotherapy as well as proper physio (ie with a physical trainer in a gym , plus massage - not just an admin bod explaining the proposed exercise programme)
and don’t get me started on the access to mental health support for kids. In my area CAMHS is closed to new cases and has been for 2 years. Yet overseas I would get access to a psychotherapist, psychiatrist, psychologist and / or other therapies if my kids needed them.