Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Alternative to NHS?

113 replies

tex111 · 27/02/2006 18:18

OK, can someone educate me please. I'm American and I've been in the UK for 12 years. I've had my ups and downs with NHS during this time but now that I have children I'm finding it very difficult to put up with the long waiting lists for appointments, inability to get seen, overworked and often insensitive staff etc, etc. What are the alternatives?

We're fortunate enough to be able to afford private health and have a policy through DH's work but this only covers treatment. It does not cover 'investigation' or general healthcare. Is there such a thing as private A&E, private GPs, etc and how do I find them? What insurance companies provide such cover?

This has all come to a head after a very long day in A&E with 4 month old DD. She's been having blood in her nappy for ten days, this was my second trip to A&E and I've been disappointed in the treatment (or lack of it). What else can I do?

OP posts:
bundle · 01/03/2006 11:30

I think the American system is good for those who can afford it. Even the most in need eg older people have to compromise their health, as the system pays for their treatment but not the drugs they need Sad

uwila · 01/03/2006 11:34

In my experience intelligent and well qualified doctors are help back by (lack of) funding, national guidelines, and red tape.

For example, after DD was born I had my cholesterol tested because it had previously been noted ot me that it was high. The result was 9.5, which is extraordinarily high. But, the GP told me that she could not prescribe any medicine for me because I didn;t fall into any of the appropriate categories (middle aged male, diabetic, etc.) What kind of stupid list is that? Shouldn't the 9.5 be a factor? No no... she had a guideline to follow and common sense wasn't on the list. This is a consequence of a nationalise system with a "one size fits all" approach. She new full well that medicine would solve my problem, but she turned me away... and she even suggested that I would benefit from getting the medicine privately. No where did the NHS allow her to make a medical decission based solely on her medical expertise.

uwila · 01/03/2006 11:36

Bundle, have you lived in America?

It's been my experience that private helth in America kis very very very much more afffordable than private helth in the UK.

Most people have private insurance. It doesn't cost an arm and a leg like it does here.

uwila · 01/03/2006 11:37

My goodness, what I really should be doing is taking a typing class. Blush

NHSjunkie · 01/03/2006 11:42

Bundle am Shock, America has one of the biggest gaps in inequlity of health between the rich and the poor. I'm sure that system would work for you..if you can affor it. And for the record, medical prescriptions on the US systems are authorised by health insurance companies, not drs, so the senario uwilla had could have very easily occured in the us.

Uwilla, the NHS is national guidlines implamented at local lelvels maintained by clinical governance.
Perhaps the dr was talking about the appropriateness of medication for you at that time, If this was a dietary cholesteral reading, then it would have perhaps been feesable to see what a low cholesteeral diet would have done rather than jumping in with medication. (I cannot realy pass much comment on this as I do not know the specifics.)

The NHS is by no means perfect and I am aware of psotcode prescribing, the point i amd making is that the country has lost a huge sence of responsibility for its on health and by doing so is putting a HUGE strain on parts of the NHS that draws funding away form other areas.

uwila · 01/03/2006 11:53

NHSjunkie, are you normally a poster by another name?????

I do actually agree with you that people lean too heavily on the NHS when they could take some responsibility themselves. There is currently a thread on obesity talking about this.

But, I also think if there was a more affordable private system here, then a lot of people would opt for it leaving more funds in the NHS for those who couldn't afford any level of private care.

The doctor went through her list of criteria, told me I didn't qualify, and when I suggested the restriction of funding she was a bit taken aback but did say that I would be well served with the private prescription.

Oh, and I don't have a diet high in fat. High cholesterol does not run in my family. I think there is probably something causing it. But, there weren't any guidelines for otherwise health woman in mid thirties to be treated with emdicine. However, fact remains at 9.5. Bloody stupid.

But, as I say, it's a restriction of anunderfunded nationalised system and not because they peopl who work in it are any different from American doctors.

Perhaps I am one of the priviledge, but my experienc has been that the US system is far superior to the current level of service available on the NHS.

bundle · 01/03/2006 11:53

no uwila, I haven't, but commissioned a report on how the elderly fare in that system and the answer was: badly.

nhsjunkie, I don't understand what you're shocked about, I was highlighting the inequalities in the US too. I support wholeheartedly a healthcare system that is free at the point of use, for everyone.

NHSjunkie · 01/03/2006 12:08

Bundle, sorry felt your post should have been more Shock and less Sad. Co mpletey agree with you.

Uwila, Drugs are licened on the NHS after they have been re-searched and are deemed to be safe and benifical. There are a nuber of issues to look at.

There is alot of beurocracy involved before a drug will be licened and it must first be proven to be better than an alternate method. The agrument about prescribing statins for people in your situations is another thread entirely.

This beurocracy and licencing process takes so long because there are so many new drugs. and a lot of them are for treating heart diseace and COPD! Again demonstrating my argument that the NHS is boggd down by X amount of people who do not take responsibility for their own health.
Yes you could have a private prescription, this means that the drug is not licenced for NHS use in your given circumstances.

uwila · 01/03/2006 12:45

So NHSJunkie, could you reveal your credentials please?

This was only but one example. Mostly, I think that customer service stinks in the NHS. I have a GP that I really quite like now. (got a new one when I moved) But the ladies who answer the phones and sit in reception are rude and not at all helpful. Why can't I get a saturday appointment? Why can't they work around my work schedule? Why do they only do immunisation in the middle of the afternoon?

Give me a bit of customer service and I'd gladly pay something for it. You know, say open the surgery on Saturdays and charge me £20 for the priviledge. That's still cheaper for me then taking the afternoon off of work.

bundle · 01/03/2006 12:50

uwila, in this country you are a patient not a customer...

btw, my mum is a (very nice) GP receptionist and has to put up with some very rude, violent and aggressive people almost every day of the week.

My own GP said I could book an appointment any time (ie not just in the immunisation clinic) for dd2's jabs. If you are not happy with them then change doctors instead of moaning.

tissy · 01/03/2006 12:56

uwila, why should your GP work on a Saturday , if he/ she doesn't want to? Why should they work around you, specifically? Thee are plenty of people with different work patterns, who may feel that they are entitled to convenient healthcare, so do you expect the GPs to work 24 hours a day to suit everyone?

bundle · 01/03/2006 12:57

quite

tissy · 01/03/2006 13:01

sorry, pushed post before I was ready...

the mother of a girl at my dd's nursery is a GP, and she (apart from my dd !) is the only one who is there full-time. GPs are people with families too, and are entitled to the same working conditions as anyone else.

uwila · 01/03/2006 13:05

Ah Tissy, I think you've missed my point. I am suggesting that if the GP chose to work on Saturday for a fee (say £20) then I would go then and it would free up appointments during the week for those who can't pay. I would still be better off because I didn't have to take the afternoon off work, and the GP would have more much needed money with which to run her surgery.

And,I'm not saying that GPs should all be required to offer Saturday appontments. But if they could charge for the priviledge I bet some of them would.

So, I'm not asking to entitled. I'm offering to pay for the priviledge.

bundle · 01/03/2006 13:07

uwila, would you work for £20??? i doubt it somehow...

and

they need time off
(whether they need the money or not)

uwila · 01/03/2006 13:09

And, Tissy, some surgeries have several GPs there. They could rotate and each do half a day on a Saturday once a month. Or open late one day a week.

Oh, and I did change GPs from a complete tosser that I saaw in Sunbury. So I went over to one in Hampton. The GP there I like. She's a good doctor who treats me better than previous GPs I have know. But, you see, her receptionist feels I'm out of the area and have no right to go there. I have discussed this with the GP and she is happy for me to stay. But, the recetionist is constantly suggesting I go get a GP in Sunbury. I think she's out of line and just plain rude.

And, uh.... I'm not rude to her. (though sometimes I'd like to be)

uwila · 01/03/2006 13:10

Bundle, I'm not suggesting she work the day for £20. I'm saying that I would pay £20 for ten minutes of her time. Sounds like a good rate to me. And, yes, I would most certainly work for £120 per hour.

foxinsocks · 01/03/2006 13:13

I think uwila has a point. In fact the government suggested alternative GP working hours quite recently.

I am constantly amazed by the almost 'we are not worthy' attitude when it comes to (people's views of) GPs in this country.

uwila · 01/03/2006 13:14

I just think a bit of customer service would be nice. That isn't to say patients are never rude. And of course the employees shouldn't put up with abuse. But, then maybe someone should address why so many patients are so frustrated.

When I went to register my son after he was born with the GP, this lovely receptionistsuggested Sunbury. And I said "Oh, but I get much better service here" and she said "well, we can't always have it the way we want it now can we?" One day I'm going to tell the doctor how her receptionist treats her patients.

NHSjunkie · 01/03/2006 13:15

uwila, what you have suggested is being considered already.
I feel that your post, leaving the midweek appt for those who cant afford it.... Is a slippery slope to a two tered health service. Either argue the case for everyone, poor included or no-one.

The NHS stands for equality of care for rich and poor what you are starting to suggest does not.

What do my credenetials stand for anyway, I am giving my opinion based on fact.

uwila · 01/03/2006 13:17

Oh I disagree NHSjunkie. If you are say a GP, then you bring a different and very credible experience to this conversation. My experience is solely that of patient (in the US and the UK).

NHSjunkie · 01/03/2006 13:17

uwila if you feel that strongly vote with your feet, join your gp surg patient forum, look at the feed back from your trusts clinical governance, report, they are abvalible for public scrutiny. Write to you mp and campaing for a tax increase. See how many people follow you!

NHSjunkie · 01/03/2006 13:17

uwila if you feel that strongly vote with your feet, join your gp surg patient forum, look at the feed back from your trusts clinical governance, report, they are abvalible for public scrutiny. Write to you mp and campaing for a tax increase. See how many people follow you!

bundle · 01/03/2006 13:18

uwila, in case you hadn't noticed, many GP's chose (more than a year ago) to opt out of their out of hours services so that they could ummm have a life. they took a pay cut to do this.

uwila · 01/03/2006 13:19

Oaky, so why is two tier so bad? I here this objection in the NHS as well as in the education system. But, if you have some people willing to pay for a service, then wouldn't you have more money left to serve thos who can't? Wouldn't we all be better off then?