I got a lesson in what free health care means here in the UK the other day when I went in for my scheduled check up to see if my broken foot was healed. I got an x-ray done and was waiting back at the fracture clinic in one of those little stalls with those plastic curtains and I overhear my doctor consulting with another doctor:
My Doc: "Hmmmm, the x-ray isn't coming through. It's been doing this all day."
Doc 2: "Yeah... What's the case?"
My Doc: "A foot fracture. He has a boot on."
Doc 2: "How long?"
My Doc: "About 3 and a half weeks"
Doc 2: "That should be fine. Tell him it's healed."
My Doc: "Ok"
My Doc to me two seconds later: "Your foot should be completely healed"
As if I couldn't hear that whole convo which was about 10 feet from me, haha.
Also, I got my National Health Service (NHS) registration card the other day as a UK resident and saw my assigned general practitioner. Kind of weird having a doctor assigned for you isn't it? You have an option to switch but you have to fill out all of these forms which undoubtedly go into the gigantic state bureaucratic machine.
But...
You get what you pay for. And since I paid absolutely NOTHING, I don't really have grounds to complain!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I'd love to have a doctor assigned - I've had such an unsuccessful time finding a doctor that actually accepts my insurance (mind you, these were doctors who were listed on the insurance company's website, but when I called they were like "uh, we've never heard of that insurance"). So that sucks. But I'm glad your foot is "healed"
ReplyDeleteill give you an eye exam as soon as you get back, for free! (and a neuro exam also if you want it, bonus!) how about THAT for health care
ReplyDelete