It depends really... The longest I've had to wait at A&E in France was about 20 mins. There were a lot of people as well! England, the longest I've waited was about 3 hours when I broke my leg. This was easily 6 or 7 years ago, so I'm sure things have changed.

Yes, the NHS is a wonderful system. It's a million times better than a lot of other countries. But they still do lack some organisation, and better doctors. Someone I know spent 5 years going to GP and dermatologists for a skin problem. They were given god knows how many creams and drugs. This person came to France for a consultation and they found out that this person was allergic to leather. This isn't a one off thing either. I've got dozens of stories like this. So now, for me, whenever I have to see a Dr for a recurring problem in England, I always have a second consultation in France, lol.



As for the retirement... Yeah, the French are lucky, but I think they abuse this protesting thing! They'll protest for anything, and once a year, they have "General Strikes". It's become a bit of a tradition, which is silly in my opinion!

What's so surprising? >> Sicko (2007) - IMDb

And no, people don't stand in lines for medical care in my country. Every country should provide public medical insurance for all legal citizens. You Americans keep giving your votes to the wrong people and next thing you know you'll be dying and not one hospital will take you in. And you know what? You had it coming.

i hate the british health care system i remember recently on the news they mentioned how a elderly women who had her bed shifted to the toilet because they had no space in the wards,
besides this if your thinkin of being seen to on a weekend u can forget it, all the idiots who come in smashed up becoz of drinking too much will take the space of someone say whose had a heart attack or a stroke and needs immediate attention, things like this have happened alot, not to mention the arrogant staff and MRSA.

Brazil is the winner talking about wait for medical care, horrible public service. It's usual see on TV people complaining about public medical service here, but lately the services appear to be improving.

So will the health care reform do anything about this or will Americans be getting their check-ups in churches forever?

No system is perfect. There'll always be the one incedent like the one you mentioned of a woman who's bed was shifted into the toilets - I'm not saying its right, just that one bad incedent doesn't mean the entire system is faulty. For example, surgery can save millions of lives but there will always be a handful of doctors who make mistakes, or patients who die on the table, but it doesn't mean just because one doctor is incompetent that all doctors are. The NHS isn't perfect, and yes some people get a raw deal, but it helps so many people that personally I think it's a good idea.

Also I think your comment on the 'idiots' getting priority over those who had 'heart attacks' or 'strokes' is perhaps wrong. In A&E they always treat people according to priority, so the idiot who has broke his leg will always get treated after the guy bleeding to death on the floor, which is as it should be. If some 'drunk' is getting taking the space of 'someone who needs it' I'll be willing to bet there's a damned good reason, and that there's something that makes him a priority case that just perhaps isn't obvious to a non-medical person.

Personally I think the British healthcare system is excellent.

Here we have an option for private or free healthcare, and although free healthcare often has longer waiting lists it isn't inferior at all. The doctors who treat for free are often the exact same doctors who work in the private sector, and the NHS offers seriously sick or ill people a chance to be cured or helped who might not otherwise afford it. How many other countries treat the sick for free? You can make an emergency appointment with a doctor and be seen the same day, you can have a serious operation and not pay a penny, and yes it had flaws - not all medicines are avaliable, treatment can take longer - but ultimately it does more good than it does bad.

Edit: If the staff are arrogant it's due to long hours, lack of good pay, and the fact hardly anyone respect them - whether they work as a surgeon, or as a consultant, or even as the coroner - and you'll be suprised how much crap people give the nurses especially. The MRSA is a problem, but at least they're working to prevent it, such as hand sanitizers in every ward and public space and restricting visiting hours.

mmmmmm-- well I think we are lucky in this country-- considering the enormous demand for its services-- they do the best they can in difficult situations. We have many immigrants working in the hospitals--.

I have always felt we are lucky compared to many other countries. Maybe too many of us take it all for granted.


I actually haven't come across arrogant staff--- usually they are overworked and definitely underpaid.
be thankful you don't have to pay enormous bills-- we pay through our taxes.

I agree about friday and saturday nights with all the binge drinkers causing chaos and depriving other genuine patients of time and care.

The hospital staff have to deal with what comes into the hospital-- they can't pick and choose.


Since so many Care Homes closed-- that puts more strain on the NHS for beds-- elderly people taking up the beds when there is nowhere else to send them.


Maybe a lot depends in which part of the country one lives.

When I had my first baby in Scotland-- she died- the hospital was AIRTHRY CASTLE- Where Stirling University now stands

and I was convinced it was neglect or ignorance on the part of the staff. My second child was born in Stirling royal Infirmary-- thank goodness-- she did survive. But all staff in hospitals are human, a lot depends on their equipment and enough staff. I heard that there are not enough mid- wives nowadays.

As complicated as the health care reform bill that passed is, it doesn't have much in the way of teeth. It actually should be called a health insurance reform bill, and it basically states that for-profit insurance companies cannot reject a potential client or drop a client because of a pre-existing condition. It is not single-payer healthcare, which is what America needs and what every other first world nation has.

I thought that's what the whole new health care fuss was all about - that America will have the same health care as other nations.