NHS, don't ever complain.

[Pat Hasler]

All you young people who regularly ask me about how do they get to live and work in the USA, think on this one before you are evn tempted to think of such a move.
Some of you already know I have cancer and that I still have to work because if I stop I will lose all my health care rights. About 6 months ago my wife got sick and has been going in and out of hospital since then, so far I have taken 7 weeks off, some full weeks or even fortnights with the odd few days back at work, I have to say my company have been remarkable, they leave my truck parked at my house and in no way expect me to let her cope on her own, so this is not in any way a slur on them, they are fantastic and keep checks on her daily, thus is a slur on how this country treat it's citizens and residents. My wife gets nothing to help her, I do get half my average weekly pay from NY state but it only covers me for 8 weeks and I now have just 4 days of the funds left, my wife is now in intensive care and has been rushed to over 4 different hospitals, one of which is in New Hampshire and over 110 miles away, I have to driver 220 miles a day just to sit with her, each time an ambulance collects her I get a $1,000 bill or even higher, her treatment bill is now a staggering $160,000 just for hospital stays, if I don't keep working at least 2 days a week I loose all health care or cover and so does she, by the way, my own health care bill is way over half a million, we have no possible way of paying these bills, each time she is taken to hospital or I take her to see her local doctor I am asked for my insurance card, if I can't produce it there will be just basic pain killers and comfort treatment given to her and she will be sent home, the most recent 911 emergency call an ambulance had to come from a village in Vermont, I suspect because I now owe the local ambulance service over $7,000 and they probably refused to come. Don't you guys even think life here is good because it's not, don't any of you complain about your wonderful NHSand if they want to put up your taxes to repair it, don't complain, I have to pay $160 every week for health insurance but if ever I get so sick I have to stop work, I, my wife and my daughter will lose the [zb] cover we have.
I would love to be able to return home and live in the UK again but I can't, my wife is not allowed to reside in the UK because she is not a UK citizen or a migrant, in any case she doesn't want to leave the USA apart from on holiday.
I am just informing you dreamers what you can expect when or even if you actually did get a job here.

[eurotrans]

I'll show this to my wife when I get home, she managed to break her foot at work last week and moaned at having to wait 3 hours at the hospital. At least there won't be a large bill hitting the doormat seriously though I hope you and the missus get through this ok and get back to fighting fitness

[robroy]

All you young people who regularly ask me about how do they get to live and work in the USA, think on this one before you are evn tempted to think of such a move.
Some of you already know I have cancer and that I still have to work because if I stop I will lose all my health care rights. About 6 months ago my wife got sick and has been going in and out of hospital since then, so far I have taken 7 weeks off, some full weeks or even fortnights with the odd few days back at work, I have to say my company have been remarkable, they leave my truck parked at my house and in no way expect me to let her cope on her own, so this is not in any way a slur on them, they are fantastic and keep checks on her daily, thus is a slur on how this country treat it's citizens and residents. My wife gets nothing to help her, I do get half my average weekly pay from NY state but it only covers me for 8 weeks and I now have just 4 days of the funds left, my wife is now in intensive care and has been rushed to over 4 different hospitals, one of which is in New Hampshire and over 110 miles away, I have to driver 220 miles a day just to sit with her, each time an ambulance collects her I get a $1,000 bill or even higher, her treatment bill is now a staggering $160,000 just for hospital stays, if I don't keep working at least 2 days a week I loose all health care or cover and so does she, by the way, my own health care bill is way over half a million, we have no possible way of paying these bills, each time she is taken to hospital or I take her to see her local doctor I am asked for my insurance card, if I can't produce it there will be just basic pain killers and comfort treatment given to her and she will be sent home, the most recent 911 emergency call an ambulance had to come from a village in Vermont, I suspect because I now owe the local ambulance service over $7,000 and they probably refused to come. Don't you guys even think life here is good because it's not, don't any of you complain about your wonderful NHSand if they want to put up your taxes to repair it, don't complain, I have to pay $160 every week for health insurance but if ever I get so sick I have to stop work, I, my wife and my daughter will lose the [zb] cover we have.
I would love to be able to return home and live in the UK again but I can't, my wife is not allowed to reside in the UK because she is not a UK citizen or a migrant, in any case she doesn't want to leave the USA apart from on holiday.
I am just informing you dreamers what you can expect when or even if you actually did get a job here.

That is one sh situation to be in Pat.
You're 100% correct the NHS in the UK aint perfect... but at least it's there.
It would not be so bad if they did not waste so much cash and if they prioritised on the right people.
For instance, reading the paper the other day, they were funding some scumbag in the nick to get a [zb] sex change, and then on the other side of things you get people with similar conditions as yourself, sat suffering, on a long waiting list to get life saving treatment while the clock ticks away.

Best wishes from me to yourself and your wife mate anyway.

[Wheel Nut]

The NHS are amazing, until it comes to Mental Health where there is no proper funding or framework suitable for such a disabling illness.

[windrush]

My cousin, a female living in the UK and and in her late 70's, was visiting her son in Seattle and slipped on the bedroom floor breaking her hip. The medics asked which hospital she wanted (she hadn't a clue with not living there!) so they took her to one and she was given two options; either wait for it to mend which could take several weeks or have a replacement hip joint and fly home after a couple of weeks, she chose the latter. The surgeon was actually on half a day holiday but told her that he would come back in the evening to operate. All went well, she returned to the UK after around a month at her son's and twice in the following few months he (the surgeon) called her at home in the UK to check that all was well. Downside was the cost; $15000 at the last count, but travel insurance paid for the majority (if not all) of it. She was very impressed with the whole US health system, but maybe not everyone is treated the same, and presumably money talks?

Pete.

[idrive]

That's a shocking tale Pat.
We take so much for granted here..
Best wishes to you and your wife buddy

[lizard]

I feel for you, I really hope that there is light at the end of the never ending tunnel for you and your wife.
The NHS is the backbone of the UK health services and I would never slate them for what they do. The doctors and nurses are the angles that saved me.
I had had numerous minor operations over the years from wisdom teeth extraction to a vasectomy, but in 2015 I went to hospital with suspected appendicitis, after a couple of hours I was diagnosed with appendicitis and kidney cancer. Over the next few months I had several operations and also a suspected heart attack which in turn, turned out to be trapped wind thankfully.
If it wasn't for the NHS I probably wouldn't be here now.
I do hope you get the right treatment and that you make it through. I also hope that your wife pulls through and you get to spend as much time together as possible.
Good luck sir.

Sent using smoke signals

[Goldfinger]

Wife's a nurse....

Sister's a paramedic...

And they both say the same thing, it's not always the NHS (I'm NOT defending the NHS her BTW...), but the low life P takers of the NHS 'system' that just want a sick note to continue claiming their benefits, or the one with a simple cough that then go to A&E as if it was some life threatening illness, or even the weekend drunks that want a 'blue light taxi' via the hospital then home!!!!

Maybe the NHS should start 'part charging' for things like this to free up time / money / beds etc...???

Typical Britain... If it free, (some) brits will just take the P....

[maga]

what a [zb] hand you and your wife have been dealt, I wish you all the best with it.

[Drempels]

Wife's a nurse....

Sister's a paramedic...

And they both say the same thing, it's not always the NHS (I'm NOT defending the NHS her BTW...), but the low life P takers of the NHS 'system' that just want a sick note to continue claiming their benefits, or the one with a simple cough that then go to A&E as if it was some life threatening illness, or even the weekend drunks that want a 'blue light taxi' via the hospital then home!!!!

Maybe the NHS should start 'part charging' for things like this to free up time / money / beds etc...???

Typical Britain... If it free, (some) brits will just take the P....

Well said, plus with it now being the International Health Service, it’s easy to see why it’s in trouble.

[muckles]

With it being in existence for just over 70 years they aren’t many people left who can remember the UK before the NHS and what it meant to ordinary working people, when my father was a small child he had a minor operation on the kitchen table, which his parent then had to pay the doctor, in his latter years suffering from a terminal illness his treatment was first class and all on the NHS.

Yes it was my taxes, your taxes and his taxes that had paid for it, but at a time of his life when he had enough to worry about, he and my mother and the rest of the family didn’t have to worry about where the money was coming from to treat him or if his insurance would continue to cover the costs.

However even taking into account inflation etc, the NHS costs us far more than it did in the 1950’s, so maybe it’s time for the country to have a serious discussion on what we want the NHS to fund or it will keep being stretched and put under pressure from those politicians and others who’d like to privatise it, probably for their own financial gain.

[Twoninety88]

Really sorry to hear of your situation Pat. The thing I dont understand about my own American friends is how much they were against Obama's healthcare plan, being that they are republicans that more or less answers that, but why were so many Americans against an NHS style heath service?
Best wishes Pat, I do hope you and your wifes situation improves.

[yourhavingalarf]

I wish your wife and...

Yourself the speediest of recoveries, that's one helluva lot of stress to deal with. Good to see your company has pitched in and cut you some slack.

I agree the NHS is unequalled anywhere. Despite it creaking at the seams there's still a good chance that if you've been run over by an 8 legger tipper that, a trained team of paramedics will show up in a clean modern ambulance and get you quickly to place of help. We really have to start charging cash for being drunk. It's a ridiculous waste of money to be pandering to someone because they've had too many JD and cokes.

One of the priorities for me when I look into leaving the UK to retire somewhere (not the US or Canada) will be the cost of health insurance.

[Wheel Nut]

With it being in existence for just over 70 years they aren’t many people left who can remember the UK before the NHS and what it meant to ordinary working people, when my father was a small child he had a minor operation on the kitchen table, which his parent then had to pay the doctor, in his latter years suffering from a terminal illness his treatment was first class and all on the NHS.

Yes it was my taxes, your taxes and his taxes that had paid for it, but at a time of his life when he had enough to worry about, he and my mother and the rest of the family didn’t have to worry about where the money was coming from to treat him or if his insurance would continue to cover the costs.

However even taking into account inflation etc, the NHS costs us far more than it did in the 1950’s, so maybe it’s time for the country to have a serious discussion on what we want the NHS to fund or it will keep being stretched and put under pressure from those politicians and others who’d like to privatise it, probably for their own financial gain.

That’s a fair point, one thing to save money would be stopping free prescriptions, most people of 60 years of age own a house, car and have more disposable income than a young family. Plastic Surgery or Transgender/ sex changes and anal bleaching should be charged for.
If you haven’t lived and worked in the UK for 5 years you pay for all treatment

[muckles]

but why were so many Americans against an NHS style heath service?

Because they are constantly told how bad and expensive the NHS and other national healthcare systems are, although maybe they should look at how is telling them its so bad, they’d probably find it’s the politicians and others who have a vested interest in the US private healthcare system.

This isn’t to say that NHS is perfect, probably far from it and it is no doubt easy to show how bad it is at times, but for many of us, it does work when we really need it.

[Franglais]

Hi Pat, sorry to hear about your wife`s illness. Awful situation you're in.
Any others interested can read about your own situation in the ExPat forum where you've already put some excellent posts explaining the whole system there. As you noted the company you're on for seems far better than most.


On a wider point the NHS gets a lot of stick here and most of it is IMHO unjustified.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... per_capita
We in the UK spend less of our GDP on health than many other western countries but we still have politicos shouting about efficiency. Do those politicians calling for tax cuts rely on the NHS or private healthcare? Will they be affected by cutting funding? The largely private US system spends more Gov money per capita than the UK spends in Gov and private combined !
Seems to give the lie to those who say privatization is the way to go.

[strongbowpeter]

Didn’t you used to work in the motorsport industry over here pat? Have you contacted the Jackie Stewart Grand Prix trust for ex employees,might be worth an email.
office@grandprixtrust.com
Goodluck

[biggriffin]

Didn’t you used to work in the motorsport industry over here pat? Have you contacted the Jackie Stewart Grand Prix trust for ex employees,might be worth an email.
office@grandprixtrust.com
Goodluck

If I remember the trust was set up for ex-F1 staff. The other formula's might have similar, but I doubt it.

[The-Snowman]

Absolutely shocking how any country, let alone one which proclaims to be the leaders of the free world, would treat sick people that way.
Anytime someone moans or whinges about the nhs and waiting times my response is always "well go live in a country that doesnt have an nhs and see how you do".

[Carryfast]

but why were so many Americans against an NHS style heath service?

Because they are constantly told how bad and expensive the NHS and other national healthcare systems are, although maybe they should look at how is telling them its so bad, they’d probably find it’s the politicians and others who have a vested interest in the US private healthcare system.

This isn’t to say that NHS is perfect, probably far from it and it is no doubt easy to show how bad it is at times, but for many of us, it does work when we really need it.

Oh wait.Back in the real world.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013 ... -higher-us

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 17051.html

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012 ... cer-abroad

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... -hospitals

http://www.fox-moving.com/nurses-are-ch ... e-the-nhs/

[muckles]

but why were so many Americans against an NHS style heath service?

Because they are constantly told how bad and expensive the NHS and other national healthcare systems are, although maybe they should look at how is telling them its so bad, they’d probably find it’s the politicians and others who have a vested interest in the US private healthcare system.

This isn’t to say that NHS is perfect, probably far from it and it is no doubt easy to show how bad it is at times, but for many of us, it does work when we really need it.

Oh wait.Back in the real world.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013 ... higher-us/

Critics claimed that Jarman, who has only just released his findings, had an agenda to denigrate the NHS, which he has refuted. He accepts that the US does badly on life expectancy but says his data only looks at hospital deaths, which account for just half of the total mortality.

"There's no GP system in America, so life expectancy, infant mortality, is terrible in places like Harlem. But in the US you do pay twice as much for healthcare in hospitals so that might explain something."

The work has been attacked for not being peer reviewed.

There is an additional issue that could affect the UK-US comparisons. In America people with insurance are often discharged to die at home or in a hospice as it is less expensive for the insurer. US hospital mortality data would not capture these cases.

https://fullfact.org/health/which-safer-us-hospital-or-english-one/

When it comes to comparing the outcomes of the US and England, Sir Brian notes that the data doesn't take into account the fact that in America those without hospital insurance (who tend to be poorer and are often in worse health) might avoid a hospital admission because they can't afford the medical bills. He makes the following point:
"The US system is very different from the UK and the US spends more than twice as much per person on healthcare as the UK and still has lower life expectancy and higher infant mortality rates."

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/nhs-crisis-intensive-care-bed-shortages-jeremy-hunt-doctors-choose-who-live-die-operation-procedure-a7517051.html

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012 ... cer-abroad

This isn’t to say that NHS is perfect, probably far from it and it is no doubt easy to show how bad it is at times,

however these people also went abroad looking for experimental treatments and drugs.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/17/brexit-nhs-collapse-nurses-leave-flu-epidemic-hospitals

The 96% plunge in EU nurses joining the UK register following the Brexit. [vote]

So are you saying Brexit was a bad thing for our NHS?

http://www.fox-moving.com/nurses-are-choosing-to-emigrate-and-leave-the-nhs/

NHS struggles to retain trained staff after years of Conservative Government enforced pay freezes, no [zb] Sherlock.
Although no doubt an Internationals removal company might have an ulterior motive in making make the option of moving far more attractive?

[Drempels]

but why were so many Americans against an NHS style heath service?

Because they are constantly told how bad and expensive the NHS and other national healthcare systems are, although maybe they should look at how is telling them its so bad, they’d probably find it’s the politicians and others who have a vested interest in the US private healthcare system.

This isn’t to say that NHS is perfect, probably far from it and it is no doubt easy to show how bad it is at times, but for many of us, it does work when we really need it.

Oh wait.Back in the real world.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013 ... -higher-us

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 17051.html

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012 ... cer-abroad

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... -hospitals

http://www.fox-moving.com/nurses-are-ch ... e-the-nhs/

You think The Grauniad and The Indy are the real world. Okay.

[DadsRetired]

Chins up Pat.

While in the Royal Navy, I was fortunate enough to have 2 and a half years in Norfolk VA.

For various reasons we had to visit hospitals, each time the tab was picked up by the British Embassy.

I was asked if I would like to return at some point to live out there, my reply "not without the Embassy picking up the tab for medical".

You have my sympathies Pat.

[Trickydick]

Ive got simple views on many things in life and with the NHS it is if you havent contributed you cant take.

No I dont mean the poor sod who was born disabled and can never work or the equally poor sod who wa sinjured at work and by injured I mean proper injury not a bad back!, I mean the sponging dog turds who milk everything for whats it worth.

I also think if you havent contributed you shoudlnt have the right to vote as you simply dont deserve the right to say what goes on if you dont pay for it,

[rambo19]

I have family in the US.
When they visit the UK they are always amazed at our NHS.

But don't forget, the NHS is not free, it is free at the point of use.
We pay our NI every week to cover cover the cost.

[switchlogic]

I've been poor health this year and have had a couple of spells in hospital. I've always been a fan of the NHS, one of the greatest inventions the world has ever seen but even I have even more respect for them after using them. My second spell involved me wandering in to A&E after I had a flare up away from home and they were amazing. Spent 5 days 4 nights in there as a result and couldn't help but think how stress free the experience was. A friend was hospitalized abroad recently and the stress involved spring of who's paying was intense and can only make you worse. All you are left to worry about with the NHS is your health and getting better, as it should be. Long live the NHS

[Mazzer2]

The 96% plunge in EU nurses joining the UK register following the Brexit. [vote]

So are you saying Brexit was a bad thing for our NHS?

The drop in foreign nurses from all parts of the world was due to the tightening of the English language test that foreign nurses have to do to work in the NHS, friend of my sisters was involved in this and said that once the standard was raised the numbers who could pass plunged, it was announced this week that the standard is to be relaxed to enable the NHS to fill gaps, conveniently for remainers the new exam came in around the time of the Brexit vote and so was used to blame decreasing numbers of EU nurses on the Brexit vote

[Franglais]

The 96% plunge in EU nurses joining the UK register following the Brexit. [vote]

So are you saying Brexit was a bad thing for our NHS?

The drop in foreign nurses from all parts of the world was due to the tightening of the English language test that foreign nurses have to do to work in the NHS, friend of my sisters was involved in this and said that once the standard was raised the numbers who could pass plunged, it was announced this week that the standard is to be relaxed to enable the NHS to fill gaps, conveniently for remainers the new exam came in around the time of the Brexit vote and so was used to blame decreasing numbers of EU nurses on the Brexit vote

Clearly there are a lot of factors involved here.
We do need nurses to speak English well. We seem to be losing some recent immigrant workers with desirable skills, post Brexit vote.
Underlying any of this though, why do we need to rely on imported medical staff? Why is it we don't have enough home grown recruits?
Maybe some of it is under funding and the constant criticism from politicians? The same politicians, that say they love the NHS, then effectively cut it's funding.

[muckles]

The 96% plunge in EU nurses joining the UK register following the Brexit. [vote]

So are you saying Brexit was a bad thing for our NHS?

The drop in foreign nurses from all parts of the world was due to the tightening of the English language test that foreign nurses have to do to work in the NHS, friend of my sisters was involved in this and said that once the standard was raised the numbers who could pass plunged, it was announced this week that the standard is to be relaxed to enable the NHS to fill gaps, conveniently for remainers the new exam came in around the time of the Brexit vote and so was used to blame decreasing numbers of EU nurses on the Brexit vote

That wasn't really the point of the post, more was that Carryfast, Trucknet Brexiteer in Chief had posted an article by Polly Toynbee, in which she claimed Brexit was partially responsible for causing a crisis in the NHS. I just loved the irony.

[animal]

Al the best Pat to yourself & family

Will speak with my uncle about life before the NHS as he was born in 1919

In recent years I have used the NHS due to bad back ( all in the health forum if you want a read ) back fractured prolapsed disc excessive wear crumbling disc so sorry to be sponging for bad back did take 30 years to find this

I also have used the NHS in recent years for other things as some may remember I fell of the back of the trailer result fractured ankle ruptured Achilles was in hospital just over a week I had excellent care a good surgeon then several trips back & intense physio all on the NHS I know it is not perfect but would rather have this than have a huge bill at the end my son broke his leg 6 MTh later was taken to another local hospital but didn't receive the same level of care that I did although good not as good he was in a ward with 3 others 1 of them was taking no notice as he was walking around was told not to was supposed to stay in bed with leg raised but didn't speak said he didn't understand enough English sat up with feet down most of day this was the drain we both said he should be told to leave as was taking up a bed

Think the NHS still can learn from other countries on some things but other countries might like to look at our system & have something like it in place

Remember though the commonwealth countries & citizens can still come here & take