It is too amusing, one day after I wrote a paean of praise to the UK's National Health Service in the pages of Time Goes By I was once again the grateful recipient of its many splendid services. There is no need to go into great detail; let me just say, that on Saturday afternoon I had cause to ring for an ambulance. We live 30 miles from the nearest hospital, it is not a good idea to hang about waiting for the situation to improve; if in doubt, call the Service out. The local paramedic arrived within 7 minutes, the ambulance with a driver and a further highly trained and efficient paramedic within 16 minutes. After some preliminary tests and examinations these professionals decided that the patient (me, as it happens) should be taken to the hospital immediately.
Having arrived at Accident and Emergency a full programme of assessment, tests, examinations and treatments swung into action. Of course, it took time and for some the waiting between each course of action might have been tedious but I was glad that no effort or expense were spared to get to the bottom of things. The medics decided that I should stay in overnight, for observation.
A boring night and morning of repeated tests, little sleep and hospital food followed. Test results proved negative and I was allowed home after lunch. Right to the end the Service was excellent, in order to spare my husband, who is somewhat elderly, the 60 mile round trip, I was taken home by car, free and gratis, on the NHS.
We in the UK all know that the Service is creaking at the seams, for a variety of reasons, but I am very grateful to the NHS; My husband and I have had need of it a good few times in the past 20 years and it has never let us down.
Oh poor you. I hope whatever caused you problems is now much improved and you are well on the road to recovery.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to recommend this post to my daughter who is sometimes inclined to be slightly critical of the NHS.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are better. I'm sure you did the right thing to call the ambulance.
When it is good, the NHS is second to none, but when it is bad it is the worst.
ReplyDeleteI cannot fault the District Nurses nor the doctors who attend my father at home.
Like you, I live well off the beaten track for ambulance services, and if they get to us in under an hour they done good.
I do hope you are feeling better now, and am pleased to hear you are home again.
Friko: So sorry to hear you had a health emergency. That is not fun - so many unknowns at first. Glad you are back home safe and sound. Isn't it wonderful to be able to just concentrate on the health issues and not to have to worry about the financial cost of things as they do in the USA? We who have social programmes for all are so fortunate. Take care.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your medical emergency. I do hope all is well now.
ReplyDeleteI, too, have had a few trips in an ambulance and so far all I had to pay was a $50 co-pay for one ambulance ride and a $50 co-pay for the E. R., but your system really beats ours. It would have been a disaster for me if I weren't on medicare and I shudder to think of the total cost.
So glad the NHS served you well, but sorry you needed it! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about how well the nhs responds in an emergency. We should shout about it, especially to our friends in the US! Hope you are feeling fine now.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that everything is fine with you.
ReplyDeleteAlso glad to read that there seems to be a country where everthing works fine.
Endless stories about ambulances driving for hours in search for a bed available in a hospital over here.
Tribble knock on wood for all of us.
Please have a nice Tuesday.
So glad you are recovering Friko. Take it easy and look after yourself.
ReplyDeleteThank you all very much for your good wishes. I am on the mend and will be getting back to the enjoyable side of life, i.e. blogging, forthwith.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Friko. As Brit now living in the USA I can see even more clearly how good the NHS is. America needs a NHS, no question, and Obama is pushing for one. It is the only thing I like about him.
ReplyDeleteI have a question - does Germany (and other European nations) not have a NHS system? I thought they did... or it was at least subsidised....
Dave, in answer to your question, yes, many European countries have health care for all. You pay towards it out of your salary and the employer pays an equal share. Governments also make contributions, so most people are covered, Germans now have to pay towards their medication on top of contributions. The unemployed, children and retired folk still receive healthcare; I can't think of any country in Western Europe where healthcare is as haphazard as it is in the US.
ReplyDeleteFrom your lips to all the people opposing univeral health care in our country.
ReplyDeleteGoodness. I'm glad you are ok. I live in the States and have totally inadequate insurance, so I would try weeks and weeks of home remedies before calling a doctor, let alone an ambulance. Fortunately, there are woods nearby so it's fairly easy to find thistles and berries and eye of newt and other helpful ingredients.
ReplyDeleteFriko, I am glad to read you are back home and feeling much better. Even though I live in Spain, my doctor (I have CLL) is in Bournemouth so I have to go there often for lab tests, hospital stays and other treatments. They are always fantastic. I always want to pay, but they tell me the bill will be sent. It takes two or three months for them to send the bill, and it is always less than I anticipated. When I needed to consult a doctor in the US once, I could not go past the door without filling in numbers of forms, paying in advance, and the doctor would only see me if I had an American health insurance. The difference between the US and UK in health services is huge.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem by Ted Hughes. "...against the rubber tongues of cows...", how perfect. I know some of his poetry, through Plath. For a man who wrote of the mixture of beauty and violence, it was as if he was describing his own life. Suicide of Plath, killing of his child and suicide by his lover Assia, more violence than beauty in his life, yet how could he write such powerful and beautiful poetry?
ReplyDeleteFriko.
ReplyDeleteGlad to learn all is well with you. That is a good feeling to have all the tests and know everything is ok.
Chancy
www.driftwoodinspiration.blogspot.com