Americans React to "My First Experience Using the NHS"

[@cdgh99]

For me, socialised healthcare simply means everyone pays a little so no one person pays a lot

[@nagillim7915]

I have just over £100 a month taken off my pay that means i have access to healthcare when i need it in addition to unemployment, sickness and disability benefits if i need them and a state pension when i retire. It's not much all things considered.

[@peterc.1618]

Presumably Americans pay car insurance which effectively pays for other people's accidents if they never have one themselves, yet many of them don't want to do the same to save other people's lives.

[@ManUtdGirl89]

I happily pay taxes towards NHS, even if I dont use it.

[@peterc.1618]

@@ManUtdGirl89 Yes, it gives us peace of mind knowing that should we need treatment, it will be there without having to pay at the time or long-drawn-out arguments with an insurance company about what is covered and what isn't.

[@ManUtdGirl89]

@@peterc.1618exactly, and the worst thing about health insurance is, you pay regularly and if nothing happens to u, ur money was just that "insurance" and u will never get that back, cause u never got injured or ill. And also, The USA has taxes on everything, even child support, like what d hell! It baffles me to think, The USA is called the "Free" world, when nothing is free and its all about the money and not the actual citizens and they are so brainwashed into think their system is better. Err No, Wake Up

[@davidross5331]

America does not have a healthcare system it has a healthcare business.

[@Drones_and_more]

They way the NHS is trying to go . . .

[@shelleyjackson8793]

It’s up to your generation to debate these topics and educate people. Older people are stuck in their beliefs because they haven’t had access to information about other healthcare systems. You guys could educate people and just by talking about it and spreading the word you can help to change the country for the better. Campaign for more paid holidays too! I see the US as the world’s biggest cult.

[@Cunning.Stunt7]

More accurately, big pharmacy, corruption in the establishments and private health care are trying to diminish the NHS. We have to fight every step to stop it, hopefully those who voted to remain understand a huge reason why brexit was passionately fought for.... we all saw this coming waaaaay before the outrageous manipulation/bipartisan/mandates/and invasion of privacy during 2019-2023. Not so silly to be sceptical and very concerned all that time ago, with the benefit of hindsight hey?

[@alidawson6118]

The UK is going the same way under the Tory's , we were warned .

[@brokentoe7162]

@@Drones_and_morethe nhs isn’t trying to, just the tories

[@mariahoulihan9483]

The quality of care is NOT worse in the NHS.. that is a lie. I had cancer this year. I was early detected on a routine scan, operated on, had loads of appointments very quickly, nuclear medicine, breast care nurses, a course of radiography, pre op checks, an operation, a day in hospital, biopsies, follow ups and am now on medication for several years to mitigate the risk of it returning.. I was finished with it all in 5 months. It didn't cost me a penny other than through my taxes which i do not begrudge. I had an issue last week and rang the nurses at the hospital who advised me. I can do that whenever I have an issue. The NHS is brilliant. Equipment, surroundings, nursing are, surgeons, radiographers were all excellent. I was asked by the surgeon for input about the nature of the operation when it came to scarring as well. He made a brilliant job of it but I was happy to just get the mass out.

[@moonshinepz]

I agree on the NHS cancer care, I'm on life extending treatment for the last 16 months, and if I was in the USA I would have been both bankrupt and dead by now.

[@MarkPMus]

I hope you stay healthy and fit.

[@brian9731]

The problem with the NHS is not the standard of urgent or emergency care, it's the slightly less critical or urgent care which is affected by the shortage of funding. Additionally, the admin can be shockingly bad. The care at the point of that care is usually excellent and the doctors and nurses at the sharp end are amazing.

[@davebrown9707]

​@@brian9731totally my mum needed a back OP but it was delayed and delayed and now she has permanent damage that could easily have been avoided

[@enkisdaughter4795]

Just hit 60 years as a Type I Diabetic (caused by a malfunctioning autoimmune system) here in the UK, which I don’t think would’ve happened in the USA. I’ve also got Rheumatoid Arthritis which is also caused by a malfunctioning autoimmune system. I attend clinics regularly and am prescribed medication, free of charge, to keep me alive. The NHS has taken care of me my entire life - thank you NHS.

[@peterdavidson3890]

I returned from Florida a few years ago with some medication prescribed by a Doctor over there and showed my U.K. Doctor, he just smiled and said “you see that bin over there, chuck it in”. He then explained that the U.S. Doctor had prescribed what made him more money and NOT which was needed. In a few days with the correct medication my problem was cured.

[@arjanpetersen]

great! Hopefully they didn't give some rubbish opioid.

[@mathewdunstan4142]

In a recent news story a British child had metachromatic leukodystrophy which is a fatal genetic disease the NHS treated her with the most expensive drug available Libmeldy, this costs £2.875 million ($3.463 million) for a single treatment and is the most expensive medicine ever approved for the NHS the recipient paid nothing

[@Cunning.Stunt7]

How amazing! My best wishes for the child that needed such medication for care. Such an amazing NHS and staff. Xx

[@Ja-uu9ep]

Okay that is incredible. For all its flaws we can’t forget stuff like this

[@stevehessle1959]

I have No problem in paying tax towards the provision of the NHS. I was fit and healthy until I was 48, so 48 years of contribution with little use. Since then, I have had 3 heart attacks, quadruple heart bypass surgery, bladder surgery, am type 2 diabetic. Additional charges = £ 0. Because of health problems, all of my prescriptions are free. The NHS does have many problems, but when you are really in need of immediate treatment, it's there.

[@barrymitchell6444]

Investing for the future? You've had a far worse time health-wise than most. I've never had an operation or hospital stay in my life, and have no doctor now. I resent every penny.

[@barrymitchell6444]

Someone I know is recovering from a gall bladder operation last week. It was cancelled about a month ago, after waiting almost 3 years.

[@twigletz7384]

@@barrymitchell6444 How can you be resentful because you've been lucky? Has no one else in your family ever benefitted from the NHS? In most first world coultries you will be paying for healthcare one way or the other - if it's not through taxes, you'll be paying for insurance.

[@TheTwoFingeredBullFrog]

​@@barrymitchell6444You'll need it one day for something.

[@stevehessle1959]

@barrymitchel644 whoopy doo, lucky you. Your turn Will come. No doctor? You must be insane.

[@chrysalis4126]

Private healthcare in the UK is actually staffed by NHS trained staff and doctors. You will have nicer surroundings and it will speed up waiting lists but the quality of care is not better. The private firms also cherry pick which services they offer such as the most straightforward operations to maximise their profits.

[@mariahoulihan9483]

yes. My late sister in law, who had cancer, had private health care through my brother's job. However, for a lot of her treatment she had to go the NHS route. I think the private system had to pay the NHS but still, no difference. whilst at the hospital one day she bumped into a girl she had fostered as a child - now a cancer nurse. She told her that there were lots of things, due to chemo, she could access, such as wigs and makeup lessons for the loss of eyebrows etc. and so she booked her in for it. Its not always best, I agree, go go private.

[@heliotropezzz333]

Private care in the UK has no A&E (the most expensive part of the service) so if anything goes wrong they will send you to A&E for the NHS to pick up the pieces or put things right.

[@robward367]

I'm not comvinved private is best- bare minimum service? No ITU - complications and you're straight to the nearest NHS hospital. Ridiculous that the NHS picks up the tab when private medicine goes wrong? 13 long years of Tory Govt, NHS on its ass, very little left to break or plunder- and our beaches and rivers are full of sewage. Vote Tory, get Tory?

[@mrsapplez2007]

EXCATLY

[@mrsapplez2007]

​@@mariahoulihan9483yes as an ex NHS worker I saw the amount of private patients increase. Which is more paperwork for us. It's also hard to treat ALL PATIENTS THE SAME as someone who is private may feel they expect a different kind if service.

[@elizabethrose1766]

I’ve worked for NHS for 20yrs and absolutely love it … I’ve also worked in Santa Cruz California nursing and was deeply disappointed , on how people were turned away needing medical help because of no insurance…. It’s so wrong!

[@charlottehardy822]

The joke is that in the US your taxes pay more per person for healthcare than we do in the UK.

[@Aloh-od3ef]

Plus they have to pay insurance on top!!

[@thatsthat2612]

​@@Aloh-od3efand then their insurance might not even cover what's up with them

[@101steel4]

​@@thatsthat2612I've seen instances where Americans with insurance, have died because their insurance company won't pay for their life saving operation. They don't just pay the bill, the insurance company has to give the go ahead🙄

[@thatsthat2612]

@@101steel4 it's awful, rmember that movie where a guy got a gun and forced the doctors to perform life saving surgery on his kid because he was going to die and the dad didn't have money or insurance? That was a true story. The USA really needs to try taking care of it's citizens

[@kd8199]

I have been a healthcare provider for 40+ years. To this day in the US, my staff and I spend lots of time trying to find a provider that takes our patient’s health insurance (Medicaid mostly). An additional inordinate amount of time is spent trying to get medications, diagnostic tests, and treatment approved by all of the insurance companies. There are times when my patients have been denied medically necessary care. We have the most expensive healthcare in the world, but it’s not the most effective healthcare in the world. Most Americans do not realize our healthcare system is all about “cost shifting.” Patients without insurance go to the emergency room for care. It’s the most expensive care. It’s also care that is marginal most times and written off the taxes healthcare providers pay. Who in the end pays? We all do through making up the lost tax revenue. There is no prefect healthcare system in the world. However, the US healthcare system has been bankrupting families for generations.

[@jennybrewer7193]

A country is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens

[@seanscanlon9067]

.....within society, but the like of Margaret Thatcher infamously once alluded to there being no such thing as society.

[@ChrisJames1973]

The NHS saved my life 17 years ago and each year I go for tests and a consultation. Brilliant service

[@StephMcAlea]

"No guns for the cops, free healthcare..." DON'T forget the Tesco meal deal! 😂

[@sw01ller]

the police have guns!! not all of them but enough

[@zeburules]

Who needs a gun when you can do enough damage with a knife. Check the stats on knife crime in London.

[@faithpearlgenied-a5517]

​@@zeburulesAnd yet knife crime is lower in the UK than in the USA.

[@zeburules]

@@faithpearlgenied-a5517 you do realise the UK has a vastly smaller population than the USA.

[@polarisukyc1204]

All hail the Tesco meal deal!

[@doloresvancartier8894]

I have Crohn’s and have had to have 3 major surgeries on my bowel- without our NHS who knows how many THOUSANDS it would have cost me. I literally am thankful to them for EVERYTHING.

[@margaretstein7555]

It’s not just England that has the NHS it is all four nations of uk

[@julia2jules]

Correct However it is devolved so there are differences in what is available and the prescription charges between the four nations.

[@1nikg]

​@@julia2julesthere's no charge in Scotland

[@thatsthat2612]

​@@1nikg9 quid in England but my doctor is alright and will always tell me if there's an over the counter version of what he's gonna give me for cheaper

[@neilhunter5893]

Often Americans use “England” and “uk” synonymously. Although not wrong they basically forget about the other 3 nations that make up the uk. Most of the time when they say “uk” they’re referring to England only 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@julia2jules]

@@neilhunter5893 yes, even English people use British and Uk when they mean England (or often just within the M25)

[@Rosiepooh75]

The welfare issue (some people taking advantage) exists everywhere, but you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater... I am happy that my tax money makes sure that a person in need of medical help can just get it without fear of debt. There is so much evidence that many Americans avoid getting medical help due to costs to the point of getting very sick or dying. I'll gladly keep paying so that everyone can seek medical help when they need it. Look up price of epi pens in the US vs UK (or almost any European country)

[@sarahealey1780]

I completely agree with you, but I haven't heard anyone say don't throw the baby out with the bath water in a very long time 😂 great saying we need to keep it alive.

[@cazzaa5012]

Have you tried getting a doctors appointment lately ? 😂

[@sarahealey1780]

@cazzaa5012 I called my Drs on Thursday morning, and they called me back with in an hr. They offered me an appointment before lunch by 12 pm. I had a prescription and was home in my sick bed.

[@Michael_from_EU_Germany]

@@sarahealey1780In individual cases, this is still the case. According to surveys of doctors and patients, waiting lists are getting longer all over the country.

[@arnodobler1096]

​@@sarahealey1780It's a saying in Germany too. ❤

[@HRD01]

The quality of private care in the uk is rarely actually better because it’s usually the same people who you’d be seeing in the NHS just you get to skip the huge waiting lists on the NHS

[@charlestaylor3027]

My friend has skin cancer and she uses private healthcare for recovery. The cancer treatment is handled by the NHS but she gets wheeled to the private ward to recover - she uses it because the coffee is better and she gets wine with dinner. Her NHS consultant drops in to see her on the way to the car park.

[@PaladinesAngel]

The quality of the care is no different within the NHS. Most of the private care givers and doctors also work for the NHS so it’s exactly the same level of care. It’s just swifter

[@robward367]

Not convinced private best- father hip op, private took 1 -2 xrays, nit happy. NHS took a who raft of xrays, tip top service from beginning to end. Save the NHS at the next election when you vote!

[@jemmajames6719]

Wrong, these doctors are NHS but are allowed to have a private practice as well, we pay their wage whilst they are also earning money having private patients and a lot of operations in their private practice are done in NHS hospitals. People are having to pay the same doctor they would see via the NHS in his private practice, which means that patient is paying twice and whilst that doctor is seeing more private patients the NHS waiting list is getting longer. Now people who are paying these NHS doctors privately can’t even get an operation as those queues are getting longer, it’s a disgrace.

[@PaladinesAngel]

@@jemmajames6719 that’s basically what I just said.

[@jemmajames6719]

@@PaladinesAngel I put meat on the bones, so people can see it’s not private doctors working for the NHS, it’s actually NHS doctors while been paid by the NHS getting additional money via private patients.Well I don’t have to repeat my points.

[@jeffstevens4262]

I heard only recently that in some places in the US, if you need an ambulance to come out and take you to a hospital, you have to pay around $200, which, for a UK citizen, is absolutely incredible.

[@samkenyon4522]

It's more like $1,200 for an average ambulance ride

[@pem...]

They wish it was 200

[@petew5289]

Acording to Amanda Rae American living in uk it can be a much as $2000

[@thatsthat2612]

I heard a story about an American woman that was hit by a car and she was messed up, bleeding out and everything, she goes "don't call an ambulance, I can't afford it" it's disgusting

[@jeffstevens4262]

@@petew5289 God almighty..

[@rikmoran3963]

Unless I misunderstood what you said Joel, you you are under some misconceptions. The quality of healthcare is not lower in the UK than the US, it is actually higher. You measure the quality of healthcare by its outcome, and the UK rates higher than the US. You may have fancier hospitals and shorter waiting times, but the outcome is worse. This may be down to people putting off treatment due to cost, or people not staying for long enough in hospitals after an operation to recuperate, sgain due to cost. The NHS is free at the point of delivery. Yes, it is funded by tax, but there are plenty of videos on YT showing that people in the US actually pay more tax than we do in the UK. So, we pay less tax, have free healthcare, and higher quality healthcare! I doubt you will ever get something like the NHS in the US as too many people are making too much money from it. I don't just mean the pharmaceutical companies, I mean the staff employed in your healthcare system. If you Google average salary for s heart surgeon in the UK, it seems to go up to about $140k, depending on experience. If you search for the comparable salary in the US, it is $640k!!! The only reason they get paid this much is they can charge what they want for treatment as they know that the money will be paid through insurance. Nurses in the US have an average salary of $82k, and in the UK it is only $40k. If the US introduced a system like the NHS they would only be able to afford salaries on a level with those at the NHS. Can you really see healthcare staff in the US being in favour of that?

[@IAMKIMBERLEYOFFICIAL]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@Nickcooper625]

American medical practitioners also have to pay a lot for malpractice insurance in case they screw-up - staff in the NHS are covered by the NHS itself.

[@luciamunds1836]

Correct well said👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Supernovice942]

Absolutely this 🎉 the World Health Organisation actually ranks the UK higher in nearly all health outcomes than the USA.

[@mikelovesbacon]

The US spends more per capita than the UK. They could continue spending that much and make it free. They could continue to pay the staff the same. There's just no political will to do it.

[@Vince-Brennan]

I agree that if your illness is not serious you have to wait a long time but if youre really sick or have an accident then the NHS is superb. I was diagnosed with cancer some years ago and up to this point I have had chemotherapy twice. Even though I had private health insurance I still used the NHS because their cancer services cannot be beat. The staff were at another level altogether. We also have another service called McMillan nurses who support cancer patients and the only thing I can say about them is that they are living angels.

[@dann756]

I've had a few seizures in my life, 3 before 30. 2 of which were in the UK. Once, I was found on the floor by some kids, they didn't take my phone, wallet or car keys, they actually stayed with me until a woman walking her dog came past and said what's up. She called an ambulance and I was in RUH for 4 days until I was ready to leave. The NHS paid a taxi to take me home and the Dr looking after me came to the car with all my things. The actual doctor!

[@marythurlow9132]

Please JPS it's not the English NHS it's the British NHS and it was the idea of Aneurin Bevan, a Welshman. Look him up.

[@Roz-y2d]

Yes, and Clement Attlee made it happen. Two great men I’ve always thought. It would not have happened if Churchill had won the election.

[@jameshealey6535]

Hi Guys, I am in the UK and had an operation on my heart last month. A YTuber in the US had the same thing and posted his hospital bill. It cost him $317,777.... I had no bill. it was done for FREE on the NHS.

[@Missylife-t7m]

Great news! But it is not free. We pay for the NHS through our taxes each month - if you're working .

[@CarolWoosey-ck2rg]

It is free at the point of use; no co- pay, no insurance companies denying payment

[@Sooz007-l3b]

Everyone gets access and it won’t bankrupt you.

[@Ponkelina]

it's not free. It's paid for by taxes from people's work salaries

[@piggypiggypig1746]

@@Ponkelina I thought fresh air was free but someone told me that breathing consumes energy in the form of calories which must be replaced with food, and food costs money. The bloody government, they got us every which way.

[@carolineskipper6976]

One of the great things about the NHS (apart from it being free at the point of need) is that the big pharmaceutical companies have to negotiate the prices of medications with the NHS, as it is pretty much the only customer here- if they don't sell to the NHS then they have only a tiny market. So things that cost $100's in the US don't cost the NHS nearly the same amount. And of courrse, as patients we pay only a flat fee of under £10 per item, whatever it is - and lots of people in fact get free prescriptions due to their age (children and the elderly) because they are in receipt of benefits, or have particular medical conditions.

[@lorrainehamilton5051]

Or live in Scotland...the Scottish Government Abolished NHS Prescription Charges in 2011. So glad I'm Scottish.

[@ArtyGreig]

Or Wales 😊

[@spacefanatic]

The quality of care is great. I had cancer 10 years ago and was seen by the GP and then sent for a ultrasound 2 weeks later. I had the ultrasound and a biopsy on the same day. i then had an MRI within the next week or so and then got a call to go to the hospital to speak to a consultant. I was told I had cancer and within 2 weeks was in hospital having an operation and stayed in for 5 days. Four to six weeks later I went for radiation therapy. I have been clear of cancer for 10+ years. My sister and one of my best friends have had cancer also and they were seen very quickly and both are doing fine.

[@Neil_TheShiningMile]

Hey Joel. Just a bit of constructive feedback mate. I’ve noticed when you’re all sat around your desk, your sound is fairly quiet. I need to turn my volume fully up, which I never normally need to do with your videos. May just be that you need to sit a little closer to your microphone. Thought it was just worth highlighting. It may also just be me and it’s fine for everyone else.

[@79BlackRose]

You are right Neil. 👍

[@Neil_TheShiningMile]

@@79BlackRose Glad it wasn’t just me and my hearing failing haha!

[@adrianhempfing2042]

Same

[@Neil_TheShiningMile]

One simple option may be to get clip-on microphones to wear when you’re going group videos. Although good luck getting Ben to not fiddle with his microphone if he’s wearing one 😅

[@GeorgeProwse]

1) The quality of care does not take a dive when you have universal care systems. The US is consistently at the bottom of quality of care tables. 2)There is never a "Paying for it and not using it" because it is preventative care and not reactive care, meaning that you go to the doctor regularly and quickly to prevent problems occurring or getting worse, checkups are often 3 times a year when you are feeling fine. Whereas in the US you tend to go at the very last moment. Families often know their GPs for their whole lives

[@thefiestaguy8831]

Correct. My "Registered" GP I have had since I was 5.... i'm now 29 and she's still doing the job as I understand, coming up to retirement soon.

[@christinamoxon]

If I or my kids need a doctor's appointment, I call at 8.30am. I have always gotten a same day appointment. I usually don't have to wait for it, they're pretty prompt, but on the occasions that they are late, I have been given a wait time and been allowed to take my kids for a walk or sit in the car for a bit. During covid they came out to the car to fetch us. Doctors have their own room, which sometimes has personal items like a family photo, little trinket or something on their desks. They have everything they need, including examination bed with curtain (you can ask for chaperone too if you need one) and they type everything into the system, check your file and discuss your symptoms with you there and then. When they fill in the prescription, it can be given to you as a paper version, or electronically sent to your preferred pharmacy, who will have it by the time you get there. Working adults pay just under £10 per item, regardless of the cost of the item to produce. If it's value (like paracetamol, or some creams, etc) is less than £10 they will tell you to get it over the counter so you don't pay more than you need to. If you are under 16, or 16+ and in full-time education, you don't pay prescription charges at all. Neither do the over 60s, preganant women for their pregnancy and for 1 year afterwards, or people on income support. People who have long term medical conditions, such as diabetes, are also given an exemption card. The system is meant to support everyone in need. The wait time in A&E can sometimes be quite long, but if you're on your last legs then they will fast track you. And if you have kids, they will see you quicker. I've given birth twice in an NHS hospital, including water birth options, before and after care, skin on skin and access to physio during my pregnancy. Didn't cost me a penny. They sent midwives to my house after birth to see how I was and to offer advice and reasurance, and to check for postnatal depression. So supportive. Couldn't be happier to know my family, from the eldest to the youngest, always gets care without worrying about cost. If you don't have your health, what do you have?

[@lynnemacfadzean4855]

this year I had a blocked stoma so phoned 111 and they told me to go to the hospital straight away, where I was seen within 30 mins I was admitted to a ward within 90 mins of arriving at the hospital, and the care I got for my stay was A1 from start to finish. I can only imagine how much this would have cost me in America!!!

[@paulbromley6687]

Cuba also has it and many countries have a level of socialised medicine

[@persephonewildfox9128]

I don’t think there are many people who are never sick. From the time you are born, all your injections, doctors appointments, emergencies are available to you. You only start paying when you are old enough to pay taxes.

[@rachelc3094]

Very few people will never need a prescription in their life. But it’s not just ‘sickness’ either. How many families have babies? I’ve been lucky with good health so far in life and have not had much need to use the NHS but I have had two babies and that would have cost the NHS quite a lot of money in scans, midwife appointments, bed, staff and equipment required during the births. No bed needed for the second one as it was a homebirth, but even then an NHS midwife came to my home and brought equipment/medication with her. And then there was aftercare. Follow-up appointments with GP, midwives and health visitors. Even lactation consultants and specialist women’s physios can sometimes be available for women who need them. Vaccinations for the babies, free contraceptive pill so that the new Mum can have a good rest before her next baby 😂 The list goes on!

[@mikelovesbacon]

@@rachelc3094 I would say most people will need a prescription in their life. Most people will have some kind of childhood accident. Most people will need a course of antibiotics.

[@gaynorhead2325]

It amazes me when Americans say they are put off paying taxes towards the NHS and they might never get sick! Is that not just the same as paying Health Insurance every month? It’s there just in case you DO get sick. Same as insurance on your car.

[@emme2141]

Also when they say “it’s socialism” - how to they think their fire department, police department, roads etc are paid for, it’s all collective through taxes.

[@mikelovesbacon]

Yeah but many of them can't somach the thought that somebody else might benefit from their money, even though with a universal healthcare systems they would get better outcomes themselves if they ever needed treatment. The UK spends less for better results. America has so much money it could have a universal healthcare system that puts the NHS to shame but they don't want it.

[@lucylane7397]

It’s not just England’s healthcare it’s the whole uk

[@rawschri]

If any of you 3 have ever taken Ibuprofen or ADVIL as it's marketed in the US, you can thank " Boots " .... two scientists working for them invented it in 1961. Also, a pack of 16 paracetamol in the UK costs around 85 cents .....

[@MISSYGful]

I did not know that. Good old Boots 😊

[@mikelovesbacon]

Man you're paying over the odds for your paracetamol, you can get a pack in Savers for 29p which is $0.35

[@grimreaper-qh2zn]

We regard the NHS as one of the jewels in the Crown. However, don't get too carried away. The NHS is being vastly underfunded, shortage of staff etc. We love our NHS Doctors and Nurses but it has become a Political Football. Private Health Care in the UK doesn't get you better care. It will be the same Doctors and very often the care will be caried out in an NHS Hospital using NHS facilities. What you pay for would be being scene earlier where there are longer waiting lists for NHS non urgent procedures. Under a Private system you could get a private room, a TV, phone etc (i.e. additional non medical facilities). The fact that people care about those less fortunate then themselves is something we should be proud of. Your taxes pay for facilities and infrastructure you may never use. Sharing the cost of providing facilities for everyone seem to be seen a a Communist thing in the US. In the UK it is scene as fair and humanitarian (like providing aid to other countries that may have problems. In fiscal year 2020 (October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020), the US government allocated $51.05 billion US dollars in assistance to foreign countries. Of this total, $39.41 billion dollars was spent on economic assistance, $25.64 billion of which was dispersed by USAID. Yet the Republicans hate the thought of a Publicly funded Health service for all, not just those who can pay.

[@tinastanley3552]

You can get your own rooms with TVs and phones in most NHS Hospitals but phones have become obsolete with most people having Mobiles.I live in Liverpool and our new NHS hospital is all private rooms no wards.

[@grahvis]

Not long back, I wondered if private rooms were always a good idea. I was in a mixed short stay ward to have stenting, four men, four women. Myself and two of the women went to the specialist unit for treatment and because we knew each other, they put us in adjoining beds for the overnight recovery. One of the women said how she was really nervous and worried about the treatment, but all the chat and banter of the group had taken her fear away.

[@grimreaper-qh2zn]

@@grahvis I suppose it depends how you are feeling. When I was in Intensify Care I had my own room as all did.

[@gibsonms]

They way the NHS treat their stuff is just utterly scummy, and their approach to privacy is non-existent.

[@Brookspirit]

If the NHS didn't waste so much money there wouldn't be a crisis.

[@anny1_232]

The main benefit of private health care in the Uk is that the waiting time is shorter - usually. Very few people resent paying for the NHS in their taxes. It’s one heck of a good deal! The NHS has saved my life - literally - twice! And it didn’t cost me anything more.

[@anny1_232]

@marycarver1542 yes exactly. Both times I had emergency surgery with no delays.

[@emme2141]

Exactly! There might be wait times sometimes, but for really urgent care there never is, and you’ll never be made to wait to make sure you can pay for it first!

[@donnagreen7386]

I’ve been having treatment for about a year and can’t fault the nhs as all. The only real issue is getting a gp appointment sometimes. Once you get through that you are sailing. The hospital care I’ve had has been top notch. The nhs is a fabulous institution

[@WEGI1968]

Beg to differ

[@donnagreen7386]

@@WEGI1968 oh I’ve been at the other end of the stick too. When I lived in the midlands everthing was a battle. Now I’ve moved north it’s totally the opposite. I’m very lucky with the dr I have now.

[@RachaelMorgan-om4xw]

Honestly, as a Brit, I cannot fault our NHS except to say that it is deeply underfunded. I have had my own life saved by medical staff here in Tyneside. I had sepsis, and was rushed into surgery for urgent attention.....I had Sepsis, and was close to death. I was not expected to survive. I was in a coma for a week, and then recovering for another 6 weeks. They saved me. My National Insurance Contributions, which are standard taxes everyone has taken from their income....it's not very much.... meant that I did not have an Hospital Fee to pay. God bless our NHS and all who sail in her 😷🤕🥳

[@isobellahobbs1597]

I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for our amazing doctors and nurses in Britain and neither would my children.They are amazingly dedicated and professional and woe betide anyone who says otherwise.I honestly cannot speak highly enough about our nhs,they’re awesome.

[@lordofthehornets4739]

About 10% of our taxes paid go to the NHS. What this means is that if you have cancer, a stroke, give birth, break your spine, etc you can focus on getting better. No worrying that you'll lose your house or your insurance running out. As for getting a lesser service, that is just bollocks.

[@iancollins5569]

In most cases you’ll see the same doctor in the private hospital that you’d see in an NHS hospital - many do private work in addition to their NHS job. You won’t have to wait as long for your procedure and the surroundings will be nicer but you won’t get a better quality of doctor. Medical training in the UK only happens in the NHS so even if the doctor only does private work they will have been trained in the NHS. Another point is that a lot of private hospitals in the UK don’t have the full range of specialists and facilities available 24/7. If a patient runs into any complications its common that private hospitals can’t deal with them so they have to call an ambulance and send the patient to the nearest NHS hospital. If you go to an NHS emergency department you will have to wait if your condition isn’t serious - I understand that’s similar in the US system too - but if you come in with something serious/life threatening you will be treated very quickly. You also don’t have to worry about the cost of the treatment you’re getting, unlike in the US where I understand it’s common for people to have to declare bankruptcy over medical bills. You might want to look at Evan Edinger’s video where he asks a UK doctor how much certain procedures cost and then compares it to the bill you would get in the US for the same treatment. You’ll find that in the US the prices for treatment are vastly inflated.

[@cpmahon]

It's called Boots because it was founded by a man called John Boot.

[@susanrudge5817]

It is your time - 3 thoughtful people - you can make changes. You are already highlighting on social media what you think needs changing. You’re inspiring.

[@Neil_TheShiningMile]

To be pedantic for a moment: One thing I do hear a lot of Americans say is that the UK has ‘free healthcare’ but this just isn’t true (I wish it was). We pay for it in advance through a mandatory deduction from our salaries. When you’re young and generally more healthy, you pay for more than you use, but you reap the benefits as you get older because you pay the same amount but use more.

[@adrianmcgachie]

Yes, it should be remembered as, "Free at the point of use" and some politicians wish to remove the privilege. We pay through "National Insurance" but there are not hugely unaffordable medical bills at the time of need, which we all need to access at some point in our lives.

[@Neil_TheShiningMile]

@@adrianmcgachie Absolutely. It’s not free but is pre-paid, which makes it hugely convenient. When you’re sick or have been in an accident, the last thing you should be worrying about is whether you can afford to get better.

[@chrysalis4126]

And most people will pay much less in National Insurance than US people pay in private medical insurance policies

[@mariahoulihan9483]

I have several long term chronic illnesses, have had several operations in my time, tonsils, a foot op, two wrist ops, jaw realignment and breast can operations, care, detection and followups with radiotherapy. I have had endless MRIs, ultrasounds, hydrotherapy and physio.. the list is endless. no complaints. I have had my money;s worth ten fold. Now aged 67 been on free prescriptions since I was 60 - and i take 10 meds a day. I await two new hips on the NHS. I have been treated with dignity and respect - all bar one incident which i complained about last year. From what I have read and seen online if I were in the USA, even if I had health insurance, the list of my conditions and treatments may not have been fully covered. Many face losing their homes and in older age too. I was lucky to be born in this country is all I can say.

[@Neil_TheShiningMile]

@@mariahoulihan9483 Sorry to hear that you’ve had to go through all that. Yeah, the NHS is a fantastic system for sure.

[@catholicbeth2371]

"Even if you're healthy and not use the service you're still contributing, I think that's the drawback of the service" That's a fit healthy young man speaking. Wait until you're older and your body doesn't work as well as it one did.... "Illness is neither an indulgence for which people have to pay, nor an offence for which they should be penalised, but a misfortune, the cost of which should be shared by the community - Aneurin Bevan, founder of the NHS, speaking in 1948"

[@Secular_Scot]

*The NHS is the best policy creation in the history of British legislation. The problem isn't the ethos, it's that the Conservative government have chronically underfunded and undermined it since they were elected in 2010. Sadly the Labour Party opposition we have is also determined to undermine in with more private sector usage, albeit to a lesser extent*

[@1chish]

Trust a Leftie to make some inane political fabrication (aka pack of lies). For a start in 2010 to 2015 it was a LibDem / Tory coalition that was elected to sort out the debacle Labour left. Remember that 'there is no money' note and a £145 Bn embedded deficit? The NHS has had massive increases in funding since then: 2010/11 - £131.8 Bn 2015/16 - £142.9 Bn 2020/21 - £157.1 Bn (PLUS £47.4 Bn for COVID) 2021/22 - £162.0 Bn (PLUS £40.4 Bn for COVID) 2022/23 - £181.7 Bn So the Tories increased the spending (regardless of COVID) from £131.8 Bn to £181.7 Bn. Or a 38% increase. And of course Labour want to use the private sector (unlike the Conservatives) but again you peddle a falsehood: Blair privatised more of the NHS than the Conservatives ever did.

[@archiebald4717]

The NHS has the highest funding it has ever had in its history. Enough to spend 40 million per annum on diversity officers and sustainability officers. It certainly knows how to waste money.

[@emme2141]

⁠@@archiebald4717that’s the fault of the people in charge, not the majority of staff who are putting in all the hard work on the floor - which is where the money should be directed, the staffing levels are way too low leading to staff getting burnt out and quitting.

[@thetudortimes]

If your diabetic you don't have to pay for any medications. All your prescriptions are free. 🇬🇧

[@KarlHamilton]

In Northern Ireland prescriptions are free too 🇮🇪

[@marythurlow9132]

Prescriptions are free in Wales too.

[@1nikg]

And Scotland. Must just be England

[@KarlHamilton]

​@@1nikgthe English fucking love the tories haha

[@emme2141]

@@KarlHamiltonnot all of us, believe me

[@mikewebster5597]

Speaking personally someone,either the doctor or a nurse depending on who you're seeing, will come to the waiting room and collect you. We're not quite up to date here in Devon!

[@sonyabowler7491]

My small town in the Repblic of Ireland too! And why not?

[@Sunmoonandstars123]

I had an infection when visiting NYC. I had to go to a clinic 3 mornings in a row to get a spot on the walk in list. On day 3, I made it on the list and waited 6 hours to see a dr. I live in Canada, and I have never experienced anything like that. Walk in clinics are always available, fast, and everywhere. I would have been seen right away and had my antibiotics same day. There’s no comparison - for the vast majority of American citizens universal healthcare would be a HUGE improvement.

[@ollielowe7534]

The quality of care is top notch in NHS. You go private if there is a waiting for your operation and you want to be seen quickly.

[@emme2141]

Exactly, the doctors and nurses are all trained by the NHS so the quality of care is the same, it’s just wait times, and only for non-urgent procedures.

[@bordersw1239]

Lots of negative comments in the press about our GP’s but my experience- woke up unable to bend leg , extreme pain and it was swollen. Phoned the Dr, receptionist said - I’ll send a link to your mobile, take some pictures of both legs and the Dr will call you back. 30 mins later the Dr called and said could I come to the surgery in the next hour , you’ll have to wait but I would like to examine you. Got to the surgery in 30 mins, waited 20 mins, diagnosed by the Dr and given prescriptions. 20 mins later I had the medicine and on my way home.

[@barrymitchell6444]

So what was his diagnosis? I was walking home from work decades ago, and my feet suddenly hurt. I made it home in agony. The doctor visited, saying it was gout. Apparently from all the pure orange juice staff were drinking at work.

[@dorothyjones3157]

In last few years due to osteoporosis and arthrtis i have suffered a few falls. I am now a bionic woman as i have received 2 replacement knees 2 femur hip plates and a reversed shoulder replacement all from my NI payments how much would i have been in debt for this amount of surgery.? NHS Personnel are brilliant Surgeons Doctors Nurses etc they deserve decent pay rises. NHS i love you thank you for all your dedication Thank you too for our great police firemen and Ambulance staff. You've all played a part in my life God Bless NHS 🙏

[@viewer47ful]

I was born and raised in UK. They take care of their citizens from birth to grave. It has its problems like waiting for treatment. Doctors are paid less than $100,000 a year. Hospitals are government owned. People have to pay for medications, but there are programs that help wih the costs. There is private doctors that people pay for. Every system has it's problems but money is not an issue.

[@101steel4]

You still have to pay for your health insurance even if you don't become ill 😉

[@chrysalis4126]

Yes but who manages to go through their whole life without ever being ill or having an accident? I was lucky and most of my life I needed very little in the way of healthcare but now in my mid 60s and last year I was diagnosed with cancer. I dread to think what it would have cost for my treatment in the US and what the co pay would be. I found out the maintenance tablets I am on now have a list price of over £2000 a month!

[@michaelmedlinger6399]

It‘s called solidarity.

[@101steel4]

@@chrysalis4126 exactly. You still pay in both countries whether you need it or not. Difference being you don't get slapped with a huge bill here

[@petercampbell9899]

I'm 76 years old and was raised in Canada and have lived in England, and for the last 45 years in Australia. I've had five children raised on a small income. I have never worried about healthcare in my life, whether it was hospital stays, general health visits or whatever. I have never had to pay for any care, though have had to pay a small amount for prescriptions occasionally. Neither have I had to wait particularly for any service where it has become a problem. To have to worry about the cost of care is completely alien to most people who live in these countries. Pity the poor American.

[@grahamsangster1042]

My partner and her eldest daughter are both nurses in the NHS,the daughter helps with patients being flown in by helicopter

[@spanishdncr71]

Her experience wasn’t typical as not all doctor’s offices in the UK have screens which flash your name up on them. In 2019 I was visiting England showing an American friend around (I live in the states) and had to go to urgent care (which was above a Boots) due to experiencing vertigo and sat for four hours in the waiting area (there were a couple of emergencies) and they called my name out when it was my turn. As a British citizen I paid nothing for my visit and £9 for the prescription which I had filled in five minutes, downstairs in Boots. I was given the option to find a private clinic and pay £100 where I would have had an appointment and wouldn’t have had to wait for as long. I couldn’t get an appointment when I called as they were closing soon, so I sat and waited for the four hours and got excellent treatment by the nurse who saw me first in one room and then by the doctor who did the examination (in a different room) to determine what was wrong with me. She made me do the purp walk and I was stumbling like a drunken sailor😂. Vertigo will do that to you!! Four hours later and only £9 down (I was celebrating the minimal cost🎉), I met up with my friend and we went to my sister’s house for a slap up meal!!

[@sueedgar8825]

The tax we pay is called National Insurance (NI). NI also pays for social security benefits This is paid if you are employed and the amount you pay is dependent on how much you earn. When you reach retirement age you no longer pay. Prescriptions are free once you reach 60 of age in England, i believe it is free in Scotland and Wales for any age!. The cost of prescriptions is now £9.60, ($11.71) per item. Or £111.60 for a yearly payment card and you can then collect unlimited items. There are other exceptions, i.e. children, during pregantcy, long term illnesses such as diabetes, thyroid issues, cancer etc. I love our NHS as do most people in the UK, you are free obviously to pay for private health insurance if you wish. I recently needed my gall bladder to be removed , as the wait for the operation in a NHS hospital would have taken a while (2 months) i went to the local private hospital and the NHS paid. I was in operated on within 2 weeks, Me personally, i love the idea that an emergency by a non UK citizen is treated the same as we are.

[@alanmon2690]

The NHS is funded by general taxation, not the NI

[@adamsmith6594]

With regard to NHS vs Private care. Private care is expensive, you may get seen or treated sooner, you will be treated well but you will be kicked out the door fast. The reason is: NHS: Drs get paid no matter how many patients they see per day. Each day rolls along and the get paid per hour. Private: They get paid per interraction in certain fields. Therefore it is profitable if you can shovel more bodies through. Further more if you require treatment and the NHS is too slow going private seems the obvious choice. The kicker is that the surgeon is likely gonna be the same guy, private or NHS. Happens all the time.

[@Neil_TheShiningMile]

Nice to see a Saturday upload. Wasn’t expecting that today.

[@chriscaspian2280]

Just retired from the health care system here. I still prefer our system to anything private.

[@jasmineteehee3612]

Hi Joel, we also have the NHS app, this allows you to send messages to the doctor and ask queries, and get appointments very quickly on same day. We have electronic systems that send your prescription to the local chemist, who then Txt you when it’s ready (usually within 30 mins) this is my experience where I live. I’m fortunate to live in a countryside practice area.

[@ghazef]

I'm in the UK, and about 6 years ago I went to visit my GP with severe abdominal pain that had already lasted a day and a half. He correctly diagnosed me with appendicitis and gave me a referral to the nearest hospital A&E. I arrived late afternoon, was admiited to a ward that evening, and had keyhole surgery the following morning, discharged a day later, fully recovered 2 weeks after that. At no point before, during, or after this, did I have to worry about whether I was covered, whether I'd be able to afford any excess, or whether the hospital was 'in network' or not. I had to fill out NO forms, not a single one, and paid nothing out of pocket (and I imagine the hospital staff had a helluva lot less paperwork to fill out too!). The questions I was asked by the staff pertained only to my medical history and my current symptoms.

[@charlotteinnocent8752]

Luv as an American living in Britain for years, WHAT dive in quality The quality of care here was BETTER than I received in the US by FAR.

[@Ponkelina]

It is also a postcode lottery though. You might be lucky with places you've lived or services you required. Can be different in far away areas, or not. Sounds like you were lucky

[@charlotteinnocent8752]

@@Ponkelina My husband's relatives live in other parts of the country, and what you call bad service is STILL miles better than what myself and my family sisters in California, Arizona, Florida, Chicago, New York, and Washington state, have received. This was both North and South in the UK, particularly in Wigan where my niece's life was saved multiple times over seven years with her saga of problems resulting from Addison's disease. She'd be dead in the US, hands down easily.

[@Ponkelina]

I guess it depends what is is wrong with you. I've had two separate conditions that were both undiagnosed and ignored - one for 5 years and one for 2 years. With one I ended up bedbound/housebound depending upon each day. @@charlotteinnocent8752

[@deborahgabrilsen3691]

Do far in the last three years my husband had had a hernia operation , two varicose vein opps, two cataract opps, and a hip replacement, he is currently having chemotherapy, next week i have a cataract operation, and am shortly to have a hip replacement, all on the NHS we are so grateful to all the amazing staff

[@michaeljamesstewart1000]

My 66-year-old niece was rushed to a hospital in the Midlothian area of Richmond, Virginia, with a seriously blocked colon. She was made to wait in the corridor, along with a number of others (the waiting room was full) for 22 hours. That occurred at a supposedly very reputable hospital. Because the triage method is used in Canada, as in the UK, the more serious your medical problem, the faster you are seen. No one in my family has had to wait more than 4 hours to receive high-quality attention. Chimo

[@michaeljamesstewart1000]

Thank you for taking the time to read my comment and giving it a 'like'. Chimo

[@joycehill6790]

Quality of care is amazing

[@clairebear197627]

I can’t hear, volume is very very low 😩

[@Mugtree]

On the quality if care. I’ve had nothing but amazing care. Even recently being seen at the hospital with a few days when they wanted to check me over. I absolutely live the NHS. For me. It has always been amazing

[@anneking2631]

I'm amazed she had a GP appointment so quickly

[@Andreaod73]

Me too! 😮 Was this pre covid ? 😂

[@emme2141]

I didn’t even know you could get a GP appointment if you weren’t registered

[@SF64]

I had a kitchen accident which resulted in 3 severed finger tendons in the back of my arm (I couldn't open the fingers on my left arm). I did get myself to a&e by taxi (I know paramedics and ambulances are called out frivolously far too often. I'd managed to staunch the bleeding with a clean cloth). I did have to sit around in a few waiting rooms, but i got my arm assessed by a general doctor, xrayed and assesed by a pastic surgeon who was able to fit me in for surgery the same day (i did have nerve blockers injected though i was so tired (one reason for the accident) i fell asleep during the surgery to reconnect my tendons and make a cast splint. I've been given multiple follow-up appointments for assessments on the healing process and physio exercises.

[@pv-mm2or]

Boots was established in 1849, by John Boot

[@mgcocasal]

That's Jesse Boot.

[@karenperry8834]

You pay monthly contributions in the US to your health insurance policy so your contributing wether you get ill or not. Also in the UK if you go private and something goes wrong you usually end up being treated in the NHS as well

[@nickyjones88]

'America's dont want to pay for other people's health care'....how do you think insurance works 😅

[@101steel4]

Exactly

[@atlantia]

Since covid my GP offers either a normal phone call appointments or facetime, also anyone can use the free delivery prescription service but normally is used by the elderly

[@jacquelinehelliwell5954]

Taxes paid in G.B. goes to pay for a variety of services we all utilise, not just health care, and we may not need a hospital in our lifetime but almost everyone uses the G.P. Everyone has the access to G.P. surgerys, not just the wealthy tfs Jax ❤x

[@bagabeans]

That's what is funny about the American argument of 'I don't want to pay for everyone else being sick'. They already pay taxes for the cops, firemen, etc. but most will rarely or never need their services.

[@karenpenny3973]

Quality of care is NOT lessened by not paying through private insurance. The difference is being able to jump queues and have a better menu and amenities as an inpatient. Virtually all private practitioners also work for the NHS too. Elective surgery is done privately if you have money/insurance, but life saving or emergency surgery is NHS. We do not have people dying here because they can't pay for insursnce, people do not become bankrupt due to medical bills, and the petcentage of tax the US takes from people for healthcare is more than we pay in our taxes in the UK so....

[@marchgow]

Waiting twice to be seen? You go to the doctors, your name is called, you go see the doctor. I don't know about waiting twice.

[@betsytodd3511]

She was talking about her experience in the US - that's the norm here (you wait in the room where you'll be seen and eventually the doctor comes in).

[@marchgow]

That makes sense

[@adw6806]

They are still called Pharmacie's - but the Pharmacy usually sits within a Chemist store.......... Boot's is owned by Walgreens so more similar the them, CVS is more similar to a store called Superdrug which also has Pharmacy inside

[@sandraback7809]

Doesn’t high healthcare premiums in your country mean you ARE paying for those who can’t pay. That’s usually how insurance works because they WILL make money because it’s a business. Therefore, you’re paying for others whether you like it or not. 🤷‍♀️

[@1chish]

That is an absolute truism that Americans fail to understand. They are also paying those high premiums whether they themselves use them or not.

[@paulmk2290]

No. People with private health care generally have it because it comes as part of a work package. I had it for a number of years because my company supplied it, and I used it to get faster service - often much faster. However, the quality of care did not come into it, as you suggest here. In fact, many private health care doctors also work for the NHS as their main job. Generally, I would would say that NHS care is better and safer, due to the around the clock availability of doctors and the broad range of skills in one location.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

The idea that "people who aren't sick don't want to pay for those who are" suggests that they think they're not susceptable to accidents, random shootings, etc. To take that attitude, then people without kids shouldn't pay for education, people without cars shouldn't pay for roads, people who don't fly shouldn't pay for air traffic control, and vegetarians shouldn't pay for meat inspectors.

[@grahvis]

It never occurs to them that if they pay for insurance, they may well be paying for other people. I suspect the fact healthcare insurance often comes with a job, they get a false impression of how much it costs them.

[@diannegreenshields7421]

WE DO have to (SOMETIMES) wait a couple of hours in A&E, on the NHS...depending on the injury. It's different when we have an appointment though. I had an appointment yesterday and was taken 25 minutes early. The NHS is extremely busy so we all kinda know what to expect. As for people who aren't UK citizens, I'm not sure if they CAN make appointments?! Private healthcare in my experience hasn't been THAT much better than NHS. I often found them to be snobbish and stand-offish. But that's my own opinion of private health care. I've since had to start using the NHS and I've found the nurses and doctors (as busy and underpaid as they are) have better bedside manners. OH and it's FREE!! Except from taxes (the less we make, the lower the taxes and vice versa)

[@dereknewbury163]

Just for your info, the lady, as a foreigner, would probably have paid £25 - £40 for the consultation plus about £9 for the prescription. Honestly the NHS is not perfect but compared to the US it vastly more efficient, more bang for your buck! No big admin. sections to deal with billing, no shelling out for private jets for all those insurance guys to run around in. Take pride in your individualism but basically you guys are being played for suckers big time.

[@robertgriffith8857]

It's NOT England's Health Service, it's the British Health Service!!

[@scottneil1187]

Man, you'd think by now you'd stop referring to the UK as England, as a Scot its bloody irritating.

[@101steel4]

Makes a change from calling England, Britain.

[@carolmurphy7572]

It's very like people from the U.K. referring to the USA and its citizens as "America" and "Americans". There are many countries in the continents of North America and South America, all of whose citizens could be referred to as Americans. I am Canadian and, while technically an American, am most assuredly not a citizen of the USA.🇨🇦

[@THE-THATCH]

Not as irratating as trying to understand a jock attempting to speak English 🤣

[@101steel4]

@@carolmurphy7572 yes we call the people in the USA Americans. United States Of A...... We call Canadians, Canadians. Of if we're talking about the continent, you're all North Americans.

[@chrisaskin6144]

​@@carolmurphy7572I don't mean this as a criticism of your post, so please don't take it as such, but how should a person from the USA be referred to? I've always considered the continent of North America to consist of three countries: Canada, the USA and Mexico. I've always referred to those from Canada as Canadians and those from Mexico as Mexicans. But how should I refer to someone from the USA, should it be a United States of America American? I've always referred to someone from Canada as Canadian - providing I know it to be a fact. I know and fully understand that it's important to them, and unreservedly it should be. But to a layperson from the UK the accent of a Canadian and someone from the US is largely indiscernible from each other unless they're from the southern United States. And for that reason there's an automatic presumption of being from the US rather than Canada, mainly because the population of the US is probably 9 or 10 times that of Canada. Please, I hope you won't be offended by this comment because absolutely no offence was intended. But if there is a term to describe someone from the USA as opposed to someone from Canada, rather than the slightly derogatory slang term of "Yank", I would be really interested to know and would consider myself to have been educated after all these years.

[@musicbitsnbobs]

The quality of care in the NHS is not poorer, I had a quadruple bypass in 2 weeks of having a heart attack, free and perfectly cared for.

[@petersp63]

We Love Arturo! needs his own channel! That voice!! sorry Joel but that was a terrible video! I certainly wouldn't subscribe to her channel!

[@79BlackRose]

Yeah, what a nice guy Arturo is and what a gorgeous voice! I also found the source video very underwhelming Peter.

[@Nickcooper625]

"A lot" of people don't use private healthcare. Just under 11% have any sort of health insurance, and that include relatively modest policies that just reimburse NHS and private fees, e.g. claiming back a couple of hundred pounds a years for dental or optical. The private sector only does routine elective work, not emergencies, not ambulances, and nothing massively complex.

[@Mcfly3595]

The argument of ‘why should we pay taxes for other people to be treated if I don’t get sick’ doesn’t stand up. Why pay healthcare insurance if you don’t get sick? It’s exactly the same principle. And no matter how healthy your lifestyle is, does no one have accidents in the USA? Do people and children not get cancer? The lady in the video forgot to mention her prescription fee.which is currently £9.35 no matter what medication it is. Cancer patients and other Long term illnesses get free prescriptions. I know what I prefer. Healthcare in the USA is big business. I love and am proud of the NHS. IT REALLY IS THE JEWEL IN THE BRITISH CROWN.

[@joshcrawford4076]

The quality of care is really good in the NHS but the waiting time is pretty long which isn't much of an issue unless it's for something severe

[@tommyhughes2264]

America has a healthcare business not a healthcare system and that is a massive difference.

[@gillianjepson4950]

The beauty of the NHS is we all pay into the system. It's then there when you need it - especially when you have an emergency. My husband had to have an emergency hip operation, ambulance, physio etc and it cost us nothing at the time, no bill as we pay an amount monthly into the system through our taxes.

[@jeanettewoodrow1731]

each doctor does have their own office, until they leave the practice, if your chemist is in a supermaket or outside of the GP practice, they usually just send your script over by email, and its usually ready within 2 hours, i use supermarket chemist as its easier go shopping pick up your script

[@JEFF-ft6qm]

To say that it's a drawback that even if you don't get sick, you still pay for the NHS would imply that in the USA you don't pay for what you don't use. Nonsense. I've never heard of refunds from the insurance companies for those that don't it. They are more inclined to load premiums for people that do.

[@leebaker8524]

We all pay taxes monthly towards the NHS whether we use it or not. That's no different to your monthly insurance payments. The only difference is that as we all pay, we all pay less, minus no huge bill after a hospital visit.

[@barbarakendall5184]

Jesse Boot started his chemist business in Nottingham in the 19th century. There is a huge factory in Nottingham providing medicines, cosmetics etc. We are very proud of Mr Boot.

[@sandyyoung9582]

Quality of care is fantastic in UK. I only pay £4000 a year in tax and only a prtion of this goes towards NHS. I have given birth 4 times, no fees, operations, no fees. Complete peace of mind for life.

[@paulharvey9149]

The argument for not having a system like the NHS because everyone has to pay regardless of whether they get sick isn't an argument at all, because in the US you have to pay your healthcare insurance premiums irrespective of whether you get sick! It's the same difference, only which is cheaper to the individual...? GP practices are usually private enterprises that bill the NHS for the NHS services they provide and so, rather frustratingly, they're not all the same. At the one I attend, there are six or seven GPs of which four are the partners that own the business and who employ the other GPs - along with two practice nurses, a phlebotomist, two district nurses (who visit people who are unable to attend the surgery but require regular treatment), plus all the admin staff, receptionists, cleaners, etc. In addition to this, they provide space for clinics held by Community Psychiatric Nurses and other specialist community nurses or services. There is a computerised check-in, and the doctors, nurses and other practitioners themselves usually come out and call your name in the waiting area, and walk back with you to their examination rooms. Same-day GP appointments are available by telephoning at 8 am and 11 am, but it is also possible to book appointments in advance, including some early-morning (7am to 9am) and evening (5pm to 7pm) appointment slots. They always have a "Duty Doctor" in addition, who is able to respond to emergencies. Not all practices offer such flexibility: I am fortunate to have found one that does. There is no on-site pharmacy - the nearest is just 100m away, however. Dentists, Opticians and other specialists that also offer NHS treatment (they don't have to, unless they have a specific contract with the NHS regional authorities to do so), are also private businesses that bill the NHS form the treatments they provide, in a similar way.