Healthcare in The United Kingdom

We've done the US, Canada, and France. None of them are really socialized healthcare systems. To get at that, we need to go look at a system like that of the UK. More specifically, we're going to talk about England's National Health Service. See what a real "government run" system looks like, how it compares to yours, and what's good (and not so good) about it.
For those of you who want more information or references, go here:
theincidentalec...
John Green -- Executive Producer
Stan Muller -- Director, Producer
Aaron Carroll -- Writer
Mark Olsen -- Graphics
/ aaronecarroll
/ crashcoursestan
/ realjohngreen
/ olsenvideo

[@DannyMercer1993]

I've never been in a poorly equipped, dirty NHS hospital. In fact, the one where I work as a practitioner is one of the finest eye hospitals in the world, running cutting edge research on AMD, diabetic retinopathy and much more.

[@jmitterii2]

+Danny Mercer He's talking out his ass. He even says... "what I've been told". Well, I've been told magical unicorns and evil lizard people are responsible for the world's problems... You basically don't go off bullshit non objective facts.

[@chrise202]

Probably because you need to be half-leg on the way of passing to another world, before being appointed for any non-paracetamol and ibuprofen treatment.

[@eddyharris2372]

Moorfields?

[@toxicgamers1113]

I am from Serbia,we have similar sistem like NHS, very similar... and our hospitals are not dirty,and not poorly equipped... actualy their equippment is simmilar like in rich states in any part of world...so I cant agree with you about that

[@justinstinocher9765]

Sounds way better than crappy system in the American

[@detcord1]

You know how many people go bankrupt in the UK because of medical bills? Zero. The NHS may have its cranky parts, but so far I have had cancer treatment, optical treatment, orthodontic surgery, crushed discs repaired, mental health treatment, I'm on my third set of hearing aids and all of my medications cost me £0.00 every time. Gee, I had to wait for seven weeks once to see my world-class consultant for FREE.. So what? This week I had a tooth crack, so called NHS 111, which is also free, and they got me an appointment within the hour with a 24hr dentist, for which I had to pay £18.80 for the out of hours service. Give me 'evil' socialist healthcare anyday. The healthcare in the US is a racket.

[@CameronNicholls1917]

+detcord1 we get so much more out of the nhs than we pay for in taxes thats for sure! My nanna would not be able to afford all of her medication if she didn't live in the UK where it's all provided for free.

[@jaredkidd1]

Exactly. I don't understand why Americans are demanding a system of US healthcare inspired by the NHS. Has Industry Lobbying really that much effect?!

[@detcord1]

jaredkidd1 Yes, it has. Firstly it is 'socialist', and that means it starts with bandaging your finger, and ends with pushing you into a gas chamber. Secondly how would the drug companies be able to rip you off if the government were regulating it? Thirdly, because the US has a 'whats mine is mine' mentality, where they don't see their taxes being used to treats their neighbour's cancer as socially and humainly responsible, they see it as their neighbour robbing them. Yes, lobbying....

[@nygeriunprence]

detcord1 Sounds good I just don't like the sound of waiting lines.

[@detcord1]

Obi Alfred Iv never had to wait for anything.

[@jlw22356]

If there was a vote now as to whether we should get rid of the NHS it would be an over-whelming no. In fact it would probably result in riots and the government being booted out of power. It's not perfect but we British love it.

[@jlw22356]

And I am currently in full use of on Wirrals Arrowe Park.

[@baylessnow]

Here's hoping you have/had the results you want at the end of it all.

[@michaelkwright]

I've never seen a dirty hospital.

[@fionagregory5774]

Michael Wright me neither

[@jaycobbina9529]

I work in nhs . Dirty hospitals is a definite blanket lie . ...understaffed at times but we work bloody hard .

[@yasnyne]

Maybe the toilet and bottle, cups with liquids in the waiting area.

[@imsoboredhahaha]

I once had to wait in the paediatric triage waiting area for a suspected broken big toe for 3 hours and there were crisps on the floor and small kids smothering their snot everywhere. Not ideal, sure but I would much rather have free state run healthcare than having to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in the states to save my life 🇬🇧❤️

[@nigelsheppard625]

It's a lie based on incredibly bad research. You can see this in that he keeps getting the name of the country wrong.

[@TheYopogo]

If someone needs help, they are just given it. That's it. The NHS is pretty much the most powerful symbol of human decency we have. That's why people love it.

[@TheDionysianFields]

In the U.S., the public library system is our best symbol of human decency. Hey, it's something.

[@bananaborz1]

@@TheDionysianFields I was going to comment "lol" but then I realised how extremely sad the situation in America is. Your country is literally the most powerful in the world but it -can't- _won't_ give you a decent healthcare, while smaller, much less wealthy nations do so for their citizens. Makes me pessimistic for Americans.

[@TheDionysianFields]

@@bananaborz1 It's partly because of the value system we evolved with, which is basically individualism and independence above all. So it's not all bad for us to cling to conservative ideals but healthcare should be an exception. At the same time, people need to learn to take care of themselves, which should have fallen under those values and ideals I mentioned.

[@ドリアンDorian]

@@bananaborz1 lol the US has the best hospitals in the world, it is far better than UK, also you can see the numbers in the internet, the efficiency is far greater, the mortality rate in the PS is 5x lower and the waiting time as well. I know it is too expensive, the government should solve that, the price is increasing since the 50's with all the regulamentation, but the MAIN problem right now is the MODERN CULTURE, the number of people that cook at home is 50% lower than 40 years ago and eating at fast food is frequent, also just a small part of the population exercise, even tough the gym is really cheap.

[@katy3901]

@@ドリアンDorian I hate to contradict you, but the American profit-based healthcare system is directly responsible for all of the problems that you've mentioned. The NHS operates a far better system of preventative healthcare which benefits both the patient, cost and efficiency. When you evaluate a healthcare system you have to consider both access and effectiveness. The NHS is fantastic in both of those areas, and that's why it consistently ranks higher than the US on global scales. The US system may have some flashy machinery, but it is too invasive, too focused on profit and too exclusionary to be classed as anything other than a disgrace.

[@tomd5678]

A friend got hit by a car two months ago. He was airlifted to hospital (free). (The police closed the road for several hours because they believed that they were investigating the scene of his death). He was stabilised in intensive care for his multiple injuries, including concussion and stroke caused by the injuries to his head including crushed sinuses ( free). Once stabilised he spent two weeks in a trauma unit (free). He spent a month in a stroke unit were he began speaking. He had a sieve inserted in an artery to collect blood clots as they changed his blood thinners (free). He I'd now in a neurological units and is gradually recovering. So far his family have not paid a single penny towards his treatment. This is a good thing since it will take many months before he will make an adequate recovery. The staff are wonderful. I can't believe that he would have received better care anywhere else in the world

[@RushfanUK]

Thank god he wasn't in America, the cost would be huge for all that treatment, I had a stroke last year and the NHS was superb in dealing with it, paramedics were on scene within 10 minutes of calling, I was transferred to an A&E unit under blue lights and within 17 minutes of arrival had been scanned and administered drugs to bust the clot, the NHS has it's faults but when it is really needed it works superbly.

[@caroleewers8242]

simgorm “

[@smellypunks]

Many of the air ambulances are charities rather than being taxpayer funded.

[@higreentj]

Robotaxis and autonomous vehicles will hopefully end all road accidents.

[@Spookieham]

It would not have cost a penny in Australia either

[@vectoredthrust5214]

As a Foreign Student, I found the system exceedingly simple and efficient, and I love it. Literally all I had to do was sign up with a GP at my university's medical centre, and I'm in. I've only seen my GP once since then, and while I had to wait a couple of weeks, it was an elective procedure and still free. When I start working next year, I'm actually looking forward to finally paying taxes, knowing I'm finally going to give back to this brilliant system, no matter how little I've taken from it

[@prp3231]

I'll bet you don't have a rose tinted view about the state of the health service now.

[@philipgater6855]

hospitals in the uk are as clean as any developed country

[@pisse3000]

Philip Gater Indeed. The only 'dirty' hospital I've ever been to was in Italy, but I that was because of a strike that was going on at the time.

[@mymanpaddymcnair1950]

that just isn't true though

[@robhingston]

why wouldn't it be

[@fionagregory8078]

yes

[@genghissmith4949]

Snow 123 Nobody loves you, troll.

[@Whoami691]

At the end of the day, the NHS is great, at the end of the day, if i break an arm, i do not need to worry about payment, yea i might wait a little longer, but i don't care. It is FREE healthcare. When you remove the profit motive, all that remains is service, and our NHS staff are miracle workers doing what they do day in day out keeping the country healthy.

[@jmitterii2]

+Whoami691 Even in the US if you break an arm, you have to wait for the doctor as they make their rounds to set it and put it into a cast, and then go to therapy waiting for the doctor or whoever to finish with the last patients. The entire line of waiting is bogus, in the US or anywhere unless your an emergency life and death, you're going to be waiting. What's more important is coordination which the UK does better than all other countries, and effectiveness of their care. www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/files/publications/fund-report/2014/jun/1755_davis_mirror_mirror_2014.pdf

[@CameronNicholls1917]

Yeah im so lucky to live here in the UK when it comes to health-care. When I hear about how much people in the US for example have to pay for relatively minor things it blows my mind. Also I don't think the less prevalent technology thing is actually true nowadays, UK medical science is a world leader and we use all of that in the nhs, he was definitely correct about the waiting times though. :)

[@LawlessNate]

"i do not need to worry about payment," No, you pay whether or not you're sick because it's stolen out of your paycheck regardless.

[@Whoami691]

LawlessNate Cheaper than insurance. :) But do go on...

[@LawlessNate]

Whoami691 So because government the prices magically are reduced? The suggesting that government can be more efficient than a private business is ludicrous.

[@AliCheetham]

the dirty part is definitely wrong.

[@jordanreeseyre]

Very relative term and seems to be improving after public outcry at the quality of private contractors

[@metalmatt1991]

You've never been to chase farm lol

[@CJonesApple]

It had an unclean reputation a few years back but I think saying it's dirty makes it seem worse than it was.

[@AliCheetham]

yeah

[@EmmaHoppe]

***** It's also possible that "dirty" has a worse connotation in the UK than the US. I don't think of dirty as too bad. Here, if I wanted to be inflammatory, I would probably choose the word "filthy." Also, the Doc isn't alone in his use of "dirty;" as shown above, there are plenty of respectable English journals and newspapers using the same term.

[@MrDragon1968]

National Health Service of England? Don't you mean the UK? And 'technology is no where near other countries'? Seriously? UK medical science is a world leader.

[@Weirdeiolu]

NHS England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all operate slightly differently, I think

[@MrDragon1968]

+Ryan Quinn They operate very slightly differently in terms of who decides funding figures in those regions politically, but all under exactly the same universal system: the British NHS. I was simply pointing out the often made mistake by non Brits that Britain= England. The NHS is British, not just English.

[@Weirdeiolu]

MrDragon1968 Oh sorry, I misunderstood what you meant

[@Soapbox81]

+MrDragon1968 The specifics in the video related to how the NHS is run in England. If it were about Scotland or Wales there would be differences, especially around levels of privitisation allowed and how the money is spent

[@MrDragon1968]

The specifics in the video relate to the NHS as a whole. The difference between the four nations is each one manages it's own, but the overall system is still the same. He was talking about the type of healthcare system, not whether there are some structural differences since devolution across the UK. There's nothing in the video that differentiates structural differences solely to England other than the mention of cheap prescriptions (which are actually free in Scotland, Wales and NI). He's talking about the UK, not just England. Other than that, it's a good video.

[@kill100578]

You may hear British people moan about the NHS, but we moan about everything, the NHS saved my life. I had a Subdural Empyema when i was 14 and was treated in Great Ormond street hospital. If i had been in the US my parents would have had to take out huge loans to pay for my 14 odd week hospital stay. God bless the NHS and God save the Queen :)

[@Ruairidh8]

It's worth noting that Great Ormond Street may not be the best example due to the substantial funding it get through charitable donations which most other hospitals are not fortunate enough to receive.

[@kill100578]

Sure, i was also at a hospital in Harlow though :P

[@CJonesApple]

Ruairidh Graham He STILL wouldn't have had to pay. Great Ormond Street Hospital is well known throughout the world. Many hospitals receive charitable donations, my local one bought specialised surgery equipment with charitable donations.

[@Ruairidh8]

CJonesApple I know he wouldn't have to pay I'm not disputing his point it's a very valid point, and yes many other hospitals do receive charitable donations. But Great Ormond Street is still an exceptional circumstance and thus I don't feel truly represents British hospitals in general.

[@supekele]

Fuck the Queen and fuck the god. Socialized medicine is totally rad though.

[@badalice14]

I love the NHS. Can't imagine having to pay for any sort of healthcare like you guys do in the USA. Main concern is that the current government is trying to gradually privatise it and I really don't want that to happen.

[@alexturlais8558]

Alice and the government aren't funding it as much as they should

[@baylessnow]

Yes, but not by extortionate insurance premiums that don't cover stuff when the 5#it hits the fan!

[@joelcoool]

The majority of issues in the NHS are caused by a lack of funding from the government

[@michaeltalbot8242]

I hope it doesn't fall to the shareholders of insurance companies I depend two months in hospital after a stroke and got all the help I needed still do 7 years later

[@carlosr.esposito8808]

being taxed per your private property $$$, which is Your Earnings Alice, Is Paying for any sort of healthcare. Nothing is FREE.

[@GlowingAlien]

The British don't hate it - in fact, we love it. What is something we complain about is the fact that some more right wing governments are trying to cut funds based on fear mongering and incorrect statistics in an attempt to play a political game. Also, I am pretty surprised that it's been labeled as "dirty", because in every hospital that I've been to, it's been vibrant, upgraded and clean. Only once has something looked depressing, and that was mainly because it was where everyone died, not because it was dirty. However, thank you for noting that they're working on fixing the issues - they really are. It's a fantastic system and a lot of hospitals are upgrading to be more modern. I love the NHS.

[@robtoe10]

Don't be fooled: the NHS may have some flaws, but for all it's worth we bloody love it!

[@vorno102]

S Robson Absolute universal coverage. High life expectancy. You're picking 2 statistics and saying its all shit. Shame on you.

[@vorno102]

S Robson Have a look at this comparison, then maybe you can understand JUST how good the NHS is, if you can't after reading this, then maybe you need to go back to school. www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2014/jun/mirror-mirror

[@Lee-70ish]

S Robson IMHO When compiling statistics regarding health, preventative and occurrence are vital, For example, a large part of Eastern Europe including Armenia,Hungary,Poland,Croatia,Czech Rep, Slovenia actually has a 25%-45% large lung cancer occurrence and actual death rate than the UK so health wise you are less likely to even need treatment or die of lung cancer in the first place other Eastern European nations are only slightly better by 1 or 2 per 100,000 up to an impressive 7 per 100,000 for Russia (which it then fails terribly in the field of liver disease) This has been driven hugely by the NHS's education in prevention there are other examples also include Coronary disease where in 2011 the UK world wide was 155th all the eastern European nations are way above this. My point is not getting the complaint in the first place should be included in statistical analysis as prevention is a vital part of the overall delivery of any health care service as much as any treatment you may need or get

[@Lee-70ish]

I never said it was great and yes you do make some good points but conversely it is not as terrible as you try to paint it My personal experience has been very positive as over the last two years due some rather serious issues I have to use the NHS more than I would have liked to and its been first rate, no long waits and good diagnosis now statistically it would not look good because the problem cannot be cured but that is just down to the ability to treat it not the actual treatment

[@mimiHTcat]

i was born in london and my younger sisters were born in new york and my mom said the london hospital was like 100x times nicer and cleaner than the new york one so...

[@jonhyboy12playsdrum]

mimiHTcat I’ve been to an NHS hospital and a private hospital in Vegas. The Vegas hospital was 100x nicer than that NHS hospital. Whats your point?

[@katy3901]

@@jonhyboy12playsdrum That it's a gross generalisation made on behalf of the guy in the video to assume that NHS hospitals are dirty, and basically completely untrue.

[@gavinhudson5251]

@@jonhyboy12playsdrum But you had to pay for it, and a lot.

[@jonhyboy12playsdrum]

@@gavinhudson5251 so do you. In taxes, wait times, and lower quality care. Through no fault of the staff. It's what happens when you're over crowded, abused and under funded.

[@gavinhudson5251]

@@jonhyboy12playsdrum In Australia we have Medicare which is similar to NHS. I had my appendix taken out 10 years ago and the quality of service was good. I knew a man who had private health insurance from 1975 to 1995 and he had to have a hemorrhoid operation. As he said to me the insurance only covered the hospital bed - a $20,000 hospital bed! He lamented that the amount of money he paid in 20 years, he could have bought a brand new family car. If you you want to pay money for a service that delivers a similar outcome then good for you. You see Johny, it's all about outcomes. Statistically the average American male lives to about 78 years of age, a British male 80 and an Australian male 82.

[@elsa9532]

THE BRITISH ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE NHS

[@devjoshi73]

They should be.

[@Steve14ps]

Too right

[@mfbj1]

@@devjoshi73 I have a very rare autoimmunity disease, after visiting my GP, she told me that I was put on a waiting list for 4 months. Now that I finally visited the immunologist I did not even get to speak to a doctor, but to a nurse instead who merely told me that I had to wait another 4 months before x-rays of my lungs and other checks could be made. In addition to this I had to wait 1,5 hour at the pharmacy before I could get my medicine, they literally only needed to take the medication out of the shelve, which used to take me no longer than 10 minutes when I lived in the Netherlands. Don't be fooled, in the UK you practically need to be dying before you get adequate and fast care. If it is less serious, you are on your own.

[@garthhentley5957]

@@mfbj1 Tosh and nonsense, a made -up yarn.

[@mfbj1]

@@garthhentley5957 I am merely describing my experiences with the NHS. Get your head out of your ass, this system is far from perfect.

[@ebrahimjamshid8328]

Not gonna lie we in Britain moan far too much about our healthcare when actually it is one of the best in the world. One chat with family friends in America made me realise how lucky I am

[@kyled1673]

www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/world/europe/uk-national-health-service.amp.html So this doesn't mean anything to you?

[@Jellygamer0]

@@kyled1673 We have issues with that but that's the Tories selling off parts of our NHS to their billionaire mates.

[@kyled1673]

effawefweafawefwefwfqwWQEWEFEYHTYKJYUKUT Lol more excuses

[@Jellygamer0]

@@kyled1673 Welp, I'd rather have ify universal healthcare than go bankrupt from bills.

[@kgs42]

@@Jellygamer0 It isn't iffy. I'm getting world-class cancer treatment for incurable renal cancer. Over a year on Tivozanib - not approved in US yet - 21 capsules each month at £150 per capsule. Do the math! I do not pay a penny.

[@andyorr123]

We do love our NHS! (And that's throughout the UK, not just England by the way...) Also, important to remember that aside from the potential financial benefits of our system, if you are sick in the UK, YOU GET HELP. Regardless of your bank account. Amazes me that so many Americans can back what seems like a borderline 'evil' healthcare system when viewed from our perspective...

[@IceMetalPunk]

This Yank agrees with you! Then again, we have embedded in our culture a serious distortion of values. War, guns, conspiracy, greed, and fear of the government are high priorities, while peace, love, health, reason, and education are near the bottom. Most of my fellow Americans are ass-backwards.

[@baitcat]

"Despite the UK diet" what's that compared to? The American diet? Don't make me laugh.

[@elephantsmemory3142]

That was rich coming from a Yank Some of the fattest people to be found anywhere

[@sire0606]

Are you serious? Just a question that bases how much I laugh at you

[@davidsmith8376]

baitcat my sentiments exactly

[@pipellis6672]

USA has the highest Obesity rates in any major country...

[@neilcaress9036]

Yes that's a cheek!

[@Correctrix]

British people complain about the NHS all the time. They complain that even more tax money should be put into it, never that it should be dismantled and citizens thrown to the wolves of private insurance.

[@IceMetalPunk]

I think this difference goes back to the days of our US independence issues. We were big on "no taxation without representation"...and somehow over the decades and centuries, that twisted into "taxation is bad; we don't want to pay more taxes for anything!" Which is moronic, of course, since taxes fund so many beneficial things. Or, they should and would if only Congress could stop being a bunch of 5-year-old idiots.

[@IceMetalPunk]

Isles of Scion I'd never heard of him until now. I just looked him up...and goddammit, this guy's ideology is stupid. And hes gotten almost every Republican in power to agree with him. Opposing ALL tax increases indiscriminately...so we mismanage our money and pour too much of it into military spending, then complain we don't have enough, then REJECT any chance of increasing the tax revenue...then complain some more. I don't understand. Do people just not learn that taxes are how the government has money to do things? I thought we all learned that in middle school or high school. Reminds me of a speech Mitt Romney made once. I don't remember where, but I saw it on KZbin. In it, he promised he would LOWER taxes...and then promised to fix the Alaska oil pipeline somehow. I kept thinking, "we can't afford to do that now, and you want to do it...while spending LESS money? Are you a sorcerer or just a political idiot?"

[@oafkad]

IceMetalPunk He's done interviews on the Colbert Report and the Daily Show. They are pretty haunting. People understand taxes, I think mostly, its this congressional pledge that gets you. Because your political opponents (not in the opposing party but your own) will use it against you and make it sound like you frivolously raise taxes. That's the clincher, not that you raise taxes, but that word "frivolous". Even though its a lie it still works.

[@IceMetalPunk]

Isles of Scion At which point, this hypothetical political "you", should reply, "And without taxes, what funds the operation of the government you're electing?"

[@GuardsmanBass]

IceMetalPunk It was basically a combination of anti-communism Cold War fears, the American Medical Association and other health interest lobbies, and racism that killed the closest the US ever came to a real single-payer plan in the 1940s. Truman was pushing it during his re-election, and afterwards the AMA basically went on the warpath lobbying about how this was the beginning of the end, about how "socializing health care" would lead to socialism and Lenin winning, and so forth. It might not have been enough to stop it if southern Democrats had also not been opposed because they didn't want to pay for a program that helped black people (or might have led to integrated hospitals).

[@TheMixEmperor]

Can't say I've ever been in a dirty NHS hospital and I'm a biomedical science student who's been lucky enough to work in a few. The technology I've seen has been cutting edge too, although it's important to note that in certain areas, particularly histology, sometimes the older, lower tech methods work better.

[@martinwhite7053]

I agree, I've never seen a *dirty hospital* ever. The Doctors and nurses are all nationalities and are all wonderful.

[@katy3901]

Yep, I don't know where that came from either. I'm a medical student, I've worked in the NHS since I was 14, and I've been in hospitals across Northern Ireland, Scotland and England. None of them have been "dirty".

[@fb079]

As a British resident living in London I have to say I love the NHS. And we're all so proud of it.

[@James-xu6sc]

"in spite of the English diet"? Rich coming from an American!

[@CloroxBleach-zy6yk]

true tho

[@mairiconnell6282]

Thinking the same! Chicken with a side of Chlorine. More Cheese Grommitt.

[@johnburdon2797]

@@CloroxBleach-zy6yk Clearly never been - Ive been to the US and although the food wasn't terrible, it was much more fatty and less varied than I'm used to.

[@matildabond..2390]

Absolutely ..OUR diet????lol

[@Connor-tz3rp]

UK fast food: bread, meat, salt USA fast food: CHEMICALS. Also a small McDonald’s drink in the USA is bigger than a uk medium lol

[@Bub383]

There are problems with lack of resources. But having lived in Britain all my life I can't imagine having to weigh up my health against what treatment I can actually afford, and I'm very grateful for that. (I just hope this isn't changed in future).

[@IceMetalPunk]

Yeah...that's what I always thought was totally moronic about us not having socialized health care. It's literally putting a price on life, and if you can't afford it...well, either you die or spend the rest of your life in destitute poverty.

[@rootsm3]

I was in England for 6 months and during that time I contracted a UTI. I went to a doctor's office and waited about 10 minutes. Took a piss test. Came up positive as I suspected and then the doctor wrote me a script for antibiotics. I paid nothing for that visit. All I paid for was my antibiotics which cost me 8 quid. So in that moment I was a huge fan of the NHS.

[@thermochemicalmissile8181]

I'm from England and call it the UK in the future otherwise our Scottish friends get wound up and try to leave but i think almost everyone in the UK is proud of the fact that we believe that healthcare is a basic human right and should not be exploited for profit. Britain Hell Yeah!

[@NethDugan]

The NHS may have it's problems but it's a national treasure. We put it in the opening of the 2012 olympics! And I'd much rather have it, with all its faults, than any other system. It's to the point that even the Tories (the Conservatives) have to pay lip service to this for fear of being thrown out. We complain and complain, we're good at that, but we wouldn't want to be without the NHS.

[@benhawkes2752]

The British healthcare system is absolutely amazing.

[@loganbrown898]

‘Hospitals can sometimes be dirty from what I hear.’ Well, mate, what you hear is bollocks. I reckon your talking about MRSA in hospitals, which has been disproven.

[@HowiBecameSentient]

He's an American. He can't make us look to bad.

[@MrBennyTheOwl]

Health care should be a basic human right. What kind of a country can't help it's own citizens?

[@KeepMeChilled]

with regards to the 'dirty' part, i think you are exaggerating it. there were a lot of thrash at certain hospitals for poor patient care in the past (and possibly now in the news too) but they are rare and very tightly controlled. i would however rephrase this towards the attitudes of people working in the nhs. not everyone is treated fairly. for example the reduction of nursing staff to compensate for budget cuts and the closure of departments (such as a&e) when hospitals merge into foundation trusts. in a way, there are lots of things limiting hospitals to be the best they could be, and unfortunately with the current government spending on healthcare.. it's very difficult to improve. the introduction of PALS system has been very welcomed by many people as it gives people someone to talk to during hospital stays. outpatient waiting times sure are long, but everyone gets an appointment sorted within 2 weeks. procedure waiting times usually vary depending on urgency. private patients are normally prioritised as they are 'paying' for their own treatments. the moment i saw this video in my subscriptions i had to watch lol thank you aaron (and co) for making these awesome videos!

[@healthcaretriage]

England focuses less on things like amenities. It does. That's not a moral judgment, it's a recognition of their focus on things that really matter to them (like outcomes). It's ok.

[@CalamityMargaret]

Healthcare Triage No, it's not okay. "Dirty" is a loaded word at the best of times and could have been phrased in a way that much better reflects the condition of some our hospitals (run-down, old-fashioned, etc.), and in healthcare generally refers to infection rates. Our MRSA infection rate is going down, along with c.difficile and other hospital infections. Our NHS is not "dirty".

[@healthcaretriage]

CalamityMargaret I didn't say the NHS was dirty. I said some hospitals have been called dirty. And I didn't pull that out of my hat: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1349843/NHS-hospitals-are-dirty-and-poorly-run-says-leaked-report.html www.theguardian.com/society/2008/aug/12/nhs.health www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nhs-superbugs-43000-patients-struck-1412556 www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2150604/Rats-mice-cockroaches-discovered-inspectors-lurking-dirty-NHS-hospital-kitchens.html

[@BazillaAFCilikepie]

Healthcare Triage all due respect Aaron, but The Mirror and The Daily Mail are not credible sources!

[@healthcaretriage]

Harry Pettit No, but they are citing government reports. But why do you need it to be perfect? England focuses on health outcomes, not process. I don't think that's a bad thing. There are tradeoffs. England seems to care less about amenities and niceties and saves a ton. That's good!

[@jkitsmejenny]

Also if you're a uni/grad student studying full time in the UK, everything's covered! I'm 26 and from Texas and haven't paid a dime for services here that would have cost me several hundred dollars total in the US (even with insurance).

[@Strettger]

Not to go off topic. But as a Scotsman I cant help but notice you put the Union Flag of Britian with the word England over it instead of either Uk or St Georges Cross.

[@Randomstuffs261]

I'm from England and it bugs me too. No wonder Scots want independence.

[@Strettger]

Randomstuffs261 And I'm in the pro union camp. Just annoying is all. Nick the Canadian system and have a British Federation I say.

[@CTFUT13]

Vote yes

[@talideon]

It's a bit of an awkward one though: NHS Scotland is essentially a separate system from the one covering the rest of the UK. It would've been better for it to have been mentioned in the video that the NHS serves all the UK except Scotland, and to have referred to it as such rather than bringing up England explicitly.

[@davidwestwoodharrison]

Annoyance is felt in Wales too...

[@VickyThePixie]

To clear up, there are four branches: National Health Service (England); NHS Scotland; NHS Wales; and Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. These operate separately but work under one roof. This video discusses the English NHS, and should therefore refer to St George's flag, not the Union Flag. The Union Flag would only be appropriate if all the different systems of the UK were discussed. However, this is nitpicking, as the video was excellently explained and mostly accurate (I wouldn't say our hospitals are dirty, though!).

[@hueyfreeman7810]

In short: its far more *BETTER* than what America offers.

[@fionagregory5774]

Huey Freeman British way is always the best

[@heron22wading]

Huey Freeman no read and listen from different sources. Government run health at allows the state to kill anyone they want I.E. taking away life support without any consent from family.

[@mickelodiansurname9578]

Seto 78 but given the age demographics and patient demographics of the UK which has the largest public health service in the world this idea of killing patients just isn't happening. Id be sure you based this idea on more than personal paranoia yes? No? Why would the government just up and decide to kill citizens? Are you really that paranoid? Fucking hell... There are rules on withdrawing medical care from those with no next of kin by the way. In the US its basically when their health insurance runs out. In the UK its not.

[@rightcoast7049]

Far more better? It's hard to take someone seriously that has poor grammar.

[@stephenmoore7614]

hi you don't pay for our military if you pay attention you will see are 1of the few countries that actually do pay for our own military aswell as train other countries militarys you know like yours.

[@MrSonofsonof]

I remember visiting England with my wife in the early 1990s (I'm English, she was Czech). She insisted on taking out travel insurance before we visited in spite of me explaining how the NHS worked. She managed to sprain her ankle, and while she was being treated in A and E, she kept showing her insurance card to every doctor, nurse etc. They looked at it, shrugged, and just kept on treating her. She just couldn't figure out why no one was charging us.

[@dantaylor7344]

So let me get this straight US Spends nearly twice as much on healthcare as UK but charges it's citizens for it? Why not simply pay for a free system through taxations and cut the insurance middleman out? Why so much greed in US?

[@bydesign3169]

I am British, I love the NHS system, I wouldn't change it for any other system in the world.

[@ShaneDavisDFTBA]

The NHS may not be perfect, but there's a huge amount to be said for never having to worry about receiving healthcare; never staying in a job you hate for the sake of your family's health and knowing you'll never have to pay for life saving procedures.

[@Fredreegz]

"Hospitals can be even dirty, from what I hear" Speaking as a UK resident, I can assure I have never seen a dirty hospital. The main problems with the NHS come from fanatical cuts to its budget during austerity - all designed to try and benefit private healthcare companies.

[@drugfuck]

Yeah but remember this man is from a society where people put paper covers on toilet seats in a restaurant, then eat raspberries which infect them with Hepatitis! In what universe do you catch Hepatitis from a raspberry? Well at least here in the UK our treatment wouldn't drive us to suicide www.channel3000.com/officials-multistate-hepatitis-a-cases-traced-to-berries/

[@koranuk]

“…. From what I hear”. Presumably this is what you hear from the US. The US politicians, particularly the Republicans, do not want the US to adopt a UK system of healthcare. Both Democratic and Republican parties get donations (bribes) from the Health Insurance companies and the Pharmaceutical companies to ensure they retain the grossly unfair system they have currently. That’s where the lies come from. I have never been in a UK hospital which was unclean (and, at 74, I’ve seen many hospitals). The waiting times for surgery, etc are exagerated. If you are severely I’ll and need immediate surgery you will get that immediate surgery. If you want a ‘nose job’ you’ll probably have to go private. Those whose need is greatest will be seen soonest - that’s eminently fair! The warnings about adopting ‘socialised medicine’ (and socialism is then exaggerated by reference to communism!!) are odd given that the US has ‘socialised’ fire, army, navy, police, education services! According to a recent poll a ‘socialised medicine’ system is favoured by nearly 70% of US citizens including a majority of Republicans. As air travel becomes easier and cheaper, more then the current 40% of the USA population will own passports and will be able to experience the European health systems. Younger people including students will have experienced the NHS and similar systems and they will be demanding that politicians tell the truth and change their system so that health is never ever a worry to any US citizen ever again. It’s coming and when it arrives Americans will wonder why they ever rejected it!

[@DJMJRyder]

I'm English and I love the NHS, I can't imagine having the worry of being made bankrupt by becoming ill

[@bernardthedisappointedowl6938]

Never personally had anything less that great care in the NHS, despite the fact the staff clearly have to work incredibly hard and are undervalued by the current government - Never seen a dirty hospital either - though I suspect in an organisation of over 1 million employees, you could find an exception and people who want to be build an anti case would project that as common, when it just isn;t Also, it works along side private health care, so if you was the individual room with a TV, you can have it, but the NHS does medical care extremely well, but it's not a hotel (though beds do have Wifi and TV typically), personally I know what I value more, ^oo^

[@CameronNicholls1917]

The staff are fucking angels especially the nurses, they all work so hard and I have never been uncomfortable or in a dirty hospital because of that vigilance. You are right they really are undervalued.

[@MeOnStuff]

Nice summary - I had no idea that only 9% of our prescriptions were charged the full fare. Couple of additional points: Waiting times are an issue you hear about a lot, especially with regards to some A&E waiting times exceeding the target (4hrs). It's important to realise that this does not mean people are bleeding out in A&E - people are seen on a priority basis, so people who don't appear to be in imminent danger might have to wait longer to be seen. Seeing a GP (regular family doctor for people not familiar with the term) there are also sometimes waits of a few days, but again if it is an emergency - though not an emergency enough for A&E - then you can get seen the same day (I have personally done this twice). It certainly is an efficient healthcare system though. I was once waiting for an MRI (non-urgent) and got a call saying if I was free in half an hour because a machine had become available - very impressed that they went to that length to best use the equipment they had available. It's not perfect sure - the food in my hospital was poor, the points made with regards to crowding and personal care were valid, and my area has no provision for adult mental health care - but the staff are excellent. I've dealt with probably close to a hundred NHS staff in the past few years for some long-term health issues - seeing GPs, surgeons, A&E staff, nurses (in hospital, at GP surgeries and on call-out), specialists, radiologists and with one exception (a GP) they have all been professional and a credit to our country. 9.5/10, would recommend.

[@dwood2001]

Good video. I wish you could have talked about the moral perspective, since that's an important part of why we like the NHS. I understand that's not scientific though, so it makes sense not to include it. One of the reasons British people support the NHS is that, having got used to the system, the idea of having to talk about payment when providing medical care is seen as anything from distasteful to morally abhorrent. The idea of stressing about medical bills is no longer a part of our culture, and that's a difficult thing to go back to.

[@elizabethwoolnough4358]

When I hear someone say "Why should my tax dollars pay for someone else's healthcare?" I think that person sounds like a sociopath.

[@scratchp88]

What I always think is fascinating when this conversation is had is how people from outside the UK will start shouting about how you don't 'die on a waiting list' in their country therefore our system is ultimately flawed. I'm a junior doctor working in the NHS, and while I was a medical student spent a lot of time campaign to prevent a creeping privatisation of the NHS, and I think it's really important for people to understand that if your diagnosis is ?cancer or something equally serious we have a two week wait system, where you are guaranteed to be seen within that time. And on top of that, waiting lists full stop fell hugely under the previous government. This has backtracked a little with the current Conservative government, but they are still not the huge waiting lists once talked about. I'm not say people never die waiting, but to think it's the norm is simply wrong. And people die - it's one of the things that we struggle with in the modern day because we are so detached from death, but they do, and ultimately we can't always stop death from occurring. The system isn't perfect (no healthcare system is) but I am one of those proud supporters of the NHS who will fight to see it maintained. Our buildings might be a little tatty around the edges but when asked what British people are proud of many, many will say the NHS above all else.

[@parasocialpyrple3196]

Love the NHS, I didn't like the slight at our diet though. I'm certain the American diet is far worse. None of the hospitals I have worked in have ever been dirty, some run down and tired looking but not dirty.

[@timaustin2000]

Any, Indeed, they're often tired looking because they're just,... Old. We're an old country. We've got old hospitals. Just how it is - we can't knock all of them down and rebuild them because they look a bit dated

[@funnuibunnui]

The NHS is pretty awesome, I have to say. I have broken my left shoulder, left arm, right collar bone, 6 ribs, right wrist, little fingers and thumbs on both hands, had a skull fracture and broken a bunch of random toes, I've had appendicitis and I have a long standing illness, CKD, I also have hearing damage and upkeep there too. I've paid a sum total of £0 for my treatment so far in my life for these accidents and illnesses, that includes the associated physio for each major bone breakage. I would either be dead or bankrupt living in any other country in the world. It has it's flaws but, it's awesome.

[@nathanpitsch8720]

I had excellent care with the NHS while I was stationed in the UK. Wait times were less than I experienced in the US at civilian hospitals and clinics. The service providers were also very helpful and caring. Tricare, the US Military's healthcare system seems similar. However, care depends on which military service's medical facilities are used.

[@adammartin-brooks6985]

As a Brit I'd like to say we have a brilliant and logical health care system

[@GildedWildebeest]

I was once in the waiting room ready to see my GP when I saw a young lady come out of a doctor's office, clearly after an appointment, and walk up to the desk. The receptionist greeted her and looked at her confusedly. There was a general fumbling of words between the two as they tried to figure out what was happening. It turns out the girl was ready to pay for her appointment, and walked away dumbstruck when she was told she didn't have to pay anything. This was the moment I realised what a foreign concept our healthcare system is, but I'd take it over those of most other countries.

[@rossb654]

England =/= UK.. England is in the UK, as is Scotland, Wales and NI. Thanks for missing us out.

[@keithcordrey]

But the healthcare systems in the other countries of the UK are minorly different. For example in Scotland we have no prescription fees for any residents, and hospitals are run by local healthboards rather than trusts. NHS Scotland is run by the Scottish government rather than the UK government so unless you want the video to be quite a bit longer it is worth just focusing on England (and it's even in the title)

[@rossb654]

Keith Cordrey -sigh- He's using the Union Jack, the UK and England interchangeably. And yes, it would be nice if the video was longer to explain the whole of the UK instead of missing out 3 other countries.

[@DJohnGrady]

rossb654 He's describing the healthcare system in England, but segregated statistics by country are harder to come by so he's using statistics for the whole UK. That way, he can succinctly convey the point of the video.

[@rossb654]

Actually, that's wrong. Statistics are actually easier to find for england [and wales too] than it is for the whole of the UK.

[@bsabruzzo]

rossb654 I think it's fair to say those who use UK and England interchangeably also have a problem with the US vs America. Or Texas, New York, California or Virginia vs the US. I don't expect most US residents or even US citizens to understand the difference between the entire US, the Americas, or even between Wyoming and Massachusetts, so why should I expect Europeans to know the difference or the average US resident to know the difference between the UK, England and Great Britain?

[@jakedeane5304]

How long will it take Americans to understand that England, U.K. And Great Britain are different things

[@PDZ1122]

+Jake Deane About as long as it takes for people to realize America is a continent, not a country.

[@scorpinojr]

+PDZ1122 Everyone knows that, but it's shorter than saying "The United States Of America" and "USA" has been chanted too often by inbreds that it's just an embarrassment now.

[@jorgepadua9124]

+Jake Deane I know!> GB, big island, England, country within big island. UK is both Irelands and the big island.. I hope I'm right.

[@palaven4048]

We do know the difference. The focus of this video is the NHS in just England.

[@slyfoxyandalifesaver]

"The focus of this video is the NHS in just England." The Red, White and Blue flag at the beginning of the video is the "Union Jack" flag which represents the United Kingdom. The English flag is the "Cross of St. George" which is a Red broad cross on a white background.

[@becca2398]

The NHS is the bomb diggity. I cant even imagine being unable to see a doctor when i need it. Sure you might have wait a while but i would rather wait than pay £200 for 10 minutes of someones time.

[@IceMetalPunk]

I'll ignore that you said "bomb diggity" in 2014 and instead just say I agree with you and wish we in the States would do the same :)

[@becca2398]

Hahahaha fair enough

[@clareprezie]

I never complain about the NHS and those that do should try paying what it actually costs for their scans and drugs etc. They'll run back quickly.

[@alanastone5241]

Why call it socialised medicine as if that is a bad thing? The Labour party brought in the NHS in 1948!

[@isthisjustfantasy7557]

It's funny how Americans are scared of anything win the word socialised in it :D

[@rj14053]

@@isthisjustfantasy7557 Americans are brainwashed by their agenda driven News outlets

[@InfernoJimmy83]

The NHS is beyond reproach. It’s not even a political issue for me and I say this as a conservative.

[@DimetriKhan]

I feel like you've included some of the negatives in this video simply to try and appear "balanced". A lot of the stuff you said, like "dirty hospitals" (seriously WTF), was completely anecdotal and untrue.

[@mfbj1]

I have a very rare autoimmunity disease, after visiting my GP, she told me that I was put on a waiting list for 4 months. Now that I finally visited the immunologist I did not even get to speak to a doctor, but to a nurse instead who merely told me that I had to wait another 4 months before x-rays of my lungs and other checks could be made. In addition to this I had to wait 1,5 hour at the pharmacy before I could get my medicine, they literally only needed to take the medication out of the shelve, which used to take me no longer than 10 minutes when I lived in the Netherlands.

[@jordanreeseyre]

While many here in the UK do like to complain about shortcomings in hospital comfort and care its still definitely not a bad first world quality. We really don't realize we actually pay less than most of the rest of the world and while we notice we spend huge amounts for it I for one cant believe how much more everyone else does.

[@IceMetalPunk]

Health care is expensive. There's a per capita minimum that must be spent to care for a country, and it's higher than most people assume (because they have no experience in the medical field).

[@GregTom2]

I'm a french Canadian, and I have to say... God save the freaking Queen. What the heck were you thinking USA? Losing all of this over taxation on tea?

[@EnigmaHood]

Love your videos doctor. I've seen them all, extremely informative and entertaining.

[@healthcaretriage]

Thanks!

[@appoNo1]

Very proud NHS worker here, it's not perfect but certainly was the correct step forward with regards to where society should be headed.

[@HaplessHannah]

I'm so glad you did this video. I live in England and I personally love the NHS (the Health system here). I actually work for the NHS so I was looking at this video with an understanding of the inside of the system but all the points you made reflect to a certain extent but the excessive waiting at emergency departments is because people inappropriately go to emergency departments when they should be contacting their gps so I'm happy with the system and I wouldn't change it at all x

[@cloverhal2284]

I’m French and I feel like there’s a lot of similarities between my country’s healthcare and the UK’s.. see the top comment on France’s video it explains how French and British people think about their healthcare systems

[@Thomaswilliams94]

We all love the NHS, that's why we must fight for it every day. I am telling you now, the British as a whole are generally very tolerant, but oh boy there would be absolute anarchy if the government decided to scrap it one day, and I can tell you I'd join the crowd! 2 personal standouts. They saved my life when I was a baby, and they looked after my Grandma in her last few days with their amazing palliative care. She had a whole team of doctors and nurses looking after her 24/7, all very caring and professional. No money changed hands, they were just doing their jobs. I've never ever ever seen a dirty NHS hospital. Ever. I've never heard of anyone complaining about this either. That comment puzzled me a bit.

[@MrLittleDuck]

On the note of foreign visitors, England does have a continuing problem with healthcare tourism because no one is checking wether people are from England when they receive care. The medical staff just do the medical stuff and don't ask anything most of the time.

[@cassesque]

I think that's because two or three generations now have grown up in an environment where even the French system is shocking. For a British person, doctors and operations and all that stuff is free. That's just how it is. Often it's difficult for us to imagine having to pay to have a baby or pay to have an ordinary GP appointment. Having said that, health tourism is nowhere near as big an issue as the Express and the Mail make it out to be. There's never any solid data.

[@MrLittleDuck]

***** To quote the independent quoting a report: But the Government’s own research suggested only 5,000 to 20,000 people could be reasonably labelled as health tourists, and the cost to the NHS of treating them was likely to be £60m to £80m.

[@MathSamurai]

Rashneish Filapoosus 'Health tourists' obviously need some medical care, so their cost per person is larger than average (since the average includes healthy people requiring little to no care).

[@cassesque]

Rashneish Filapoosus For everyone reading this comment, I've just posted a reply elsewhere that confirms this guy is talking utter crap.

[@MarineAqua45]

Exactly and we the idiots of Europe, should make immigrants pay for 4 years into our system before they can use it. That would save money & this system applies in France, Italy, Spain & Germany.

[@crashcabinet]

As a British lad I will say a few things from experience: Yeah hospitals can be over crowded and the main issue with it is understaffing due to government cuts. Dirty hospitals is not something I've seen but I've only been to three. Out mostly free out patient stuff is amazing and a lot of people who don't get it free qualify for a discount on their medication such as university students. My experience overall with the NHS has been great and despite a few issues that have been mentioned it is amazing when you look over the world.

[@ab0186]

I finally bit the bullet and got a commenting account so I could comment on this video. It seems like folk are going on auto-pilot to complain at you about saying England when you meant the UK. To be honest, as a Scot I saw "England" on a Union Jack in the thumbnail and thought you'd conflate the two, but you did a very good job of explaining yourself and appeasing what must be a very small portion of your viewership who would care about it. Thank you for going to that trouble even though most don't seem to have appreciated it.

[@markchristmas743]

2016 world health organization rankings of countrys healthcare systems is u.k. ranked 18/ germany ranked 25/ australia ranked 32/ u.s.a. ranked 37.

[@benascot4023]

No, those ranks are from year 2000

[@CalebEarly]

The NHS isnt dirty, it is an absoloutley fantastic system so when we get ill we dont have to stay at home dying of pneumonia, when we get injured we dont have to pay 3k for an ambulance. The QOL survey rated England's health care as 98%. The Americans have to spend 350 pounds on an inhaler, we spend 9 quid.

[@dantaylor7344]

Should do a video comparing NHS under Labour and then under Tories measure the palpable difference.

[@nerissacrawford8017]

Dirty hospitals...what the hell?! Where did you hear that from??? 🤦😆

[@SinHurr]

I want a shirt that says "I went to the doctor and all I got was this $12,000 bill." - An American.

[@kanedNunable]

haha. i feel for you. medial costs are something we just dont have to worry about in the UK. breaking bad here would have seen him retire on full pay and his cancer cured. the end.

[@kgrfirdjy]

Wow! What a bargain! I nearly got hit with a $140,000 bill for blood products I need monthly a couple of years ago and was grateful to find grant money to cover all but around $4,000 of the bill after my private insurance plan in america tried to weasel their way out of paying the bill. it's truly a greedy, corrupt abomination of a healthcare system in america and i truly despise my country for that. however, it is not all horrible, as there are charity care free clinics, federal laws for emergency care, and sometimes free public ambulance services paid for by local taxes depending on where you live. i have worked in both as a volunteer healthcare provider and they are a true blessing.

[@Coyote209]

After looking at your graph, I want to learn more about the South Korean health care system.

[@sirscorgie]

"English diet" a tad offended by this. And "dirty", most hospitals are clean but may look 'dated' on the outside.

[@ehs1452]

They aren't dirty. The NHS when it Comes to cancer treatment is actually great. My Dad got cancer last year, and now he's made a full recovery within less than a year, including radiotherapy. How much did he spend? £0.

[@jaymetajay]

0£ because it had already been paid through taxes.

[@railvlogger1439]

For the first time in my life I am undergoing treatment at an NHS hospital and I have only high praise for the attention I am receiving. I was admitted to hospital last week and found it to be clean with friendly and attentive staff. I have been discharged but will have to return soon for an operation. I feel as though I am in good hands.

[@jamesgreen3130]

I've spent more than my fair share in hospitals run by the NHS . And From my experience the issues that were raised with it weren't present. I was perfectly comfortable. And again from my experience the hospitals were spotless.

[@tomdid1]

No hospital in Britain is dirty. They are all as clean and sterile as is humanly possible... so that's complete bullshit. And how an American can make a sly dig about another country's diet is be beyond me. British food is far, far, far superior to the US. And for the record, we don't drink warm beer or say pip either. This guy is clueless.

[@Sarcastix7]

tomdid1 noticed that comment about dirty hospitals too. A very sly dig. "Dirty from what I've heard" We'd prefer facts, not hearsay, thanks.

[@roseofreality]

Personally, I really like the NHS. I'm a final year medical student and have come to realised that a doctors salary is pretty restricted here (compared to say, the US) but honestly I'm perfectly fine with that. It's a system that works and the Conservatives need to stop buggering with it.

[@annclough7767]

Dirty,from what you hear. No they're not. As a retired A/E nurse I can assure you our hospitals are clean. We have dedicated cleaning staff who work very hard at their job. Thank heavens for the NHS

[@barbarajohnson3528]

Most GPS are in practices who contract with the NHS. They are not technically employees of the NHS. You are correct that most specialists are employees of public hospitals.

[@Betty_Virago]

I don't think enough is said about the UK/US different approaches to illness. When I worked in the US I had an eye infection, I was rushed to A&E, seen by several doctors, nurses, it was full on treatment. Turned out it was just a bit of conjunctivitis, but in the US it was a major deal. In the UK with the same eye problem, I booked a GP appointment, he saw it, wrote a prescription, I took it to the chemist and went home. At Uni, I had a fellow student from the US, and her approach to any illness or pain was extreme, demanding injections and all sorts of things that weren't necessary. I think we approach illness less dramatically than the states, which is why the NHS system wouldn't work over there until they changed their ideas. Both my parents have been ill since December, at no point have they been left waiting, had less than exceptional care, when the virus hit, the NHS funded a palliative care home for dad, to keep him away from the virus. Mum passed away on Monday, the hospital staff have been wonderful, my GP surgery and chemist have all been supportive (just delivered my medication because they didn't think I'd be up to picking it up in person). The NHS works, because as a people we care for it and don't take advantage of the system, It's not free, we pay for it through our taxes, but that means it belongs to us, the people.

[@Uk5haky]

so sorry for your loss.

[@mackysplace]

I for 1 love the NHS, even when I had to wait 6 hours to be treated I wouldn't trade it for anything, sure it's not perfect but what in this world is?

[@jamlaini9379]

Suggesting David Cameron supports the NHS... many would beg to differ. The NHS is one of the best things about living in the UK. Yes it could probably do with more being spent on it and not the cuts the tauries are making but we have so much to be grateful for about the NHS. It really is a wonderful thing!

[@sheilacormack5385]

"Some conservatives support it" sadly I agree not thePM or the damn health secretary.

[@jmitterii2]

+Sheila Cormack They want to build an oligarchy apple cart the likes of what we have in the US. They see dollar signs... or in their case, pound-sterling signs.

[@sheilacormack5385]

I agree! I just won't jump on him for saying some conservatives support it as technically some do, just no one who makes any important decisions regarding it. Jeremy is such a Warner Chilcot it is depressing. New labour is old Tory and new tories are just republican capitalists but we will never give our NHS away.

[@alexwright4930]

Their public position is they support it, I guess.

[@oliviatully1707]

I was run over a couple of weeks ago, picked up by ambulance, had good care, kind workers , clean hospital , waited an hour because people with the most severe cases get treated first And guess what Paid NOTHING I love the nhs, we have high standards on cleanliness Its amazing and we only ever complain about it because we complain about alot, we're British....its kinda what we do

[@sarahbennett9820]

From what I have been reading from American people is that they can pay $500 a month for insurance and then still have to make contributions to the overall cost. They have to be sure their insurance will cover what they need (especially if it's a recurring illness) and for many this is too much money. I've also read that the waiting times and quality of treatment isn't much better than the UK. I recently called my doctor on Xmas eve as I was worried about a pain in my breast. I got an appointment at my GP that day. I then received my referral letter on the 27th (remember there were bank holidays in between) and my appointment was on the 3rd Jan. I had a mammogram, and saw two consultants. I was in and out of hospital in about an hour. I am all clear thankfully but the point i'm making is that when it matters you don't wait and you walk away after your treatment without any money worries. I didn't have to contact my insurance company, I didn't have to pay any extra. I've had a number of MRI scans over the last few years. So big costly things. I have no idea how much it costs and i'm glad I don't have to worry about that. They may have lower taxes in the US but I think our taxes are reasonable (we don't pay ANY under £11k, in the US they do) they are not as high as some European countries. The peace of mind knowing that whatever is wrong with you, if it's broken finger or cancer you will be treated, everytime, all the time.

[@SliceOfDog]

My brother broke his neck in a car accident recently. Now my family are rather comfortable, financially. Myself, my brother, both of our parents, my brother's girlfriend and various extended family members all are in work, and we could no doubt afford health insurance if that was our system. But many people can't. And I am personally grateful that when we found out he had been in an accident, our first thought wasn't "Can we afford the care?". I am grateful that a poorer family wouldn't have had to think that either, if it was their brother, or son or father. I am grateful that I live in a society where all human beings have the right to healthcare, regardless of their income, or that of their parents. I think the privatisation of the NHS would be one of the worst things that could possibly happen to my nation.

[@kgs42]

The essential point is ...... effective healthcare for any individual is far too expensive to be borne individually anywhere. Following that is the fact that since everybody will need it in an insurance system private enterprise will cut in and ruinously exploit everybody's misfortunes. The NHS model is the only one that can provide viable healthcare for an entire population.

[@TheWolfHowling]

I would be careful about refering to the UK as "England" in the future. Even though England is the largest and most populated of the four constituent countries that make up the United Kingdom and contains the de facto capital of London, the Scots, Welsh, and Northern Irish perceive the English as slave driving, colonial masters, and the English perceive the Scots, Welsh, and Northern Irish as drunkards, degenerates, and imbred rurals. Also, if a private individual wanted to, couldn't they just doctor and hospital to get their elective surgery sooner? The Difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain and England Explained

[@healthcaretriage]

I didn't. I specifically said I'm covering England's version of the NHS, even though the NHS covers all of the UK.

[@TheWolfHowling]

There's different versions of the NHS for the different counties? That seems stupid. Did North Ireland need more blast and sharpel cover during the Troubles or something?

[@petercurphey2841]

The difference is just the structure and who is responsible for them. The Scottish Government for example control NHS Scotland meaning things like the health and social care act won't apply meaning that Scotland will operate as it has done whereas in England GPs control 2/3 of the NHS budget. It's worth noting that the NHS is just England, NHS Wales is for Wales, NHS Scotland is just Scotland and NHSC is North Ireland (I think that's its initials). So healthcare triage have it correct talking about the NHS just about England. Hope that helps.

[@Bbcaas1]

Healthcare Triage I know you intended for the video solely to focus on England and not all of the UK but the graphics suggest they are used interchangeably; something that irritates many residents of the country. Also the use of the Union Jack whilst taking solely about England is especially bad. I know that everyone makes little mistakes now and then but it is promoting a widely held and incorrect belief that the two are the same

[@ab0186]

TheWolfHowling The NHS in England was formed after WW2 out of whole cloth, while there was already a Highlands medical service in Scotland and a miner's welfare in Wales to build on. Up until 1972 Northern Ireland had its own Prime Minister and government, and was effectively a separate member of the Briitsh Empire so it created Health and Social Care (HSC) separately from the other three institutions. The acts of parliament that created the NHS on the island of Great Britain made the Health Secretary responsible in England, and the secretaries of Scotland and Wales responsible for their own systems. Up until the 1990s the secretaries for Scotland and Wales pretty much copied the English system (with a few operational differences like air ambulances for the Scottish islands), but then Scotland and Wales voted to have their own parliaments to govern on domestic affairs just as Northern Ireland had had before the Troubles and the separate Scottish and Welsh systems have been copying England far less since. Most notably Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all chosen to abolish charges for prescription drugs. Scotland has also worked to bring optometry and dentistry back into the fold making regular check-ups free for everyone, and made personal care for the elderly free as well (though not as some people seem to think, rent* so if you go into a home you still have to pay them to live there just not for your nurse or your drugs.) *For some older people their rent will be covered by other social security payments because their income is below a certain threshold and they'll qualify for welfare the same way someone of working age would.

[@danielwhyatt3278]

If this isn’t enough of a persuasion for the US to finally switch over to a model similar to the NHS then I don’t know what is.

[@rachelwilkinson460]

not a dirty poorly equipped hospital in the U.K. its as clean as any other developed country’s we are very lucky to have such developed high standard of healthcare accessible for free all of the stats show the benefits it has for our country 🇬🇧

[@elizabethstevens4160]

When the NHS was formed after WW2 GP's refused to join. They became contracted to provide primary care on behalf of the NHS. This contract used to include out of hours (nights and weekends) services, but a good while back they renegotiated their contracts, they were not happy with their pay despite being paid considerably more than secondary (acute) care Dr's for fewer hours, and delivering care for generally much less poorly patients. OOH stopped being compulsory, GP's could opt in or out. As expected most opt out. This has had a direct affect on secondary services, especially Emergency care, because people now tend to go straight to the ED during OOH or don't seek help during those times and then when they see the GP are so poorly they need hospital care.

[@joshuadodds4935]

As an actual U.K. NHS physician who knows what they are talking about, let me say that the U.K. is consistently ranked higher than the US on almost all measures and is significantly cheaper and actually provides healthcare for all people, weather they have citizenship or not. 100% free. We pay tax at 25% our wage if we earn over £25000 annually and most of that goes towards systems like the NHS, armed forces, education that helps all of our citizens not to a central pool of millionaires who use taxpayer money to fund their own capitalist schemes which help the minority and swing voters.

[@karasaunty9823]

I appreciate that your intent was good, and thank you. However some of the info in your video is desperately incorrect - especially where it is claimed (from no other source than hearsay) that hospitals are dirty. Neither are they on the whole poorly equipped, or operating with sub-standard technology. But what disturbed me the most was that though you were clearly referencing England, the video references the UK, as does some of the material/graphs within, and that is a whole different kettle of fish. If you are going to do post a video about healthcare in the UK, it really has to be about the entire UK as each of its 4 constituent countries have their own branch of the NHS and so rules may differ slightly. Prescription charges, for example, are only paid by residents in England (poor sods), but elsewhere they are free.

[@Falcrist]

I've experienced the healthcare system in the US (Tricare as a Navy brat, and private as an adult), and in the UK (married an English citizen). I can vouch for the accuracy of this video. The UK system is efficient, but slow and impersonal. I never felt the hospitals were "dirty", but they did look a little run down. They get the job done, but there is some "hurry up and wait" involved in any major procedure. It reminded me a LOT of the tricare system, and the clinics on the various USN bases my father was stationed at. Impersonal, and slow... but effective. I cannot tell you how not afraid of socialized medicine I am... evidently this makes me a liberal (despite other stances that preclude that title). I'm not sure I care though. I've seen it work BETTER than our system (which has actually cost me family members).

[@Carlmdb]

I've always wondered why people see the impersonal thing as a negative, for me I prefer that its like that

[@TraceUK]

Something you said “Free once they’ve paid taxes” INCORRECT. It’s free regardless of whether you’ve paid a penny in taxes. Also, prescriptions ALL cost the same. Currently £9.80 per item. If you’re on a low income then prescriptions are free

[@MrMartibobs]

As a brit, this seems a very fair summary to me. There are of course problems in the NHS - sometimes serious ones - but the experience of the vast majority of us love it, and it is REALLY affordable if you don't want to spend extra to go private.

[@neilwilson5785]

The NHS is fucking amazing. There is one error, here though. A lot of palliative care for terminally ill people is provided by the charity-based hospice system. They are also incredible. I've seen ill relatives and friends go through both systems. They are not perfect, but they don't charge you a million quid at the end just when you are most upset.

[@Lazerblade95]

i go to an NHS dentist and it cost almost nothing