4 ms·

In London (both before and after Brexit), getting an appointment with the local GP was a pain and could involve waiting weeks. Also, you could only get appointm

In London (both before and after Brexit), getting an appointment with the local GP was a pain and could involve waiting weeks. Also, you could only get appointments by calling at certain times of the day and normally all slots would be allocated within minutes of the phone lines opening. Sure, you could always go to the emergency room at the hospital and wait hours to be seen, but I don’t think that counts.

anonzzzies 3y ago
Seems the NHS got a lot worse, but I never been there (UK hospital, been in the UK many times) so I don’t know. I know brits coming to the south of the eu are surprised how quick it is here (if you know what to do).
- yardstick 3y ago
  Yeah family visiting Romania had to visit a local hospital for an emergency, and was surprised how quick and efficient they were. I suspect a lot of it boils down to population density.
- vidarh 3y ago
  The UK pays less per capital PPP adjusted towards healthcare than most of Europe. The NHS has become atrociously underfunded. I'd still pick it over the US insurance mess any day, and they are amazing for how low amounts we pay for it, but it does badly need more funding.
monkeydust 3y ago
Also UK and rely heavily now on private GP services that have grown since pandemic. Could be in person of video call based. Either way it's same or next day and I can get private specialist referral from them. We use NHS GP only for our kids where they seem to prioritise them.
mcluck 3y ago
I'm in the US and have to make an appointment with my GP 3 months in advance. If I don't call between 10am and noon or 2pm to 4pm, I can't make an appointment. The last time I went to the hospital, I waited 5 hours before I was seen. All they did was puncture a fingernail and wrap it up. That little maneuver cost me over $1000.
- refurb 3y ago
  How about other GPs? When I lived in the Bay Area, everyone wanted to go to USCF, which is understandable being a world-class medical system. So it wasn't that easy getting an appointment. But for routine medical check-ups? I just went to another system and could get a same day appointment no problem. Hell, I even had 5-6 different slots I could pick from the same week.
  - consilient 3y ago
    > How about other GPs? Depends on how good your insurance is. PPOs, sure - though most of the country does not have as many doctors per capita as SF. Typically an HMO will only let you have one primary care provider.
    - acheron 3y ago
      Do those kind of HMOs even exist anymore? Last time I had an option like that from work was 2009 or something. Everyone switched to offering PPOs and HDHPs.
gmerc 3y ago
Shocker, voting for the people who want all their life to privatize NHS would have that results. #leopardslovebrexit
tchaffee 3y ago
Waiting a few weeks for a GP appointment is normal everywhere. And it was far better in London before Brexit. The significant factor actually being the defunding of NHS that has happened over the past decade. My non-emergency care in London is still excellent. It was better ten years ago. Yes I'd like to get an appointment within a few days but even with my excellent private insurance outside of the UK it's a few weeks wait. GPs aren't sitting around waiting for customers anywhere in the world.
- xtracto 3y ago
  I cant believe this actually happens. Here in Mexico you can schedule a private GP for the next 3 pr 4 days if you want to pay. If it's a very minor thing, you can go to most pharmacies and a most likely recent medical graduate will be giving free consultations same day, with at most 15 min wait. (The last time I went the doctor was a Venezuelan medic with great credentials). Or if you REALLY want to spoil, go to doctoralia.com and schedule a specialist for maybe $60 usd , with reviews and available schedule (usually within a week).
vidarh 3y ago
In the UK we pay less in tax for healthcare than Americans pay. Despite that we also pay far less towards private healthcare than Americans pay, even though private insurance is far cheaper here (because they rent spare capacity from the NHS and offer their services as "topups" plugging holes where people want more. Also in London, and never call my GP, it's all in an app, and most appointments are video calls. I've had waits sometimes, but I've also been seen within 10 minutes.

anonzzzies 3y ago

Seems the NHS got a lot worse, but I never been there (UK hospital, been in the UK many times) so I don’t know. I know brits coming to the south of the eu are surprised how quick it is here (if you know what to do).

yardstick 3y ago
Yeah family visiting Romania had to visit a local hospital for an emergency, and was surprised how quick and efficient they were. I suspect a lot of it boils down to population density.
vidarh 3y ago
The UK pays less per capital PPP adjusted towards healthcare than most of Europe. The NHS has become atrociously underfunded. I'd still pick it over the US insurance mess any day, and they are amazing for how low amounts we pay for it, but it does badly need more funding.

monkeydust 3y ago

Also UK and rely heavily now on private GP services that have grown since pandemic. Could be in person of video call based. Either way it's same or next day and I can get private specialist referral from them. We use NHS GP only for our kids where they seem to prioritise them.

mcluck 3y ago

I'm in the US and have to make an appointment with my GP 3 months in advance. If I don't call between 10am and noon or 2pm to 4pm, I can't make an appointment. The last time I went to the hospital, I waited 5 hours before I was seen. All they did was puncture a fingernail and wrap it up. That little maneuver cost me over $1000.

refurb 3y ago
How about other GPs? When I lived in the Bay Area, everyone wanted to go to USCF, which is understandable being a world-class medical system. So it wasn't that easy getting an appointment. But for routine medical check-ups? I just went to another system and could get a same day appointment no problem. Hell, I even had 5-6 different slots I could pick from the same week.
- consilient 3y ago
  > How about other GPs? Depends on how good your insurance is. PPOs, sure - though most of the country does not have as many doctors per capita as SF. Typically an HMO will only let you have one primary care provider.
  - acheron 3y ago
    Do those kind of HMOs even exist anymore? Last time I had an option like that from work was 2009 or something. Everyone switched to offering PPOs and HDHPs.

gmerc 3y ago

Shocker, voting for the people who want all their life to privatize NHS would have that results. #leopardslovebrexit

tchaffee 3y ago

Waiting a few weeks for a GP appointment is normal everywhere. And it was far better in London before Brexit. The significant factor actually being the defunding of NHS that has happened over the past decade. My non-emergency care in London is still excellent. It was better ten years ago. Yes I'd like to get an appointment within a few days but even with my excellent private insurance outside of the UK it's a few weeks wait. GPs aren't sitting around waiting for customers anywhere in the world.

xtracto 3y ago
I cant believe this actually happens. Here in Mexico you can schedule a private GP for the next 3 pr 4 days if you want to pay. If it's a very minor thing, you can go to most pharmacies and a most likely recent medical graduate will be giving free consultations same day, with at most 15 min wait. (The last time I went the doctor was a Venezuelan medic with great credentials). Or if you REALLY want to spoil, go to doctoralia.com and schedule a specialist for maybe $60 usd , with reviews and available schedule (usually within a week).

vidarh 3y ago

In the UK we pay less in tax for healthcare than Americans pay. Despite that we also pay far less towards private healthcare than Americans pay, even though private insurance is far cheaper here (because they rent spare capacity from the NHS and offer their services as "topups" plugging holes where people want more. Also in London, and never call my GP, it's all in an app, and most appointments are video calls. I've had waits sometimes, but I've also been seen within 10 minutes.