Indian doctors.

[_V_]

It's called the NHS postcode lottery.

You lose.

[sunnysan]

NHS vs India

If I am not mistaken the hospital in India is private and of course the NHS is state.

You cannot really compare the two entities if my assumptions are correct.

I would imagine for impoverished Indians, healthcare is as bad if not worse than the NHS

I am not justifying the chaos which is the NHS at the moment. I have had bad experiences and I basically will not go and see a GP for any chronic ailment as they are, either cr$p or working to hard, or trying as much as possible to fob you off as to save money or the fact that they have to do loads of paperwork if they refer you etc.

The fact of the matter is, that , for "free" state healthcare, the NHS is better than equivalent state health care in many countries.

What I do agree with, is that is should be a lot better, since its probably the most heavily funded system in Western Europe and posssibly the worst in Western Europe as well.

You will recieve better private medical care in places like SA,Brazil, Thailand , India etc but I think if you compare quality of state medical care you will see a more accurate picture

[rootsnall]

Barriebazg - I'm not saying I wouldn't change my mind if I had a bad experience !

All my experiences have been pretty good so far. It's impossible for the NHS to provide unlimited services and you may have to fend for yourself at times which I realise isn't ideal. But the alternatives cost a lot more, I think the US and French systems cost twice as much per head. If you are going to get sick then France isn't a bad option, I ended up in hospital there while playing rugby and it was more like a 5* hotel, it cost those french tax payers a fortune though.

[Barriebazg]

Barriebazg - I'm not saying I wouldn't change my mind if I had a bad experience !

All my experiences have been pretty good so far. It's impossible for the NHS to provide unlimited services and you may have to fend for yourself at times which I realise isn't ideal. But the alternatives cost a lot more, I think the US and French systems cost twice as much per head. If you are going to get sick then France isn't a bad option, I ended up in hospital there while playing rugby and it was more like a 5* hotel, it cost those french tax payers a fortune though.

Oh yes I fully understand. I am of course with Bupa now. I did however visit a sick friend in an NHS hospital and they had been dealt with very efficiently and was not treated anywhere as bad as I was. I was just in the wrong place/hospital at the wrong time.

[sasguru]

The UK is the ONLY country in Europe where the system is centrally funded by govt. Even in France, which we consider Socialist, there is a large private element (and i don't mean BUPA, separate from the state). Private companies have to contribute towards the national pot. Eminently sensible.
The NHS needs root and branch reform, but no party dares touch this political hot potato. Meanwhile we will keep chucking money into a black hole.

[Rantor]

The UK is the ONLY country in Europe where the system is centrally funded by govt. Even in France, which we consider Socialist, there is a large private element (and i don't mean BUPA, separate from the state). Private companies have to contribute towards the national pot. Eminently sensible.
The NHS needs root and branch reform, but no party dares touch this political hot potato. Meanwhile we will keep chucking money into a black hole.

Exactly, other countries have a looser arrangement with a mix of direct and indirect funding.

I know it always puts a dampener on things, but here are the last available stats for OECD country expenditure. I'm not sure how it will look now more money has been poured in in the last two years.

[Swiss Tony]

Out of curiosity how many of you have private Medical now?

[rootsnall]

Exactly, other countries have a looser arrangement with a mix of direct and indirect funding.

I know it always puts a dampener on things, but here are the last available stats for OECD country expenditure. I'm not sure how it will look now more money has been poured in in the last two years.

I thought the French paid a lot more than us, but according to those figures they don't ! I think the US system is the one to be avoided. All the countries are facing the same problems as us, more oldies, more treatments available, a lot more dosh needed. What I don't fancy is being an oldie in a non NHS UK.

[Barriebazg]

Out of curiosity how many of you have private Medical now?

Me

[rootsnall]

Out of curiosity how many of you have private Medical now?

Not me, possibly flawed theory is I'll pay cash if needed.