In this post I would like to do a short reference to the National Health System (NHS) in United Kingdom, because I have been ill with Labyrinthitis since the first days of December. This disease has been painful, but I have known deeper the NHS in UK.
In England the National Health System is free as in Spain, and you must be registed with a GP (General Physician) or surgery. Patients who aren't registed are attended by the NHS in a Urgencies services in hospitals... Here they usually receive tourist and people who aren't registed yet, and there was where I went the first time when my ear hurt.
In the emergencies service they work different than in Spain: When you arrive there, they register your location and personal data and you don't spend a lot of time while you wait for be attend for a nurse who see what do you need, she give you the tablets that you will need for the next hours and with her initial impression in reception they make an appointment with the specialist for the next hours. In this system you need go two times at hospital, but I think it is better because you aren't waiting for hours in the hospital without to know when you will be attended, as it happens in Spain.
People are free to choose their GP for register, but always in the same area where they live, that's why you must show your proof of residence when you go to register. I think to be able to choose your GP is good because you feel more trust and on the other hand, the GP try to be the best for have more patients in their surgery and this is good for improve the public services (although in Spain my doctor was perfect as well).
In NHS most of the delays are in the appointments for diagnostic test. After a couple of weeks ill, I didn't get better and I had still sick and with a bad headaches. My GP sign an authorization for a RMI Scann of my head, it was as a urgent scan and they made me the appointment for 16 weeks later.
The most different between Spanish and English health system is the way to contribute for pay the public services. In England you don't pay for medicines' prices but for number of prescriptions, that they cost always £8'40; and you always need to have a prescription for buy your tablets. Students, old people and others don't pay for prescriptions, and if you need more than 12 prescriptions per year you can ask for a form to have a reduced price in your prescriptions.
European volunteers have got a private health insurance as well with Cigna... therefore if I would have some emergency and I couldn't wait, I always could go to the private health.
En esta entrada quiero hacer una breve referencia al sistema sanitario británico, pues desde principios de diciembre he estado enferma con Laberintitis y aunque no ha sido agradable, he conocido a fondo el sistema público de salud británico.
In England the National Health System is free as in Spain, and you must be registed with a GP (General Physician) or surgery. Patients who aren't registed are attended by the NHS in a Urgencies services in hospitals... Here they usually receive tourist and people who aren't registed yet, and there was where I went the first time when my ear hurt.
In the emergencies service they work different than in Spain: When you arrive there, they register your location and personal data and you don't spend a lot of time while you wait for be attend for a nurse who see what do you need, she give you the tablets that you will need for the next hours and with her initial impression in reception they make an appointment with the specialist for the next hours. In this system you need go two times at hospital, but I think it is better because you aren't waiting for hours in the hospital without to know when you will be attended, as it happens in Spain.
People are free to choose their GP for register, but always in the same area where they live, that's why you must show your proof of residence when you go to register. I think to be able to choose your GP is good because you feel more trust and on the other hand, the GP try to be the best for have more patients in their surgery and this is good for improve the public services (although in Spain my doctor was perfect as well).
In NHS most of the delays are in the appointments for diagnostic test. After a couple of weeks ill, I didn't get better and I had still sick and with a bad headaches. My GP sign an authorization for a RMI Scann of my head, it was as a urgent scan and they made me the appointment for 16 weeks later.
The most different between Spanish and English health system is the way to contribute for pay the public services. In England you don't pay for medicines' prices but for number of prescriptions, that they cost always £8'40; and you always need to have a prescription for buy your tablets. Students, old people and others don't pay for prescriptions, and if you need more than 12 prescriptions per year you can ask for a form to have a reduced price in your prescriptions.
European volunteers have got a private health insurance as well with Cigna... therefore if I would have some emergency and I couldn't wait, I always could go to the private health.
Now I hope to be recovered quickly because I want go to my volunteering again... the Christmas holidays has been finished and I'm very excited to see everyone again.
En Inglaterra la atención sanitaria pública es gratuita como en España y hay que estar registrado con un médico de cabecera o consulta médica. A los enfermos que no están registrados (normalmente turistas o personas que acaban de cambiar su residencia) el estado los atiende a través de las consultas de urgencias en los hospitales... ahí fui por primera vez cuando me dolía el oído.
En urgencias el sistema es un poco diferente al español: Al llegar también registran tu dirección y datos de contacto y casi no hay que esperar para que te atienda una enfermera (yo esperé unos 20 minutos), pero una vez que la enfermera te atiende y te facilita las medicinas que necesites para las próximas horas, con un volante te dan hora concreta para volver al hospital y que te atienda un médico especialista. Aunque hay que ir dos veces al hospital, me parece mucho más eficiente porque no tienes que estar esperando en Urgencias varias horas sin tener certeza de cuándo van a atenderte.
Para registrarse con un médico de cabecera hay libertad de elección de consultorio médico, siempre dentro del mismo distrito de residencia de cada persona, por eso para registrarse piden un justificante de residencia. Creo que esta libertad de elección de médico facilita la competencia de los profesionales sanitarios... pues al final los mejores tienen más pacientes y eso potencia el interés por trabajar mejor en el resto de profesionales sanitarios (aunque en España mi médico era perfecta).
Lo que va más retrasado en Inglaterra son las citas para pruebas diagnósticas. Como después de varias semanas seguía con mareos y mucho dolor de cabeza, me hicieron un volante para hacerme una prueba de imagen de la cabeza (RMI) para descartar causas neurológicas, y con carácter de urgencia me citaron 16 días más tarde.
Lo que veo más diferente respecto a España es que en Inglaterra la forma de contribuir a la sanidad pública es pagar una tasa por cada medicamento (no se paga por precio de medicinas sino que todo cuesta £8'40, y siempre se retiran con receta médica). Los estudiantes y algunos otros colectivos están exentos de pagar por los medicamentos, y si se necesitan más de 12 recetas al año también se reduce el precio de la tasa para hacer más accesible la salud a todo el mundo.
Aparte del Servicio Nacional de Salud (NHS), los voluntarios europeos tenemos la suerte de contar con el seguro privado de Cigna... por lo que si tuviese alguna urgencia y no pudiese esperar, siempre podría acudir a la sanidad privada.
Ahora solo espero terminar de recuperarme rápido para volver al voluntariado... pues han acabado las vacaciones de Navidad y estoy con muchas ganas de volver a ver a todo el mundo.
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