Replies

"As for the UK, new hospital building by and large ceased after 1948 when the system was socialized."

Er...not only is this not true, it so happens that the UK is in the middle of the biggest hospital building programme in its history, with over 70 major hospital projects in progress or planned. It's also a wee bit inconvenient, perhaps, for those who bandy about the 'socialized medicine' tag in such a carefree way that most of these new hospitals are being capitalised through the PFI scheme, which is a partnership of private and public capital.

I do get a little weary of the universal dismissive caricature of the UK National Health Service typified by most of these posts. Yes, there are major problems in the NHS, as there are in the health care provision of most countries - not excluding, dare I say it, the USA. But I can only speak from personal experience as a 'customer' of the NHS for 55 years, during which it has seen me through a pretty impressive spectrum of problems, both acute and chronic, that I have never encountered anything but the highest standards of skill and care. And never once a dirty ward.

As for the mutation of bacteria to antibiotic-resistant forms, I fear this is the result of decades of overuse and abuse of antibiotics worldwide, and has little to do with the shortcomings or otherwise of any national health service.

I do get a little weary of the universal dismissive caricature of the UK National Health Service typified by most of these posts.

That's just a bit of flag-waving jingoism on your part. I left the UK in 1962, but my two sisters still live over there and they keep me informed what's happening. The BBC a few weeks ago had a story concerning the number of medical personnel from third world countries who themselves are infected with contagious diseases, but are still being allowed to work in UK hospitals.

Have a look at the casualty ward East Surrey hospital (Epsom) sometime! Or go to the Royal Surrey hospital in Guildford! Yick!

What kind of healthcare system ferries a kid about for 12 hours in an ambulance from hospital to hospital because there is no CT machine available and/or operator to work it. The kid died.

Or what about the recent case of the elderly woman left waiting on a hospital gurney in the hallways of a hospital for 3 days because there was no room available for her. Or the old man (week or 2 ago) who was plagued with excrutiating leg pain for years after an operation. He was dismissed for 20-30 years. Someone in the NHS finally decided it might be a good idea to Xray the leg. Guess what they found--metal surgical equipment left in him.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. I could cite my own experiences too.

I'm a New Orleanian and am accustomed to hospitals like Ochsner, Turo, Baptist, Tulane Medical Center, etc. These are REAL hospitals. Even Charity hospital in New Orleans is decades ahead of what I have seen in UK hospitals.

Sorry, can't agree with you on this one.

Surely you are kidding. I left the UK thirteen years ago and had the misfortune to have a heart attack in the UK while visiting this summer.

This was in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, not some inner city hellhole:

Yes, I got prompt attention. The attention consisted of getting morphine and some blood thinning / pressure reduction agents.

The on-call doctor told me this was not a heart attack, but rather something else, but definitely caused by smoking. He was essentially useless and rude to boot.

Later during my heart attack I saw a consultant cardiologist who carried his own sonogram equipment and confirmed the MI in progress. He also told me how I could expect to wait 30 days for an Angiogram under the NHS (socialized) system since they, er, didn't have too many cath labs to work with. He told me (in hushed tones) to get seen privately if I wanted to get meaningful treatment.

The hospital *did* have blood stains on most of the corridor and elevator walls. Also used latex gloves left willy- nilly on the floor of elevators etc. My wife thought she had travelled back to the "middle ages".

So pray tell - how does a system that can't afford cath labs treat heart attacks such as mine? Answer - it doesn't bother.

The UK is in the middle of the biggest hospital building programme in its history, with over 70 major hospital projects in progress or planned.

I stand corrected if this is true that the UK's hospitals are all ultra-modern. Is this really true however? How come there is such a radical divergence of observations as to the physical palnt of what people witness? Some on this thread say you are not being truthful. What is the real story?