I had Surgery | My Experience with the NHS | An American in England | USA vs UK Healthcare Costs
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- Опубликовано: 17 мар 2021
- Ibreez speaks about her experience as a doctor in the NHS going through the system as a patient, as well as the cost of healthcare in the UK versus that of the USA.
She discusses the breakdown of every service she received, as well as the sick leave and occupational health assessment that helped her recover. She also discusses why universal healthcare is one of the biggest reasons she chose to move to the UK from the USA.
Please note the costs mentioned in this video are averaged, and that other smaller fees and considerations were not taken into account for the sake of brevity.
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“No society can legitimately call itself civilised if a sick person is denied medical aid because of a lack of means.”
--- Aneurin Bevan, Minister of Health (1945-51)
Unfortuntely our government is actively engaged in diluting this principle. Already 26% of government money (our taxes) paid to the NHS actually goes to private "partnerships" - that means companies with shareholders who demand a profit. Oh how the Tories hate the NHS. It goes against everything they stand for and believe in.
Well let me tell you my story as a UK born taxpayer, I ripped my quad tendon on holiday accident, slipped on a path. Went to a hospital I won't name in the South West of England. Sat in A&E for hours with a blown knee. They had no idea what was wrong with it but stuck on a flimsy crepe bandage and sent me back to the holiday cottage where my wife and two young children were. No follow up, just some vague advice about go home, but unable to do so due to the injury. When we did finally get home to our midlands town could not get an appointment with GP for love or money even though the bruising was so severe my lower leg turned black from the blood seeping under the skin. Eventually got referral to orthopaedic surgeon but again several weeks delay until the finally saw me and said OMG. MRI confirmed torn quad but no capacity to do urgent op so had to use private insurance through my work and it was repaired the next day in a private hospital. A complete contrast eh.
@@cliffhughes6010 Mmm....more a case of our "special relationship" with Uncle Sam
A great man.
Shame other countries don't treat UK citizens for free if they fall ill, like we would here for other people
I am British and a retired nurse,married to an American.We lived in California for about twenty years and I worked fora short time in a couple of doctors offices.I couldn’t do it for long as I couldn’t stand dealing with people who couldn’t see the doctor because they couldn’t afford it and one doctor insisted every patient had an injection every time they came (including children) this was so he could claim on insurance.I left there as soon as I could,it just disgusted me. We returned to the UK about 16 years ago,my husband had a routine scan given to all men in their sixties,they discovered he had an aneurysm ( a balloon in the artery) they followed him for several years and then in the midst of Covid it became enlarged and he had to have a six hour operation and a couple of days in intensive care.He is now fully recovered following the excellent care he received.Had we stayed in America he would probably be dead as I don’t believe they have routine scans for this so that saved his life.
I fully appreciate the NHS especially seeing the American system,however I’m not sure they will ever get anything like it as many many Americans believe the NHS is “socialist “ which is another way of saying communist.They think European health care is second rate and they have the best of everything.I do appreciate this doctor and others that come here to work and help in our NHS,thank you.
Glad to hear your husband is doing well!
Hi THERE, Lyn. I worked in a doctor's office too! Now, I am a hospitalist PA in Washington, D.C. You're ABSOLUTELY correct about your husband "probably being dead" if he was in the U.S. 😔💔 I work with SO MANY patients who have forgone medical screenings and treatments, for fear of getting astronomical bills then, being HOUNDED by collections for next several years. Our U.S. program is heavily money-based and cruel.😡 I always wonder why the CEO s, CFO s of for-profit hospitals💲🏨 and pharmaceutical companies💊💉, garner 8 to 10 figure net worths!😼💰 I feel like I'm part of the problem. 🙁 I've been admonished for not finding "billable problems" in patients. I see WHY lies are spread about health systems like the U.K. and Canada ("socialist", communist). I'm so happy you're husband got the care he needed.😊👋🏾👨🏾⚕️
@TheRenaissanceman65 politicians have deliberately confused them on socialism / communism and use it to scare the population.
The NHS is superb and contrary to what Americans think, it's not free, it's paid for from my taxes but because every tax payer pays in, we get great care. We may have to wait a little longer for non urgent procedures but we will never go bankrupt because we got sick! I had a surgery recently and because my company paid private health insurance, I used it to jump the queue. I paid 100 quid and the surgery I had would have cost me over 10,000 dollars in the US
@TheRenaissanceman65 calling any socialist policy communism is like calling the capitalist US a fascist country both are just a sweeping generalisation and both total rubbish.
@TheRenaissanceman65 yes of course.
The NHS is something the UK should be proud of and respect... 👍🏻🇬🇧❤️
All but the most ungrateful of us are proud of and do respect the NHS.
@@jennil7797 For someone who has been in and out of hospital for the past two years I have nothing but love and respect for all the nurses and doctors in the NHS. Some of the ungrateful people they have to deal with makes me angry on their behalf, but they are always professional and kind.
Other national health systems in Europe are better
We love and respect our NHS and the workers so much!! Many people have at least one family member that works in the NHS somewhere :)
@@Abijoho They are awesome people. I worked in medical records for several years and the level of care for people who had literally half a dozen files that I sorted out was exceptional.
I can think of no better use for my tax pounds than caring for the sick and injured.
Neither can we!
agreed, I do not know where I stand politically but waking up every morning and not worrying about my or my family's healthcare sounds like the definition of freedom to me.
Yes and I’d say that probably not enough money goes into it.
I’m so glad that it exists.
The irony being the US spends more tax dollars per capita than the UK does, and yet they get almost nothing back for it.
The even bigger irony being not only is the NHS more efficient than the American system it is also more cost effective.
@@610vegas Then you should realise that every time the Tories get in power, the NHS takes a dive and it is clear that despite what they say to us publicly, their dearest wish is to privatise it.
A few brave Tories have said as much, before being shushed by their P.R. teams.
For that alone I will never vote Tory. Even if the only other choice was a troop of dancing monkeys.
I’m a Tour Guide in York. One of my favourite buildings is St Leonard’s Hospital. It was founded in 936 during the so called Dark Ages, although the current ruined building dates back just to the 1100s. 250 Beds with 70 Staff it was surprisingly modern in design with high ceilings to circulate the air and so reduce infection. Everyone treated equally and all paid for through local taxation. It’s time America caught up with the Dark Ages.
America believe it is us that are in the dark. All should be about profit and now the UK is Multi Cultural like them we should be living like them.......welcome to the 51st state!
As I've just posted elsewhere, Americans can't treat people equally paid for through local or national taxation because that's socialism.
....and that's where Satan lives.
Thank you for coming to work in the NHS. Doctors, nurses, porters and everyone that works in the NHS are my heroes.
Hope your knee is back to normal, soon.
Thank you ☺️
Hear hear! Everybody who works for the NHS is a hero.
Hear hear!! I'm a Senior HCA in Jersey Channel Islands, and a local here, but we have a reciprocal agreement with the NHS and UK on health. They helped me last year with a motorcycle crash up near the borders, no cost o or fees.
My thoughts exactly we are so lucky to have so many people who work to care for us when we need them I love our NHS and all of them
I'm always amazed when people are interviewed on this subject in the States and many are voraciously against universal healthcare.What we have in this country may not be perfect and certainly needs more money,equipment and staff as the present pandemic has shown but is a great service.Long may it reign.
There is huge amounts of relentless propaganda on this subject in the US. Some of the myths they believe are amazing!
Remember the ‘death panels’?
Well educated Americans on Wikipedia used to seriously believe all this.
Because they think it means you get boob jobs, or gender reassignment surgery, face lifts etc for free, rather than a basic level of care, and extras, or elective surgery cost you or your health fund.
@@Cheepchipsable This maybe true, but the killer blow is that it's a socialist system.....and as plenty of Americans believe, Socialism=Satanism. They'll never buy it.
..They'll buy the NHS tho'....Kerchinnng!!
Indeed, the NHS is in a parlous state nowadays and there is talk of raising the NI tax to cover this deficit, other than looking at how the NHS is at present constructed and how it might be managed better (within the terms of its mission) and not the introduction of private companies (though the government seems tempted). For all of that, we British (however much we might moan about it) still understand the NHS is an extraordinary part of our daily life and long may it continue. Robert, UK.
@@spoonunit1 more fool them then. In Britain, and no doubt many other European countries, we have what I would call...."socialism very light , not what Americans think socialism means . I'm all for a capitalist system , but not a "FULL ON SYSTEM" America seems to run on.
Thank you so much for sharing this story.
The NHS is widely regarded in the UK as a national treasure, and those who work for it (including you) as heroes and angels.
From a moral viewpoint, being sick or having a serious accident is not a privilege that you save up for.
It is a misfortune, perhaps a catastrophe, for you and your family.
In a civilised society, we take care of each other when there is the need, and we don’t check your credit rating first.
I think the NHS is the right approach to healthcare for any country.
We all pay into the “national insurance” scheme in our taxes - those of us who earn more, pay more.
When we need healthcare, the charge is zero. We already contributed, or will in our lifetime.
I lived and worked in the USA for 14 years and had health insurance through my job.
US healthcare costs are very high, and the care quality is not better.
They are high partly because medical staff need malpractice insurance because of litigation by patients or insurers to recover costs.
They are also high because staff do more than is really necessary - to cover themselves.
However, if you are poor or unemployed, you might not be able to afford insurance payments.
Insurers will not cover new clients for “pre-existing” or long-term conditions, so don’t try to switch insurers.
Now that I am elderly, I am VERY glad to be back in the UK with the NHS.
Welcome back to civilisation 😁
Thank you for working in our wonderful NHS. I hope you're feeling better.
I am!
I don’t have children, or want them, but I’m happy to pay through my taxes for good schools and everyone to have a good education. I don’t therefore understand why people don’t feel the same way about paying for healthcare even if you don’t need it. If your neighbour’s house is on fire you don’t complain that it was your tax money being used to help.
The selfishness of some people is just sad.
Exactly!
As a British tax paying citizen and an employee of the NHS. Thank you for your service and devotion. It’s people like yourself with a beautiful heart that keep us safe and proud. 😘
Thank you so much for saying so!
Thank god I was born in a country with a NHS.
Thank God you lived at a time when it was in existence
Not A NHS, Sir. THE NHS!
The UK has a health care system
The USA has a wealth care system
If collective knighthoods were possible the NHS would have had one years ago, a collective George Cross is possible should be awarded to the NHS.
Thank you Ibreez for working at the NHS. It breaks my heart that our American cousins have to pay SO much for basic healthcare. We are a clumsy species so it shouldn't cost you the Earth to get patched up or bandage up so you can get back out there and enjoy life. I'm forever indebted to the NHS, the beautiful people that work there........Thank you so much.
Thank you for coming here and working in the NHS 💙
Not only is it a great system where everyone has cover, but it's sound economically too.
Healthy people are productive people. Preventing illness or early care means you take less time out of work or you get the all after care you need to get back on your feet.
You won't lose your house or savings & socially that benefits everyone.
I have had a lot of treatment/ surgeries these last 5 years, I know I wouldn't have been able to afford.
I'm forever grateful to have a system that believes healthcare is a human right. It would be devastating to lose it.
Thank you for sharing!
I’d also like to thank you for coming here and working for our NHS. Love and light to you.
I'm a Brit who has liver and kidney problems. Once I actually had to be flown by helicopter in the middle of the night to the mainland ( I live on the Isle of Wight which has a great hospital but the one in Southampton was bigger and had people that were there that could treat me). I cannot imagine how much that would have cost me if I lived in the USA. Since I've had good knows how many blood tests, ultrasounds and endoscopies. I've worked all my life and continue to work all I can, but even so I would never have been able to afford the healthcare that I was given for free by the NHS. They are truly great people, and the NHS is one of the things that any political party dare not touch. I feel genuinely feel sorry for Americans - paying for an ambulance? (911 is great, they will send you a couple of paramedics to assess you and tell you if you need to go to the hospital or not. I got a ride in the ambulance and they sorted all the paperwork for me. Genuinely lovely kind people).
My father in law is a UK doctor and had a below knee amputation a few years back. He wanted to be awake to watch too, and eventually got them to film the operation and give him a copy.
Thank you for making this - and I wish you a continuing, painless and seamless recovery.
Every time I have medical attention, I am grateful to be English. I know that my family would have been bankrupted by the American system, and I feel sad - and impatient - when Americans blast the NHS as nothing more than control by the state.
Here goes: I've had a tonsillectomy, a caesarian section, an uncemented hip replacement, two aortic valve replacements 13 years apart, two cataract surgeries, and, thanks to a hiatus hernia, two episodes (about 18 years apart) of haematemesis from an oesophageal ulcer. Of course along with all this come innumerable tests and check-ups, including an MRI, a few CT scans, and countless ECGs and echocardiograms.
My son has had an inguinal hernia repair, two ops for scoliosis, and a tonsillectomy of his own.
Have we lost our house yet?
It is lovely to hear appreciation of the National Health Service that we have here in the UK! Thank you for your carefully crafted and enjoyable video!
The NHS is such a privilege.. hope all is well
Thanks 😊
Yep Free NHS for the world
I am currently sat up in the Royal Gwent hospital following surgery I had earlier today. I have my own room, have received exceptional care, nice food and all this would be the case regardless of my financial situation. The NHS is worth it’s weight in gold!
Oh wow, hope the surgery went well and you're doing fine! The NHS truly is something we should keep!
I'm glad you were able to have surgery, some people have to wait months if not a year to get it. Some people can't even get an appointment to see their GP. I don't care how "free" it is that's not good healthcare.
What a lovely woman. That was a long description of her medical woes but she kept my interest all the way through.
Just Be careful with that wee knee of yours in future hen.
All the best to you.
Thanks!
Cuba has one of the best health care in the world, despite the best efforts of America.
I hope and expect that you are back to full health by now. Thank you for your consideration in choosing to care for the sick people of the UK rather than grabbing the big bucks in the US. We love our NHS and all who work for it, regardless of where they come from. We have a open and cosmopolitan populous and having an NHS that compliments and represents that diverse ethnicity is a wonderful thing. God Bless.
Yes all better now thanks!
Thank you. The NHS (and all who sail in her) is the pride of Britain.
:)
Let’s not let the tories torpedo her.
@@woodentie8815 They won't. Let's stop beating up the majority of hard working and tax paying people in the UK who voted conservative. Don't forget that the even the extreme left wing voted against Corbin, at the last election.
@@pauld1966 I err towards pacifism, but not always.
I hope a lot of Americans get to see this and other video's like it, thank you for sharing and for you're NHS work. America needs this kind of system or any other European health care system! It's really so sad that America can't do something similar and that many Americans have to worry so much about healthcare. I'm from the UK and I really appreciate the NHS.
Other health care systems In Europe you have to pay and reclaim back 80% the nhs is far superior.
@@sandysmatty2792 The point is, other European health care systems cover all their citizens, which makes them all superior to the USA system.
@@sandysmatty2792 No, that is NOT true at all. Healthcare systems in Europe vary greatly in their payment and funding models; I have worked in four (not including the UK system). In some there is a very similar payment system to that of the NHS - ie free or almost free at point of use/need - in others one must make, unless one is within specified age or income thresholds, certain set payments for different 'classes' of procedures, the majority of which are usually reclaimable, if they are more than merely nominal; in others treatment and consultations are free at point of use/need, but one must pay a token contribution towards one's 'board and lodging' while in hospital, or a small 'administration fee' for a GP or outpatient appointment. Several things are common to all of them, though - that the systems covers all their citizens, as Tom Nicholson says; that AFAIK it is impossible to be bankrupt oneself through receiving treatment deemed necessary; one does not 'lose one's insurance' because of a pre-existing condition; and that the cost spent on healthcare overall is less per capita than in the USA and results in a better outcome overall.
I don't know what American is willing to wait six weeks for an MRI and another six weeks for surgery. Holy hell, that's THREE MONTHS! With private insurance, its about a week for an MRI, and another week or so for surgery. At three months, you've mostly recovered and are walking unassisted.
I just want to say thank you for being one of our wonderful doctors.
You are appreciated by the people if not the government.
Agreed 👍
Here Here! Hear Hear? Yeah!
Thank you for coming to this country and providing us with your amazing skillset to help others
I love the NHS and with people like you its more amazing.
Thank you fpr saying so!
In 2019 my Dad's eyesight was deteriorating quite quickly, and he was frail, the waiting list for cataracts was long....so the hospital booked him in to see the same surgeon but on a private wing and the wait time was 7 days. Cost to my Dad £0.00
Sadly macular degeneration meant my Dad saw almost no Improvement. But even though he was 90 at the time, they still cared about his quality of life.
The NHS is amazing. Free at the point of service is the right thing for a civilised society.
To be honest, NHS is really a good healthcare system. Many developing country try to mimic healthcare system like NHS. The care is also comprehensive really the same as what you mentioned but also based on my relative experiences who visit UK in the past and sadly have to get medical treatment in NHS for certain reason.
True!
Welcome to our medical service sorry about your knee, but glad you came to work in the system. Also thank you for providing such a clear and very easy to understand comparison, the NHS is the gift that keeps on giving and people abuse it. They abuse the staff, they abuse the medicines and waste appointments because they can't be bothered to turn up. This is where I thing the one change to the NHS should happen, if you make a dentist appointment and don't turn up you still have to pay for time wasting.
My entire family of 6 went down with Covid in February I never ever want to have that again. I was the worst because I have a very weakened immune system, the NHS staff who have worked with this running rampant deserve a medal and a HUGE pay rise.
When an insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies profits are more important than a human being things have gone wrong somewhere. I haven't worked for 7 years now, I also worked within the health care system, but I dealt with dementia and Alzheimer care. I had a heart attack at 47 which also ruptured an artery while I was on the table having stents put in had I been any where else I would not have made it. My work days were over especially in the field I worked. I was on the sick for a whole YEAR, and still got paid, after going for an assessment to see if I could return to work, the answer was no, I had now a weakened area of the heart which meant I was a danger to the elderly patients if they needed hoisting or lifting, I was left taken a lot of medication, that alone would have cost me a fortune but because these are now life long I get a medical exemption card. as does my son who has type 1 diabetes, When I was told I could not return that floored me I worked so hard to get my qualifications.
The NHS is funded by general taxation but is also supplemented by national insurance. since I had lost my job I worried that my pension would be affected I then found out you can still contribute any of your missing years. I love my country and I love its people the NHS people complain about it, I have never done that. The thought have having to worry about becoming ill or my children ill or even having children for that matter, or having an accident it fills me with horror.
One thing you will never see in the UK is people wearing wrist bands that say:
"Do not call an ambulance. I cannot afford it"
That one thing says all people need to know about how great the NHS is as an idea, as an institution and as part of the UK way of life. We take care of each other and we invest in our mutual health well being because the country and economy is better off by us doing this.
And we created this magnificent concept two years after the UK was devastated by 6 years of war and bankrupted by debt. So when people say 'we cannot afford to do it' my reply is 'you cannot afford NOT to do it'.
Americans say they live in the Land of the Free and yet they are not free to be ill.
Wow really? That’s awful.
Is that a thing?
@@Mardyfella Yep. They take an Uber instead with the risks that entails.
Thanks for working in the NHS you are the real heroes
:)
Not true to say it's free - it's free at the point of deliver but we do contribute to the service through taxes and National Insurance Contributions. That being said, it's still a fantastic service.
31:10 :)
I love this. Your video randomly showed up for me today and I’m glad it did. This was great. You ate both funny and informative and I’m from the UK! 🤣 If I were from the USA I would/ my family would have been bankrupt years ago because at this point I’ve had over 20 surgeries, most of them on my brain and spine. One of them apparently cost over $25k per surgery, I’ve had 12 of those. Also I loved the bit where you talked about wanting the surgery done awake! 😁 I had emergency surgery done awake on my shunt once, it was the strangest moment of my life! The NHS has saved my life so many times. Thank you for being a part of it. Happy to hear your knee is getting better!
Enjoyed this video. NHS is our lifeline.
Thank you for your honest appreciation of what have here . Our system is under threat and I hope your video will motivate people here to defend it. I also hope it may change some options back home for you and your fellow texans and the other states too. Also thank you for what you have done for all us UK citizens whilst working here, because I suspect you are paying tax twice, correct me if I'm wrong please.
Doctors had to pay an immigrant health surcharge but they removed it last year. I believe all other immigrants still need to pay it.
Thanks for you RUclips post, it was great to hear of your experience of the NHS, even thought it was during the Covid19 pandemic. It was very interesting to see an example cost of US health system.
It good to hear you are now doing well.
Thanks!
Thank you for working in our NHS. I can think of no better reason to pay my National Insurance contributions than to keep well the medical professionals who will keep me well if i need them. The photos look like Plymouth, do you work at Derriford?
In the UK, National Insurance (NI) is paid by both the employee and the employer. Most of the National Insurance contributions related to each employee (whether paid by the employee or employer) goes to fund the employee's State Retirement Pension. A relatively small proportion of NI contributions goes to pay general taxation. General taxation (income tax, fuel surcharges, energy taxation, Value Added Tax etc) is what pays for the NHS.
Thank you for your perspective. As a british person I don’t really think about getting into debt due to getting ill. We just take the nhs for granted and know that the help is always there for free. I love that all citizens can use it for free and that my taxes are going towards something that helps others as well.Hope you knee is much better and thank you for supporting the nhs and for working in the nhs.You are making such an important contribution 😊
Thank you for saying so!
Jee wiz...I had the same sort of stuff happen to me. I needed knee surgery after I simply 'fell down' at work. I didn't need an ambulance (but none of my colleagues would of thought anything of ringing one) I had the consultations and the scan and the key-hole surgery and the physiotherapy.
Cost to me - Nothing. (Is that not how it should worK?)
How long did you wait to have all the treatment done?
That's exactly how it should work!
You should send this to.every politician in usa
Some I think, 'get it', most, it seems, don't want to get it ?!
@@woodentie8815 Yes, I think, you're right, my friend 😉
Pointless, most of them have been bribed.
@@nomad1944k Big Pharma are big donors and big business. You only have to look at the commercials in America. In the UK if there was an advert for medication we'd be "um what?" but there are loads shilling medication between your favorite tv shows. Healthcare is a business over there, here it is a basic human right.
Oh they know this, but you know the donations from insurance companies...
God bless the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Thank God for our NHS.
Thank you for coming to work in the nhs, and I'm glad you got to experience it as a patient (not glad you injured your knee though).
I had a mpfl recon and was half awake as they gave me a spinal block. Now that was really strange as I felt like I was drunk and had somehow ended up on a surgeons table accidentally! Was good to not feel sick afterward though which g.a can do. Everyone was so nice and kind to me which made it as nice a day as it could be. I felt sick when you starting adfing up the costs, there's enough to worry about without the fear of being bankrupted by it.
Hope your knee continue to do well, it's quite a process recovering but hopefully won't have to worry about it again.
Thank you so much!
The key part to me was you're coming off night shift and, instead of sleeping, you pushed your body... it takes a lot of physical stress to be on nights or split shifts ... I sprained my ankle and hopped into work 3 decades ago and it's still reminding me about it! No one should be embarrassed or call for help and worry about finances on top of injury isn't conducive to swift recovery is it? I'm glad NHS treated you well and I hope USA and the world will follow suit x
It's so sad Americans worry about calling a ambulance or going to a hospital because of cost . The cost of that treatment is incredible . Thanks for coming over
Thanks for having me!
Love this video.
Thanks for your help with the NHS.
:)
To add, I have recently had 5 eye hospital appointments one of which included eye laser surgery in London, each time I only waited about 20 mins to be seen. I didn't have to a pay a single penny up front, money is just not mentioned unlike the USA. Also, one of the consultants called me back last night because I had a question about my prescription (which was also free) I would probably be charged for the phone call in he USA. .
Hope you're better now!
I had scoliosis surgery in the UK as an adult. A US orthopaedic surgeon worked out that the cost of my (FREE on the NHS) treatment in the USA would have been c$350,000. That says it all.
WOW that is an insane amount to pay! Hope you're doing well now :)
@@RoadToUK I live in the UK so paid nothing.
Yes, my surgery (carried out by the same surgeon who later operated on Princess Eugenie) was completely successful. Life-changing.
Ibreez is a delightful storyteller: so vivid and detailed that we can picture what is happening and how it feels.
Aw thank you so much for saying so!
Thank you for this video and thank you for working within our NHS . As I approach my 70's I have had my health care fully supported by our wonderful NHS.
😊
Australian and we have a mixed system, but I am had an occasion to have to go to hospital, and ended up having to having my appendix removed. I was in fo two days, but because of the public health care system, it cost me nothing at all, this visit included, X-ray, unltrasound and a cat scan, plus the surgery via key hole, and all of the prescription medications I had to take afterwards. The only cost to me was the Ambulance $400, which because I also have health insurance, the insurance paid for that.
What an amazing video !! Thank you for sharing your experiences using the NHS :)
You are so welcome!
UK: Better life expectancy, better mortality outcomes, pay less per head.
USA: Better rooms.
Room was okay! But yes- it's sad this is what the comparison comes down to.
Thank you so much for your work in our wonderful NHS, Ibreez! I hope your injury has fully healed.
I'm much better now, thanks!
Thanks for your work in the NHS .
Shoots the old why should i pay for someone else anti sociliesed medicine in the foot doesn't it.?
You get better then directly help others get better thats what I call a win win situation.
:)
I’m not saying this as a dig against America, but the thought of our NHS turning into the American system makes me feel nauseous....
The same feeling here from Australia, the reason we resist American style Medical interaction.
Our current government are trying to privatise the NHS. They have been sending patients to private hospitals for various procedures from MRI scans ton operations for years and now they have given an American company a contract to run GP surgeries.
@@jomc20 You do know that GP surgeries are all privately run, always have been.
@@paulcooper3845 and it costs your “average earning” GP an absolute arm and a leg to “buy” himself/herself into a GP practice....took my GP five years+ to pay “himself” back with his loan and paying his receptionists, pharmacy team, the nurse their salaries too!
@@jomc20 Why do you Lefties continue to peddle this outright lie? Especially when the Labour party under Blair privatised more of the NHS than the Tories ever have and bequeathed those horrendous PFI deals that are crippling so many NHS Trusts. The Tory party have never ever suggested privatising the NHS in any election manifesto. EVER.
The private sector hospitals have actually played a blinder during COVID by taking urgent non COVID cases and not charging their usual fees.
And of course all GP Surgeries are private partnerships contracted to the NHS. Like Dentists are.
Nothing new here just more Leftie lies. 🤦♂️🙄
My deductible for a non contrast MRI in Florida was around $850 a few years ago. A semi serious surgery can easily run into tens of thousands of dollars in charges to the insurance company. There are different fees for in network and out of network procedures. There are also cases where a member of the surgical team is not actually part of the hospital so they can submit a separate bill. It can be a very confusing and you can get a bill for way more than you ever expected.
Exactly! It's a mess to keep track of and you always feel so lost.
My grandparents were born 1892 my parents 1922 so long before the NHS.
As boys my older bro and I would be told the stories of friends and family that died of a cold, tetanus from standing or being cut by a rusty nail you name it someone they knew died of it. Imagine dying in childbirth because the only person available was the old drunk woman who had helped out a daughter in giving birth, but knew nothing about your problem child birth.
I could go on, we heard things that seem like childish worries today but people actually died of back then.
As a child I attended many illness parties a boy or girl down the road had the measles, Mumps, Chicken pox. We all went to play and got ill parents did that to safe guard their child from getting it later in life. I remember the 60s and the Polio epidemic, Hong Kong flu, etc but we were OK we had the NHS.
Breaking my leg then later a toe then later again ending up with a slice of thick glass embedded in my leg.
Waiting for the Doctor seems to take years when in pain.
But I dare'nt complain having been given a slap around the head the first time and told,
" Shut up son count yourself lucky you're going to be treated, and for free the wait is nothing compared to not seeing a doctor at all."
I admit it wasn't till I had my own children that I realised what that meant. I told them the same thing yeah you might wait a long time but you will see a fully qualified nurse or doctor eventually.
The NHS isn't perfect it probably never will be it can't please everyone, it does the majority though. If it cost me another pound a week I'd pay it happily.
I sometimes wonder how many people my NI contribution has helped someone, some child who needs a heart or an older person needing a hip.
I feel good about it, I don't begrudge them the money I paid in one bit.
I'll say this.
America is a very religious place forever sending prayers to unknown people.
I'm not in the slightest bit religious. I'm no Communist and I was a boy the last time I voted for the Socialist Labour Party.
It amazes me though how these devoutly religious people scream their heads off at " Socialised " medicine in which their fellow man is covered for every medical eventuality no need for "prayer warriors" just "free" healthcare instead.
Well said!
The NHS is only free on point of delivery, we still pay through our National insurance which is deducted each month from our salary.
Correct - and worth every penny.
And we also pay an affordable amount based on income (not based on how sick you are) this pays for other things like the state pension as well
OK captain obvious
Yes, it was a very long ambulance trip from the States to England....needed to stop for gas crossing the Atlantic several times.
Nothing is free, so I’m not sure what your point is. Police, fire service etc. it all has to be paid for, just not at the point of delivery, and not for profit. That’s what makes America different because there is always a profit motive. It’s the underlying American Dream.
When you said your leg was to be kept straight I felt for you, when I had something similar I just wanted to bend my leg! Keep up with your Physio it frustrating but you'll appreciate it in the long term
Just getting to the last month of physio! I'm almost there :)
Thanks for your video and explaining the intricacies of treatment. My friend has had countless due to a crash in his youth. After i had a heart bypass and was trying to learn to walk again he told me Use It Or Lose It. The nurses in the community/recovery hospital didn't like me trying to walk unaided in case I fell, cos they're responsible even though i'm an adult.I asked to be taken tothe large llounge daily.they sat me in front of the TV where I was perfectly safe. Alone, I practised walking from chair to chair& eventually circuited the room . Until they caught me. It would have taken much longer under supervision.But NHS care is superb.thank you for joining us.
Corrections: Line 2 - insert "operations"
supervision means other work is neglected
Having worked for several years in an ED, ALL DOCTORS are dreadful patients.....they all wait too long to get help and may refuse to accept the diagnosis. This has made me smile....
Glad to see you have recovered!
Thanks ☺️
I think that you were referring to Subacute Area versus and Acute Area and Trauma Area of Emergency Departments,
👍🏻
Hope you feel better now. Well done to all NHS Doctors and Staff in these times.
I have had fantastic care at all the Hospitals over the Years.
Thank you!
It perplexes me how U.S citizens don't immediately comprehend the benefits of a universal healthcare system. There's no real downsides to it. Besides the the obvious benefits, free healthcare is a net contributor to national economies in terms of having a fit and health workforce. The immense buying power of a nationalised system tends to both save a lot of money and dictates lower market prices (it is the market). You could say goodbye to the ridiculous drug prices in the U.S. Why would anyone be against being treated in the most efficacious way over the most profitable or least costly?.. The insurance & pharmaceutical companies have a lot to answer for by spending untold amounts to convince people that the system that is so profitable for them is also best for you. Healthcare thrives when healthcare, not money is the ultimate objective of the system.
Think it's much to do with those with a vested interest in the continuance of their system - and the power of those in 'influencing' the governors (and the governed?)?
Many of us do- we just can't seem to elect those who also believe the same as us!
The answer is very simple. Whenever the idea is raised by the likes of Bernie Sanders the politicians funded by the Big Pharma vested interests just shout 'SOCIALISM' and the electorate runs scared.
When the supposed 'left' led by Biden / Harris are too shit scared to go for a Single Payer system then you know how big a grip Big Pharma has on the country.
You can't HONESTLY say there's no downside when my family in England can't even get an appointment to see their GP. Did you hear that? The website will not allow them to make an appointment. Unless it's an emergency you're going to be waiting months for surgery even up to a year. I'm sorry but I don't care how "free" it is, I'm not waiting for anything. When I want to see my GP, I call and I'm seen the very next. No hospital or urgent care denies anyone service because of their inability to pay. You just don't pay. All these people claiming they've lost their house, is because they didn't pay their mortgage. Not because they have health care bills.. I wonder if you're going to think the NHS is so efficient when all the baby boomers start sucking up and already broke system and the millennials/Gen Z aren't putting money back in
@@mr.balloffur I CAN honestly say that. I'm intimately familiar with the United Kingdom's NHS and the politics that currently frame the context that yourself and many others appear to reference.
That context is a Neo-Liberal one. It was introduced during the 1980's by Reagan & Thatcher respectively. It's mantra is that a de-regulated market place is the best environment for growth and happiness. The current British government strongly ascribe to this view and as such, are vehemently opposed to social health & welfare.
The Conservative government have been both underfunding (in all the metrics that matter) and restructuring the NHS since they gained power in 2010. That accelerated with the Health and Social Care Act of 2012. You and your English family members should read it. It turned the NHS from one of the most (if not the most) efficient and admired healthcare systems in world into what you described in your response. The current situation sees hundreds of thousands of roles within the NHS unfilled and many parts of the NHS being covertly sold off to private bidders, a practice that is accelerating wildly. A good example would be the internal market that both contributed to the NHS being extremely efficient and keeping drug prices sane was sold off without wide public consultation.
The attacks on the NHS by the current Conservative government are too many to write in a short essay, let alone a RUclips response but in short, they appear to want to replicate the cash for care system in the U.S.A.
Unfortunately most people don't care to research the wider context. I understand, it takes many hours of reading, something I am only capable of as a result of my autistic super powers and a desire to get to the bottom of what forces govern the world in which I live, whatever that might be, regardless of whether or not it aligns to my personally preferred politics.
With that said, please do, do some reading up on it and have a chat to your English family members so that they might be able to vote while empowered with being aware of the wider context.
Yes I live in Canada and have had universal healthcare since the late 1950’s! I cannot understand anyone not wanting it for themselves and their loved ones! Countries with it actually pay less per capita then the USA! It is set up the way it is in the USA so that the the Insurance companies and Hospitals can make huge fortunes! Here in Alberta we have to fight constantly to keep it as the Provincial Conservative , keep trying to collapse it( probably being paid to do so by American Insurance companies) they keep allowing more private companies in to do services for cash or private insurance! I doubt America will ever have Universal Health Care ! We battle on !
I'm in the UK. Visiting the US I've heard sad tales of middle class people having to use their savings because of medical bills. In the US healthcare is often tied to employment. In the UK it isnt. In the US, two thirds of people filing for bankruptcy cite medical bills as a key factor. That isnt possible in the UK. Prescriptions cost £8 per item- though many are exempt- however costly the drugs. Diabetics here pay a small amount for insulin, EpiPen's etc. In the US EpiPen's are $600 -$700. Drug prices here are regulated by NICE. Bulk purchase of drugs, sourced from a variety of places, keeps drug prices lower than the US.
But unfortunately, UK governments over the past 15 years having been trying a back door privatisation of the NHS. Having some elements of the service provided by the private sector, bidding for contracts. Putting some healthcare trusts in debt by getting them to use the private sector to build new hospitals.
At the same time, they've underfunded it, to make the public start to feel its too slow, long waiting lists for certain treatments, bureaucratic and soften the public up for it to be fully private. Any trade deal with the US will probably demand US drug companies get a foothold in the NHS. Sadly, I feel that within 20 years, the NHS will be mostly like the US healthcare system.
At the moment, the best healthcare systems are in France and Germany.
We can only hope and pray one day the US government will allow for universal care.
@@erothawilliams266 It will not take 20 years. When the NHS was created the population of the UK was very different now it is more like the USAs
Thank you for your interesting description of your treatment here. Thank you for working in the NHS. It’s been a tough 18 months and we owe people like you a great deal. PS hope the knee holds up.
Thank you!
Thanks for this, it was interesting. I hadn't realised just how expensive treatment in the US is. A lady I have a deep fondness for had to have a non-malignant tumour removed, she is unable to get insurance as her mother took a prescribed drug (Stebestrol?) in her pregnancy so the lady had to bear the whole cost. I have not been able to contact her for some time, I will ask a mutual friend to check she is okay.
I'm a theatre nurse in the NHS when I needed shoulder surgery it was done by a doctor I see at work, it was done under a block as a day case. I did get to see the inside of my shoulder, that was 3 years ago and the shoulder is still really good.
That sounds so cool!
My friend had a MCI (heart attack) whilst in New York, some years ago now, he was faced with a bill for £50,000 + inclusive of his room charge (think bed and breakfast here). He luckily had paid for a gold type insurance and only had to pay £50 excess. He was thankful for his life being saved of course, but what he couldn't believe were the very, very minor things that appeared on his bill for which he was charged.... he copied it and showed it to me...... it was mind blowing.
BTW I have watched a few of your videos and they are extremely informative in their comparisons. May I thank wholeheartedly for supporting and working in our NHS, and clearly enjoying it. We appreciate your efforts.
Thank you so much for saying so 😊 And yes! The US healthcare system is atrocious!
The first time I came around after a procedure, I too felt sick. When I need another procedure, I let the assessment team know and I was given anti-sickness drugs and felt completely fine.
Funny that.I too was always violently sick after even small operations.when in Spain I fell broke both bones in my arm,and dislocated the wrist and elbow. To say it was sore would be an understatement. I was admitted for surgery, I told the anaesthesist I was always violently sick after surgery . He said be would give me some thing to prevent sickness. I didnt believe him lo and beholdi didnt feel a bit sick.after an hour I got up dressed asked could I leave, and rambled the half mile back to the apartment,delighted with myself. A. Year later I needed a big operations here in Dublin,I mentioned to the anaesthetist about,not being sick in Spain, he too added something and I wasn't sick either,so well worth opening your mouth to the anaesthetist.
I am British my sister is an American citizen. in both countries your taxes pay for a standing army to protect all its citizens (not just the ones who can afford it) In Gb taxes also pay for the N.H.S which protects all its citizens.
It is just common sense. Private health care isnt outlawed in the UK. If you want that super first class experience you can get that too.Bupa etc
my sister has good health insurance and can shop all over the world within the budget that affords her. Choice is the advantage if you are lucky enough to be in her position.
In the uk the choice within the Nhs is more limited although Gps can now choose which facilities to use more often.
But it is keeping overall public health at a better average, especially for those in the lower wage brackets.
it does get starved of funds under govts of a certain hue , but generally it does an excellent job British people are very fond of it and will fight to preserve it. It is the safety net.
If it being a socialist idea offends, think of the benefits of a largely healthy pool of labour from a capitalist point of view,
it is win win, Apart from defence what is the point of having a nation except it benefits all its citizens.?
to OP hope your knee got better
Hi ma'am..I really enjoy reading your articles..but for some reason I'm unable to see comments on your website on any articles nor I am able to post my comments plsss help.....
Hi we were updating the site.
The UK segment of Michael Moore's 2007 movie "Sicko" comes to mind. "Sicko" is an impressive movie, comparing the cruelties of the US profit-based, non-healthcare system with the high-functioning healthcare systems of the UK, France, Canada, and Cuba, all of which (surprise, surprise) are much better than in the US, even in a country as money-strained as Cuba. It turns out that, when a country actually focuses on the function of a service instead of on profit, substantive outcomes actually improve.
I absolutely hold my hands up to the NHS; the. NHS has NEVER let me down.
For anyone who works for the NHS,especially front line, … you are truly valued, (there are a***holes everywhere who are ungrateful… for everything) but to me, and sooooooo many of us, are ALL … cleaners, porters, nurses, doctors … the amazing volunteers ‘the league of friends’ … heroes! 🙌🙌🙌🇬🇧
what a great explanation of NHS treatment and cost ty
You're welcome 🙂
I must confess to needing a hospital visit in the pandemic too. It's mortifying to be a burden, in such a high-stress time. But, they'd found blood in my routine (50+) bowel cancer test. Probably not cancer, I have an underlying chronic condition. But, I met a nurse there a friend from evening class and we chatted. The colonoscopy was done, and as pleasant as ever. Negative, thank goodness.
The staff were all incredibly friendly, kind and compassionate. Sadly, due to my condition, I'll never consider a holiday to the US, the insurance would be prohibitive... :(
Hope you're doing well now!
@@RoadToUK Yup, thank you. Sadly not my first... probably fifth or sixth.
I live 95 miles outside of a USA hospital. CANADA has universal health services. NO BILLING, NO COST Full services, specialists, and a longer quality life span than the USA
Wish it could just cross the border!
National Insurance does not go towards the NHS, it is a base pension contribution that will qualify you for state pension and other benefits such as Job Seekers Allowance, the NHS is funded out of general taxation.
👍🏻
Hello mate. Greetings from Australia. Good to see a medical professional explain things in layman terms. Hope you are feeling better. Take care and best wishes from Brisbane Queensland
Thanks so much 😁
@@RoadToUK your most welcome
Just one thing, 111 is the non-emergency number, this is the number for free medical advice. 999 is the urgent number for life threatening emergencies where they send you the ambulance *NOW*
Due to our former membership of the EU we also have another emergency number, 112, which basically patches you through to 999.
*PROTIP:* You can actually dial 911 from a *_mobile phone_* in the UK and get through to 999, it *_won't_* work from a landline as there may be local numbers that begin with 911.
Thank you for working at the NHS you are amazing 🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️
Wow.. I loved the way she told the story.. 🥰
☺️☺️
for a knee op! wow, what would AML treatment cost in America? 4 month long stays, 2 trips to icu, treatment, travel to and from hospital plus follow up for 2 years weekly, to see a consultant, I might of forgotten a few bits, but that must be over 20,000?
I don't even want to start calculating!
Thank you for coming to the UK
Thanks for having me :)
I don’t know how I stumbled on your video. But first of all, I am really happy you are okay now. Second, I really applaud the way you told the story about what happened to you. But the thing that made me watch the whole story, is when you said: “My legs decided, do you know what? Why should we listen to the rest of the body anymore”. Besides the fact it was a hilarious way to explain what happened to you, it points out that we are not in control of what our body does sometimes. And that it should not be a reason for bankruptcy. Thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you so much! You're too kind 😊
I have a question.please answer. How many leave an NHS doctor can get annualy at a stretch? Is it enough to visit my own country (Bangladesh) once a year? ?
Everyone working in the uk is entitled to 5.6 weeks holiday pay per year. Presumably doctors receive a full time salary so should get 28days minimum
Please see: roadto.uk/Xhjw
Yes and many do 😀
It's a myth that National Insurance (NI) is the dedicated pot to pay for the NHS. NI is a contributory tax that creates eligibility for state pensions and other benefits as well. It would not be enough to pay for the NHS also. The NHS is paid for from general taxation of which NI is a part. General taxation also includes income tax and VAT as well as other taxes.
NHS = Nationa Hero Service I had a Kidney Transplant back in 2002 @ St Mary's Paddington awsome care.
Hope you're doing well!
“Illness is neither an indulgence for which people have to pay, nor an offence for which they should be penalised, but a misfortune the cost of which should be shared by the community.” "Aneurin bevan"
Truly!
Hi Doctor
First time viewer here. Ouch! Did my knee ligament years ago. Not fun.
I read an article that the average national insurance in the UK is the equivalent of $300 a month compared to $800 a month for health insurance in the US. I presume any excess would be over and above the monthly figure.
Hope you're good now?
What one pays is entirely dependent on one's income and also on one's spending, as the NHS is funded by taxation. What is this 'excess' of which you speak?
@richt71 - There are no 'excess' payments other than a nominal prescription charge (which may be waived on certain age and sickness conditions) to be made. I also suspect your figure is on the high side. In Dollars we pay:
if you earn $2,760 a month, you pay:
Nothing on the first $254
12% ($160.14) on the next $1334
2% ($23.43) on the next $1172.
Or $183.57 per month on an annual salary of $33,120. this is of course just the NI element and covers far more than just NHS costs.
@@hobmoor2042 Just a gentle correction there if I may? There is a free pay element and that 12% is only levied on the next $1,334. After that it drops to 2%.
On an annual salary of $50,000 PA or $4,166 a month, you pay:
Nothing on the first $254
12% ($160.14) on the next $1,334
2% ($51.56) on the last $2,578.
Or $211.17 per month.
Yes, better, thanks!
I hope your knee is feeling better.
I wish one day America does have a healthcare system much more like the NHS.
I do worry sometimes that the government will get rid of the NHS, it’s more of a nightmare really because I’m pretty sure I’ll be needing it at some point down the line or if not me a loved one.
Don’t worry. The vast majority of voters on both sides need and believe in the NHS. The majority of MPs on both sides depend on it too. They are all fully aware what the voters think about the NHS. All that ‘the Tories will sell it off to the US’ is just scaremongering to win elections.
The Tories have overall been in power for longer than Labour since its inception in 1948 and the NHS still there and its still pretty good.
Thatcher went the furthest with the ridiculous ‘internal market’ but overall it hasn’t made much difference 30 years down the line.
@@fainitesbarley2245 I hope you’re right, I do wish they would stop closing hospitals though, in my town (where houses are being built all the time) they closed it after saying we were going to get a super hospital in the town next to us but funding fell through but they still closed it.
@@samanthapateman8054
You would think the obvious thing to do would be to build the super hospital first
@@fainitesbarley2245 you would wouldn’t you. They were talking about getting rid of the fire station as well. Like we have more homes now more people and less and less resources. I really don’t get it.
Have you thought about starting a secondary career as a storyteller??!!😀What a great story, and very well told!!👍🏻Love this channel…..and I love our NHS👍🏻
Haha, thanks!
well said and understood....well proud of the NHS
😊
What a sweet person, a credit to your profession
Aw thanks!
Who knows what may happen in the future? Much wrong with the UK, but one of the good parts is our health system and the assurance it gives - if I live a long illness-free life all well and good, perfectly willing to pay into the system knowing that, if I was to have health issues further down the line the NHS would be there for me, and if not, I don't begrudge having to pay into the system for those less lucky!
Amen!
I have hardly used the NHS at all until 4 years ago. I developed Paroxysmal AF aged 56 requiring 2 emergency admissions for Cardioversion subsequent Outpatient consultations,(at least 10) investigations like multiple ECGs(20-30) , multiple blood tests, 24-48 hour tapes x3, cardiac MRIs, CT angiography with contrast x2 and 4 Cardiac Ablations ( 2 under GA).
Can any of you guys from the US give a ballpark figure of the cost of this in the USA?
I don’t know but I suspect it will blow the minds of the Brits.
Oof...where would one even start? It would likely be somewhere in the hundred thousands given the number of scans and interventions. Hope you're doing better now!
love the NHS. my mum was a nurse, my sister is an nurse and my wife is a retired mammographer, but a question in a different topic. Did you like Law and order uk?
Actually haven't had the opportunity to see it 😄 It's on the list to be watched!
I'm glad you were taken care of and in time recovered, I just think that a civilised country should help its people and not have the attitude I'm OK stuff every one else.
Exactly!