How to treat in England: the real stories of Russian women
'02.08.2018'
Source: Mail.ru
Immigration is the dream of many residents of post-Soviet countries. Hoping for better work and more comfortable living conditions, many people do not think about what they will do if something goes wrong in a foreign country, for example, if they need medical help.
Edition Mail.ru collected stories of immigrant women from Russia who came across medicine in the UK.
English teacher Olga Brain I asked my friends, the British and people who live in England, about how things are going with health care.
My ears rang the fifth day, the temperature was kept at the mark of 38, the cough kept me awake.
- Call a doctor! - Mom screamed into the phone, - you should drink antibiotics!
Mom was very worried. Daughter in foreign country, coughing, sick, do not sell antibiotics, doctors do not leave. The mother's heart was breaking apart, and I coughed without ceasing.
This story happened to me a long time ago, ended well and without antibiotics, and I have since learned that paracetamol is one of the most popular drugs in England, and it miraculously helps with almost all illnesses.
They say different things about English medicine: that miracles work there, on the contrary, it is better to come to Russia for treatment if something serious happens, and you are there.
The British themselves often joke that you will be treated only if you are dying. In English, the desired state is called “you are going to kick a bucket”, kick the bucket, that is, look, you will throw off the skates. The fact that you just throw skates, and not toil foolishness, we must also prove.
Usually you can get to a doctor in England in three ways: make an appointment by phone, come to the emergency room yourself and wait for the reception, or, roughly speaking, fall in the middle of the street, and then you will be brought to the emergency room.
Record patients at the reception, based on the severity of their condition and the urgency of the situation. With my temperature and cough, I was offered to make an appointment only in two weeks. The logic is simple - in two weeks the usual cold, most likely, will pass by itself. And if you do not pass or not a cold, then we will look. My friend's mom has fast progressive Alzheimer's disease. Her appointment is recorded on the day of the call, this is a patient of high priority.
Today I will tell you a few stories, and we will look at medicine in England through the eyes of various people who kindly allowed publication.
... if you suspect cancer
К oncological diseases and their prevention in England is taken very seriously. Polyclinics regularly receive letters to all patients inviting them for examinations related specifically to oncological diseases.
Natalia (36 years) tells about the suspicion of oncology:
“With this problem, I went a couple of years ago to our clinic, already mentally preparing myself that they would politely bother me and set up an appointment with the therapist after two weeks at best. To my surprise, when I told the administrator that I had come because of the tightness in my chest, she sighed, called her “poor little child” and found a window for me on the same day, a couple of hours later.
I was examined by a doctor and prescribed a referral to the hospital for an ultrasound. A male doctor examined me in the presence of an administrator employee, apparently, this is a common practice in order to protect a doctor from sexual harassment charges, and of patients from these same harassment.
Immediately I remembered the mammologist in my own clinic in Russia, who was pouring greasiness on his entire reception. Here I was quickly done an ultrasound, the results were reported first verbally, and then sent a letter ... "
As a result, Natalia had a benign tumor, fibrocystic mastopathy, everything ended well, and most importantly, quickly.
... if you have heart problems
But if the problem is not obvious, sometimes you have to cheer for a long time to get serious attention.
For example, my friend John’s aunt, Margaret, 68’s active lady of years, suddenly felt unwell.
“She didn’t have enough air, there was a general breakdown and pain in her chest. The situation was so bad that several times they called an ambulance, which came, registered that there were no problems, said that it was necessary to drink vitamins, to rest more, and to leave.
Meanwhile, the aunt did not get any easier, and in the end they decided to examine her. The survey showed that she had a heart problem, and for a very long time they could not determine which one. I was diagnosed several times and in the end it turned out that she urgently needed an open heart operation.
They put me in the hospital and spent the whole week with analyzes, and when everyone was already seriously thinking that everything would end badly, my aunt felt worse, they operated on her. Operated successfully. And for a long time kept in the hospital. Full 6 days.
Indeed, in a hospital in England they are put only in extreme cases, and, having laid down, they are discharged as quickly as possible. Childbirth without complications - gave birth, ate a sandwich, you can go home. Replacing the joint - replaced, fed lunch, sent home, if all "without features."
... if you are allergic
Antibiotics, hormonal drugs and other serious medicines can be bought only by prescription, and in order to get this prescription, you need to have good reasons and go through the whole quest from “go away” and “drink paracetamol” to treatment through the long maze of the situation.
Rita (32 year) suffers from dermatitis:
“My dermatitis, which passes from hormone ointment for the 3 of the day, was treated in England in various gentle ways for four months before a hormonal ointment was prescribed.
In general, I am even pleased, because in the process I discovered intolerance to wheat, which I had no idea about. And all because the sparing methods include including diet, the exclusion of certain products and additional tests. But I didn’t like itching for four months. ”
... if you need a dental treatment
Dentists in England are a sick subject of many immigrants.
Larisa (42 of the year) broke off the front wall of the tooth. She went to the dentist in the hope that the tooth can grow. The dentist did not justify the hopes and instead proposed to tear out a broken tooth, several neighboring ones and make a false denture. For a very substantial amount.
Larisa went home, where she had a tooth grown quickly and inexpensively. As a result, a week-long trip with the flight, the hotel, the services of a dentist, entertainment and manicure cost Larisa cheaper than the prosthesis that she was offered to deliver in England.
... if there are chronic diseases
But with chronic diseases and standard received drugs everything works clearly and clearly.
Natalia (38 years) and her asthma:
“I really like the way the work with the chronicles is set in England. I am asthmatic. When I came to register with the local clinic after my arrival, I was immediately taken to an appointment with a therapist to determine my condition and the appropriate treatment. I regularly receive an asthma drug that is updated on demand as it is used.
And this is a huge plus of the English system compared to the Russian, where I also received medicine for asthma. In Russia, in order to get a new dose of medication, it was necessary to sit in a queue for a doctor for several hours, often just to find out that the medication was not available. And if lucky, and it is still there, then after the therapist it was necessary to stand in two more places in order to print a prescription and reassure him. Sometimes it was easier to buy for your money.
In England, everything is very easy and simple, without tiring seats in the queues. After the initial reception by the therapist, you get a prescription. It consists of two parts - one goes to the pharmacy, and the other is returned to the patient. Then, as necessary, you just need to throw your part of the recipe into the boxes at the reception of your clinic - and that’s it, every other day you come for a new recipe. ”
Prescription drugs are partially paid by the government. Adult patients pay a standard fixed amount in a pharmacy, currently 8,8 sterling. Everything from above is paid by the state. Children, pensioners and privileged categories of citizens receive medicines for free.
The English health care system is flawed. The only thing that can be said for sure, and that for me in England was very noticeable and important is respect. The patient even in the most vulnerable state feels like a person and receives clear and polite explanations of what is happening to him. And this is sometimes no less important than effective treatment.
