NEW TOPIC SPLIT:UK healthcare vs Canadian healthcare

Okay for my own sanity as a person moving there and needing to hear some good stuff before I hide in my closet and never leave this house or this country . . . .

What are the good things about the UK that you can't live without or would miss terribly.  Or what are some kindnesses people have shown you when you needed help, or what was the one point at where your attitude went from "oh my God what did I do" to one of "I actually like this" or "it's not so bad here".

As an expat from Canada I'm finding that the health system is certainly wanting.  A visit to a doctor has made me decide that if I want my usual annual check-up I will have to go back to Canada.  I was told by the doctor who sat in front of a computer looking like a zombie that  "we don't do check-ups" what about a mammogram - "not at your age"  so what do I do - "well you can go private" she scribbles on a piece of paper and gives me the phone number and address of a private hospital.  I noticed that a "bone scan" would cost £25 - I got mine in Canada on the same day as my visit to my doctor at no cost. I did read in a news item recently that "your better off in the United States if you are requiring medical treatment."  My daughter said it would probably be cheaper to fly to Canada for my annual check-up than go private.   I'm so used to my Canadian doctor even when I first met her being friendly and communicating with me, but so far two doctors I have met both stared into their computers and  their the first question "what seems to be the problem" - no smiles.  And at the end of the visit I was given three prescriptions. Thank you and goodbye.

My brother lives in London and UK healthcare is one of his biggest complaints.

Granted, we have some problems here in the US with our system, but he claims he would much rather have to deal with the US system again than continue on with the public UK system.

He finally went private and says that even that is wanting compared to the US system and MORE expensive than if we was doing things in the US and to top it off he gets less from the private UK system than what he would get in the US.

He has shared numerous war stories relating to things he has had to do and things his children have needed. On two occasions, he flew back to the US for treatment.