NHS Phobia

The OP headed her post "NHS Phobia". A phobia is an unreasonable fear not based on firm evidence. Phobias need addressing with the clear light of common sense and contrary evidence.

But she has evidence - her bad experience. Maybe she should have titled  her thread differently.

But she has evidence - her bad experience. Maybe she should have titled  her thread differently.

I am sure she meant it as a turn of phrase and not to be taken literally.

I defend the NHS unreservedly, but no system is perfect, and I think your previous post hit on a weakness challenge that can be overcome to improve the system that I've noticed as well.

I really like the NHS.  I initially had a problem with the first surgery I registered at when I moved over, but switching surgeries made all the difference.   Even though it's a routine condition, I've received excellent care thus far in my pregnancy.

For as many horror stories as can be told about the NHS, one can be said for the system in the US.  My father has been a nurse for the last 30 years. Worked in numerous hospitals, in the OR, ER, and outpatient and even home patient care.  The stories he can tell about the sheer negligence of medical treatment, or the corners cut by healhcare to save money, are horrific.  People die.

I'm not saying that to scare you, but I think it is truly a matter of comparing a great doc you have in the US to a mediocre one held in the UK.   

I am sure she meant it as a turn of phrase and not to be taken literally.

You're right. I was responding to Tremula.

Thank you all for taking the time to respond  ... I guess I should have titled my thread differently as I didn't mean it literally. But I do have a fear of having another horrible experience. All your responses have helped and you all have giving me some great advice, so thank you. I never knew before you could change surgeries and doctors. I am also going to bring my medical records with me.

 As for Tremula responses, I never said I thought I was too good "special" to go to an NHS doctor. I guess you have been fortunate to have had wonderful and perfect healthcare on the NHS lucky you. But one should not jump to conclusion without knowing the full story. As for having irrational fears, if you went to the A&E with severe heart palpitations and you told the doctor that you have had a heart condition since you were a child and they yell at you for coming into the A&E because you hadn't passed out or stop breathing yet and told you not to come back until you had, then maybe you would think differently. That was just only one of many bad experiences. If you read my original post I did say there are good and bad doctors everywhere and I wanted to try and come back over with an open mind.

No need to defnd yourself Jetsetter.  I think most people realised you had your reasons. 

Glad you have found some helpful information here.

You're right. I was responding to Tremula.

In a sense, so was I.

Jetsetter, I'm in a similar situation right now.

I lived in the UK from 2002-2005. I gave birth to my first son on the NHS and it was absolutely horrendous. I've been left with permanent damage from the birth and spent a very long time fighting with my hospital over whether or not I deserved the care I knew I needed.

We moved back to the US in 2005, and in the US I've had another child under very bad circumstances. I developed very severe preeclampsia and he was born early.

We were thinking about going back to the UK anyway, but I am now 12 weeks pregnant and will be moving back to England within the next month, as soon as I get my visa done and some goodbyes said. We are moving, in large part, because of the medical system - and I'd have laughed in your face if you told me 5 years ago that I'd be doing this.

I've had a lot of medical care in the last 5 years in the US, and have seen a lot more of the ugly side of things simply because I've needed more care than I ever did before. I've had a few surgeries, my son was a preemie and has also had surgeries, and we've just been very involved in health care lately.

A: It has cost us a bloody fortune. B: I am not convinced I got better care here than I would have in the UK.

The rooms are nicer here. Nice and big and private. The spaces are bigger and brighter. I got a lot more fancy tests done, saw a lot more specialists. And spent a lot more money.

In hindsight, I look at my bad NHS experiences differently now. I know I had very bad luck and just got some real fruit-loop doctors who didn't care about me. (That happens in the US too). But the biggest difference is that I was new to the UK, pregnant for the first time and not very sure of myself, not confident in my ability to navigate the system. I therefore stayed quiet in situations where, had I been in the US, I'd have been ripping someone a new orifice.

I'm a super high-risk pregnancy, and even though I'm still scared of going back simply because of all the bad NHS memories, I'm letting my head win over my heart on this one, and I'm confident I'll get good care. For starters, I'm going to fight for it if I don't get it initially. I'm very well educated on my condition, I'm familiar enough with the UK and the NHS now that I have more confidence in navigating their world, and I'm confident that, even if it takes a while, I'll find myself connected to one of the many, many, MANY doctors out there who really do care, who are lovely, who are smart and good at what they do.

Hope all of that made sense, I know it is quite long and I only intended it to be a sentence or two. Proofreading is boring!

Have a hissy fit to get what you want.  That was the advice I got from an NHS doctor/colleague of mine.  If you don't push it, then neither will they. 

We've had both good and bad experiences with the NHS. They're very good on the really big stuff, easily diagnosed. But other stuff, not so much. I'm wondering if I can continue with osteoporosis meds. on NHS plus other stuff that is being followed with my US healthcare. Nothing life-threatening so maybe treatment would not be picked up by NHS. Won't know until I get there, will I.

We've had both good and bad experiences with the NHS. They're very good on the really big stuff, easily diagnosed. But other stuff, not so much. I'm wondering if I can continue with osteoporosis meds. on NHS plus other stuff that is being followed with my US healthcare. Nothing life-threatening so maybe treatment would not be picked up by NHS. Won't know until I get there, will I.

I have a few very minor things that I came over with (a vitamin D deficiency and allergies). The NHS has been excellent about continuing care and working with me (especially with my absolutely impossible allergies).  I'm sure that if you go to your GP with your medical records, the GP will do her/his best to help.  If not, try a different GP!

In hindsight, I look at my bad NHS experiences differently now. I know I had very bad luck and just got some real fruit-loop doctors who didn't care about me. (That happens in the US too). But the biggest difference is that I was new to the UK, pregnant for the first time and not very sure of myself, not confident in my ability to navigate the system. I therefore stayed quiet in situations where, had I been in the US, I'd have been ripping someone a new orifice.

I'm a super high-risk pregnancy, and even though I'm still scared of going back simply because of all the bad NHS memories, I'm letting my head win over my heart on this one, and I'm confident I'll get good care. For starters, I'm going to fight for it if I don't get it initially. I'm very well educated on my condition, I'm familiar enough with the UK and the NHS now that I have more confidence in navigating their world, and I'm confident that, even if it takes a while, I'll find myself connected to one of the many, many, MANY doctors out there who really do care, who are lovely, who are smart and good at what they do.
 

 Thanks for sharing your experience and I am sorry you had such a horrible experience with the NHS too. All of what you said made sense  . I have also educated myself a lot about my condition now and I feel better prepared to fight for what I need but hopefully it wont have to come to that. You are right too that there are just some doctors that don't care about their patients on either side of the pond. It took me 2 years to find a good regular doctor here in the US once we moved back. I have yet to find a good specialist for my condition here but I am lucky that my regular GP has been so great with working with me. I think my problem last time when I was living in the UK was that I figured if I kicked up too much of a fuss I would be kicked out of the practice and wouldn't be allowed to go to another one. But then again at the time I had no idea that something was seriously wrong, I mean I knew something was dead wrong but didn't know exactly how bad it was until I got back to States. Anyway thanks again and that makes me feel better too just knowing that someone else that had such a horrible experience is willing to give it another go too  .
 I really hope all goes well with your move back over and with your pregnancy this time.