The Wasp and the British Health Service
For a couple of weeks now there wasps have been building a nest in the roof outside my window. On Monday night one of these little beasts must have come through the window when I was sleeping and mistook my leg for a nice soft spot to have a midnight supper.
On Tuesday and Wednesday the bite got worse, but last night I couldn’t really walk because the leg was swollen – nothing dramatic though, no amputation needed. I felt I should go to the doctor, have it checked out and meet with the British Health System for the second time.
So I called the GP down the road. GP stands for General Practitioner and like in the old days in East-Germany, it’s a bunch of doctors which share a clinic. But the nice lady at the reception said that I don’t need a doctor, the “Common Ailments Nurse” would be sufficient.
Well, what is the “Common Ailments Nurse”. It’s a really good invention of the British Health System. She can prescribe medication and treat minor diseases, such as Cough or Fever, Headache, or Insomnia. My Nurse was called June and quite helpful, but I was more surprised by the whole procedure.
I called at 9am, got an appointment at 11am, sait in the waiting room for 3 minutes, talked to the nurse for 10 minutes and had my medication. What did I pay for that? Nothing – Basic Health Care is free in the UK. Did I have to bring some sort of insurance proof? No, it suffices that I was registered with the College.
During those 3 minutes in the Waiting Room, I also discovered on the leaflets there that the government gives money to young parents to buy milk and vitamins. I also discovered that the city of Cambridge helps older people if they have problems paying taxes. It’s almost socialism, isn’t it?
Well, I had to go the pharmacy to get the antibiotics. Here came another surprise: the pharmacy is in the center of town. It’s called “Superdrugs”. But the people in there must have been on a tranquilizer or something. There were about five people standing behind the counter all of them busy watching each other. Instead of just fetching the box of pills, my prescription was passed through the hands of each of them.
I was told to wait five to ten minutes. I asked why it takes so long and the person behind the registry said that the medicine has to go into the computer and whatnot. Ten minutes later I received a small package, about three times the size of the box of pills inside. Neatly stapled together, folded, wrapped up (with a bow – no just kidding). Ah, that’s what takes them so long, each customer gets their own little present – a paper bag. I think they were kinda disappointed when I ripped the bag open right on the counter and put the small box in my rucksack. “The young people are so ungrateful”.
The German Health System could learn a lot from that. For most treatments, you don’t need a doctor – a trained nurse is quicker and easier to access. Each medicine, regardless of the type, costs 7.10 Pounds – a one-price-fits-all policy. Clinics and doctors have the responsiblity to prevent diseases – and not just treat them.
