Do I need an appointment to see doctor?
It's cold and flu season, and my whole family got flu. I took my daughter to see doctor, because the computer system of the surgery broke down, the receptionist couldn't make appointment for me, and the doctor couldn't print prescrptions for his patients. So they could do nothing without a computer. The receptionist let me go to another surgery which took me 3 hours return.
Do I have to make an appointment to see doctor in China? No way! We just go to the hospital, and wait in the lounge or corridor for our turn, It won't take long to see a doctor.
Now here in United Kingdom, I have to call and make an appointment, or I will never see a doctor! In one case, even I went to the GP for an appointment, the receptionist was not happy and told me I have to call. They just don't like people go there and disturb their peace and quiet.
Some people make appointment, and late for twenty minute, or even never show up, does the doctor just sit there waiting for his patients, then waste the precious time which should be used to serve his patients. I told the receptionist, I could wait in the lounge and if the doctor has 30 SECONDS time free, he could check my daughter's ear, and according to my experience, it won't take more than three minutes to check my daughter if she got a flu: listen to the chest, see the throat, look into her ear, and take temperature. and tell me let her drink a lot of fluid. I can't drive, I have to take more than 3 hours return bus to go to another surgery, could I just wait here for 30 minute rather than 3 hours to take a return bus to another surgery? But the receptionist said she couldn't let me wait, because the NHS system doesn't work like this. I still have to go to another surgery if I want. I really became very angry, I told her: I will take 3 days flight back to China to see my own Chinese doctor!
The doctor did see my daughter that afternoon, (how could you think seriously that I would go back to China to see my Chinese doctor?) but she told me it was a flu, and there was some infection in her ear, but it was not a problem. She told me to give my daughter paracetamol (which brings the temperature down) and Ibuprofen (which is a kind of painkiller), and let her drink a lot of water.
I always hear of other people complaining that doctor only gives you painkiller whatever your problem is, and now painkiller is not a prescription medicine, patients have to buy from pharmacist themselves. I think, because surgery or medical centre and pharmacist or chemist are separated, doctor only prescript medicine(s), and pharmacist only sell medicine(s) according to doctor's prescription(s). Doctors in UK can't make a profit from prescription like their peer do in Chinese hospital. In China, hospital set a target for it's doctors, how many patients per month, how many prescription per month, Ultrascan, CT, etc, doctor give you more medicine, hospital can make more profit, then doctor get more bonus for that month.
But in UK doctors don't prescript medicine whenever they don't have to, or the problem is not too serious to ignore. But my daughter's symptom become worse, her ear has lots of discharge, she should have been treated early, by some more effective medicines instead of painkiller and paracetamol. I had to take her to see doctor again, this time another doctor gave her some serious medicine, looks like antibiotics, her ear still hasn't recovered yet.
Who needn't to pay for the prescription?
The patient doesn't have to pay because he/she:
- is under 16 years of age
- is 16, 17, 18 and in full-time education
- is 60 years of age or over
- has a valid maternity exemption certificate, that means if you are pregnant
- has a war pension exemption certificate
- get income support
- gets income based jobseeker's allowance
and many other which I couldn't understand. As far as I know, if you have a job, and pay taxes and National Insurrance, then you have to pay for your medicine, if you are unemployed, and live on social benefits or live off the dole as some people called, then you need pay nothing.