Best Health Care: NHS GP & NHS Specialist
Does having a good hunch make you a good doctor or are we all so tick-box trained that we have lost that art. Why is it then that House MD is so popular when the story line is around the “hunch” of Doctor House?
Fortunately for my friend, her GP (family physician) has managed to keep that ability.
My friend was blessed with good health all her life. She seldom sees her GP so just before last Christmas she turned up because she has been having this funny headache that the usual OTC pain killers would not shift.
She would not have gone to the doctor except the extended family was going on a skiing holiday.
She managed to get to the surgery before they close. The receptionist told her that the doctor was about to leave. She was about to get an appointment for after Christmas when her doctor came out and was surprised to see my friend.
I have always told my juniors to be on the look out for situations like this. Life is strange. Such last minute situations always seem to bring in surprises. One should always be on the look out for what patient reveal to you as a “perhaps it is not important”.
Also any patient that you have not seen for a long time deserves a thorough examination.
She was seen immediately.
So no quick prescription of a stronger pain killer and no “have a nice holiday” then.
She took a careful history and did a quick examination including a thorough neurological examination.
Nothing.
Then something strange happened. Looking back now, I did wonder if she had spent sometime at a Neuroligical Unit.
She asked my friend to count backwards from 100.
My friend could not manage at 67.
She was admitted to a regional neurological unit. A scan showed that she had a left parietal glioma. She still remembered being seen by the neurosurgeon after her scan at 11 at night:
“We are taking it out in the morning!”
The skiing was cancelled but what a story.
Best Health Care: France & The NHS
Friends moved to France after their retirement and lived in one of the wine growing districts.
They were extremely pleased with the Health Care they received from their doctor locally. After all, not long ago, French Health Care topped the WHO ranking.
Then our lady friend had some gynaecological condition. She consulted the local doctor who referred her to the regional hospital: a beautiful new hospital with the best in modern equipment. In no time, arrangement was made for her to be admitted and a key-hole procedure performed. The French government paid for 70% and the rest was covered by insurance they took out.
They were thrilled.
We did not see them for a while and then they came to visit us in one of our holiday places in a warm country.
They have moved back to England.
What happened?
Four months after the operation they were back visiting family in England. She was constipated and then developed severe abdominal pain. She was in London so went to A & E (ER) at one of the major teaching hospitals.
“I was seen by a young doctor, a lady doctor who took a detail history and examined me. I thought I was going to be given some laxative, pain killer and sent home.”
“No, she called her consultant and I was admitted straight away.”
To cut the long story short, she had acute abdomen due to gangrenous colon from the previous procedure.
She was saved but she has lost a section of her intestine.
They sold their place in the beautiful wine region and moved back to England.
Now we know.
Let us keep it that way.
NHS & Private Medicine: Best Health Care & Porsche
Do we judge how good a doctor is by the car he drives? I remember medical school friends preferred to seek advice from Ferrari driving surgeons than from Rover driving psychiatrists.
My friend was amazed that I gave up Private Health Care when my wife retired.
“I know you worked for the NHS but there is no guarantee, is there?”
Well, in life you do have to believe in something. The truth is simpler in that after five years from her retirement, the co-payment is 90%.
He worked for one of the major utility companies and had the top-notch coverage.
“The laser treatment for my cataract was amazing and the surgeon drives a Porsche 911.”
Porsche official Website
He was very happy with the results.
“He has to be good, he drives a Porsche.”
Then he started feeling dizzy and having some strange noise problems in one of his ears.
“I saw a wonderful ENT specialist within a week at the same private hospital whereas I would have to wait much longer in the NHS.”
What could one say! We are losing the funny game.
What does he drive?
A Carrera.
Another Porsche.
We are OK then.
Or are we.
He was not any better. And after eight months of fortnightly appointments, the Carrera doctor suggested a mastoidectomy.
Perhaps you should get a second opinion from an NHS consultant. Perhaps see a neurologist.
“I could not believe you said that, his two children are doctors. And he has private health care!” I was told off by my wife.
He took my advice though and he got an appointment within two weeks at one of the famous neurological units at a teaching hospital.
To cut the long story short, he has DAVF.
I asked my ENT colleague if it was difficult to diagnose DAVF.
“Not these days!”
He had a range of treatments and is now much better.
All in the NHS hospital.
“I don’t know what car he drives, but he is good. One of the procedures took 6 hours.”
Best health care.
I always knew: Porsche or otherwise.
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