Help me understand NHS

Moving to England in 2 weeks (YEAH!). Help me understand the health insurance there.

When I move there all I have to do is register with a surgery and I'm good to go? Is there a residency requiremnt (new Ontario residents must wait three months before they are eligible). Is is essentially the same as here, the system I mean?

The doctor I spoke with at Occuaptional Health was quite lovely and said she coudl help me find a good doctor. ALso one that is up-to-date in treating my illness, which will be very helpful.

What have your experiences been with NHS?

Simple.
You register, they check you out quickly and that's it.
I live in Wales so all prescriptions are £5

hello,

You can have a look at the NHS website:
http://www.nhs.uk/

As long as you are legally living in the UK (permanent resident) you can register to a GP as soon as you arrive in the UK.
You will have to find your GP in your area, as far as I know if you choose one that is to far from where you live they will refuse your application.

In my case I need have a prescription for my asthma (inhaler)so when I ran out of it I have to contact my GP to have another prescription (it takes 2-3 days). I have to go and get it and then I can go to any chemist to have my 2 inhalers. It cost around +- £6 per prescription.
If you need to see specialist, it is usually your GP that will refer you to one.
If it is an emergency of course you go directly to the hospital!

Since I am here, I have not really had good doctors, I can change if I want but I'm too lazy !! My current doctor just like to write prescriptions without really looking at what's wrong. He makes stupid jokes ( a bit sexist I would say) and keep asking me where I am from everytime I go see him !!

If you require to have a lot of prescriptions (for more than 5 prescriptions in 4 months) you can have the "prepayment" option which is cheaper.

hope this helps !!

Joanne

Last June I wrenched my neck and lost its full range of motion. After having been to the doctor's twice, I was given a note that allowed me to make an appointment with the physiotherapist... this was for 5 weeks later. It was the earliest appointment available.

Registering with the doctor is no big deal, but they did want a urine sample and a full medical history. When I was sick, I'd have to wait up to a week to see the doctor, by which time I'd be better.

It depends where you live and how busy the surgery is. I can get an appointment within a day or two now.

As an aside, NHS walk-in clinics are springing up in many areas now, and more are planned, as the NHS is at last recognising that many people who work office hours find it very difficult to fit in a visit to their normal doctor.

The clinics are no-appointment, first come first served, and patients will normally be seen by a nurse practitioner, with a doctor on hand if needed.

The clinics are not intended to replace the patient's doctor (GP) where they registered, though I suspect for many, they will more or less come to be a replacement, especially once the issue of doctors sharing patients' records electronically is sorted out within the next couple of years.