So, we had our first experience with the UK Health System today. On a happy note it went fairly well. Though, I did get told off once.
Super Handsome has been telling me that I need to register us at a Dr. office. I agreed but it was one of those things that I just did not do. As usual I waited until it was an undeniable need.
Youngest Son stayed home yesterday with a fever and he vomited. Today he was "poorly" again. He had a fever, sore throat and he looks very pale. He also was very nauseous with very little appetite. Around 11am, I noticed that he had a rash on his chest, around his shirt collar line. Upon further inspection, it was obvious to me that he had scarlet fever which also meant strep.
I called our private insurance company to ask them where I should go. They could not find any doctors to go to and they advised me to take him to a local doctor and pay out of pocket, that they would reimburse me.
I then proceeded to text my girlfriends to see where I should take him. I did not hear from them right away, so I went and called another mum that I knew. She then proceeded to explain to me the process for the national health care system in the UK. You apparently register at the local doctors and that is where you go when you are poorly.
So, I looked up on the internet places that I should go and made a phone call. I was very confused though because the medical center is actually called a SURGERY center. I still have not figured that one out. The centers are allowed to accept you as patients if they have space and if you are in their area (think zip code or as they say here post code).
I called and explained my situation to the receptionist. She asked me my post code to ensure that we were in their service area and she told me that I should have registered before, but because this was what they termed an emergency situation that I could come in and register Youngest Son. They would see him afterward. I arrived and the receptionist that was there (who was different from the one on the phone) promptly "told me off" for not registering. I was kind of irritated so I explained to her that I was from the US and I carried private insurance. I mentioned that we did not have to go to specific doctors or centers and I could go to a doctor in another city if I wished. She gave me the required paper work (for all 6 of us) and made the appointment for an hour later. She then proceeded to give me a dirty look when I sat down in the waiting area to wait and fill out the paper work. I think that she expected me to go back home. She was kind enough to mark us "in" in the hopes that we might be seen a little earlier.
I sat in the waiting area and filled out paperwork. Patients walked in and checked in on a touch screen TV in the waiting room. Youngest Son was still feeling very poorly and dozed while we waited. We were finally called back on the intercom system. It asked for Youngest Son to please report to exam room one. Since I had seen other patients disappear down the hallway after being called, I had the idea of what to do. So, I roused him and we headed down the hallway. The signs clearly directed us where to go.
We made it into the room (I think that we saw a doctor and not a physicians assistant), and the doctor was sitting at his desk on the computer. There were no exam table to lay on, just two chairs. Youngest Son sat in one and I sat in the other. I talked with the doctor to tell him the symptoms that he had and I told him my opinion that he has strep with scarlet fever. The doctor looked at him and said it looked like a text book case based on the appearance of his face and mouth. Kids with scarlet fever get really flushed cheeks and the skin around the mouth stay really pale. He checked his throat, temperature and prescribed penicillin. He also told me that Youngest Son had to stay out of school for the next 5 days and it was very important to take all of the medicine. This seemed so much more important to me after I talked to his teacher. It seems that strep is going through his class. Youngest Son's best friend is out with it as well. It is apparently a really yucky version that is taking the full 5 days to get over. I was hoping that after having him on antibiotics for 24 hours I would see a vast improvement like what normally happens. His teacher told me that when the kids were coming back to school they were still not 100%, great. Remember, I have 4 other boys that have now been exposed! Back to the visit...
I walked out to the receptionist and she was much nicer as I handed her ALL the paper work that I had filled out. They filled his prescription right there. I asked how much I owed and they told me nothing. I nicely protested telling her that I am not even a resident of the United Kingdom, that we are here on visas. I told her that I have private health insurance. She said she thought that it was a bit crazy as well, but, since we were here the kids were free. She told me that if it was an adult there would be a charge. I think that we may be making another trip there tomorrow, Mark is presenting symptoms that suggest he may have strep as well. After his bout with mono last year, I really don't think that I can afford to take any chances and I am not sure where we would go on the weekend.
I still think that I might have a bill coming around for me in the future and when it comes I will be happy to pay it. We certainly did not come here to leech off their system, because that is what I feel like we just did. We do pay for our own health insurance. I am very happy that we were seen and the we got medicine with little hassle and not a long wait. It was really nice that I was able to leave with the medicine in my hands. I give the UK health care system an A in treating viruses. As for the rest of the health care and treating other ailments, I really can't give an opinion one way or another. But as one of my neighbor's back home pointed out on my Facebook page, Steven Hawking is a UK resident and he is going on 70 this year. The UK health care system has, at least, worked well for him.
Super Handsome has been telling me that I need to register us at a Dr. office. I agreed but it was one of those things that I just did not do. As usual I waited until it was an undeniable need.
Youngest Son stayed home yesterday with a fever and he vomited. Today he was "poorly" again. He had a fever, sore throat and he looks very pale. He also was very nauseous with very little appetite. Around 11am, I noticed that he had a rash on his chest, around his shirt collar line. Upon further inspection, it was obvious to me that he had scarlet fever which also meant strep.
I called our private insurance company to ask them where I should go. They could not find any doctors to go to and they advised me to take him to a local doctor and pay out of pocket, that they would reimburse me.
I then proceeded to text my girlfriends to see where I should take him. I did not hear from them right away, so I went and called another mum that I knew. She then proceeded to explain to me the process for the national health care system in the UK. You apparently register at the local doctors and that is where you go when you are poorly.
So, I looked up on the internet places that I should go and made a phone call. I was very confused though because the medical center is actually called a SURGERY center. I still have not figured that one out. The centers are allowed to accept you as patients if they have space and if you are in their area (think zip code or as they say here post code).
I called and explained my situation to the receptionist. She asked me my post code to ensure that we were in their service area and she told me that I should have registered before, but because this was what they termed an emergency situation that I could come in and register Youngest Son. They would see him afterward. I arrived and the receptionist that was there (who was different from the one on the phone) promptly "told me off" for not registering. I was kind of irritated so I explained to her that I was from the US and I carried private insurance. I mentioned that we did not have to go to specific doctors or centers and I could go to a doctor in another city if I wished. She gave me the required paper work (for all 6 of us) and made the appointment for an hour later. She then proceeded to give me a dirty look when I sat down in the waiting area to wait and fill out the paper work. I think that she expected me to go back home. She was kind enough to mark us "in" in the hopes that we might be seen a little earlier.
I sat in the waiting area and filled out paperwork. Patients walked in and checked in on a touch screen TV in the waiting room. Youngest Son was still feeling very poorly and dozed while we waited. We were finally called back on the intercom system. It asked for Youngest Son to please report to exam room one. Since I had seen other patients disappear down the hallway after being called, I had the idea of what to do. So, I roused him and we headed down the hallway. The signs clearly directed us where to go.
We made it into the room (I think that we saw a doctor and not a physicians assistant), and the doctor was sitting at his desk on the computer. There were no exam table to lay on, just two chairs. Youngest Son sat in one and I sat in the other. I talked with the doctor to tell him the symptoms that he had and I told him my opinion that he has strep with scarlet fever. The doctor looked at him and said it looked like a text book case based on the appearance of his face and mouth. Kids with scarlet fever get really flushed cheeks and the skin around the mouth stay really pale. He checked his throat, temperature and prescribed penicillin. He also told me that Youngest Son had to stay out of school for the next 5 days and it was very important to take all of the medicine. This seemed so much more important to me after I talked to his teacher. It seems that strep is going through his class. Youngest Son's best friend is out with it as well. It is apparently a really yucky version that is taking the full 5 days to get over. I was hoping that after having him on antibiotics for 24 hours I would see a vast improvement like what normally happens. His teacher told me that when the kids were coming back to school they were still not 100%, great. Remember, I have 4 other boys that have now been exposed! Back to the visit...
I walked out to the receptionist and she was much nicer as I handed her ALL the paper work that I had filled out. They filled his prescription right there. I asked how much I owed and they told me nothing. I nicely protested telling her that I am not even a resident of the United Kingdom, that we are here on visas. I told her that I have private health insurance. She said she thought that it was a bit crazy as well, but, since we were here the kids were free. She told me that if it was an adult there would be a charge. I think that we may be making another trip there tomorrow, Mark is presenting symptoms that suggest he may have strep as well. After his bout with mono last year, I really don't think that I can afford to take any chances and I am not sure where we would go on the weekend.
I still think that I might have a bill coming around for me in the future and when it comes I will be happy to pay it. We certainly did not come here to leech off their system, because that is what I feel like we just did. We do pay for our own health insurance. I am very happy that we were seen and the we got medicine with little hassle and not a long wait. It was really nice that I was able to leave with the medicine in my hands. I give the UK health care system an A in treating viruses. As for the rest of the health care and treating other ailments, I really can't give an opinion one way or another. But as one of my neighbor's back home pointed out on my Facebook page, Steven Hawking is a UK resident and he is going on 70 this year. The UK health care system has, at least, worked well for him.
very nice post michelle! hope all your other boys don't get sick, especially at the same time!
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