What can you tell us Yanks about Healthcare in the UK

My reaction was strong, I accept, but yours did wind me up something chronic. Thanks for the apology - it means a lot on such a sensitive subject. I too apologise for reacting so fiercely.

The cancer scare was some time ago. If it is now guaranteed 2 weeks that is a very welcome bit of news. No-one should have to wait in fear for 3 months.

Part of the problem with the drugs is the NHS system itself - where they cannot get it together or have no interest in actually investigating the problem, so just throw painkillers and antidrepressants at the problem and hope it goes away. As time goes on the problems get more severe and so more treatment and more drugs are required, and prozac, prescribed only so that you won't mind being on so many painkillers. The whole approach is wrong. So we have Gabapentin, Co-Codamol 100/30, topical anaesthetic plasters, beta blockers, prozac, liquid morphine and more. Imagine how much money the public could have been saved long term if more had been spent short term to properly diagnose and fix the problem in the first place. She is on a fraction of the drugs now, and we expect to reduce that even more.

I agree that there is a problem with drug prices - though I accept fully that the companies who have researched and developed those drugs with all that that costs should be able to reap the benefits of that effort and make a fair profit. Perhaps some kind of time limit on that exclusivity should be globally imposed - say 15 years or so, after which time the formulas must be made public domain - call it a fair price for having public money buy those drugs in the first 15 years.

Going private was a last resort, and was only made possible because it came with my current job. I too am glad it went well. And if people like me pay for the NHS but then don't use it because their job provides private health then there are more resources everyone else, so I'm not going to feel guilty about it.

you go to a GP, but before they can see you, they need to get money from a central pot, the amount of which is determined by the severity and complexity of the problem that can't be diagnosed until they can see you... which they can't do, because they can't get the money from the central pot until they know the severity and complexity of your problem...???

I think you're maybe too close - Your suggestion is way more complex than it needs to be. I don't see why you can't go to the doctor; the treatment that you need is provided, and the bill goes straight to the central pot. All a GP will do is diagnose conditions and refer or prescribe treatment. Complex conditions won't cost any more than simple ones for a GP - and as soon as a drug prescription is made the cost will be known to the central pot. Treatment providers would just bill the central pot rather than a multitude of local ones who then have to rebill. In short, whatever currently happens with many local authorites who then run out of cash could happen more easily with a single central one . anyway. just an idea