Plunge And NHS

This rather unusual shot, reminding me of a meat grinder, the second of two taken by Sonnet.

Sonnet takes Madeleine to the doctors as she may have asthma - nothing to worry about. The gp also examines the ball bearing-sized lump on her neck which caused some real concern when I first discovered it four years ago. She has never had secondary symptoms implying cancer and a brief visit to the UK's foremost children's cancer specialist dismissed the possibility entirely. Still, it is there and so we will have a further screening to be on the safe side. Madeleine, meanwhile, enjoys the books and extra attention at the NHS. So.. everybody has a horror story about public medicine here - most recently I spoke to a soccer mom who's mum, after multiple consultations in Britain, was properly diagnosed with stomach ulcers while on vacation in Spain - we have been blessed with good treatment and I have confidence in our system. The NHS works best in A) big cities where doctors see everything; B) babies (in 2002/03 we spent £2655 on births vs. the second highest category, over-84s, where it was £2639); and C) urgency. We know that waiting lists the kiss of death (literally) yet Labour has reduced times substantially: 98% of "urgent referrals" for cancer, for instance, met inside twenty-four hours (the public statistics available remarkable). The cost to us is £98 billion (2008-09). Unlike the US, we buy into the scheme via our taxes, and the focus squarely on primary or preventative treatments which (in theory) reduces odds of later stage or tertiary requirements and their costs. About 15% of Britain has complementary health insurance, including us (family of four), at £83 per month. That's a no-brainer. Compared to the US, there has been less investment in new technology,new equipment, modernisation and IT (though IT woefully inadequate everywhere). No doubt I would be more comfortable in a US hospital but the price: 18% of the US economy simply not sustainable. For now, the NHS wins.