| The French health system 18:10 - Oct 13 with 2456 views | DJR |
I have a British friend who lives in France. When we met a year or so ago he said he wouldn't return to the UK because of its health system.
I met him again today and he showed me why.
There is a French app similar to the NHS app. You can put into it whatever health requirement you need and your address. It then gives you a list of places you can go to which also indicates their availability.
On the assumption that he had got from his doctor a note saying he need an MRI scan for an issue with his abdomen, he put into the app that requirement and it offered him an appointment next day at a location not far from him.
Apparently, in France most of these services are provided privately but things like scans and blood tests don't take place in hospitals. Instead there are private clinics which perform this function.
The system is different in the sense that people are expected to make a contribution to their treatment but from what he said the cost is is much cheaper than the equivalent in private hospitals in the UK. And those with limited income don't pay the full contribution or anything at all.
My wife's sister lives in Germany and the system is much the same with problems sorted out in a fraction of time compared to the UK.
It does make me think that we ought to think the unthinkable when it comes to the NHS but part of the problem is that the UK doesn't have the number of beds, doctors, MRI equipment etc as other systems have in abundance, so we are starting at a disadvantage. In addition, the NHS has become something of religion with talk of radical reform probably politically out of the question.
[Post edited 13 Oct 18:22]
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| The French health system on 13:28 - Oct 14 with 303 views | jasondozzell |
| The French health system on 13:22 - Oct 14 by BlueOura |
"We are taxed without sufficient investment in public services"
That's kind of what I said isn't it? So you agree with me then, at least in part. We don't necessarily need to be taxed more, we just need the Government to spend it more on the things that matter, like healthcare. |
Yes but I don't agree that the DOGE type approach has any credibility. We aren't going to be able to fund what we need through a few savings.
There's not much that hasn't been cut! Councils can't afford social care as it is.
We need to pay more tax if we want to guarantee that everyone can be looked after. How else do you intend to fund the huge demographic shift? |  | | |
| The French health system on 13:30 - Oct 14 with 302 views | OldFart71 |
Our system has too many chiefs and not enough indians. The government clogs the system up with being obsessed with setting targets and data.
The system doesn't work. Myself and wife were invited to have flu jabs were a text link, I duly booked them and the following weeks I received three further texts inviting me to book flu jabs.
My wife went to the doctor in our local practice with an ear problem and he booked her in for ENT at Ipswich hospital. That was back in January, it's now October and still no appointment.
A neighbour of mine who does a few gardening jobs recently fell off a ladder. They called an ambulance and were quoted 13 hours before one could attend.
He went to A&E early in the evening and was seen in the early hours of the following morning.
I honestly don't see our NHS system staying free for all in the coming years.
Just throwing money at it without sorting the real problems hasn't and won't work.
Too many are coming here on holidays and births and then just going back home without paying a penny.
Being and doing everything for everyone isn't possible. |  | | |
| The French health system on 22:24 - Oct 14 with 203 views | bournemouthblue |
| The French health system on 08:11 - Oct 14 by chicoazul |
In France they are literally rioting about that very thing. |
They certainky know how to complain but I guess it works |  |
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| The French health system on 22:29 - Oct 14 with 195 views | bournemouthblue |
| The French health system on 13:30 - Oct 14 by OldFart71 |
Our system has too many chiefs and not enough indians. The government clogs the system up with being obsessed with setting targets and data.
The system doesn't work. Myself and wife were invited to have flu jabs were a text link, I duly booked them and the following weeks I received three further texts inviting me to book flu jabs.
My wife went to the doctor in our local practice with an ear problem and he booked her in for ENT at Ipswich hospital. That was back in January, it's now October and still no appointment.
A neighbour of mine who does a few gardening jobs recently fell off a ladder. They called an ambulance and were quoted 13 hours before one could attend.
He went to A&E early in the evening and was seen in the early hours of the following morning.
I honestly don't see our NHS system staying free for all in the coming years.
Just throwing money at it without sorting the real problems hasn't and won't work.
Too many are coming here on holidays and births and then just going back home without paying a penny.
Being and doing everything for everyone isn't possible. |
Are we 'throwing money at it', I believe the short fall in funding and this was a few years ago now was £35 billion, I assume it's even larger now! | |
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| The French health system on 22:43 - Oct 14 with 169 views | lowhouseblue |
| The French health system on 22:29 - Oct 14 by bournemouthblue |
Are we 'throwing money at it', I believe the short fall in funding and this was a few years ago now was £35 billion, I assume it's even larger now! |
total employment in the nhs has risen by 20% since 2020. that's an additional quarter of a million. it can't just be about resources. |  |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| The French health system on 23:13 - Oct 14 with 154 views | reusersfreekicks |
| The French health system on 22:43 - Oct 14 by lowhouseblue |
total employment in the nhs has risen by 20% since 2020. that's an additional quarter of a million. it can't just be about resources. |
Source? |  | | |
| The French health system on 07:26 - Oct 15 with 100 views | GlasgowBlue |
The provided statistics show a substantial growth in the NHS workforce between February 2020 and February 2025, with doctors up by 26% and nurses up by 25%. Similarly, the overall workforce in hospital and community health services increased by 29% between July 2015 and July 2023, with the total number of staff growing significantly, as per this NHS England Digital report and Nuffield Trust analysis.
Workforce growth (February 2020–February 2025)
Doctors: Increased by 26%.
Nurses: Increased by 25%.
Overall workforce growth (July 2015–July 2023)
Total staff: Increased by 29% in hospital and community health services.
Key details
Overall workforce: The growth in the total number of staff has been substantial, with a 29% increase in hospital and community health services between July 2015 and July 2023, for example.
Data sources: These statistics are from sources such as NHS England Digital and the Nuffield Trust.
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workfor
https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/the-nhs-workforce-in-numbers |  |
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| The French health system on 07:37 - Oct 15 with 86 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
| The French health system on 11:50 - Oct 14 by GlasgowBlue |
Speaking of prevention, I was talking to a GP friend of mine last week and he was saying that Mounjaro is a real game changer in prevention and in years to come we will see less obesity, heart problems, diabetes and he also said that it may improve mental health. |
Prevention would be not earing sh1t processed food and getting obese. |  |
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| The French health system on 09:45 - Oct 15 with 43 views | Blue_Moses |
| The French health system on 21:44 - Oct 13 by Daninthecampo |
The spanish system is very good too, I can always get a GP appointment within 2 days.
We're still working so paying social security, so all free and prescriptions usually work out less than an euro per item! |
I never have a problem getting a doctors appointment within 2 days in Ipswich. Same with other appointments in the hospital. | | | |
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