Sveny goes to the doctor
Since moving to Australia I’ve been lucky enough to avoid having to go to the doctor for anything, but there are some pretty vicious colds going around at the moment (apart from the swine flu, of course) and last week I had a few days off work while I sweated out a particularly nasty bug. I had to go to the doctor to certify I was actually ill, and since it’s not free here (unlike the UK with the fabulous, wonderful NHS) I was determined to get everything I could for my $30.
Paying for your doctor’s appointment does seem to get you a better service, it must be said. As much as I think I shouldn’t have to shell out every time I’m sick, the doctor does take his time with you rather than hustling you out the door like UK doctors often do. I got a sick note for my cold after a thorough examination and interrogation about my symptoms; a good look at my nose after a 20-stone guy smashed into it at rugby a few weeks ago (it took me three weeks to notice that it has changed shape – thankfully it’s not broken); and the usual run of tests for STIs and the like. They’re a pain in the ass but they’ve got to be done. Now I’m a single boy the general advice is to get everything checked out so while I was there I took the opportunity to get everything checked out.
Compared to the UK, sexual health testing in Australia is fantastic. I don’t know how the UK government can claim anything but total failure on this front: my last test in the UK was fine, but the care was atrocious. The results take three weeks to come back and they only call you if there’s something wrong; essentially you spend 21 days worrying every time the phone rings. In Australia the tests were back in two days and they even checked my existing vaccinations for free, too. No long waits on the edge of your seat waiting for the all clear. I never take any risks, of course, but no matter how safe you think you are there’s always a chance that something could have gone wrong and no matter how slim, that chance always looks massive right before you get the results. Thankfully, the results were as expected: everything came back clear.
The only damn cheek about the whole thing was having to pay for a second appointment to get my results. $30 for a five minute all clear and a prescription for a Hep B vaccination booster? Outrageous! Still, money well spent to get the good news. I guess I can live with that.
22 June 2009 at 5:24 am
Free health care, it would be nice
Rocketstar´s last blog ..New York City Bus Campaign
5 July 2009 at 10:42 pm
I was most struck by your saying you would get everything you could for your $30. We have a $20 co-pay here, with insurance, and we get treated only for what we called in for. I once took my mother into the doctor for one thing or another, and asked the doctor also to look at mom’s shoulder, which had been causing her pain. Sorry, we had only called in for a headcold. If we wanted her to look at her shoulder, we had to make a separate appointment. With the same woman that was standing right before us.
Gnightgirl´s last blog ..4th of July through One Soldier’s Mother’s Eyes
6 July 2009 at 11:44 am
Rocket, the NHS has its faults, to be sure, but not having to pay is just amazing. As for the ridiculous tale of woe from you, Gng, I’m staggered. What kind of person could seriously refuse to talk about a patient about anything when you are sat in the room with them? And how do they know it’s not all connected? The best doctors I have ever seen are the ones who listen to all your ailments in one go and then decide what’s wrong with you – sometimes they are all symptoms of one thing. Crazy!