It does seem to have got worse in the last few years - not that I go to a GP often (maybe once every 3 or 4 years) but I was used to getting an appointment within 1 or 2 days and the last time the only appointement was about a week away.
However, it is worth noting that recent published statistics (for 2011/2012) show that:
"85 per cent could see or speak to a doctor or nurse within two working days compared to 90 per cent in 2009/10."
Note that this is for NHS Scotland - there actually isn't a single NHS for the entire UK.
One of the problems with the NHS is that it seems to suffer from having regular waves of (probably very expensive) management re-organisation inflicted on it in efforts to make it "more efficient" - often with non-medical managers being incentivized on performance, so they end up gaming the metrics.
Still, I think the NHS and the concept of "free at the point of delivery" championed by Nye Bevan "In Place of Fear" are still fantastically important to society the UK - though nobody claims it is perfect. Clearly the absolute best level of individual care are to be found elsewhere (probably in the US). However, when I see quotes elsewhere in this thread such as:
"I broke my knee this spring but didn't go to a hospital on my families request because the last time I broke a bone I reset it myself and the hospital still charged $8k."
Those pretty much fill me with horror/fear that anyone has to put up with that - which is precisely the reason the NHS was created.
Although specialist visits are still lagging behind the US (23 weeks for knee replacements).
Yes, the non medical managers (i.e. those annoying MPH people who make drastic irrational changes to justify their positions), we have the same problem in Canada.
However, it is worth noting that recent published statistics (for 2011/2012) show that:
"85 per cent could see or speak to a doctor or nurse within two working days compared to 90 per cent in 2009/10."
Note that this is for NHS Scotland - there actually isn't a single NHS for the entire UK.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/05/8250/3
One of the problems with the NHS is that it seems to suffer from having regular waves of (probably very expensive) management re-organisation inflicted on it in efforts to make it "more efficient" - often with non-medical managers being incentivized on performance, so they end up gaming the metrics.
Still, I think the NHS and the concept of "free at the point of delivery" championed by Nye Bevan "In Place of Fear" are still fantastically important to society the UK - though nobody claims it is perfect. Clearly the absolute best level of individual care are to be found elsewhere (probably in the US). However, when I see quotes elsewhere in this thread such as:
"I broke my knee this spring but didn't go to a hospital on my families request because the last time I broke a bone I reset it myself and the hospital still charged $8k."
Those pretty much fill me with horror/fear that anyone has to put up with that - which is precisely the reason the NHS was created.