Still Impressed by the Spanish Health System?

 Well, comadreja, not wishing to take issue with your post but, in UK, it depends what the doctor ticks on the blood request for what comes back from the lab.  If he ticks off 20 tests, you'll get 20 results back.  Bloods are tested on the same day they are taken in UK and results are sent back via computer at 1800, 0600, 1200 and again at 1800 (not sent at 0000 hours as most surgeries computers are being backed up at that time).  

I have never seen a cholesterol level reported as <40 mg/dl or whatever.  They are always given as LDL reading, HDL reading and total cholesterol in millimoles (mmol) per Litre such as 5 mmol/L.  You will also get your Triglyceride reading at the same time.

I know the British system can be pretty poor but not in that area.  

The only time I had my bloods taken in Spain was at the hospital and the results were back in less than 30 minutes.  This will also happen if you are seen in A&E in UK, the only difference in UK being that you will probably wait 4 hours before the bloods are taken!

Mike,

Yes I am!

And I suggest that you visit a few more countries within Europe, including the UK, and see for yourself what the quality of each individual country's Health Service is like, at this moment in time, before you disparage that of Spain.

When one writes an article, or expresses an opinion on an open forum, then one should use a comparison!

You, above all people. should know that!

I have in the past enjoyed reading your articles, and consider your writing to be above the normal par one reads in the press, however your posts on here sometimes come across as being very one sided and not as objective expressions, which one would expect from an experienced writer such as yourself.

As a couple of posters pointed out, the headline; ‘Still Impressed by the Spanish Health System?’ was out of kilter with the question posed. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I suppose it should have read: ‘Is Four Months too Long to Wait?

We live and learn. It is, if you will excuse the expression, heartening to know the Spanish health service gets thumbs up from a clear majority.

Just been looking at some stats here about health spending by country (as a percentage of GDP).  The UK and Spain are ranked at joint 19th, with health spending of 7.5% of GDP.  For some reason, I thought Spain spent a lot more of it's health service.

I've found the Spanish health system to be pretty decent.  I always seem to end up with 3 or 4 different prescriptions every time I go, and that's for minor things like flu or sore throat.  So I reckon the drugs companies must make a lot of money out of Spain.

Most of the doctors I've seen have been Cuban, which is propbably one of the reasons the Spanish health system is so good. 

Mike_Walsh

I agree things did not go well for your friend but whose to say things would have been any better if he had been treated in the UK.

Using real life examples of UK treatment my Mother's mis-diagnosis was so bad in the UK and when a diagnosis was eventually made, the Consultant let slip that had my Mother been examined properley in the first place her condition should have been immediately identified and treated rather than wasting several crucial weeks..............

In the case of my father, the sister actually suggested we take action against the hosital........the only reason I didn't was because my mother was very upset and asked me not to.......

Where would I rather be treated (based on personal experience....) Spain for sure.

From a generic perspective, I've heard first hand how lack of language skills caused confusion during initial diagnosis.