Hello everyone,

I’m sure we’ve all had good and bad experiences at the doctor’s surgery and at the hospital and the anecdotes could be innumerable, but on a score of 1-10, how would you rate your health service? There are so many factors to be considered here that it’s not easy to give a rating.

I’ll start off on the subject of the time that these professionals dedicate to us. I know they have long waiting lists everywhere (in some specialities more than others). Even the local family doctor/GP has so many minutes per patient on his/her schedule. But how strict are they about it? In Spain a family doctor has definitely always granted me and mine the time necessary to solve a problem or worry or he/she has passed us on to a specialist who (eventually) also did so.

From relatives in England I know that the time per appointment is rigourously respected. When  an aunt of mine went on to say (after 3 minutes) «Yes, Doctor, but I also feel…», she was cut short and told «Time’s up. Please make another appointment».

I’m fortunate enough to have had very little contact with doctors for myself, but so far I’d give the health service a 7 or 8 out of 10 in Spain regards the time issue. I’d give the doctors themselves a 9 or 9.5. They seem to juggle it to the patient’s benefit at their own sacrifice.

Any opinions?

Regards to all