Poles put us to shame
From Peter Whyte-Venables
Sir: It is not only America in particular that puts our health system to shame, nor is it rich Western countries in general (‘Die in Britain, survive in the US’, 12 February). Last May I was in Krakow, Poland, and about to set off for a twoweek cross-country walk when a mysterious pain struck my neck and shoulder. After six days of increasing agony (by which stage sleep was only possible by means of a great deal of vodka), I found a blue cross on a map of Krakow, walked across the city and into the hospital at five minutes past noon.
At exactly one o’clock I walked out again, having been examined by two doctors (one speaking perfect English) and had four Xrays, on the strength of which a consultant osteopath sent me off to the chemist with a prescription handwritten in Latin, where I was given three weeks’ worth of sleeping tablets and painkillers, both of which worked. The total cost to a non-resident, non-national, non-taxpayer in this relatively poor non-EU country? £30.
Back in my own country, I had to wait five days to see a doctor, who prescribed painkillers so weak they had no effect whatsoever (when I told him this, he replied, with that bedside manner for which the NHS is notable, ‘Well, they’re not Smarties, you know’), and then six weeks to have X-rays, after which a further two months elapsed before I was able to see an osteopath, who was unable to come to a diagnosis. The problem eventually resolved itself, but with no thanks whatsoever to the NHS.
Peter Whyte-Venables Ludlow, Shropshire
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