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American doctor writes about her experiences in a NHS A & E department American doctor praises NHS after experiencing A&E department in action
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An American doctor has written about her admiration at the care on offer in an NHS accident and emergency department - after using their services again. An American doctor has written about her admiration for the care on offer in NHS accident and emergency departments - after experiencing their services firsthand.
Dr Jen Gunter, an ostetrician based in America, had to take her English cousin Helen to A&E in Sunderland hospital after she badly twisted her ankle while walking on cobbles in high heels. Dr Jen Gunter, an obstetrician based in the US, had to take her English cousin Helen to A&E at a hospital in Sunderland after she twisted her ankle while walking on cobbles in high heels.
Dr Gunter expressed her admiration the speed and and quality Helen received, writing: "My cousin was triaged immediately. Within two minutes a nurse checked her ankle, gave her codeine, and then sent her off to an urgent care clinic. Dr Gunter subsequently praised the speed and quality of care Helen received, writing on her personal blog: "My cousin was triaged immediately. Within two minutes a nurse checked her ankle, gave her codeine, and then sent her off to an urgent care clinic.
"To receive this care all my cousin had to do was provide her name and birth date. "To receive this care, all my cousin had to do was provide her name and birth date.
"No copayments, no preauthorisations, no concerns about the radiologist or orthopedic surgeon being out of network." "No co-payments, no pre-authorisations, no concerns about the radiologist or orthopedic surgeon being out of network."
It took four hours in total for Helen's successful treatment including an "unavoidable" hour wait for the fracture clinic and around 30 minutes of travel around the hospital. It took four hours in total for Helen's successful treatment including an "unavoidable" hour's wait for the fracture clinic and approximately 30 minutes of travel around the hospital.
She compared the experience of visiting British A & E with American ER where patients are forced to make copayments to get essential care such as a CT scan to check if a cancer has returned. She compared the experience of visiting British A&E with American ER where patients are forced to make co-payments to get essential care, such as a CT scan to check whether a cancer has returned.
Speaking to British citizens, she wrote: "Dear U.K., the NHS is awesome. Try to treat it a little better. Maybe teach kids in school how to use the health care system (hey, why not NHS ed alongside drivers ed or sex ed?). Speaking to British citizens, she wrote: "Dear UK, the NHS is awesome. Try to treat it a little better. Maybe teach kids in school how to use the health care system (hey, why not NHS ed alongside drivers ed or sex ed?).
"Have safe sex. Stop smoking. Try to lose weight if you need to (obesity causes 30% of cancers). Wear lower heels for dancing. And for crying out loud stop stealing wheelchairs."Have safe sex. Stop smoking. Try to lose weight if you need to (obesity causes 30% of cancers). Wear lower heels for dancing. And for crying out loud stop stealing wheelchairs.
"The next time anyone mentions privatization or user fees tell them in America there are people trying to save enough money for the copayment for the CT scan that will tell them if their cancer has returned or not." "The next time anyone mentions privatization or user fees tell them in America there are people trying to save enough money for the co-payment for the CT scan that will tell them if their cancer has returned or not."
And in a final note, she said: "To the British government, stop trying to mess it up." In a final note, she said: "To the British government, stop trying to mess it up."
This is not Dr Gunter's first experience with the NHS. In 2014 she took her son Victor, then 11, to A&E after he injured his eye. Writing of her experience then, she said: "Take away the accents and I could easily have been listening to a group of Americans discussing their care. With one exception: no one in the UK is left wondering what the price will be, or gets sent a horrific bill. It makes you wonder exactly what frightens Americans about the NHS." This is not Dr Gunter's first experience with the NHS. In 2014, she took her son Victor, then 11, to A&E after he injured his eye. Writing of her experience then, she said: "Take away the accents and I could easily have been listening to a group of Americans discussing their care. With one exception: no one in the UK is left wondering what the price will be, or gets sent a horrific bill. It makes you wonder exactly what frightens Americans about the NHS."