Immigrating to the UK

[The Voice]

GPs are definitely stretched. Mine even had a sign advising patients to only come with one issue, because appointments are only 10 minutes. Miss the old days of seeing a GP in SA for as long as you need to.

Anyway, if you need to speak to a GP for something general, try https://www.livi.co.uk/. Wont prescribe medication, but still a damned side better than speaking to the bots at 111.

 

[Dave]

GPs are definitely stretched. Mine even had a sign advising patients to only come with one issue, because appointments are only 10 minutes. Miss the old days of seeing a GP in SA for as long as you need to.

Anyway, if you need to speak to a GP for something general, try https://www.livi.co.uk/. Wont prescribe medication, but still a damned side better than speaking to the bots at 111.

Can't you book double appointments at your GP surgery?

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

I'm lucky, my GP asks me if I want a quickie or longer. Think the longest I've waited is about 25mins but it was just after covid and pretty full

 

[The Voice]

Can't you book double appointments at your GP surgery?

Nope. Lucky to get the 10 minute one.

 

[cguy]

As a matter of interest, how common are things like concierge doctors in the UK? I’m guessing not too common since a quick Google search just gives a few links to “we’ll send a doctor to you” services, as opposed to actually retaining a doctor.

 

[Dave]

As a matter of interest, how common are things like concierge doctors in the UK? I’m guessing not too common since a quick Google search just gives a few links to “we’ll send a doctor to you” services, as opposed to actually retaining a doctor.

To me a concierge is a doorman or personal assistant who can arrange things for you, so not a term I would associate with a GP.

You can, however, pay and use private GP services if you wish.

For example

Private GP service in Newcastle upon Tyne | Nuffield Health

Our private GP service at Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital gives you rapid access to GP consultations, sexual health checks and advice on minor conditions.

www.nuffieldhealth.com

 

[cguy]

To me a concierge is a doorman or personal assistant who can arrange things for you, so not a term I would associate with a GP.

You can, however, pay and use private GP services if you wish.

For example

Private GP service in Newcastle upon Tyne | Nuffield Health

Our private GP service at Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital gives you rapid access to GP consultations, sexual health checks and advice on minor conditions.

www.nuffieldhealth.com

That looks closer to the SA version of private.

For us it means that your doctor has a very low cap on patient count (typically 50-250), that you can almost always see your doctor the same day (in rare cases like vacations, you will see someone else in the practice).

They also do things like organize specialist appointments (more of the concierge bit) - your doctor will triage you with the specialist, so you will get to see the doctor sooner in urgent situations. Also, they will try multiple specialists and also help choose the particular specialist.

I have a chat app directly to my doctor, so I can type “Hey, I’ve got a ….”, and will have a prescription at the pharmacy 5 minutes later if the issue doesn’t require an in person examination.

I’ll say that it took a fair amount of navigating through the crazy US medical system to reach this point.

 

[Paul Kemp]

England's busiest GP surgeries REVEALED in interactive map

EXCLUSIVE: MailOnline uncovered one surgery dealing with more than 46,000 patients for every full-time equivalent GP. This is up to 1,150 times more than at the country's quietest practices.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Read the comments. And SA wants NHI. The U.K is sinking, sorry to say.

Not even close. Is it as good as private in ZA, no probably not but bad, no way.
Private insurance is also dirt cheap. Doesn’t really get you much besides small refunds and quicker bookings but as a family we are not sickly so haven’t needed to use it outside of a fracture. Snowball fights are dangerous and in reality as a whole probably better dealt with than private in ZA.

News in general zooms in on the worst cases but in reality, on the ground, we just don’t experience much at all that stinks.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

No man, this weather is insane

 

[The Voice]

No man, this weather is insane

I’ve had worse. Were you living here when it hit 40?

Thankfully we’ve had thunderstorms over the last couple of afternoons to cool things down a bit. But being woken up at 05:00 by the sun sucks.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Was here for the 40s yeah .... I mean the north isn't as bad as the south but bloody hell, it's south african weather some days. Went for my daily walk and 45mins in I was struggling, lol

 

[The Voice]

Was here for the 40s yeah .... I mean the north isn't as bad as the south but bloody hell, it's south african weather some days. Went for my daily walk and 45mins in I was struggling, lol

High temps aren’t that bad. I’m a Saffa after all. It’s just the bloody humidity and the fact that the country is built to retain as much heat as possible…

 

[s0lar]

Went to the beach yesterday and in defiance of the limp European sun as a saffer I didnt bother with sun protection. Today I am just off lobster shade.

Great weather though. 30s still doesn't feel like a CT's 30s. Will be wearing sun protection next time. Sigh.

 

[Priapus]

Went to the beach yesterday and in defiance of the limp European sun as a saffer I didnt bother with sun protection. Today I am just off lobster shade.

Great weather though. 30s still doesn't feel like a CT's 30s. Will be wearing sun protection next time. Sigh.

It's not temps that you have to worry about its UV Index that ****s you up if you don't pay attention to it.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Definitely not the best time to go without sunscreen

 

[2026]

I'm without a car next week, does anyone know if I can just use my bank card and tap and go on the buses, or do I need buy bus tickets/cards?

Also any other tips on bus travel would be appreciated.

 

[Priapus]

I'm without a car next week, does anyone know if I can just use my bank card and tap and go on the buses, or do I need buy bus tickets/cards?

Also any other tips on bus travel would be appreciated.

Very much depends on which bus service you'll be using. Eg Stagecoach will have a different setup to other.

 

[Dave]

I'm without a car next week, does anyone know if I can just use my bank card and tap and go on the buses, or do I need buy bus tickets/cards?

Also any other tips on bus travel would be appreciated.

What area? Though most bus companies do have contactless readers these days.

 

[2026]

What area? Though most bus companies do have contactless readers these days.

I need to go between Northwich and Crewe, I see d&g has a route and offer contactless payments.

I guess I just get on the bus and ask the driver for a ticket and pay via card? Seems easy enough.

edit - found this on their site:

We accept contactless payments, including Apple Pay* and Google Pay on all of our buses for transactions up to £45. Ask your driver for your ticket as usual then present your card or device to the card reader to pay.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Just use the app of whoever your bus service is, buy a week pass, easiest way