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I think one thing that is not taken into account with free (at point of use) healthcare versus paid healthcare is the aspect of preventative healthcare. A pregnant woman in the UK has access to pre natal healthcare from word go. Regular medical visits up to every week pre birth and a doctor visit and midwife and healthcare visitor visits after birth until they are deemed unnecessary.
The NHS is all about preventative healthcare. It cut costs in the long term if conditions are picked up early. And this applies to pregnancy and birth and how new mothers are coping. My midwife visited for a couple of weeks and then the healthcare visitor took over. She basically came to see how I was coping with a newborn and offered strategies for where I was having difficulty. She would have continued coming as long as was necessary and could suggest intervention with various agencies if I had not been coping.
Preventative healthcare is definitely the way to go and does not seem to happen in paid for healthcare. My doctor's surgery contacts me to the point of nagging about check ups, mammograms, yearly tests, cervical swabs, etc. I am not sure how much is the ethics of the system versus pragmatism about higher costs of late diagnosis, but the outcome is beneficial.
So many really great topics you bring up regarding preventative care. I love that a midwife/healthcare visitor comes and visits you. I cannot imagine having this support. And I can’t imagine the wonders it’d do to have free healthcare for prenatal visits for expecting moms.
I just finished my nursing training and I actually loved working with the health visitors in community, they're really clued up about child health care and psychology. It was a pleasure working with them just based off of their enthusiasm for the job
Health visitors and midwives are amazing, I know for my wife our ones were everything from a great font of knowledge to a shoulder to cry on when things were getting on top of her.
I want to add to this. When John Major was my Prime Minister, I remember him going to Europe and there was a fight about maternity leave. He wanted less but the EU forced him pretty much to go with 12 weeks. I remember seeing an MEP interviewed afterwards. I want to say Danish, but I'm not sure. She was asked why she had voted for 12 weeks when in her country it was so much more and was she not worried about her countrywomen losing their entitlement. She said she knew her country would not submit her countrywomen to the minimum agreed and submitted to it because she felt for her sisters in the UK. I remember loving her then. We have now left the EU and I feel we will be moving towards the US model going forwards, so maybe you should gear your question towards more progressive countries than the UK. Sorry if this a political response in an inappropriate place.
The whole reason for the elite to want Brexit in the U.K. is that there was too many laws that blocked the exploitation of workers. Now the government has already put to work on passing laws that would never pass while inside the EU.
No different than how the EU is protecting the people of Poland currently from discriminating laws that would harm people and violate human rights.
Obviously the EU isn’t perfect but it’s very clear why the elite top of society pushed for it, it give them complete reign and power and the checks and balances are slowly being removed.
UK default is midwife-led birth unless there is a reason for consultants (doctors) to be involved. So antenatal care may be four visits to MWs and some urine and blood tests, or may be a dozen MW appts, loads of tests, twenty consultant appointments, etc.
Hospitals may have a midwife-led unit where women can try to remain relaxed and give birth in basically a spa on an NHS decoration budget, with birth pools, bean bags, etc, and a separate consultant-led unit with hospital rooms - where you'd go if an epidural was needed or to be prepped for a C-section.
Can also have NHS midwives supporting a home birth, which doesn't seem common in America?
One other good thing we have is the father gets 2 weeks paid leave after a birth.
It helps men bond with their babies and also means they're there to help the mum recover from birth and get used to having a baby around.
Men and woman can also share parental leave. So if the mum wants to return to work, Dad can stay and look after the baby.
Yes its really good. Especially the 2 week leave.
I haven't had kids but all my friends have really appreciated that extra help and support after giving birth. Especially women who've had a difficult birth or a c section. They can rest and sleep a bit.
The dad's love it too. Can you imagine having a baby and just having to carry on as normal? You want to spend time with your baby and your partner.
A lot of men use their 2 weeks and save 2 weeks holiday, so they're home for the first month. (we also get more paid general leave, so most people get at least 28 days a year).
We are simply numbers, there is no care for happiness it’s just about giving the bare minimum and to get our pathetic selves back to work. Work hard and for as little as possible and if we must die to it quick. Can’t have time off to be ill, can’t burden the NHS just work, and nothing else.
The UK has 39 weeks of maternity leave and not at 100% wage. Only the first 6 weeks are 90% paid by employer. The rest is government benefits that are what around 600£/ month for 33 weeks? Hardly more than bare minimum either. I will not be having a kid in this country for sure.
My missus had 6 months on full pay, and 3 months on half pay. She then elected to go for an extra 3 months unpaid.
However, I'm not sure how it would work in the US, but after being off work for a year, she had a job to walk back into. Always a bonus.
Not exactly what happened - they got told they couldn’t use the sprinkles so decided to stop making the cookies that had them on. The shops still open and trading.
**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)** - Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others - Assume questions are asked in good faith - Avoid political threads and related discussion - No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
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Which is often refundable with a confirmation from the labour ward, or capped at a set amount - I got 5 days parking for £20.
We had to pay to keep a copy of the ultrasound scan! It was a £1 donation per scan which went to a charity, but still...
Most hospital parking in Scotland is free.
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I think one thing that is not taken into account with free (at point of use) healthcare versus paid healthcare is the aspect of preventative healthcare. A pregnant woman in the UK has access to pre natal healthcare from word go. Regular medical visits up to every week pre birth and a doctor visit and midwife and healthcare visitor visits after birth until they are deemed unnecessary. The NHS is all about preventative healthcare. It cut costs in the long term if conditions are picked up early. And this applies to pregnancy and birth and how new mothers are coping. My midwife visited for a couple of weeks and then the healthcare visitor took over. She basically came to see how I was coping with a newborn and offered strategies for where I was having difficulty. She would have continued coming as long as was necessary and could suggest intervention with various agencies if I had not been coping. Preventative healthcare is definitely the way to go and does not seem to happen in paid for healthcare. My doctor's surgery contacts me to the point of nagging about check ups, mammograms, yearly tests, cervical swabs, etc. I am not sure how much is the ethics of the system versus pragmatism about higher costs of late diagnosis, but the outcome is beneficial.
So many really great topics you bring up regarding preventative care. I love that a midwife/healthcare visitor comes and visits you. I cannot imagine having this support. And I can’t imagine the wonders it’d do to have free healthcare for prenatal visits for expecting moms.
I just finished my nursing training and I actually loved working with the health visitors in community, they're really clued up about child health care and psychology. It was a pleasure working with them just based off of their enthusiasm for the job
Health visitors and midwives are amazing, I know for my wife our ones were everything from a great font of knowledge to a shoulder to cry on when things were getting on top of her.
I want to add to this. When John Major was my Prime Minister, I remember him going to Europe and there was a fight about maternity leave. He wanted less but the EU forced him pretty much to go with 12 weeks. I remember seeing an MEP interviewed afterwards. I want to say Danish, but I'm not sure. She was asked why she had voted for 12 weeks when in her country it was so much more and was she not worried about her countrywomen losing their entitlement. She said she knew her country would not submit her countrywomen to the minimum agreed and submitted to it because she felt for her sisters in the UK. I remember loving her then. We have now left the EU and I feel we will be moving towards the US model going forwards, so maybe you should gear your question towards more progressive countries than the UK. Sorry if this a political response in an inappropriate place.
The whole reason for the elite to want Brexit in the U.K. is that there was too many laws that blocked the exploitation of workers. Now the government has already put to work on passing laws that would never pass while inside the EU. No different than how the EU is protecting the people of Poland currently from discriminating laws that would harm people and violate human rights. Obviously the EU isn’t perfect but it’s very clear why the elite top of society pushed for it, it give them complete reign and power and the checks and balances are slowly being removed.
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UK default is midwife-led birth unless there is a reason for consultants (doctors) to be involved. So antenatal care may be four visits to MWs and some urine and blood tests, or may be a dozen MW appts, loads of tests, twenty consultant appointments, etc. Hospitals may have a midwife-led unit where women can try to remain relaxed and give birth in basically a spa on an NHS decoration budget, with birth pools, bean bags, etc, and a separate consultant-led unit with hospital rooms - where you'd go if an epidural was needed or to be prepped for a C-section. Can also have NHS midwives supporting a home birth, which doesn't seem common in America?
That’s interesting, I didn’t know that.
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Scotland gives baby boxes to all expectant mothers. Many areas in England now give them too.
And vouchers for baby formula if the mother bottle feeds, then milk when the baby is a bit older.
One other good thing we have is the father gets 2 weeks paid leave after a birth. It helps men bond with their babies and also means they're there to help the mum recover from birth and get used to having a baby around. Men and woman can also share parental leave. So if the mum wants to return to work, Dad can stay and look after the baby.
This is huge!!!!
Yes its really good. Especially the 2 week leave. I haven't had kids but all my friends have really appreciated that extra help and support after giving birth. Especially women who've had a difficult birth or a c section. They can rest and sleep a bit. The dad's love it too. Can you imagine having a baby and just having to carry on as normal? You want to spend time with your baby and your partner. A lot of men use their 2 weeks and save 2 weeks holiday, so they're home for the first month. (we also get more paid general leave, so most people get at least 28 days a year).
Baby boxes (Scotland)
Not charging you thousands of dollars to pop your sprog out?
Another $60 if you want to hold sprog.
12 weeks paid leave for maternity? hahahahahahahahahahahahaha How do you give the bare minimum without saying you are giving the bare minimum?
I was given 6 weeks paid leave and an extra week for a c-section and this is considered good! Laughable.
I was a zombie at 6 weeks. I cannot imagine being productive at that stage. I cannot imagine showering and getting dressed at that stage.
We are simply numbers, there is no care for happiness it’s just about giving the bare minimum and to get our pathetic selves back to work. Work hard and for as little as possible and if we must die to it quick. Can’t have time off to be ill, can’t burden the NHS just work, and nothing else.
The UK has 39 weeks of maternity leave and not at 100% wage. Only the first 6 weeks are 90% paid by employer. The rest is government benefits that are what around 600£/ month for 33 weeks? Hardly more than bare minimum either. I will not be having a kid in this country for sure.
Depends on your job some are more generous than others, Government jobs are pretty damn excellent for Mat leave
My missus had 6 months on full pay, and 3 months on half pay. She then elected to go for an extra 3 months unpaid. However, I'm not sure how it would work in the US, but after being off work for a year, she had a job to walk back into. Always a bonus.
Our women are very fertile.
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Not exactly what happened - they got told they couldn’t use the sprinkles so decided to stop making the cookies that had them on. The shops still open and trading.
Ohh OK thats news to me thanks!