The National Health Service (NHS) is a public-funded health care system of the United Kingdom. It is made up of four semi-independent systems called NHS England, NHS Scotland, NHS Wales and the Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland.
The National Health Service offers a wide range of health services for the residents of the UK. All four of the UK’s health care systems operate independently and are politically accountable to the relevant government. Recognized as one of the most efficient and productive health care systems globally, NHS is based on the culture of consistent and important reorganization relying on political priorities. Fundamentally, the healthcare professionals who get employed by the NHS through general practitioner’s job, admin jobs or nursing jobs in the UK are responsible for managing significant community-based health care on a routine basis.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT NHS:
It has been established that under the NHS, all the treatments, appointments and prescription drugs will be free for the patients since they will be paid through the taxes. NHS covers a wide range of health services that are offered to the citizens of the UK. Right from general practitioner services, dentist appointments, pharmacy prescriptions, opticians, hospitals, urgent care services, pregnancy services, mental health services and many others, the NHS covers many things.
It is estimated that NHS England deals with more than a million patients every 36 hours. With a little exception to some of the charges when it comes to taking optical services, dental services, and prescriptions, NHS England is free at the point of delivery for all residents.
All the people who traveled to the UK and the ones who are working on a temporary work visa are all eligible for free medical treatment through the NHS. They are paid an Immigration Health Surcharge as one of the parts of the Visa application that essentially grants them access to the NHS.
Based on the rules of the UK government, one can start using NHS services after paying for the IHS or in case the visa or immigration application gets granted. However, they will still need to pay for some of the services such as dental treatments, eye treatments or tests and prescriptions.
WHY WAS THE NHS SET UP?
At its core, the NHS was set up so that everyone could share the burden of paying for the health services provided by the general practitioners, the nurses, dentists, midwives, etc. instead of the costs coming from any ill or injured people. A leaflet sent out in 1948 after the induction of NHS mentioned:
‘Everyone, rich or poor, man, woman or child – can use the NHS or any part of it. There are no charges to it except for a few items. There are no insurance qualifications. But it is not a “charity”. You are all paying for it as a taxpayer, and it will relieve your money worries in time of illness.’
Before the formation of the NHS, there were multiple health systems in Britain. The people who were paid comparatively low had the option of relying on the National Health Insurance scheme, 1911 for paying the medical costs.
Where people in certain places were covered by some of the council schemes, some of the workers took membership in special societies for covering the costs. However, many people were still supposed to pay for the healthcare system themselves and some people, especially the women and people who were out of work were supposed to pay directly for any health care that they needed.
Therefore, the significance behind the creation of NHS was to offer health services to people in the UK irrespective of economical background and a method by which no one paid for the doctors or hospital bills when they were sick.
NHS is helpful both for the citizens and the healthcare employees of the UK. Where NHS offers a multitude of benefits to the patients, it is also beneficial in terms of getting employed as a doctor, an executive in the hospital staff or getting nursing jobs in the UK.
JOBS WITH NHS:
For most of the healthcare professionals, including GPs, national nurses, international nurses, etc., the main appeal of working in the UK is the National Health Service. Not only does the NHS offer GP jobs and nursing jobs in the UK for both the native and the international professionals but the advantages that come with the NHS jobs are exceptional.
Other than one of the most well-renowned healthcare systems, the UK has a highly multicultural environment including people from all backgrounds and cultures over the world. Jobs such as a doctor or nursing jobs in the UK with the NHS is the best way to settle in the country comfortably.
WHY WORKING WITH NHS IS ADVISABLE?
You will get an opportunity to become a part of a passionate, talented and committed team that specializes in providing high quality treatment. In addition, NHS professionals also enjoy some of the most competitive and flexible packages offered by any employer.
NHS has an active requirement for nursing professionals in the UK. Nurses from all ages, experiences, and backgrounds are recruited. This is because it helps the NHS to understand the needs of different patients while offering the best health care services.
Some of the benefits of working with the NHS are:
- • Working only for the 37.5 standard working hours.
- • Harmonized holiday entitlements of over 27 days in a year in addition to the eight general and public holidays that rises to 33 days after service of ten years.
- • A yearly personal development review report that supports the career aspirations of the professionals.
- • Personal development training opportunities that enable a person to reach his/her complete potential.
- • An overall emphasis on equal development opportunity for all.
- • Healthy and high-quality working conditions.
- • An excellent NHS pension scheme.
REGISTERING WITH THE NHS:
To register with the NHS, you will need to visit a GP while formally filling up a family doctor registration form that will enable you to register yourself as an NHS patient. This form can be obtained when you visit the GP, but it can also be downloaded before visiting the doctor or a medical clinic or speaking to the GP.
There is a possibility that these forms might differ slightly since all practices use their own versions. However, the NHS transfers all your medical records (only if it is applicable) while writing to you and confirming your participation as a patient with that particular practice.
The good thing is that the NHS is open to everyone. The National Health Service makes it clear that the patients cannot be refused registration or any appointments if they don’t have any address proof or a personal identification proof at hand.
DETAILS REQUIRED DURING REGISTRATION:
For registration with the NHS, personal details including name, previous surnames, town, city, and country of birth, phone number, address, etc. are taken. Information about medical records is also needed but not if a person has recently arrived in the UK.
The health care workers who want to register with the NHS such as GPs, nurses, etc. must find a permanent or semi-permanent place to live in the UK. Registration for them is connected to the postcodes.
APPOINTMENTS WITH NHS:
There is no need for making an appointment in case the patient wants to visit a walk-in clinic. However, making an appointment is important in case you want to see a GP. Additionally, the appointments are absolutely free.
If someone is not sure if they wish to see a medical professional for any health matter then they can call on a free helpline service, NHS 111. The trained NHS professionals are responsible for connecting you with a nurse, a GP, an emergency dentist and they can also arrange a local appointment if there is a need.
On the other hand, if it is a minor ailment including common cold and cough, pain then even a pharmacist can help with the right medication. In case the medical condition is serious, the pharmacist can prescribe a medical professional.
In case anyone in the UK feels that they need to see a GP or any other healthcare professional then they can call to book an appointment. Some of the practices also offer a facility to do online booking in advance or repeat the prescriptions.
IS A PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE NEEDED ALONG WITH NHS?
In the UK, everyone is covered with the NHS. This essentially means that no one has to pay to see a doctor or visit a hospital. However, if someone wants private health insurance particularly then it is a different matter. Otherwise, there is no need to do anything to attain a medical cover.
This is to say that there can be multiple reasons why a person would want to take any additional healthcare insurance. Hence, if someone needs additional personal health insurance for some serious medical reasons then they can go ahead. In general, people will be fine with the NHS.
CONCLUSION:
In sum, the National Health Service in Great Britain is a comprehensive public health service under government administration, established in the year 1948. The entire population is covered in the NHS which makes the health services extremely free except for some of the minor charges.
