Your family’s health is of top priority to you, and of course your own health is important too. Sometimes you might not be satisfied with the standards of health care your family is receiving, or you might be unsure that you’re doing everything you can to keep everyone healthy. Naturally, you want to ensure that everyone gets the best care they can receive. You might think that there could be some changes to the health care your family receives. If so, it’s worth exploring the options available.
Change Services
The NHS might be free at the point of access, but it’s not perfect. You can sometimes find yourself getting frustrated with the service that you receive. One thing to keep in mind is that not every service and every medical professional is the same. Some are more knowledgeable and better equipped than others, some just have a better appraoch. If you’re not happy with the service you receive from a particular doctor, nurse or surgery, you can try elsewhere. You can ask your doctor’s surgery to see someone else, or keep pushing for a referral to a specialist. You can also change the surgery you use if you’re within the catchment area for somewhere else.
Go Private
You might support the NHS, but it can still be frustrating to deal with waiting times and other issues. If you can afford to, using private medical care can be another option. Not only will it get you attention faster, it will help other people out too. There will be fewer people competing for NHS services if some use private health care. A private hospital can provide many services faster than the NHS can. However, they may still use the NHS for some things. Even if you want to stay with your NHS GP, you could consider using a private dentist.
Know Your Rights
It’s a good idea to become familiar with what you can and can’t do when using various medical services. For example, you’re allowed to ask for a second opinion if you want one. It’s a good idea to get familiar with how your GP’s appointment system works. They might give priority to children, so you can ensure you get it if your child needs to see a doctor. You can also read about the NHS complaints system, in case you ever want to report something you’re unhappy about.
Access a Variety of Services
It’s a good idea to become familiar with the health care services you can access. Knowing where to go and when will help everyone get treatment faster. For example, you can go to a pharmacist for some minor conditions. If you have a local walk-in centre, it’s often a better option than going to casualty. You might also be able to access an out-of-hours service when your GP surgery is closed.
You can improve your family’s health care by becoming more familiar with your choices. Knowing what’s available and your rights can help you get what you need.
