Today I am not going to comment on news that were published in Trinidad and Tobago; or anywhere else for that matter.
I am going to comment on another experience I had yesterday.
About 7.30 AM I went to the A & E at my local hospital. The waiting room had two persons, of whom I was the second. Yes, only one person was waiting there when I arrived.
After waiting about 5 minutes, I was called and the nurse quickly did blood, urine tests and marked up my BP etc.
Within 20 minutes I was seen by a doctor, who was friendly and yet professional, and had an IV up, been visited by the A & E consultant (I admit, he is a Trini and I knew him when he worked in Sando), and was already diagnosed.
I was sent to the medical assessment unit, a 'holding area' for monitoring, where I was seen by no less than 3 doctors (4 if you count the consultant who sees me in clinic for my high cholesterol... he'd heard I was there and dropped by), a specialist nurse who explained my condition in detail and provided ample reading material and self-monitoring unit, her phone contact for emergencies.
The cost to me? Not one pence above my taxes. The service? Truly impressive.
I was discharged with medication, a letter for follow-up by my GP, a note to my employers, and teary good-byes. Okay, maybe not the last but I daresay the excellent service DID NOT have room for improvement. I mean, how many of us see a doctor 3 or 4 times a year and he actually drops in to see you when he hears you're nearby?
Anyway, it wasn't a heart attack so get those thoughts out of your heads; I am fine. I just wanted to relate this incident so you can compare with the health service in Trinidad.
