They call it healthcare

I call it a waste of my time.

My experiences of doctors visits to date go something like this: Make an appointment. Go to the doctor. Say hello. He enquires into my symptoms. Does a basic check. Tells me what I need and writes a prescription if I need one.

Today went like this: Phone frantically from 08:20 in the morning in the hope to get an appointment today after already taking the day off work. Strike it lucky and get appointment for 10:10. See doctor. Doctor stares at me blankly for 20 seconds... I take this to mean that I should tell him my symptoms. I tell him my sypmtoms. He shines a torch from 4 feet away at my throat, tells me there's some signs of inflamation but that there's nothing he can do about it. Then tells me that that's it. I leave.

So now neither he, nor I, has any idea of what is wrong with me. My throat is still completely screwed, I'm breathing like Paula Radcliffe after the London Marathon, and I have sinusses which feel like they've been stuffed with cotton wool. I've been in varying degrees of this situation for the last 3 weeks... hence the doctors appointment. His advice is to ride it out. What the hell he thinks I've been doing up until now I don't know.

Anyways, I just feel like ranting. While I appreciate that healthcare in South Africa costs a fair amount, and that it's free here in the UK, for myself I'd far rather pay for each appointment I need and get a respectable level or service, than pay a set amount every month and receive no service.

I'm supposed to go register next Thursday, but I'm not sure if it's actually worth my time.