A question for those of you who have dual British and French nationality. If the powers that be decided you had to choose between them what would you do?
Having lived only 12 years in the UK out of 65, the choice would be easy.
A UK passport used to be one of the best and still is, but now France ranks higher primarily because one can travel and live or work anywhere in the EU
Probably the French one. I am more at home here than I was in the UK.
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Very very difficult for me as I was born and have grown up and got old with 2 nationalities, 2 languages, 2 ways of seeing the world. I think Iād cop out and choose a 3rd, possibly.
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Iām a Brit who moved here in 2017. I got French nationality because I worked in the health services during the pandemic. However, the medical system here sucks to work in (compared to āhomeā) so Iāve spent the past few years trying to get work back in the UKā¦.
You know what? The UK sucks. Iāve now decided to give up my former career and am branching out - I know not what to, but whatever it is it will be based out of France. So for me, definitely French without a shadow of a doubt.
Iām led to believe the French medical system is superior to the UK.. maybe with regards to eating times..treatments?
French hospital food is disgusting.
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Not superior to what the NHS used to be - a cradle to grave rounded approach to your care. Sadly the NHS is now quite patchy. As is the French, but apart from gaps in provision it is good. I appreciate the terrier approach to diagnosis, so itā not ācome back and see me if your problem doesnāt go awayā but a quest for a clear diagnosis first. And the emphasis on preventative care. Down-side is slight over medication, but Hey , you donāt have to fill the prescriptions!
In an accident or emergency I would still wished to be magically transported to an NHS team, but apart from that Iām happy with France.
Might depend on hospital? Last year I sampled 4 hospitals, that were generally edible once I was off a restricted diet that was foul. My highlight was July 14th when the kitchen pulled out all the stops and had well cooked meat and veg with a good gratin dauphinoise. Something I rarely eat but thoroughly enjoy when I do.
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What I cannot understand is why kitchens think that you would actually want to eat half a plate of horribly overcooked vegetable.
I say vegetable because it is always just one vegetable.
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I so agree. And the patient having āownershipā of information / choice of specialist / etc.
And the speed with which information is provided - eg not leaving the waiting room until the results from the scan/X-ray/etc have been provided with a letter for your MT plus a copy for you. EG this Thursday Iām having a scan at lunchtime and staying at the hospital until 4pm when I will see my specialist because by then she will already have the results and she kindly suggested this, to save me making two journeys to the hospital which is an hourās drive away. [NB: unless sheās forgotten to tell me sheās on strike.]
Availability of specialists, France, v UK
EG. Gastroenterologists per 100,00 population: 3.48 in France; 1.41 in the U.K.
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Iām led to believe the French medical system is superior to the UK
Yes and no.
imho, the NHS is the best (health) system in the world. Full stop.
BUT - it has been run down financially so badly over the last 15+ years that it is barely functioning. There are huge delays to get into the system but, once youāre in, the system functions OK: that is, tests and treatments still take too long and are delayed, but coordination of care is (generally) excellent - unlike anything youāll find in France (where you have to do it all yourself).
In contrast, the French system works much better: there are not so many delays, there is better access to investigations (e.g. look up the number of MRI machines per head in the UK and France, Iām sure youāll find thereās a huge difference) and I think that, generally, treatments are provided quicker. However, there are more regional disparities in France and, regardless of where you are, the care you receive is much more dependent upon which individual doctor (or other health care worker) you see - and there is definitely variation in what practitioners do or know.
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How? Given that it is barely functioning.
Thatās true everywhere. I look forward to the day when much of the basic diagnosis is done by A1 - not least, itās a highly efficient way to triage for treatment.
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In 1948 no doubt.
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Looking at the budget for the health services it still is, sure it could use more but the fact it still manages on the small budget compared to other countries itās a miracle.
Sorry, I did not make myself as clear as Iād hopedā¦.
- The NHS is the best system in the world. BUT it is (chronically) underfunded and not functioning properly. Thus, it currently is not workingā¦. But the system itself is still the best in the world.
- The French system is not as good as the NHS. But it is (or has been) better funded than the NHS, therefore it functions better.
Perhaps you want to change the word āsystemā for āmodelā.
As to variation: yes, it exists everywhere. But there is (probably) less variation in the UK than in France. This is because there is greater emphasis on local/regional/national guidelines, better ongoing CPD - and enforcement of the requirements that people do CPD - and just generally better āgroupā practice. In comparison, doctors in France are pretty much viewed as gods, always right and thus unable to do wrong, never to be contradicted, never to be questioned.
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By themselves, possibly 
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I have to agree with you, Jane. The veg I had were nearly all overcooked and very bland and I didnāt always have a little packet of salt or pepper as the aides soignantes were always in a rush. Also, I was there between Christmas and New Year and maybe people from the kitchen were off.
I did have more than one veg sometimes, because I said I was vegetarian and I think my protein might have been more interesting than two hard-boiled eggs if I hadnāt said I was also gluten free. The best meal I had was lunch just before I left to come home, when a mixed leaf salad appeared; it was as if a new chef had turned up.
Because half a plate of meat is no problem?
It would depend on the payment of pensions. I get pensions from both so I suppose it would depend on which paid the most if one or the other was stopped.
@Lettuceman, so does than mean you choose UK, or France ? 
Iām both French and British, but Iād choose France since Iāve evolved in French society, studied in France.. But Iāll always feel ābothā.
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