Comparing the Richard Verney Health centre to the community care centre back home, this doesn't score highly.
Positive aspects:
-Many doctors to choose from.
-Some really nice doctors who seem to give you all the time in the world...
-Very conveniently located for university students.
Negative aspects:
-Really long waiting time for everything. You wait forever to see a doctor even if you have an appointment, I have sometimes waited an hour before leaving!
-Very limited prescriptions.I feel they offer substandard medications sometimes or are reluctant to prescribe in order to cut costs. I had reactions to a medicine, and they insisted it wasn't the cheap one I was being prescribed. I went home, got a more expensive (and according to online reviews, 3 stars more effective) medicine, and haven't had any problems since. I am also on a really long waiting list to see specialists to get a endoscopy, and on another to see a dermatologist. Both waiting lists are very long and it feels like in the meanwhile, the doctor seriously doesn't care.
-no personal relationship with the doctors, so they don't really know you. In a smaller practice you get quite familiar with the staff, and feel a little more like a person and less like an insignificant number.
-Very busy practice, sometimes there are no doctors available for a couple of weeks.
-Given the the fleeting appointments, often the doctors don't thoroughly check the medical records, and you get a medicine which isn't right for your body, or conflicts with another one you are taking.
-Difficult to get on the list if you didn't sign up at the beginning of term. It gets full up quickly. read more