Exercise 62. Read and translate the text.

The National Health Service (NHS)
The NHS is in charge of healthcare in the UK. Originally it consisted of one national organisation, which covered the whole of the country, but more recently, it has been decentralised into four independent organisations; one for each of the countries, which make up the United Kingdom. Each service has its own legislation, but each service will treat the needs of citizens from other parts of the UK.

Care trusts in charge of treatment policies, vaccination programmes and healthcare budgets run the NHS service.

The NHS is a free service to all residents of the UK, including members of the armed forces who are working abroad. British citizens who reside outside of the UK are subject to charges regardless of whether they have paid National Insurance contributions. The service is financed from mandatory national insurance taxation paid by employees directly from their salaries and supplemented by an obligatory contribution from employers. Self-employed persons have to pay the full contribution themselves. The onus is on the employer to deduct contributions from the employee’s wages. Dependant family members and vulnerable groups like the unemployed are exempt from contributions.

Private Healthcare
The UK has a relatively strong private healthcare sector, which is funded largely by private insurance contributions, but it is used only by a limited percentage of people, often as a top-up to the basic state healthcare.

Private hospitals are owned by private companies. Contributions to private funds vary from person to person and are dependant on age, general health, and the existence of previously diagnosed diseases and the level of care required by each subscriber. Many companies offer their employees and their dependants’ private health insurance as a benefit of the job. BUPA and Nuffield Hospitals are the leading private hospital operators in the UK.

There are many incidences when private patients will be treated in an NHS hospital because the private hospital lacks the specialist equipment. In these cases, the private patient is given their own room and is treated before NHS patients. Emergency patients supersede all patients both private and NHS.

General Practitioners (GPs)
General practitioners provide basic general healthcare and are the first point of contact with the UK health system. GPs operate in practices, which consist of several other practitioners. They employ clerical staff to handle the daily running of the practice and nurses to deal with routine vaccination, health education, preventative care and maternity. Citizens are free to register with the GP of their choice. If you need to consult a doctor, you have to make an appointment at his practice or if you need urgent attention, you can call him to your home, attend the surgery on a speculative basis or visit your nearest emergency department.

GPs prescribe drugs, treat acute and chronic illnesses, and provide preventive care and health education. Some GPs also care for hospitalised patients, conduct minor surgery and obstetrics.

Consultants
Consultants are senior doctors who have completed a higher level of specialised training. GP's refer patients to a Consultant if he believes that a patient may need specialist help and diagnosis. There are numerous specialist fields of medicine in the UK like gynaecology, oncology, paediatrics and dermatology. There is often a waiting list to see Consultant doctors.

Dispensing and Prescription Charges
Only doctors and consultants can prescribe medicine in the UK. Prescription medicine is only available from a qualified and registered chemist or from a hospital pharmacy. There is, however, a wide choice of over-the-counter drugs, which can be purchased in many retail outlets including supermarkets. Drugs like painkillers and cold remedies are available over-the-counter and do not require a prescription or consultation with a doctor.

All working adults must pay prescription charges of £6.85 for any medicine prescribed by a doctor. Children under 16 or 18 if they are in full time education, the over 60's, pregnant women, patients with certain medical conditions, low income earners or those receiving state benefits are exempt from any prescription charges.

Citizens who find they need a repeated course of medicine, but do not fall into one of the exempt categories are entitled to use single-charge pre-payment certificate which allows an unrestricted number of prescriptions during the period for which it is valid.

Prescription charges are the same regardless of the actual cost of the medicine needed, but higher charges apply to medical appliances.

Dentistry
Most dentistry in the UK is now private although some dentists still work for the NHS. Dental practices only take a limited number of NHS patients. People who are exempt from paying prescription charges (except those with certain medical conditions) are exempt from dental charges too. Many dentists have waiting lists of NHS patients wishing to register with their practice. If you are not enrolled into a practice, you will not receive treatment unless you are a private patient. Fees are paid directly to the dental practice once a series of treatment is complete.

Opticians
Eye care in the UK is private but a limited amount of care is available on the NHS. This tends to be confined to people exempt from prescription charges and generally only covers a free eye test and where necessary the provision of a pair of glasses, which can be chosen from a limited selection of designs. All other optical work is private and fees are paid at the time of consultation, directly to the optical practice.

Accident and Emergency (A&E)
A&E departments (sometimes referred to as Casualty) provide emergency treatment to patients with a wide range of illness and injury, some of which may be life threatening and requiring immediate attention. Citizens do not pay to for treatment or use of the A&E service.

A&E departments are open nonstop all year round. You may use their services if you need immediate attention, or if your GP refers you to them, or if there is no GP service available.

Upon arrival at A&E, a nurse assesses the nature and seriousness of your condition. Individuals with serious illnesses are seen immediately by a doctor. Once the patient has been assessed and treated, they may be admitted to the hospital, transferred to a different hospital or discharged. Emergency departments are located in main hospitals and are staffed by hospital doctors and nurses with specialised training in emergency care, emergency medical technicians, radiology technicians, healthcare assistants and voluntary staff who all work together to treat emergency patients and provide support to concerned family members.

NHS Direct
England, Wales and Northern Ireland have a 24-hour private telephone service, online consultancy and an interactive digital TV health advice programme, which is provided by NHS Direct. Similar services exist in Scotland under the name NHS24. The service was designed to relieve waiting times at GP surgeries and to provide care out of surgery hours. It is staffed by trained nurses who provide guidance on which healthcare provider the caller should access and how to cope with a bout of sickness at home.

NHS Walk-In Centres
There are over 80 NHS Walk-in Centres in the UK, but some do not treat children. NHS Walk-in Centres give you quick access to health information and medicine. They can be used by everyone and an appointment is not necessary. They are open every day from early morning to late evening, 365 days a year. Their aim is to provide fast access to health advice and treatment. They work in a similar manner to NHS Direct.

Exercise 63. Fill in the gaps with the necessary prepositions.

1. The NHS is in charge ___ healthcare ___ the UK.
2. The NHS is a free service ___ all residents ___ the UK, including members ___ the armed forces who are working abroad
3. The onus is ___ the employer to deduct contributions ___ the employee’s wages.
4. British citizens who reside outside ___ the UK are subject ___ charges regardless ___ whether they have paid National Insurance contributions.
5. Contributions to private funds vary ___ person ___ person and are dependant ___ age, general health, and the existence ___ previously diagnosed diseases and the level ___ care required ___ each subscriber.
6. Prescription medicine is only available ___ a qualified and registered chemist or ___ a hospital pharmacy.
7. Children ___ 16 or 18 if they are in full time education, the ___ 60's, pregnant women, patients with certain medical conditions, low income earners or those receiving state benefits are exempt ___ any prescription charges.
8. Upon arrival ___ A&E, a nurse assess the nature and seriousness ___ your condition.
9. Similar services exist in Scotland ___ the name NHS24.
10. NHS Walk-in Centres give you quick access ___ health information and medicine.

Exercise 64. Fill in the gaps with the missing words.

1. Private hospitals are owned by ___ ___.
2. General practitioners provide ___ ___ ___ and are the first point of contact with the UK health system.
3. GPs ___ drugs, ___ acute and chronic illnesses, and ___ preventive care and health education. Some GPs also ___ ___ hospitalised patients, ___ minor surgery and obstetrics.
4. ___ are senior doctors who have completed a higher level of specialised training.
5. Only doctors and consultants can ___ ___ in the UK.
6. Most dentistry in the UK is now ___although some dentists still work for the NHS.
7. A&E departments are open ___ all year round.
8. Individuals with ___ ___ are seen immediately by a doctor.
9. England, Wales and Northern Ireland have a 24-hour private ___ ___, online consultancy and an interactive digital TV health advice programme, which is ___ by NHS Direct.
10. There are over 80 NHS Walk-in Centres in the UK, but some do not treat ___. NHS Walk-in Centres give you ___ ___ to health information and medicine.

Exercise 65. Answer the questions.

1. What is the NHS?
2. How many organizations does it consist of?
3. What are care trusts in charge of?
4. The NHS is a free service to all residents of the UK, isn’t it?
5. How is the service financed?
6. What are the names of the leading private hospital operators in the UK?
7. What is the function of GPs?
8. What are consultants?
9. What kinds of drugs are available over-the-counter and do not require a prescription or consultation with a doctor?
10. What is the prescription charge for any medicine in the UK?
11. What categories of population of the UK are exempt from any prescription charges?
12. Dentistry in the UK is now all private, isn’t it?
13. What does free eye-care cover and who can be confined to it?
14. What is the function of A&E departments?
15. Why were the 24-hour private telephone service and NHS Walk-In Centres designed?

Exercise 66. Fill in the gaps with the words from the box.

1. The victim was shot in two places but the bullet wounds are not___.

2. If you are feeling ___ again, lie down and call me.

3. I'm afraid at least one of the tumours is___.

4. The needle will make your lower body feel___.

5. After eight years of ___ I can finally practice medicine.

6. You have to support her neck because she is still a____.

7. You must wear a face mask and gloves while you are in the___.

8. The ___ lasted seven hours, but it was successful.

9. You can take two ___ every four hours.

10. We gave your husband some medicine to relieve some of the___.

11. We thought her legs were ___ for life, but she is learning how to walk.

12. You should be able to buy a bandage at the___.

13. The ___ in Room 4 are not getting along.

14. Ask the ___ if there is a generic brand of this medication.

15. Ask your family___ to refer you to a specialist.

Exercise 67. Match the parts of the sentences.

Exercise 68. Here are two jumbled hints for tooth ache and bee sting first remedies. Decide which sentences go with which treatment.

a) Rinse out your mouth with lukewarm salty water or antibacterial mouthwash like 'Listerine'.

b) Wet an aspirin tablet and then wipe it over the bee sting bump (if you're not allergic to aspirin). This acts as an anti inflammatory easing the swelling and pain.

c) Floss between the affected teeth to get out trapped food particles.

d) Baking soda or ammonia solution also reduce pain from a bee sting by changing the acidity of the sting site.

e) Ask your pharmacist for a pain killer like aspirin, ibuprofen etc.

f) Use a paste of meat tenderizer on the bump. This helps to 'digest' the chemicals in the bee sting that make it so painful.

g) Ask your pharmacist for an antihistamine and ibuprofen. These will stop the itch and swelling, and ease the pain, respectively.

h) Wrap some ice in a towel and apply it over the toothache to deaden the nerves.

Exercise 69. Read and translate the text. Match the headings A – J to the paragraphs I – IX. There is one extra heading you will not need to use.

Date: 2016-01-03; view: 914