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[quote]I make it a point to talk to the doctor when i go in - if he / she cant speak english then I demand a doctor that can speak to me in my mother tongue.[/quote]

Have you EVER been treated or diagnosed by a doctor that cannot speak English in the UK?

Surely having a reasonable grasp of the language is a condition of practicing in the UK ? You would need to be able to read notes made by other medical professionals and update records as well as communicate to patients and their families etc.

I know that. I just wrote that he went off on one because his missus had been treated badly. I didn't condone it.

It doesn't always happen though does it?
It comes to light when some poor sod dies because of the incompetence of the doctor or nurse who cannot read or write as well as they should do to communicate their treatments of their patients. The locum "German" doctor who prescribed way over the safe dose of medication which killed the patient is an example.
Surely people may have cause to feel concerned if the doctor they see cannot communicate with them or other medical staff. I think I would.

The Ubani case was about total medical incompetance rather than any language issues. He administered 100mg of diamorphine, which is 10 times the maximum recommended dose. The '10x overdose' tells me the daft cunt measured out 10cg instead of 10mg. Whatever language you speak 10mg is 10mg.

Wasn't he brought in by a private contractor?

I think Sam Slater and Rodders make fair points. Clearly there is something amiss if you are forced to see a doctor who does not seem to
understand you. You have been given a brain so use it and make clear that
you don`t seem to be understood.....reactionaries like Mr Slip must be treated with a pinch of salt. All my life, and I am ancient, there have been
foreign doctors, especially from the Indian continent, practising in Britain. A
quick check down the names of several Harley Street clinics will show you
they include some of the top experts in their fields. If all these guys, as Jim
seems to be implying, did not practise here then, frankly, the Health Service
would collapse. Britain needs foreign doctors, and a bloody good Paki
sorted out my gallstone problems, but its important these doctors or locums
can understand us....(and if the poor foreign doc has to deal with a
glaswegian, a true brummie or a geordie etc, then God help them to under-
stand, `cos I can`t !!

A friend of mine is a surgeon and a Sikh. He speaks very good English with an Indian lilt of which we tease him about. But, I would not hesitate to be operated on by him. In fact he has given me good medical advice after an operation carried out down here in Sussex. He specialises in mens bits and plumbing. Mens plumbing I mean, not domestic plumbing.

My time in the Army gave me a good understanding of Jocks and Brummies and I can interpret quite a lot. A very good work colleague from Govan gets very ratty with me whenever I greet him with "Och aye the noo Jimmy" His name is Jim, though his wife always calls him James. He tells me that no Jock uses that phrase, though I did hear it a lot when posted with the Scots Guards. As for my Brummie mate I always greet him with "Allo yeaou"
Though I can imagine non English speakers being completely puzzled. As for the Yanks, they can't understand anyone outside of the US.

>Rodders UK wrote of his surgeon friend "He specialises in mens bits and plumbing. Mens plumbing I mean, not domestic plumbing."

Thanks for clarifying. I was just about to ask you for his number, as I need a quote for a new bathroom suite.

On an unrelated note, here's my other thoughts on this thread:
- All french people wear onions round their necks and like to wear striped jumpers.
- All Jewish people are smarter than everyone else with money.
- Normal (generally white) people ALWAYS know better than intelligent, hard-working and proven skilled medical professionals and it is an absolute right to rubbish said medical professional's entire character if any aspect of their skillset is not 100% perfect.
- You never hear racists says "I'm not being racist, but...."

alicia_fan_uk