Today marked our second full day at BCU’s City South Campus, and it was both informative and inspiring. We had the opportunity to talk with some various nurses, a Healthcare Support Worker, and even a chief nurse at one of the local hospitals. It was so great to hear from them and learn more about their personal experience in the healthcare system here. We covered so many different aspects of healthcare, but what really stood out was how interconnected everything is. Whether you’re a student nurse just starting out or a chief nurse leading an entire hospital, everyone plays a role in making care more accessible, more personal, and more effective.
One of the main topics we explored was general practice in the UK. It was particularly interesting to hear how it differs from primary care in the US. It was fascinating to hear about how it operates, how it is funded, what falls under the umbrella of general practice, and all the various pieces that come together to make it work. During this first session we were able to spend a lot of time conversing with our guest speakers and it was really fascinating to hear about all the differences compared to what we are used to.
The most obvious difference is that the health in the UK operates under the NHS, and therefore is free to access. In theory, free healthcare sounds absolutely amazing, and while it has plenty of positives, we were also able to spend a lot of time talking about some of the difficulties that come with it. In conversation with Sue and Shelly, we learned that one of the biggest struggles is the amount of time people often have to wait just to even get an appointment. I was shocked to learn that some waiting lists can go on for years, causing countless complications as people have to wait such extreme amounts of time to address any problem they might have.
On the other hand, we also talked about many of the benefits that come with the NHS. One that really stood out to me was the way that prescriptions work. The fact that each prescribed item only costs £9.90 is much more reasonable than some of the very expensive prescribed items that I am used to hearing about in the US. I thought it was particularly amazing that people with long-term conditions can even be made medically exempt from paying that fee for prescribed items. Ultimately, we were able to get a broader understanding of how there are pros and cons for both healthcare systems, and that it is not as cut and dry as one may think to solve the issues.
I found our next speaker to be incredibly interesting as well. We were fortunate enough to have the Chief Nurse at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Nikki Brokkie, come and share about her nursing career journey. It was fascinating to hear the variety of jobs she has worked throughout her career, and through her stories it became very clear as to why she is such a respected leader in her field. She worked some incredibly difficult jobs as a nurse, took charge during COVID when she was needed, worked hard to pursue a higher education, and supported herself and her family through all of it. She is truly a role model and an inspiration when it comes to being a nurse.
Finally, we were able to wrap up the day at a nice dinner with some of the BCU nursing students. It was so great getting to chat with them and learn about their experience in nursing, at BCU, and living in the UK. It was the perfect ending to the day and I really enjoyed getting to talk to them! Everyone was so welcoming, and the conversations felt honest and encouraging. It reminded me that even though we come from different places, there’s a shared passion for care and connection that really brings us together.
