The NHS (National Health Service)
NHS Scotland is awesome, at least what I've experienced of it. Coming from a city where it's next to impossible to find a family doctor, I was amazed to read in the university's guide that in Edinburgh you can walk into any GP's practice and sign up with them, provided you live in their catchment area. We're registered with University Health Services, and they've treated us pretty well. They are also the only healthcare providers I've dealt with here, so all of my knowledge and experience comes from them.
There's a number of elements I really appreciate about their services. First, you can book appointments online with any doctor, or with your preferred doctor. You have access to all the dates and times of available appointments, so its easy to find the right one and there's lots of choice. I also like that when you see a GP, you see them, not a nurse. You don't have to explain your whole story to the nurse, or have your temperature read and blood pressure taken even if you're there for a new inhaler or something completely unrelated. You also don't need to say why you want the appointment, regardless of booking online or on the phone. It's rather nice not to have to tell the secretary, the nurse and the doctor about your personal health problems.
The NHS has a great website and a 24 hour phone-line for healthcare help (like back home). Prescriptions are a flat rate of £4 each, but from what I've seen you can't choose between generic and name-brand medicines. If you're likely to have more than 10 per year, it makes sense to buy a certificate for about £38, which covers the full cost of prescriptions for the year. Basic eye care and dental services are also covered by the NHS. I haven't heard the greatest things about these services, but I haven't tried them myself so I can't really comment.
Full disclosure: I did have a really bad experience with a nurse attempting to syringe my ear with way too powerful of a power washer, and 3.5 months on I'm still on ear drops to deal with the mess she made, but at least my hearing is unharmed and the infections are bound to end someday soon. But the doctors I've had have been helpful and very good listeners. They ask me what I would normally take for certain illnesses back home (like for my annual bout of bronchitis) and work to find the British equivalent.
Royal Mail
Mail delivery here sucks, and according to Derek's Google search of 'Royal Mail is rubbish,' a lot of people would agree with me. Now, not all mail delivery is rubbish -- letters seem to travel at a crazy speed (1-2 days within the UK, and less than a week to send a or receive a letter to or from Canada or the US), but much of it is.
I think in total Derek and I have had three packages and one large envelope containing numerous items from home sent to us which did not arrive properly. The first one, from a friend who was in England, was a medium-sized package containing a hair dryer, straightener, extension cord and alarm clock (she was moving back home to Canada where it wouldn't be worth getting power converters for them all). Even though Derek and his cousin were home, a 'Sorry You Were Out' note was slipped through the door. They thought that perhaps they had both been in the kitchen with the fire door shut.
Because the small post offices around the city are run privately, Royal Mail returns all undelivered packages to their main depots, about a 30 minute walk from us. Not a fun situation to deal with when the package should and could have easily been delivered on time in the first place.
Before Christmas my Grandma sent us a little package of goodies, newspaper clippings etc. It arrived in a clear plastic bag with a note from Royal Mail apologizing for the package being wrecked, and saying that they might have lost stuff in the process of ripping it. But we think everything still managed to arrive.
In the last two months since we've moved we've ordered a couple things online to be delivered to our home. The first item was a set of dvds of The IT Crowd, and the second was two books. Neither was delivered to our door, even though we were home on both 'attempted' delivery days. We were pretty ticked off after the first 'Sorry You Were Out' slip came through our mailslot, because it was dated the day before, when the postman hadn't buzzed us to let him in like he normally would, and definitely didn't knock. We considered complaining, but didn't.
Today the same thing happened again, but this time we can prove the mailman was lying about us not being in yesterday. That's because yesterday he made the mistake of buzzing and making verbal contact with me to let him in. He then didn't come to our door or deliver any mail, and today silently slipped a 'Sorry You Were Out' note through the mail slot having buzzed someone else to let him in. Oh, this time I complained. They say they'll get back to me within 5 days, but I don't have high hopes. It sounds like this is a regular occurrence. It doesn't make sense to me that postmen and women would choose to not deliver packages. Sure, they can be awkward and heavy on the long trek up and down stairs, but wouldn't you know that that's part of the job description before signing up?
Anyway, the plumber has now gone, leaving behind beautiful new white seals all along the kitchen counter (and the bathtub, which is exciting and unexpected!).
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