從台灣到英國，親身經歷兩種醫療體系後的真實感受
最近我的孩子又生病了，我們在英國的急診室等了五個小時，最後卻什麼治療都沒得到——沒有藥，沒有處置。這讓我非常懷念台灣那快速又有人情味的醫療體系。
我的大兒子在台灣出生，小兒子在英國出生。懷孕時的產檢經驗完全不同。在英國產檢時，我驚訝地發現他們還在使用傳統方式測量胎兒心跳和血壓；而在台灣，我每三到四週就會回診，還有完整的超音波檢查，讓我感到非常安心。但在英國整個孕期，我只去了大約五次產檢，內心其實非常沒安全感。
一開始，免費的NHS制度聽起來很棒，但實際上系統已經不堪負荷。因為看病完全免費，很多人一有小病就跑去GP或急診，反而讓真正需要治療的人等更久。在台灣，我們會自付部分費用，這不僅在財務上支撐了健保體系，也幫助過濾了不必要的醫療資源浪費。
相較之下，英國的醫療體系已經面臨很大壓力，醫護人員疲憊不堪，病人則要花費很長時間等待基本治療。
總結來說，雖然英國提供免費醫療，但系統已經明顯超載。台灣的健保雖然不是完美，但效率極高又可近性強。最終，我們面對的最大挑戰，是如何在「公平」與「效率」之間找到一個平衡點——這將會是每個國家都要面對的重要課題。
What I’ve Learned from Experiencing Two Healthcare Systems: Taiwan vs. the UK
My children got sick recently. We waited five hours at the A&E in the UK, and in the end, we left with nothing — no medicine, no treatment. It made me really miss the speed and warmth of Taiwan’s healthcare system.
When I was pregnant, I experienced two completely different systems. My first child was born in Taiwan, and my second in the UK. During antenatal care in the UK, I was shocked that they still used traditional methods like manually counting the baby’s heartbeat and measuring blood pressure. In Taiwan, I had check-ups every three to four weeks, including detailed ultrasound scans that made me feel secure. In contrast, I only had five antenatal visits throughout my entire pregnancy in the UK. Honestly, I felt very uneasy the whole time.
At first, the idea of free healthcare under the NHS sounds amazing. But in reality, the system is overwhelmed. People go to the GP or A&E for minor problems, and because it’s completely free, there’s no filtering mechanism. In Taiwan, we pay a small co-payment, which not only supports the system financially but also helps prevent unnecessary visits.
Compared to Taiwan’s National Health Insurance, the NHS is facing serious pressure. Medical workers are exhausted, and patients often have to wait far too long for basic care.
In summary, while the UK offers free healthcare, the system feels overstretched. Taiwan’s system may not be perfect, but it’s impressively efficient and accessible. In the end, the real challenge is finding a balance between fairness and efficiency — and that’s something every country will have to face sooner or later.
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#台灣健保真的讚 #UKvTaiwan #產檢經驗 #醫療體系反思
#媽媽心聲 #從生活看制度 #移民生活 #英國育兒
#HealthSystemComparison #LivingAbroadThoughts #HealthcareReality
