Health and Diseases 22


Dialog:
Patient: Good morning, Doctor.
Doctor: Good morning, what can I do for you?
P: I don't feel very well. I have headache and a cough.
D: Let me have a look. Open your mounth please ...
Your throat is a bit red and it's sore.
P: Yes and I feel all hot and cold.
D: I'll just take your temperature. Can you put this under your
tongue. Hm, 101 Fahrenheit. You have a temperature.
P: What is it then, Doctor?
D: You have flu. I'll give you a prescription for some
medicine. Take one spoonful every four hours.
P: Should I stay in bed?
D: No but you should stay at home and keep warm. Come back in
a week.
P: Thank you doctor, Good bye.
D: Good bye.


The health service.


Britain has a National Health Service. This service
provides free treatment for all illnesses.
If you are ill you go to your local doctor. He or she is a
general doctor or general practitioner. You make an appointment
unless it's an emergency. If you are too ill to go out you
telephone the doctor and he or she will come to your house. Your general doctor will either give you some treatment or send
you to a specialist. Most specialists work in hospitals.
If the doctor gives you a prescription for some medicine
you take it to the pharmacy. You have to pay for the medicine
unless it is for child, an old person or someone who is unemp-
loyed. The cost is the same for any medicine. At the moment it
is 3 pounds 40.
If you have an accident you go straight to a hospital. You go to the Casualty Department.
You don't have to use the National Health Service. If you
prefer you can have privare treatment. You have to pay for this
but it usually means that you can have an operation sooner. .