britishness, health and fitness, travel
No more 'heavy legs' for the French
As you may remember, I was born and raised in Italy, went to school and graduated in the UK, worked in France for seven years, then Italy for another three and since 2002 I have been back in the UK.
I have therefore experienced healthcare (fortunately, as a fairly healthy individual) in three European countries. And in the US too, if you count losing a contact lens while on holiday and having to go see a friend's doctor for a prescription to buy a new one (being uninsured, it cost me a small fortune).
In Italy and in France, when you go to the doctor you always leave with a prescription or a referral. You sort of feel short-changed if you don't, as the BBC correspondent from France Emma Jane Kirby describes in her piece on this week's From Our Own Correspondent. Her take on the French 'heavy legs' syndrome can be listened to on iPlayer until Sunday 21st December (skip to 17:02 to go straight to the segment), or read online.
In the UK on the other hand, three times out of four the doctor shrugs off your condition, tells you to get a grip and only to come back if the condition persists for a number of months. I have learnt to live with it and now I hardly mind it at all, unlike a couple of friends who go back to Italy for treatment when in need. And unlike most of the French who are now having a very hard time facing a new approach recommended by the government and very similar to the British attitude.