[DanBC]

There's a clue in the name - accident and emergency - that these departments handle urgent but non life threatening care too.

Really, it's a fucking stupid question. Of course Europe's socialised medicine will treat broken arms.

If the question is about the time taken to treat these problems: England is going to through a bit of a scandal at the moment about missed waiting time limits in A&E departments.

The maximum time from arriving at A&E through to either being treated and discharged, or admitted into the hospital for further treatment, is 4 hours. And that time limit must happen for 95% of patients.

And we're currently worried because at the moment it's over 90% (but less than 95%) of patients get treated and discharged or admitted to hospital within 4 hours.

We have the advantage of free or low cost primary care, so most people don't need to leave minor problems to fester until it's turned into a severe problem.

[pmiller2]

> Really, it's a fucking stupid question. Of course Europe's socialised medicine will treat broken arms.

Seriously, WTF? Where did I ever say broken arms don't get treated? Are you seeing a dumb American in my post because that's what you want to see?

The only thing I even wonder is where the appropriate place to go to get it treated would be. In the US, you can go to an emergency department or an urgent care facility. The urgent care facility is the most appropriate place: you will get seen promptly and they are equipped to handle it, and it will cost less than an ER visit (even after insurance, typically). You will get seen in the ER, but not quickly, and you will probably pay more.

[DanBC]

"does the concept of urgent care exist outside the US?", someone else mentions A&E and you say that doesn't count because broken arms.

To answer your point: in England we have:

NHS Choices, a website that provides evidence based advice

NHS 111: a free telephone helpline where health care professionals offer advice, or arrange a call back from a doctor, or recommends a visit to an doctor (and arranged an out of hours doctor if needed), or recommends minor injuries or A&E (and arranges ambulance treatment if needed)

Pharmacy: all pharmacies offer health advice

GP surgeries have GPs but also nurses who can provide a range of treatment including minor surgeries

Minor Injury Units provide treatment for minor Injuries

Accident and Emergency provide treatment for life threatening and other severe accidents - bit they're also misused as walk in treatment centres for a range of mild conditions. Some injuries would mean you get transported to a different hospital after being stabilised -- severe chemical burns would be one example.

I've missed out midwife-led birth units, and all the mental health stuff.

For a broken arm you'd go to A&E. They have to treat it and discharge you within 4 hours. Or you could go to minor injuries, where you'd probably get treated within 4 hours. A&E would have better scanning imaging options.

All of these are free at the point of delivery.

[arethuza]

They will also escalate you pretty quickly of you go to a Minor Injury Unit with something that turns out to be reasonably serious (see comment elsewhere)!

[lmm]

You're using a bunch of US-specific names and I don't know how they translate. But of course anywhere will have a variety of facilities appropriate to different severity issues; the specifics vary from country to country. And of course if you go to the wrong place you might end up waiting longer, but will still be treated or at worst referred to somewhere that can treat you appropriately, and anything urgent will be treated appropriately quickly.