Inspired by Andrea's NHS thread, but something related re the nurses thing that I found interesting the other day.

Globalisation: As labour markets are getting more mobile, the countries that can pay more for nursing care are draining the trained nurses out of some economies. Example: As fast as India is training nurses and doctors, the US is working out faster how to get them to the US where they can earn more money to meet their growing needs. Similar situation in Africa with doctors in some countries etc.

As globalisation and freedom of labour markets increases, the medical systems in some countries will be decimated. Its already happening.

Its only an observation, but its going to be nasty getting sick in quite a lot of countries in the future (assume any country where nurses earn less than half the UK level), and I think I would rather get sick in the UK than many others once labour markets really free up.

The only real concern I have about globalisation in such a field as medicine is the language problems it can throw up...

My lodger went into hospital a while back and was greeted by a very cheery African woman who said 'Hello my name is Bindy what is your name and date of birth' - it took four attempts for her to get it right dispite my lodger being very clearly spoken...

My mum was going to go in for a knee op a few years back but was put of by the fact she hadn't understood a word that the Asian doctor had said and was to embarassed to ask him more than twice to repeat himself. She went on for another year in pain before booking another appointment and speaking to another Asian doctor who could speak clear English and explained it perfectly well...it was the same op she had been offered before but had been afraid to take as she hadn't fully understood what it intailed...she's had the op now by the way!