In England, people can go to see a doctor nearby when they are ill. When the doctor sees them, they usually ask about their troubles and soon give them a prescription (处方) for some medicine.

Usually, when people feel ill, they go to see their doctors. But when they only have a cold, they don’t. They usually go to the medicine shop to buy some medicine. Only when they are terribly ill will the doctor go to their houses. In an emergency (紧急), people can call 999 for an ambulance (救护车). The ambulance can take them to the hospital very soon. When they are in hospital, their friends or families can go to see them at a certain time, but they can’t stay long.

Usually people have to pay for the doctors’ prescriptions. And the price is the same for any kind of medicine. But when children, students, old people or people without jobs go to see their doctors, they don’t have to pay for their prescriptions.

Doctors have discovered a new way to help sick people who need surgery(手术). Instead of making a big cut into a patient's body to find out what is wrong inside, they can now insert a laparoscope — a long, narrow tube with a video camera at one end — through a much smaller hole. The view the camera has of the body's interior is shown on the monitor of a machine outside, thus allowing the doctors to see how it is inside.

If there is a diseased or damaged part, the doctor can perform the surgery using another cable which sends out a laser beam at one end. The beam acts like a sharp knife and allows the doctor to repair or cut away the damaged part. While the doctor performs the surgery, an assistant moves the laparoscope to give him close-up views.

One of the names for this kind of operation is “keyhole surgery”, as the cut may be as small as a keyhole! There are a number of advantages in using this method. Among them are: one, as the cut is much smaller, the patient suffers less pain and so needs less medicine for pain. Two, since the wound is smaller, it can heal faster. Three, as the patient recovers more quickly, hospital stay is shorter and so a lot less money is spent!

But there are a few problems with the method. One involves the use of the laser. As it is not always easy to control the beam, the doctor may accidentally cut some veins(静脉) and cause excessive bleeding. Such accidents do not happen often, however. They will be even less likely as technology and skills improve.