When I was in the UK, I had a terrible sore throat. I dragged myself to the GP and he said it "looked viral." When I asked him to give me a test he said no...guess he was overworked and underpaid. I was very surprised b/c in the US they would have given me a test for strep throat (a bacterial infection) and even a blood test had I asked. But then again the insurance co is paying the bill in the US. Well after a week I was able to get out of bed, but I still didn't feel great.
So when I went home for Easter holiday a month after I had "recovered" my mother (who is a doctor) looked at my throat and was shocked. Turns out I'd had a really terrible strep infection, which when untreated has terrible side effects (rheumatic fever!). She realized that I'd had it because my hands and feet completely peeled...because the bacteria kills the skin as it courses through your body! How disgusting is that! I was so upset that I'd been sick for a month. She gave me antibiotics and my glands went down within two days.
So...the moral of the story is, if you aren't sure about your sore throat, keep begging your doctor to test you. It's not worth it to be ill for weeks on end. Maybe even go see a private doctor?