To ask is a private gynaecologist any better than an NHS one?

I realise this is an old thread and I'm sorry to change the subject somewhat, but I notice many posters talk about having surgery in stages rather than say, a one off radical hysterectomy.

If it's not too personal a question, can I please ask why they had a series of smaller operations as opposed to one large one - did anyone do this through personal choice?

I need to have an ovary, fallopian tube and ovarian tumour removed (the tumour is either malignant but stage 1 or borderline, stage 1). My surgeon is determined I should have a radical hysterectomy at the same time, as I have several fibroids post menopause.

As my dad nearly died after heavy bleeding following major surgery (he spent six weeks in intensive care and had several close calls during that time), I am very reluctant to have the radical hysterectomy (it would take at least 6 hours, and I would be cut from breast bone to pubic bone as the fibroids are large and extensive - I might also end up on ITU). However, I might be less reluctant to have the surgery in stages, as I think it might be safer - hence my question.

Thank you

@laudete

Absolutely factually incorrect, don’t spout crap.
Even if you are high risk the NHS won’t cover everything and private healthcare will give you access to medication that simply isn’t available on the NHS

If you are a high-risk patient, there is no advantage to private healthcare because the NHS would cover everything.

Not necessarily true. DH is a high risk patient with his condition. We went private out of despair as soon as he had an inheritance come in. The NHS were very very much not there for him.

His private consultant is a Clinical Director in the NHS and while he has said DH's care has not been good, (exact word 'I often so it go wrong but it's rare to see it go wrong in so many ways at once') he admits that even in his own department DH would not get the same continuity and testing he now gets privately which is what DH really needs.

99% of the time they are the same people. I have seen several private consultants in various specialities over the years, all were NHS consultants doing private work in their spare time. When I had my hysterectomy, the surgeon was a NHS consultant three days a week who did half a day surgery and half a day clinics in the private sector. She was brilliant.

The advantage of private is that you can pick and choose who you see - no issue with requesting a woman - and you can get the appointments at a time which is convenient. And quickly.

My gynae works privately and also for NHS.

@BlaueLagune Yes, it's true!

Some consultants want a referral letter, but many - an increasing number I'd say- are very happy for you to make an appt with their office/ PA.

If you are going through insurance, the insurance co insist on a GP referral.

And by the same token it's always good to ask for only those tests that are needed, if you self fund, because some can be very expensive.

Most consultants are very happy to oblige with this if they know you have limited funds for your treatment.

I would also say - I work in the NHS as a senior doctor. In my area of medicine I see a lot of people who have had really bad experiences from going private. But then I also see really really bad experiences from the NHS too.

But if you have your head screwed on, know what you want, do proper research - not just reading the glossy websites and being impressed by a waiting room that looks like a country club, go in, get it and get out then private has a lot to offer.

You will get results quicker going private. I had a problem, took 6 weeks to get a scan on the nhs, I then went private , within 5 days I had seen the consultant, had an internal scan, MRI and results, then 2 days later op.
I am a massive supporter of the nhs and do not blame them at all for being slow. But it was so good to have the problem done and dusted within a week.

@BlaueLagune You don't need a referral. But, it's always good to choose a private doctor based on personal recommendations or decent reviews. Shop around until you find someone you like and trust. After all, you're paying for it!

My OBGYN is a private practice doctor who also works in the NHS. The difference with going private is more convenient/longer appointments and access to more tests, etc. If you are a high-risk patient, there is no advantage to private healthcare because the NHS would cover everything. But, if you are an average patient then private healthcare gets you prompt access to all the extras that the NHS thinks you could take the chance of skipping - based on your risk profile. My OBGYN's NHS caseloads are all high-risk (complex care, multiple births, etc) but his private patients are typically all average patients (low risk, single births, etc).

Yes - everyone DH and I have seen is by a self-referral. Just rang up the secretary and booked.

And my DM who we booked in to see her NHS rheumatologist when she was getting poorly and the next urgent NHS appointment was in 4 months time - 'What are you doing here?' he said and then promptly completely changed all her meds as she was having a dangerous reaction.

A bonus of self-funding is that most consultants take self-referrals so you don't even need your GP to refer you

Is this actually true? I thought you generally needed a referral even if you are happy to pay.

If you can afford it or have insurance I'd go privately for all the reasons people have said.

Of course, you still have to get an appointment with, and a referral from, an NHS GP first, although some areas have reasonable access to private GPs now.

I do think what is really needed is lots more access to private GP services, once you are referred it's fine, the issue is getting to see a GP and getting the referral.

Private gynaecologist here is solely private. I love her; she listens to me, takes my issues seriously and tells me the absolute truth. No idea if she's 'better' than an NHS gynaecologist but in terms of having plenty of time to hear me out and being seen swiftly she's incredible.

My private gyne was also my NHS consultant. Just got a quicker appointment.

He turned up next day to check on me wearing a bow tie and tweed trousers lol.

I've got images of David Niven in my head for some reason.

As your gynae issue is pre-existing, you have kind of blown that for insurance. So you are are looking at self- funding.

Not all of them. Mine were fine on a pre-existing condition. It could be because mine is through work though, so may well be different to if I took out the insurance myself.

Not gynae but I've seen the same consultant privately and nhs. Privately he was lovely, thorough, reassuring and promised to kick some arse in the nhs department he is senior in.

NHS, recently it's as though he has had a personality transplant, sees me for about 30 seconds, is dismissive, doesn't check to see if the treatment is working properly or if I'm having side effects. There seems to be an obvious correlation between his waiting list length and his stress levels.

As your gynae issue is pre-existing, you have kind of blown that for insurance. So you are are looking at self- funding.

A bonus of self-funding is that most consultants take self-referrals so you don't even need your GP to refer you.

If you like your current gynae, then see if she practices privately, get an idea of costs and go from there. You are likely to have more or less the same stuff as on the NHS but much faster, and if it is sexual health possibly things that have been cut to the bone/minimal access in the NHS will be easily available - but remember you will have to pay for each one!

I was treated by a private consultant through NHS for a prolapse years ago and the woman in the same ward by NHS doc was given mesh I wasn't and can remember being cross at the time as was worried it wouldn't work. This was before the scandal broke about mesh treatment; he also removed a mole at the same time. He turned up next day to check on me wearing a bow tie and tweed trousers lol.

You need to consider the diagnostics, histology (if needed) etc will be billed separately. It can get very expensive.

Most of them work for both.

They’re all the same but you will get a choice. You will also get seen much quicker, feel like they’re more invested in your treatment and if you need costly treatment which you can afford be referred back to the NHS.

ps

You need to try to have a handle on what may be wrong.

Pain can be endo, vulvadynia, peri menopause, low hormones, painful bladder syndrome......

Within gynaecology, many drs specialise in one or more of these so you need to see someone who is an expert in whatever might be wrong.

@Sinisterbumfacedcat Many private drs do not require a referral and if you are paying (rather than using insurance) you can simply phone their PA and make an appt- your GP does not need to be involved.

If you have several underlying issues, is a gynae the best person to see? They may end up referring you to other consultants.

If you want to PM me I am happy to offer an opinion as some of my work is as a health journalist. I've spoken to many consultants and know names if that might help you as well as using private health cover for 30 years myself.