Can you explain private healthcare to me please?

[Respectmyauthoritah]

From what I understand, all emergency care takes place in NHS hospitals whether you have private healthcare or not. So what does private healthcare cover? Physio, better drugs, psychotherapy? Is it better to get private health insurance or just save money in an account and pay cash? I've been looking at the health mots offered at Nuffield, are they worth the money?

I'm nowhere near financially ready for private yet but curious as to what benefits it offers.

I would also add that, in my experience, private mental health treatment is a world away from what little you get on the NHS.

As well as WPA mentioned above, check out Simplyhealth.

In terms of health screening, they'll usually contribute a set amount towards it as long as it covers certain things, and depending on what level of plan you have chosen. These are typically the more thorough checks that you would get via the likes of Nuffield or BUPA. Health screens are expensive so while a cash plan wouldn't necessarily cover the whole cost it would cover a chunk of it.

Personally I get back more than I pay each year as I claim for glasses, dentist/hygienist and regular physio or massages. Mine is via my company so cheaper than if I was paying for it independently, but even then I still think they are good value.

And as PP said do check out the T&Cs of each as they will be a bit different.

My dp has had private health care through work for years. Fortunately he's never needed to access it as he's in great health.

Then he found a lump. Went to gp, was referred immediately on the NHS using the 2 week pathway, and had surgery for testicular cancer within the week, chemo less than a month later. He phoned the private healthcare people in the period between gp and surgery and was told the only thing they could offer above what the NHS provided was a waiting room with carpet (in the same NHS hospital wing), and nicer biscuits.

For us there has been no benefit at all to having private healthcare as we've never used it. If there are underlying issues it might be worth it.

This is something I've been thinking about as our area already had the worst waiting lists for NHS pre pandemic.

I would like to pay to get a full MOT including scans to check my inside bits - is this even a thing?! Would make me feel a bit better I think to find anything potentially lurking sooner.

I used to have mine through work but I opted out when I read what it covered (or more importantly didn't cover).

If you were skiing and you broke your leg they would move heaven and earth to get you fixed and mobile ASAP so you could go back to work.

Anything life limiting which would result in you possibly not going back to work at all wasn't covered.

Likes others have said better care, quicker access to doctors and more flexibility.

I broke my rib a few years ago. Was treated NHS but months later it was still hurting. Xray showed it had healed so they refused to do anything about it. Eventually got referred privately and a proper ct scan showed whilst it had healed at the front the back was still gaping and it was pressing on the nerve underneath hence causing me pain. A couple of months if various treatments to try and get it healed and I was then wheeled into surgery. If I'd had to pay for that out of pocket it would have been tens of thousands of pounds. And if I'd gone NHS I probably wouldn't have been deemed serious enough to be anywhere near the top of the lists of surgery and if they'd let me at all it would of been a very very long wait in so much pain.

After surgery I had my own room with my own ensuite (useful as I needed my dh's help to use the bathroom). And could have all the visitors I wanted.

A couple of years later a lovely scar is my only reminder of that surgery and I am so grateful I had private health care else id probably still be in agony today.

@buckeejit Nuffield do a 360 health check that I've had my eye on for a while now. Bupa also do health screening but from what I can understand it's more of a lifestyle and fitness consultation. I don't need to be told to exercise more and lay off the wine, I want to catch any serious health problems before they take hold!

@buckeejit

This is something I've been thinking about as our area already had the worst waiting lists for NHS pre pandemic.

I would like to pay to get a full MOT including scans to check my inside bits - is this even a thing?! Would make me feel a bit better I think to find anything potentially lurking sooner.

Sorry, what do you mean by this?

Also bit confused by the mention of cash plans.

With Benenden, it looks like you'd have to be referred by your GP?

@AcornAutumn there are 3 different things being talked about. General definitions are:

Private medical insurance - an insurance policy to provide cover for non emergency conditions.

Cash plan - gives you money towards paying for routine bills eg optician, dentist, physio.

Healthscreen - check up to review your current health. Can include ECG, mammogram, lifestyle, blood tests

We have a charity based private health care. We use NHS unless awful wait, then we can apply for funding for private. We used it two years ago.

The wait for an MRI was up to 6 months. We were given funding for the MRI and up to 2 consultations. The MRI was arranged within 4 weeks and the consultation two weeks later. We had a choice of consultant. The MRI was on time with free coffee area. The consultant was an hour. Really, really informative and took lots of questions. A long written letter and advice, including lighter work duties until x was resolved.

It was the time saving when you have work to go to ,the extensive consultation and written report that were worth every penny we pay in monthly fees.

I have (sadly) used ours a lot over the last few years, I had cancer treatment and 2 major surgeries.

The cancer treatment was very similar to the NHS - a few differences being i was able to have a port fitted and had a 12 x weekly chemo regime rather than a 3 x 4 weekly which is more toxic (the weekly wasn't available on the NHS locally).

After surgery, I was able to stay in hospital until my drains had been removed wheats in the NHS you are usually discharged after 3 days.

With my gallbladder, I had had scans, the surgery to remove it and was back at work 5 weeks later by the time I received the NHS letter with a date for 7 weeks later for the initial scan.

With my other surgery, I was able to have a surgical technique which was not available on the NHS and was significantly less risky, halved my recovery time and meant I was highly unlikely to suffer a serious complication common to that surgery.

That said, DH also has been paying for the cover for however many years and, touch wood, has never had to use it!!

We have it through oh work and covers the family.

Benefits are speed you can have an appointment, minimal waiting for tests between appts and then swift treatment. I had a possible hernia and from gp to surgery was 2 weeks, would have been months waiting for nhs.

Eldest has nasal cauterisation and evening appts reduced school impact, was under nhs and they said we want to do a general anaesthetic and get it all properly but will be at least 6 months on nhs and might not get approved, I mention Bupa, he gives me a name and says ring them...done within a month.

Middle has complex medical needs, we weren't getting anywhere with general paediatrician and got second opinion, who flagged concerns we hadn't noticed, got a series of tests done and then advised us to get referred into nhs where he worked and he picked it up and went under him there (I know morally not great but we were on paed no 9 and we're finally getting a diagnosis for rare disease - we'd done our time!)

But...negatives are private only cover and treat what is being investigated - so if like my complex kid, there is multiple things going on they will only look at the one issue so you don't get a much holistic care, great for isolated issues and care though.

In terms of staffing, you can pick your consultant so you know their background and specialisms. Free parking for ours, decent tea and coffee, comfy chairs - sounds silly little things but it all adds up and gives you a more relaxed environment to get treatment.

[quote Respectmyauthoritah]@buckeejit Nuffield do a 360 health check that I've had my eye on for a while now. Bupa also do health screening but from what I can understand it's more of a lifestyle and fitness consultation. I don't need to be told to exercise more and lay off the wine, I want to catch any serious health problems before they take hold![/quote]
Providers should not be offering most scans on a ‘just in case’ basis. They come with risks. It would be unethical to give an asymptotic person a CT, for example.

@LemonRoses thanks - I had no idea there were risks in a scan - totally clueless here. As pp said, I know to lose weight, drink less etc

Thanks for the heads up on the Nuffield one-will take a look 😁

Cancer services are better in NHS, almost universally with better support systems and outcomes.

Couldn’t disagree more. Cancer is where I think private health comes into its own. No waiting, choose your consultant, speed of treatment, no waiting for scans, no cancellations, results within a couple of days often less, choice of hospitals based on what suits you and where your chosen doctor works. You only see the consultant rather than their team to build up a rapport and have continuity of care and most importantly, access to more, newer and often better drugs than the NHS can provide.

@Vierty

Cancer services are better in NHS, almost universally with better support systems and outcomes.

Couldn’t disagree more. Cancer is where I think private health comes into its own. No waiting, choose your consultant, speed of treatment, no waiting for scans, no cancellations, results within a couple of days often less, choice of hospitals based on what suits you and where your chosen doctor works. You only see the consultant rather than their team to build up a rapport and have continuity of care and most importantly, access to more, newer and often better drugs than the NHS can provide.

But less emergency support, less access to Macmillan centres and CNS’s, less qualified nursing staff, no 24 hour expertise.

Usually less access to MDT planning and input, no one-stop clinics, no single site services (very few offer radiotherapy), less joined up services generally and far, far less expertise in staff such as specialists radiographers and interventional radiologist. In private sector you often don’t get all your tests on one day because a radiologist to do biopsy isn’t available at same time as a surgeon.

Yes you’ll be seen quicker sometimes, but the service overall may not be the same. Most trusts offer and meet the two week wait (even during pandemic). Most are meeting 62 day target too.

Independent sector doesn’t offer management of many cancers because they lack ITU and suitably skilled staff - major colorectal surgery, breast cancer surgery and reconstruction, neurological tumours, lung cancer surgery and treatment are all rarely offered in private sector.

Overall outcomes and 24 hour access are much more important than a same day scan. Most one stops offer indicative results on the day.

Not usually any access to newer drugs either. No independent hospital should be using different protocols to those set by the regional cancer network and site specific pathways. The risk of consultants stepping outside the agreed pathways has much tighter governance to prevent Mavericks being experimental. The tightening of governance came after Patterson who rather screwed up cancer care for many people, mainly women undergoing treatment in independent sector.

Before Covid we cancelled our children's Private Health Insurance because we found that they were being seen very quickly by the NHS anyway. Also the one occasion we couldn't be seen quickly but there was a serious health issue, DS needed a paediatric respiratory consultant, and there weren't any private consultants specialising in his area in the whole south of England. So we ended up waiting for the (superb) NHS treatment anyway. So we cancelled.

However, we've been discussing the fact that, with Covid lengthening all the waiting lists, it might be wise to restart the PHI, at least for a couple of years.

DH and I kept our PHI because we've both used it, and know we will see consultants, get scans etc much more quickly. It probably saved DH's mobility at one point. It means immediate referrals, scans etc, nicer care (longer appointments, more personalised, nice environments). As PP have said, be wary of procedures at private hospitals with no ICU.

One option is a healthcare plan, which can be cheaper than PHI, and can be worth it for covering physiotherapy etc, and perhaps one consultant appointment a year. We have both the healthcare plan (which pays for itself given I have regular physio) in addition to the PHI, and the plan also pays the PHI excess, so usually saves us about £200 each annually just on that.

I would like to pay to get a full MOT including scans to check my inside bits - is this even a thing?! Would make me feel a bit better I think to find anything potentially lurking sooner.

Just saw this bit. I don't think anywhere in the UK will do scans for people with no symptoms or cause for concern - because the scans come with a small health risk themselves. X-rays, CT, nuclear imaging, all involve radiation.

• The dose from just one procedure is small, but if you had them regularly you would be increasing your cancer risk, and so the cost would outweigh the benefit from picking something up earlier.

• Given that CT scans etc haven't been around that long, and radiation-triggered cancers take decades to appear, no one can be entirely sure what the long term impact of repeated doses could be, and so they use the precautionary principle.

• The scan could also pick up something innocent, which you'd never have known about otherwise, which would then trigger the need for more scans (and radiation doses), riskier procedures etc. That's happened to me twice - I've had necessary scans for something else, which have spotted something which they are pretty certain is nothing, but once they've spotted it then it would be bad practice (& probably not great for my peace of mind) to leave it without checking it. So then I've had more scans and more invasive procedures, and it's been nothing, just as suspected.

Of course, if you have symptoms that suggest something could be seriously wrong, then the potential benefits of scans do outweigh the risk of the small radiation dose.

@LemonRoses sorry not if you are a private patient in a cancer centre such as the royal marsden or the Christie or if you are treated a LOC or London clinic.

ALL tests on the same day with quick results, PET / MRI the next day when needed. Great MDT input with immediate results and referral to different clinicians. CNS available all the time with back up,

Very rare cancer dealt with privately, NHS consultants never seen it before, found private dr at leading cancer hospital, patient treated totally differently to the NHS suggestions with treatment standard elsewhere but not even considered on the NHS. In many cancers treatment with drugs which are not covered under the NHS but are standard of care in other countries which have evidence of effectiveness will be approved for use by the insurance companies

I think we will have to agree to disagree but having walked the path where my late husband lived for 5 years with a rare stage 4 cancer and was offered all manner of effective treatment which the NHS wouldn’t even discuss with us which gave him 4.5. Years of good quality life I am absolutely certain that private cancer care in a cancer centre is a different league to most NHS care. His life expectancy with what we were offered NHS was 6 months

I have had amazing service privately for my heavy bleeding and surgery is due in April at a beautiful hospital. The speed and time you get is great and I requested many tests, which I got. What worries me is if there is an emergency during surgery (as mentioned by some here). Private hospitals are not equipped for these.

When it was discovered through (private) fertility testing I had an ovarian cyst and quite likely endometriosis I had surgery through my private healthcare within two weeks (which removed the cyst and confirmed and removed endometriosis) I had to get a GP referral and the GP admitted it wouldn't even be treated on the NHS despite the fact it was obviously affecting my fertility. Sadly I went on to get pregnant but miscarry, I was able to get the same surgeon for the D&C and the insurer sent me flowers. My treatment by my local epu was appalling, they basically left me to bleed because it wasn't heavy enough for a &e and it was only because I was able to go private I could get a scan to confirm the miscarriage was incomplete. I do use NHs services but in my experience for gynecology, private has been head and shoulders above.

[quote Vierty]@LemonRoses sorry not if you are a private patient in a cancer centre such as the royal marsden or the Christie or if you are treated a LOC or London clinic.

ALL tests on the same day with quick results, PET / MRI the next day when needed. Great MDT input with immediate results and referral to different clinicians. CNS available all the time with back up,

Very rare cancer dealt with privately, NHS consultants never seen it before, found private dr at leading cancer hospital, patient treated totally differently to the NHS suggestions with treatment standard elsewhere but not even considered on the NHS. In many cancers treatment with drugs which are not covered under the NHS but are standard of care in other countries which have evidence of effectiveness will be approved for use by the insurance companies

I think we will have to agree to disagree but having walked the path where my late husband lived for 5 years with a rare stage 4 cancer and was offered all manner of effective treatment which the NHS wouldn’t even discuss with us which gave him 4.5. Years of good quality life I am absolutely certain that private cancer care in a cancer centre is a different league to most NHS care. His life expectancy with what we were offered NHS was 6 months[/quote]
Ok yes, if you are at Christie's or R Marsden - but they are very atypical, are not private hospitals and are using NHS services for their own private patients. Very different from the more usual corporate independent hospital in a large town or small city offering services that are not resourced as well.