If you can afford to pay for an NHS Treatment you should

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Or at least consider it. My friend was forever moaning about her MIL (hip) op being canx and saying it wasnt fair and complaining about the NHS. I know the MIL has 4 children all comfortably off - not rich by any means. It did make me think why don't you all club together and go private. If you've got the means then why not?

Really? Do you known how much an operation like that costs? Its not just the operation, but the ward stay, the recuperation afterwards, physic, etc.

Why should they pay for it, its what the NHS is there for.

I pay for the NHS through my NI and Taxes already... not to mention for treatment that I need that isn't available on the NHS!

Initially OP, I was thinking "ridiculous" but, you make a very thought provoking point.

To be fair I dont know the costs involved but in a hypothetical world if my mother was in pain and I could afford to pay for her not to be I would.

But you don't know that they can afford it.

You don't even know how much it costs.

Ignorinf the fact that we pay for the NHS through taxes.
Just because the children are comfortably off doesn't mean they have spare money to pay for the Operation.

When I needed a hernia repair, I was told there was a six month wait.
So I paid double for my health care.

Meanwhile the NHS was and still is paying to look after people who make themselves ill by way of obesity leading to type II diabetes. And because of that, I was not able to have treatment for something I had not inflicted on myself.

But let's assume they do have... rather than wait in pain...would you pay?

You might have a wider point about reconsidering how the NHS is funded - maybe we do need to take a different approach but I think it is ridiculous to say that your MiL should pay for a very expensive hip replacement.

You don't know what it costs
Or how much money her children have
or whether they would want spend it on that - they may have their own health needs
Or who would get bumped further down the list if she went ahead
Or what would happen if there were complications - who would pay and how much.

Then we would get into the means tested territory if we forced it. (And we know how that goes!)

So really YABU in this case

It's really tricky. I've been advised by my GP to pay for one private consultation with a consultant who practices both privately and NHS. Then the consultant will add me to his nhs operations list without the potential 6m wait for an NHS appointment. I don't think that's fair, as essentially those who have spare cash get priority over the

... rest

Meanwhile the NHS was and still is paying to look after people who make themselves ill by way of obesity leading to type II diabetes. And because of that, I was not able to have treatment for something I had not inflicted on myself.

How do you know our didn't have to wait because of someone like my karate instructor who has artificial knees and hips after years of training?

I agree that obesity is costing the NHS a lot of money but if we're going down the route of blaming people for iflicitng things on themselves then let's not just single out the fatties eh?

It can be an extortionate amount. unless you have Bupa or something similar. Ops can go wrong. There could be infection. It has the potential to be Far too expensive unless you either have a plan or are mega rich.

There are a lot of things we do, a lot of sports we play that are bodies were not intended to do. causing wear and tear and strain on the joints.

Wow, not even onto page one and we already have a "fat people are crippling the NHS" post. All we need now is one about all the 'forrins', old people bed blocking and people going to A&E for broken finger nails and we'll have a full house.

You do know not all overweight people are overweight by choice, don't you? There are medical conditions and medications that can cause weight gain and make weight loss incredibly difficult (a friend of mine has a medical condition and that, combined with the medication for it, meant that even on a restricted diet of 1200 calories a day she only lost 2lb in a month). Disability can make it hard to exercise. There is a link between poverty and obesity, poverty is on the rise in the UK. Then there is the often complex relationship that overweight people have with food, particularly emotional eating and binge eating.

Formerlyfriend - did you know that a lot of people with diabetes have an impaired metabolism which means they produce excess insulin in response to their food, resulting in weight gain. This most probably causes their weight gain.

Can you tell me why exactly it's their fault they have this impaired metabolism in the first place, which is thought to have a huge genetic influence?

What exactly can they do to avoid getting such an unlucky throw of the genetic dice, before they are even born?

Sorry, meant for itsnoteasy not formerlyfriend!

OP, in practice people sometimes do. I have a chronic condition and needed to see a specialist. NHS? 4 month wait, during which I could barely function. I paid to go private instead. I think it happens more than we realise.

I am comfortably off. Some would say wealthy. But not megabucks. I would only go private if my health insurance would cover it. Private healthcare is eyewateringly expensive. That said, my mum has just been diagnosed with something and I've said to her that if something would be easier/ quicker privately then we'll pay for her. That wouldn't be covered on my health insurance obviously. But talk's easy - see what I think if it ever happens and the bill's into the '000s!

DDad doesn't have private health insurance, but if he or DSM need urgent treatment and there's a long wait for the NHS he does just that - pays to go private.

This is bollocks. Its a universal health service. That means it is there for everyone and no one should feel guilty about using it. If everyone who could theoretically affoird to goes private then it becomes a health service of last resort like in the US. Ie shit because the middle classes aren't invested in it. Do you think people who use state schools who could afford to go private are taking someone else's space? What about universities?

It's quite complicated. DM has recently had a hip op that she had to wait ages for & she was in considerable distress (understatement). The op would have been around 14k which they could afford, with not much spare. However that's just the basic cost without physio, medicine, food in a private hospital, complications etc, so they decided not to risk it. I don't think we should question it although there are plenty of practices we should question.

Isn't that why we pay tax, NI?

Why on earth should we pay both. Tbf I rarely goto doctors or use the hospital.

I do believe though drug addicts and alcoholics should be allowed only so much help. But then were would it end as smokers and the obese are self injuring really. It's a tricky one

and they could have chosen to pay for the Full Monty Private Health care package for her - as could you.

There is no doubt a re-think is needed but where to start?

I heard on the news yesterday that some trusts are restricting hip and knee replacements for obese patients.
I don't even know what my own view is - and that is unusual for me

Whilst I want to see more responsibility for self in society, I cannot see how it would work in the sense of paying for treatment. I would also like to see some respect for those who have paid for years, ( an accrual of points maybe?) . Some conditions should be excluded but no-one agrees on what they should be. I used to agree with "treat greatest need first" but what that means now is you don't get treated until you are so bad that you are at the top of the queue.

Um, we do pay for NHS treatment. Just not at the point of use.