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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think you already need private healthcare?

95 replies

MerryMarigold · 02/06/2017 13:22

On Tuesday Dh was in a cycling accident (someone cut in front of him on a steep downhill, he managed to break and avoid car, but came off bike at speed - luckily he was wearing a helmet). He has fractured a vertebra in his neck (c7). So, he was in hospital overnight and next day; diagnosed and given a neck brace, then came home all within 24 hours. His next appointment is in 6 WEEKS!

He was not told what he can/ can't do with the brace, how to get out of bed, whether he can shower, how he should wash his hair, whether he should be lying down or it's ok to sit. Anything he was told would have been difficult to retain anyway, having just been in a high impact accident a few hours earlier, concussed/ shocked etc. Nothing written was given to him for me/ any carer to read. I was not allowed to visit until 2.30pm which was after all the docs come round.

Yesterday he went to GP, who signed him off work for at least 6 weeks and gave him names of consultants who he can access more quickly on his work private healthcare. He is seeing one tonight, thankfully. So we should have more idea of what he is able to do or not.

I don't have private healthcare and neither do the kids, not to mention most people in the UK. If they had had this accident, what would they do?...It could be made much worse by doing things incorrectly. Then perhaps surgery needed/ long term problems come up etc. It's not a broken leg in plaster (immovable).

OP posts:

BeyondThePage · 03/06/2017 14:29

I feel like crying... I spent so much time last week trying to get through to someone (NHS) who was not there, gave up and booked a private physio for DD - just back and O.M.G what a wonderful experience.

£45 for 45 min of personal attention in a large private consulting suite, everything explained - from how the injury happened, to how to care for it, to exercises, tissue massage, taping up, with a follow-up appointment scheduled for 4 days time.

I've stopped chasing the NHS one now - last time 10 min with a typed exercise sheet given out - I know this will syphon off £300 in total, but OMG it is such a nice experience.

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 03/06/2017 15:25

And yes, other systems function much better. And we can go on about how much they pay for healthcare in Europe, but what most people forget about that in many countries (France, Germany) its is a hybrid system where people contribute but receive a semi-private service in return. One day, hopefully the British public will be mature enough to have an honest discussion. Until then, you need private care.

Yes, I agree Europe is much better, but aren't we headed for a US system which is much worse? I would rather have a European system...

I think it's ridiculous to say it's about people wanting things NOW. As I walked through A & E last Tuesday I was absolutely shocked. It was only about 8pm. It's like you see in the third world. The waiting room was heaving, but even worse, the majors waiting area was overflowing with people. These are people who have already been checked out a couple of times and deemed requiring treatment - waiting in corridors, on the floor etc. These are not people with even just 'minor injuries'. Dh was in Resus luckily for him, as he came in on an ambulance. After he was moved he said there were trollies everywhere around the Reception area etc.

And I don't think it's just a 'want' to require a bit of aftercare with a neck injury such as how to get out of bed or have a shower! Luckily for us, dh is getting an MRI privately tomorrow to check out his nerves as the pain is not getting better and there may be disc damage or a trapped nerve.

OP posts:

ExplodedCloud · 03/06/2017 15:38

One part of the equation is always overlooked. Private medical insurance is there for ACUTE medical conditions. It doesn't touch CHRONIC conditions post diagnosis. If you were being tested for Parkinson's for example you can be diagnosed privately but there it stops.
Then you are back to actually funding it yourself or going back to the NHS.

Supermagicsmile · 03/06/2017 16:02

Hope he feels better soon.

sparechange · 03/06/2017 17:43

There is absolutely no evidence that we are heading for a US system

It is an entire figment of the imagination of people writing hysterical memes for social media and catastrophising everything.

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 03/06/2017 19:05

I think it was MN rather than hysterical memes but there you go, sparechange. If you're not a Tory voter, I'll eat my hat!

OP posts:

sparechange · 03/06/2017 21:22

I'm not a Tory voter, no, but I equally don't think the world is going to stop turning and the county will go to hell in a handcart if they win

JaneEyre70 · 03/06/2017 21:31

I was admitted to hospital with cholecystitis. I've never known such pain and they couldn't control my temperature. I had 6 days in on IV antibiotics and morphine, but no investigation other than a brief scan in A & E. I was sent home and told I'd be seen at clinic in 12 weeks......vaguely horrified, DH said about going private. Our GP did a referral, I was seen that week....scan done by a consultant radiographer, saw consultant about 15 minutes later and bloods done to rule out gallstones. It cost around £750, so not horrendous and far more reassuring. And seeing the same Drs as we would have done anyway!!!

Lndnmummy · 03/06/2017 21:41

We have just been discharged from our local NHS hospital (Kings in London) with da who has been treated for viral meningitis. His care was exceptional. Second to none. I owe those nursers and doctors everything and I will support every strike and action they undertake. Every single one of them went over and above their duties for the children in their care. It was humbling and heart warming to see. They are on their knees, but where would be without them. I am so grateful to them

FeedMeAndTellMeImPretty · 03/06/2017 22:17

The NHS is fine to a point. It is massively misused and over managed though. The staff are great but the structure is weird and no one seems to dare touch it. This.

I buy my medication from overseas, taking a gamble that it won't get stopped at customs, because the NHS will only offer the cheapest crappiest version of this medication, which has been shown to be ineffective for many. Despite research into alternatives and masses of patient experience of feeling much better with the alternative, it has been removed from the list of meds the NHS can prescribe, so thousands of patients are living half a life on the shitty cheap drugs we are allowed.

In other countries people say "just fire your doctor, find one who is more understanding, they work for you remember". We are supposed to feel pathetically grateful for any care we are given and if we dare to criticise the marvellous NHS it's like we're taking a dump directly on the nurses' station.

I know they mainly do a great job and generally we are lucky to have the NHS but it is a sprawling dinosaur of an organisation and it desperately needs a shake-up. Some business-like efficiencies would not go amiss.

CressidaTheHeathen · 03/06/2017 22:23

My SIL just had a SEVEN HOUR wait in A&E to be diagnosed with a blood clot.

It's an absolute disgrace.

I'm seriously considering medical insurance.

That said, when I took DD with a fracture in her collarbone, she was seen pretty much instantly despite the four hour wait in adult A&E, so I'm hopeful that children's services are slightly better...

YellowLawn · 03/06/2017 22:28

will the nhs pay for loss of earning, loss of employment in extreme cases due to delayed diagnosis/treatment/botched jobs/unconvenient and immovable appointments?
maybe someone should tot up the real cost of the nhs...

FuzzyPillow · 03/06/2017 22:28

YADNBU!!!!!!!!!!

I've just been DX with Cancer.

According to the NHS data calculator my 5 year survival rate decreased 5% because I had to wait a month for Chemo. Sadly I couldn't afford £40k to have it sooner privately.

TrueColors · 03/06/2017 22:28

NoLove There are several private A&Es within around 15 miles of me. There are also several private hospitals with ITUs. It's just not true that private treatment cannot deal with complex cases. I'm having surgery soon that the clinical director consultant of a huge NHS university hospital couldn't treat. My new surgeon is NHS and private. This surgery is about as complex and serious as it can get. I'm totally covered by my health insurance. My surgeon said I'd likely have this on NHS but I'd have an even longer wait and I can't function like this any longer.

brasty · 03/06/2017 22:29

I have a relative who has severe mental health problems that look like they will be life long. No private firm would be interested in covering this. In fact travel insurance always excludes his psychiatric condition, and that is just for a one or two week holiday. Psychiatric care on the NHS is not brilliant, but my relative has an amazing GP, and at times has had the Crisis Team visiting twice a day. It must cost a fortune. And my relative works and does not get PIP, so would not be covered by any free scheme for those on benefits or with PIP. But there is no way he could pay for this care himself.

FuzzyPillow · 03/06/2017 22:29

Forgot to add, yes, NHS service is fucking abysmal.

I think it desperately needs more funding at it's doing no one any favours pretending it's 'one of the best services in the world'.

brasty · 03/06/2017 22:30

TrueColours You must be in London. I think the only private A&Es are in London. Most of the country do not live there.

TrueColors · 03/06/2017 22:33

I'm not in London. I am not far from London though. I didn't say that everyone can access private A&E but I was challenging a misconception that private healthcare cannot deal with serious and complex health problems. However, 8 million people live in London and those in the surrounding areas could access private A&E, obviously only if they afford to and if they want to.

sparechange · 03/06/2017 22:43

The juxtaposition between ldnmummy and feedmes' posts...

When a doctor does a great job, it is because they are a great doctor. It largely has fuck all to do with them being employed by the NHS. Doctors and nurses go above and beyond and they save lives and they make us feel totally humbled regardless of whether they are employed by a private hospital, a charity or the NHS

If you get extraordinary service in a private hospital, you don't gush about how amazing and special BUPA is and yet if you don't get down on public knee after any NHS experience, you are treated as if you've taken a dump at the nurses station, as feedme so eloquently put it!

But we are all conditioned to fetishise the concept of the NHS so much that we have the sort of slavish devotion to the concept only rivaled by that given to North Korean dictators

MaQueen · 03/06/2017 22:45

FeedMe I have to buy part of my HRT medication from a private pharmacy, because I can only get the cheapo, crappy version on the NHS, despite it not being nearly as effective on me, and gives me an allergic skin reaction each time I try and use it.

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