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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU For expecting more of a Private Hospital

104 replies

charliebear78 · 27/07/2017 17:16

Ok,So I went in for a NHS Procedure yesterday-I was given the option of three local Hospitals to go to,One of these was a Private Hospital-so I thought it would be "better" plus this particular Hospital could do the procedure sooner than the others,so great I thought, and chose that one.
I arrived on time and was quickly ushered through to my own en suite room and given a menu to chose what I wanted to eat afterwards-The Room was quite grotty with really old wooden furniture, The room was quite depressing and I was feeling nervous about the procedure(colonoscopy)
The curtains were drawn so I thought "lets open them and get some light in here,that will cheer me up a bit"
The window was all boarded up.
I then sat in that depressing windowless room for 3.5 hours until I was taken down to theatre!
The actual Colonoscopy took half an hour-afterwards I was given a cheese and ham toastie and a pot of tea-with a napkin!!!!
My Mum had the same thing done a month before at our local NHS Hospital and was in and out in the time I spent just waiting!!!!
I really cannot get over the wait time.Why did I need to go there just to wait for so long?
No one said sorry about the wait.
Just wanted to vent really.
I was already feeling nervous and worried and the time waiting on my own really got to me.
Thankfully all was ok.
Is this the norm for some Hospitals?!! I have NEVER had to wait so long before.
Do people pay for this? or is it because I am an NHS patient using their Hospital?

OP posts:

AllToadsLeadToHome · 27/07/2017 18:22

I had a procedure done at an NHS hospital last year. Due to the waiting time and the need to have it done before it was inoperable I had it done privately. Insurance did not cover the full cost. I have insurance because of the waiting time and knowing I will need another procedure which is also time sensitive.

This meant that I had a room and bathroom to wait in while the long queue of patients was dealt with as my appointment time came and went and went and went. It was a very busy hospital and I could have chosen a completely private one but I was just grateful to have a private room with a comfortable bed, a locked window and a view of a wall instead of sitting with crowds of people for hours on end.

NHS hospitals are not full of luxury, they are to treat people, a private room is just a private room in an NHS hospital. A private room in a private hospital is a bit better, the treatment can vary in both.

Spottytop1 · 27/07/2017 18:24

It's normal to wait - it all depends on what position you are on the list.

My daughter has had lots of surgeries/procedures and sometimes she was first or second down, other times last or near the end.

SpartacusSaiman · 27/07/2017 18:27

So you opted for the private hospital because you would get the procedure quicker? Buy complaining how long you waited on the day?

You still got it done quicker and had a private room to wait in.

Sounds like you pickes private because you didn't want to wait but also fancied a bit of luxury.

Your procedure was still quicker than the nhs.

SpartacusSaiman · 27/07/2017 18:28

And bloody free.

Toddlerteaplease · 27/07/2017 18:28

Your mum may have been first on the list and you were last. That's just how it is.

Original poster

charliebear78 · 27/07/2017 18:29

I chose the toastie, that is what I wanted,I had a choice.
My mum got a turkey sandwich.
Both of these I would have been happy to eat.No problems with the food.
Think I failed to realise that I would be on a list-or rather that I would have to wait at the Hospital, thought that I would be given a time nearer to my procedure..I admit I am pretty clueless how these things work.
When I went for my Endoscopy earlier this Year I waited for an hour then was seen-just surprised at the 3.5 wait.
Now I see it can be the norm.
I suppose I did expect something "Better" via a Private Hospital.
My mums experience seems "better" than mine in a NHS Hospital
That was what I was asking nit guess it is not that simple.
Thanks everyone for the arse kicking-and it's already sore!!

OP posts:

Floggingmolly · 27/07/2017 18:31

You failed to realise you'd be on a list? Seriously?!

Toddlerteaplease · 27/07/2017 18:33

Our new local private hospital is trying to get our nurses to look after a specific group of patients. If I was the families I would be fuming that the hospitals own staff had no idea how to look after these particular patients!

Original poster

charliebear78 · 27/07/2017 18:38

Ok worded it wrong.
I knew there would be people before me, and people after me
Thought I would be told to arrive nearer to the time of my actual procedure.
I understand that's not how it works,perhaps if told this....

OP posts:

shouldaknownbetter · 27/07/2017 18:45

I had to wait 1.5 hours to see the doctor when paying privately for a consultation.
He'd been in surgery and had had problems.
Shit happens.

AllToadsLeadToHome · 27/07/2017 18:48

With NHS you still need to turn up and wait until the patients before you are seen, depending on whether they are on a list or urgent, and can even be cancelled regardless of whether the hospital has private rooms or not.

With a private appointment in an NHS hospital which also does private treatment you are given a time to arrive/be seen, and still have to wait until the surgeon is available. As far as I can tell the only difference is that you get a room. You can ask to pay for a room and sometimes an NHS patient is given a room if that is where there is a free bed.

If you want luxury you need a private hospital and even then it is hardly luxury because you are being given treatment, it is just a nice room with a bathroom.

KatoPotato · 27/07/2017 18:51

A NAPKIN?!

scaredofthecity · 27/07/2017 18:54

I'm guessing somebody who was involved with your procedure saw you before. You cannot just stop the operating list to see patients before you do the procedure therefore you must see as patients before you start. This means all patients must arrive before the list starts.
Somebody has to go first and somebody has to go last. Therefore there is always the chance you may be waiting for several hours.
That's how theatres and other procedure areas work I'm afraid.

IshipTomHardysohard · 27/07/2017 18:55

Op I've my taste buds have been gone now for almost 3 months. Last Friday they finally agreed to do a iron transfusion which would hopefully kick the taste buds back in. Anemia tongue apparently. My anxiety that day was horrible, but I was glad to be finally having it done like you.

I was there for 12 hours for something that took a hour normally. The reason being is that I was in a busy ward, emergencies happen.

I have no idea why you are moaning, the time you waited wasn't actually that long?! I

And they did feed you

IshipTomHardysohard · 27/07/2017 18:56

Oh and yes you are being completely aibu

Usernamegone · 27/07/2017 19:45

People think that private will be 'better' than NHS. My opinion is the main difference is waiting times for non-urgent stuff are shorter with private and that you get nicer food!

PollyPerky · 27/07/2017 19:49

OP I think what you experienced was frankly due to your being an NHS person.

I've had investigations etc at some excellent private hospitals and always been seen pretty much on time. Consultants have bent over backwards to say sorry if running 15 mins late.

Other patients would I assume have a set appt time. You didn't?

CockacidalManiac · 27/07/2017 20:12

When my appointment came through for a vasectomy, I saw that it was at a local private hospital (contracted out by the NHS); I did get momentarily excited by the thought of comfy beds and food on a silver platter, resting my love spuds on a velvet ice bag.
I realised my mistake when I spent 4 hours in a small room with 5 other blokes, all sat on past-their-best chairs in bum-revealing gowns. I was the last to go down, it did feel that the surgeon had run out of local anaesthetic/blunted his scalpel by the time he'd got to me.
It's just the way it goes.

SteppingOnToes · 27/07/2017 20:23

when son had grommets inserted privately he had a ham sandwich and a drink too. What were you expecting by way of food? A 3 course meal!

In the NHS that is exactly what you get and people still complain...

Though for day surgery you would get nothing

Floggingmolly · 27/07/2017 20:24

Cockacidal

AngeloftheSouth84 · 27/07/2017 20:26

I Didn't know WHAT to expect
That's the problem. The NHS is shit at communicating with people. I was in day surgery a month ago, letter says arrive at such and such a time, go to the waiting room, have something to eat 2 hours before as per local anaesthetic etc.
I get there, expecting to sit in a waiting room like you do at the dentist. Then they want me to change into a hospital gown, go to a single-sex ward (so I can't wait with my OH). Fuck that I told them. I'm waiting here. You come and get me when you're ready. Then when they're ready they want to give me a general anaesthetic . Communication in hospitals is shit.

Horses4 · 27/07/2017 20:35

My 7 year old had a brain scan and endoscopy&colonoscopy two weeks ago. We had 45 minutes notice that they were making her brain scan an hour early, at 10.30am we were told her scopes were imminent, we checked with ward nurses at 12, to find she had been pushed back to 2. She was finally taken up at 2.30. Situations are constantly changing in hospitals, private or otherwise. A couple of hours is nothing. Always have a good book at hand....

AngeloftheSouth84 · 27/07/2017 20:45

We had 45 minutes notice that they were making her brain scan an hour early, at 10.30am we were told her scopes were imminent, we checked with ward nurses at 12, to find she had been pushed back to 2. She was finally taken up at 2.30

The difference between you and the OP is you were kept informed. The OP wasn't.

MrsPorth · 27/07/2017 20:47

In my family's experience, the medical expertise isn't better when you go private, but the nurses have more time, delays are less numerous, you get a private room, and the choice of food is better. However, if you want all this, you must pay. Do that in future, or be grateful for the free care you received.

I genuinely hope you're feeling better after your op. Take care, be well.

TwitterQueen1 · 27/07/2017 22:09

cockacidal at love spuds

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