To want to hear your views and experiences of private healthcare

[PaddleBoardingMomma]

Posting for traffic.

Having read a couple of posts this week where the OP was seriously unwell and had an awful time in A & E, also reading past threads of massive referral waiting times, GP's being unhelpful and the struggle to even get seen, it's made me wonder about those of us who have opted for private care and how your experiences have differed?

I must admit, seeing so many struggle and have pretty dire outcomes last year I took out vitality healthcare for me and my two daughters but thankfully haven't needed it yet, so can't comment on what the process is like.

[Phineyj]

I am a generally healthy 49 year old woman but I have suffered several chronic things: plantar fasciitis, endometriosis and varicose veins. As a teacher all of these have been bad enough at times that I would have had to leave work. Luckily through work provided health insurance (taxable benefit) I have had 2 x vein ops and a gynae one paid for (I have had 6 x ops though and had to pay for the other 3 out of pocket). Plantar sorted by private physio.

The two surgeons I saw were fantastic - older, really experienced, great bedside manner. Facilities were good to excellent. Pots of tea in abundance!

There have been some unpleasant receptionists though and at least one not too competent nurse. Also the pre admission procedures have varied wildly between hospitals, even though the three I've used have been in the same chain.

What with the above, two lots of private IVF abroad (exceptional customer care, very cheap) and paying for a private diagnosis and therapy for DC's ADHD and ASD, I am really wondering what the point of the NHS is.

I saw a news report recently that in the UK we are now paying nearly as much out of pocket for healthcare as the Americans. But without the safeguards for the lowest earners.

I would love a social insurance system.

[Phineyj]

The above all happened within 15 years!

[sunflowerdaisyrose]

I had cancer care privately and now I've lost my job, I'm paying for it myself and added my family as found it invaluable.

[RandomQuest]

I saw a news report recently that in the UK we are now paying nearly as much out of pocket for healthcare as the Americans
I’m not surprised. In the UK last year I spent over 5 times the more than I’ve ever spent on healthcare when I lived in the US. On a totally selfish personal level (I realise it’s utterly crap for people without decent insurance) I miss the US system so much.

[whumpthereitis]

I’ve private medical and dental. It’s very good facility wise and you have ready access to consultants. There are a&e and intensive care departments in the hospital I use, and if I need an appointment I can get one quickly.

I prefer it.

[Hbh17]

What you pay for is not just skipping up the waiting list but also TIME. So your consultation is almost certainly with the same person you would see on the NHS but s/he will be able to spend much more time with you, & have much more say as to when & how you are treated. Consultants have no control over their own theatre etc lists in an NHS setting, which is why many of them are so frustrated.

Of course, you also get all the hotel elements like private room & better food, but these are frills rather than essentials.

As mentioned, not ideal for emergencies tho. And if you do need surgery, pick a private hospital which is close to an NHS ITU!

[Hbh17]

Also, most NHS consultants work their maximum PAs - paid hours - in the NHS (& then some). Private work is done in their own time, inc evenings & weekends, so don't fall for the narrative that if they stopped private work they would then spend more time in the NHS. They wouldn't. That's not how the system works.

[Ski4130]

We've had private healthcare through dh's work for the last 16 years and I've been really grateful of it. In that time we've had a lot of things that would usually involve a long wait on the NHS diagnosed and treated between the 5 of us (gall stones/removal, heart conditions (dh and ds1) knee surgery, physio, MRIs etc etc)

I've found any interaction I've had with NHS doctors/nurses just as good as the private ones BUT we haven't had to wait for diagnoses or treatment, which is a massive bonus, especially when it was gall bladder related and I was in agony, and dh's heart condition which was causing lots of worry for us.

[TizerorFizz]

@Topgub
I think most people now accept the NHS is a behemoth and not efficient. Looking through many posts here, that’s obvious. Some care is very good but some is poor and some really needs a shake up. It’s hugely expensive and the public should expect an efficient service. Private care should play a bigger role and we shouldn’t be frightened of it.

[MintJulia]

For individual things like wisdom tooth op, brilliant. Fast, comfortable, efficient.

But for a long course of serious stuff like breast cancer, my local nhs could not be faulted. The pace of treatment, the care of the nurses, the responsiveness of the consultants was brilliant.

Thank you North Hampshire

[Musmerian]

Small scale but recently was misdiagnosed three times as having shingles by the nurses at my local surgery. It was a skin infection which then took hold and was awful. I paid £25 to have an online consultation with a GP. Booked at 8 am - appt at 9.30 and prescription for Flucloxacillin which cleared it up like magic. Wish I’d just done it from the start.

[Topgub]

@TizerorFizz

The nhs is in crisis due to under funding, staffing shortages and the effects of covid (covid solely focus has caused huge issues)

Prior to that it was ranked as one of the most efficient health care systems globally.

The tories have made sure its not fit for purpose so people believe that privatisation is the only answer.

Its not and believing it is is a disaster and I am frightened of it

Especially given the state of elderly care which no one wants to pay for.

All of those saying they pay a fortune (they dont) for no return are thinking of what they use now.

Not what a chronic illness or long term elderly care will cost them.

[TizerorFizz]

In all my life it’s always been complained about. And I’m pretty old. It’s not been efficient for several generations. We hang on to this outdated model and don’t notice other countries do it better. You are utterly deluded if you think this issue is only due to the Conservatives. Lots of people think inefficiency started well before that.

If is also about time all working people paid NI. The older working population doesn’t. It’s also now vital that we all pay insurance for elderly care. The state of that is horrific. But we stuck to the model that doesn’t work and is inefficient. No government will follow recommendations on insurance. So we get the rubbish service we see now. Well no service actually for elderly care. That’s nothing to do with the £135 billion the NHS swallows every year and yet it means beds are occupied. No government has the balls to sort if out.

[Topgub]

@TizerorFizz

Yeah folk have moaned about the nhs for as long as I can remember too.

Doesn't mean they're right.

I mean, the complaints I've heard have been utterly ridiculous.

People's expectations (for what they actually pay in) are generally ridiculous

[Giraffesandbottoms]

Basically I think NHS is fantastic for proper emergencies, and private healthcare is essential to be seen and treated efficiently for potential emergencies and most other concerns. I wouldn’t be without it, we have used it for some fairly serious matters and it’s made a world of difference.

[Poppyseed14]

@Inthesameboatatmo

@comtesseDeSpair. That's horrible. I had a dermoid cyst the size of a grapefruit. It had blond hair ! Ive naturally jet black hair . It also had teeth and nails. Fuckin horrible thing. Please push to get it removed. My gyne told me it needed out ASAP because they are the type of ovarian cysts that turn nasty (cancerous) .

Bloody hell 😳😳😳😳

[Jedsnewstar]

There is no such thing as private healthcare in the UK as such. You can top up NHS with insurance but it doesn’t cover everything. Not in the same way it does in the US. Fine if you need an operation on your leg not so great with needing A&E etc.

Private healthcare in the US for a family of four is about $1200 a month.
I think people need to realise this when they pay £90 for bupa and think we should scrap the NHS because their experience of having a toenail removed was great.

The scariest think is how many people would let cancers get to stage 4 because if they go and check that mole or lump and it’s nothing their premiums will go up….

[twofrozenshoulders]

My first frozen shoulder was not bad, but my second was awful. The wait time to see a consultant on the NHS was 18 months. I signed up and kidded myself that orivate physio was helping. I did a half measure on BUPA.

After about six sleepless months I bit the bullet and saw a private surgeon through BUPA. He had a two month wait list. The surgery was brilliant. I justify it by reminding myself that there was one less person on the NHS list, and we pay a lot of tax and would happily pay more.

Interestingly, the reason we got BUPA was that a friend had an appalling cancer experience on the NHS. DH had a rare and highly aggressive tumour and his excellent surgeon, who does a lot of private work, urged him to stay within the NHS. He did. So far he is one of the lucky few although we are still within the window of concern.

[HousePlantNeglect]

Have Babylon GP with work which is great for me but no good for the kids as they can’t see anyone in person.

Otherwise private health care is a nightmare. Sure the care is fine if you qualify for it and you put the endless leg work in on the admin. But it’s not joined up at all, you often have to endlessly go back for approval for extras and there are always limits. This is in UK

Ive lived in two other counties where I have had to rely on it and it was extremely stressful.

[HotDogKetchup]

I’ve used it several times. You can get appointments in the evenings and the care is vastly superior. I feel you’re treated with a lot more respect.

[SickAndTiredAgain]

@Jedsnewstar

There is no such thing as private healthcare in the UK as such. You can top up NHS with insurance but it doesn’t cover everything. Not in the same way it does in the US. Fine if you need an operation on your leg not so great with needing A&E etc.

Private healthcare in the US for a family of four is about $1200 a month.
I think people need to realise this when they pay £90 for bupa and think we should scrap the NHS because their experience of having a toenail removed was great.

The scariest think is how many people would let cancers get to stage 4 because if they go and check that mole or lump and it’s nothing their premiums will go up….

To be fair, I don't think all the people posting positive private experiences think that therefore the NHS should be scrapped. I certainly don't. But it is a fact that I couldn't get a referral for something causing me daily pain, and the only way to access the consultant and treatment (both of which were the same as if I had been seen on the NHS) was through private healthcare. And I now don't have the pain.

[Bouledeneige]

I had private health in my last job. I needed my gall bladder removed and got an appointment within a couple of weeks - I could choose the day and time. It was just before covid and I would've still been waiting for it now if I hadn't gone private. It was great care.

[fiftiesmum]

I would love to see how private hospitals in UK would have dealt with covid patients while still trying to treat others who turn up at a and e, if they could cope with people with multiple health conditions needing surgery, if they could cope with fractures in people with dementia, if they could cope with end of life care.
A bit like private schools there is a lot of cherry picking going on - send to the public sector if things don't work out. As a previous poster said - would choose a private hospital close to a NHS hospital with an ITU.

[Phineyj]

The private hospitals closed to patients, put their facilities on standby for the NHS and redeployed their staff where requested. I know this because I had a private appointment in mid March 2020 before the entire place was shut to patients the next day. I then waited four months until they were allowed to resume treatments.

Private facilities don't have the same aims and objectives as the NHS other than in the most general sense of treating people.

[thefatpotato]

Private doesn't have emergency care so it's not going to negate a trip to A&E.

Love our private healthcare. Easy, fast access to consultants and specialists when I have been refused referrals under the NHS. The hospitals where the consultants work from (for private work, I know a lot also do NHS work) are lovely and so, so much nicer than sitting waiting in an NHS hospital.