AIBU to assume you would not used private HC on a one-off etc if needs must??

[DistinguishedSocialCommentator]

I've been reading on MN and another forum about more people turning to private HC - this includes dentists as well

Would you use private HC for yourself or a loved one if they were suffering from pain/aneity etc re the long waiting lists in the NHS, EG, as scan, ultrasound scan, kneep/hip relacment/cataracts/etc, blood tests - to put your minds at rests and or get the treatment you require to a point

Even if you are not rich, I know of a few people where their life was miserable due to knee problems and the waiting lists if you got a referral and then the consultant agreed to operate, start to finish is months - via private ins or one off fees you can get the op within a week or so

Therefore - AIBU to assume that most people if you have the money (not rich and or a lot left over after paying) would pay for scans/teeth/knee ops etc to speed up the process of recovery or at least find out, rule out what may or may not be going on??

AIBU = most people that could afford price HC would not go private

I am being reasonable - ie assuming those that could afford, even borrow a few quid would go private for their loved ones

Yes absolutely. I pay privately for consultations with my orthopaedic doctor because if you attend the nhs clinic you see a different person every single time and get possibly 10 minutes after extremely long wait times.

However I am also under the care of the same doctor on the nhs and would probably opt to have surgery with him on the nhs. We are lucky to have quite short wait times here and an excellent orthopaedic centre.

I’ve paid for a private physiotherapist and a private therapist, because the waiting lists were just too long and it was affecting my ability to work (self employed- no sick leave)

That doesn’t mean I can afford private healthcare otherwise, and I strongly believe in the NHS and healthcare being free at the point of access.

I have a private dentist, physiotherapist and I have used a private GP. A parent very kindly paid for me to have private tests as we had family medical insurance at the time. However I feel like the times when you would really want to go private - degenerative or life-limiting illness, large risky operations etc. would be so expensive that even well-off people would struggle to afford it without insurance

Personally, yes, I would. Quality of life is the most important thing in the world, and I would pay whatever I could afford to improve it. I don't think anyone should need to pay for private healthcare, but that's another debate entirely!

However, this isn't the case for everybody. I have older relatives who wouldn't pay for private investigations despite having the money, and despite the fact that they may not have many years left to enjoy (so time is of the essence!). They see it as a luxury, which isn't my view at all.

So it depends on someone's viewpoint, I guess.

I tried to get a GP appointment and there is nothing for 16 weeks. This is the first time I’ve thought about going private.

I've taken things private when speed is more important than money. It also relieves the NHS of a little bit of pressure.

General appointments GP

Everything else I go private.

I've paid for:

-a private GP appt and blood tests, so that I could have a good overall check of my health. I wasn't offered the well-woman check thing at my normal GP, so figured this was a way to get it sorted.

-yearly checks with dentist and optician (but I think many people do this) for myself and the kids.

-private women's physio to address pelvic floor issues.

-private gynae appointments to address really awful peri symptoms (which have been going on for about 5yrs and numerous calls to try and see my GP haven't amounted to a single appointment).

I have saved up money each time to get these things addressed/get checked. If that private GP appt had picked something up, then at least then the problem can be addressed sooner.

Unfortunately, it doesn't really relieve pressure in the NHS. There is an immediate direct impact of one procedure less being carried out by the NHS, but there is also an indirect impact on NHS capacity further down the line.

The more work gets taken privately, the more staff the private sector needs to employ. NHS consultants will be able to pick up more private work if there is more demand for it (private consultants are usually NHS consultants, who do some work privately, so it's the same group of people doing the work across both sectors).

There is a finite number of skilled clinical staff in the UK, and a finite number of hours/shifts they can work in a week - so an increase in staff working privately will equate to a decrease in staff available to do NHS work. E.g. a consultant turning down an extra NHS shift because they have private work booked on that day, or a nurse changing jobs into the private sector, leaving a vacancy on their ward.

All of that has an impact on NHS capacity, number of clinics, bed availability etc.

I'm not saying using private is wrong (see my answer above), but increasing demand for private healthcare services it's not consequence free for the NHS, because the NHS is where the staff come from to supply that demand.

I pay monthly for a dental plan which gives me two check ups and two visits to hygienist each year

I've paid for private gynae once before and I've paid for private blood tests a couple of times but private healthcare isn't much more expensive in my country so its not such a big deal.

Yes have used private care multiple times within our family, three surgery's and one ongoing medical condition and all consults surrounding all.

Given how violently against private education everyone appears to be, I assume they’d be violently against jumping the queue for healthcare too…

I have just spent £1000 on private gp appointments and various blood tests and finally feel listened to after struggling with poor health for over 2 years gradually getting worse to the point my mobility is badly affected and I’ve had to go part time at work
I am now getting treatment for numerous conditions that my NHS GP missed or refused to test me for - was fobbed off with HRT which actually caused me to feel worse!
I am beyond angry - if treated earlier I would not be where I am, I was lucky to be able to spend some savings that I would’ve used for a holiday but decided there was no point when I felt so unwell

Our family has pretty much given up using NHS services. The GP was the last one to go, but they refused to share care with DS’ private consultant and DD’s synptoms have been dismissed on five visits (private GP referred to an orthopaedic consultant and sue is now receiving good care). We pay a monthly subscription to a private family GP service, as well as seeing a specialist menopause doctor, private psychiatrist for DS, BUPA insurance, and physio and dentist.

I Would hope the NHS would provide good care in an emergency (DS was well cared for with sepsis) but I wouldn’t use it for routine care at the moment.

Yes of course I would .

Dentist and physio I go private for. Haven't done so for GP appointments or hospital, haven't needed to as the NHS was pretty quick getting me appointments recently. However would consider it if push came to shove.

I moved abroad a couple of years ago. Before that, I never really managed to use the NHS my entire adult life. The couple of GP appointments I got were beyond useless. They were so short and dismissive, I don't even know why they bothered giving me an appointment.

I got private heath insurance as soon as I started work after uni. The insurance didn't cover everything (especially re some expensive dental treatments I needed) but it was absolutely invaluable overall. We're moving back to the UK next year and we are definitely going private again.

Thankfully,(because we couldn't afford private medicine, ) we have excellent GPs, I've had a new hip and a new knee in the past five years, didn't have to wait longer than five months from xray to op. My husband was put on a fast-track cancer pathway recently by our GP. Sadly, an operation revealed that he does have cancer, we saw consultant last week, he had a scan last week and we're back to the hospital this coming Tuesday to discuss the options.

I’ve paid privately for physio and counselling. My friend paid privately for an MRI because the waiting list for neurology was 9 months and thank god she did because they found a brain tumour

Oh completely!

I have a number of health issues I have been fobbed off about with not only disinterest but occasionally hostility from my GP. (I don;'t like her at all, she's brusque and rude). I was becoming exhausted and was in bed by 6 pm every day for about 18 months. She told me to lose weight. I kept going back. I was having nose bleeds and petechiae and all sorts. Finally I went to a private GP and it turns out I have pernicious anaemia and with a course of B12 injections and ongoing tablets I am right as rain. Pernicious anaemia can be fatal if untreated. After returning time and time again my GP never even suggested blood tests. Just 'lose weight'.

I also went to her because I had a lump on my neck. She said it was a lipoma and cosmetic only. It wasn't and I am now undergoing treatment.

Absolutely. I've used the private system several times in recent years. My last trip cost me less than a vet bill that we had at about the same time. The consultant thought it was hilarious that he was cheaper than a local vet. On the other hand, when I had cancer the NHS were amazing, the fact that I live and breath are entirely due to their skill and prompt care

My mum would never consider it.

She waited over two years for her cataract operation. She has plenty of money and could have afforded it private quickly no problem.

It's just not on her radar.

She spent ten years fighting the NHS to get proper treatment for my dad who had cancer 4 times in ten years until he finally died so she knows full well how hard it is to get decent care out of it.

There's a massive difference between healthcare and education

Unfortunately yes we are generally being forced to. Currently paying for private orthodontic work for ds 14(entitled to NHS but huge wait) paying for private counselling for dd 16 as cahms is, well cahms.

Likely need to pay for either physio or ortho referral for DH. We are not rich at all just using savings and working overtime. What sort of life is this to wait for years for help to get a decent quality of life and being fit for work?