Last night's question on private healthcare.

[1dayatatime]

Cost aside, would you use private healthcare if a loved one were on a long waiting list for surgery.

What isn’t true? If a child’s life was in danger it would get prompt treatment from the NHS. There’s nothing lifesaving available privately, the private sector just cherry picks the routine stuff.

Of course, without hesitation. If you can afford to go privately then why on earth would you willingly languish, or let a loved one languish (possibly deteriorating and in pain) on an NHS waiting list?

I feel more fortunate by the day to have private health insurance at this point.

Categorically untrue.

Yes.

Nearly everyone would looking at the responses on here.

I don't believe Starmer when he said he wouldn't.

I couldn’t believe he said it.

It reminded me of trying to work out how to the fuck to afford surgery for DH when he was in right state in hospital and they weren’t treating him well at all. I got as far as speaking to a secretary of a surgeon at the hospital who does private work and once I explained how awful it all was the consultant went straight to see him and things got moving properly and he had surgery on the NHS. But I’m sure nothing would have improved if I hadn’t done that as the guy he was under couldn’t seem to give a shit and hadn’t even seen DH.

If he was ill like that again or one of our children there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to get them help.

All life saving treatment (heart bypasses, 3 types of cancer, kidney disease) required by my family have been dealt with by the NHS.

We have used private for minor day stuff. Nothing critical.

My father languished in an NHS cardiac ward for 10 days with nothing being done except observation, and a vague threat of turfing him out. We spoke to the surgeon who had done his bypass 8 years previously - he came to see him and agreed to take him in to a private hospital and do a second (risky) bypass. This gave Dad an extra 6 years of life.

This was 30 years ago.

Tell me how it’s untrue. What life critical surgery is available privately that’s not available from the NHS?

Yup and I have. Theres no way I’d let someone I love suffer out of principle.

This is what concerns me.

Either he’s a liar or he is so silly that he would let someone he loves suffer so that he could say he is principled. Both are bad options.

my mum needed a hysterectomy. NHS said, oh we’ll do a little tape job instead. She had a major prolapse, a uterus full of fibroids and was flooding with bleeding frequently.

this was under the last labour govt.

none of these clowns will fix it.

divorce NHS from politics and politicians I say. Medics with experience and knowledge are needed to manage this fucking shit show.

she had the hysterectomy privately

The thing is you might not know the child’s life is in danger. Unless you pay for a private scan or whatever, so you actually know. The NHS often will make you wait months for a scan.

There is a paediatric intensive care unit at The Portland. They do life saving cardiac surgery.

You believe that he would let his own child suffer.

That makes him irrational and a shit parent, given he’s worth several million.

My ds had a testicular lump. Terrified out of his mind. You can bet your ass I got him a private scan as quickly as I could. If KS would let his own kid’s MH deteriorate waiting months for a scan like that, then as above, he’s a shit parent.

It is for lifesaving stuff. Unless you think cancer scans are for quality of life? Or chemotherapy?

it might not be for stuff like you’ve been stabbed. But it is saving a lot of lives.

Yes

Yes, especially if it was something that caused a lot of pain but was relatively simple to fix but waiting list was forever because its not life threatening, knees, hips, cataracts, etc. He may not have been in the situation of needing anything so it is quite easy to say no, you wouldn't use private then

I think the vast majority of people would use private healthcare. I do as a preference, as I’ve found treatment better.

Re: Starmer - he either lied, or told the truth. Either are bad.
If he lied, then why? Because he thought it’s what people would vote for? What else does he/will he lie about?
If he told the truth, then why wouldn’t he use private? The implication is that he puts his ideology above the life of even his own children, and I don’t think that’s a very commendable attitude; it’s rather sinister.

Of course and we have done. Anyone that puts their so called principles above themselves or a loved one suffering is a bit shit really. It doesn’t mean they don’t want the NHS to be great.

I had loads of cancer treatment including 2 significant operations, chemotherapy and radiotherapy all on private. I was in two minds as a matter of principle but it was much easier including have direct contacts for secretaries of the specialists.

I was covered on DH's work policy who also have a special cancer team to minimise any issues.

He probably wouldn't have to wait long anyway because of who he is, he would probably be fast tracked and have his own room. When Boris went in with covid, I can't imagine he went in with the plebs.

Tbh as well, if someone can afford private healthcare but refuses to out of principle I tend to think “get off the waiting list and make space for people who can’t afford private”. They are just going to be clogging up the system when they have an alternative.

His response put me in mind of Mike Dukakis in the 1988 US Presidential Debate against George Bush Snr.

He was asked if he would support the death penalty if his wife/daughter was raped and murdered: he said he would not and was pilloried for lacking any emotion/empathy.

Starmer’s response should have been “I shouldn’t have to, but of course I would. I would walk over hot coals to get my family the treatment they need. The fact there are waiting lists is a disgrace and if elected here’s what I’m going to do about it…”

To quote Ross Geller “Pivot!” Always pivot back to your own point and don’t accept the premise of the question!

I’m so used to having to pay for the dentist, podiatrist and optician that it wasn’t too much of a step to stump up for a private op. I do have at least one socialist friend who refused to do so because it would mean displacing someone further up the queue and therefore in more need. A painful wait ensued.

We don’t have private medical care, even though we could be covered through DH’s job. The more people who use it, the more it absolves the government of the responsibility to provide efficient healthcare, which then disproportionately impacts the most needy in society. Some people do have principles, and live by them.