Private or NHS for prostate cancer?

[Jassmells]

Hi there
Just as the title says - what would you do - does anyone have experience of private?

My dad (just diagnosed) wants to go private. I understand his reasons for this but I am concerned re the aftercare and coming out of "the system."

Does anyone have any experience of going private for prostate cancer please and how did you do with aftercare?

No private bashing please - his decision I'm the one with concerns re coming out of NHS thanks.

[CotswoldStrife]

Sorry to hear this, OP. We did briefly look into the private options for the same condition. It was similar to the NHS but they were probably more willing to do a grid biopsy at an earlier stage.

I think the reason that posters are querying the surgery is because it's not clear whether it is the same procedure on the NHS and private but done differently (eg abdominal V keyhole) or that the private procedure would be radically different to the NHS recommendation. If your dad is avoiding the NHS recommendation for fear of the long-term effects of the procedure that is his right, but may not be the most effective treatment.

My DH has had (a different) procedure via private health insurance and the follow-up care was good - but if you are privately paying then you'll probably be billed for any meds needed afterwards as well. The big-city NHS hospital does sound a good option but I do understand that he just wants to get it all sorted now and not mess about with the referrals, etc.

As for the after-care - a PP mentioned that he would likely be transferred to the NHS if anything went wrong and I agree. Private hospitals have nurses and may have a qualified doctor on overnight but not consultants there 24/7 which I think is your concern. I'm not sure he would be immediately transferred back to the NHS for post-operative care otherwise, but I would assume that his NHS treatment would resume at some point.

I hope whatever decision he comes to, it works out the best for him. It is a difficult choice.

[lovemylover]

My partner has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and has had brilliant care with NHS and had every test possible. And non stop and ongoing consultations. Took a long time though to actually find where thre cancer was.eventually found after a perineum biopsy. He is now having treatment.

[InspiredByIntegrity]

Definitely go to the big town on the NHS as you have no insurance. Which Trust/consultants does make a difference. There will be no big delays as he will be on a cancer care pathway.
Next door neighbour has prostrate cancer and he has had brilliant NHS care including the option to go on a trial of a new expensive drug.

[lovemylover]

In my experience, private isnt always best
Different situation, but my daughter has Crohns disease, and was being seen by a private Dr, she was in agony and he just kept prescribing lactulose, eventually she was taken into NHS hospital, where she was told if she had carried on with the treatment she was having she would have possibly lost her life

[SweetieBaby]

Sorry to hear about your daughter. That's the balance that I was trying to convey. I've worked in the NHS and the private sector and have had experience of both as a patient and relative.

Sometimes, going privately can give you options of treatment which simply are not available on the NHS, or are heavily rationed.

Eg my dad has serious heart problems which make him a poor risk for major surgeries. When he was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm the NHS advised to watch and wait. If it started leaking, or ruptured, they would operate if he lived long enough to make it to theatre. Going privately he was 1 of the first patients to have an aneurysm stented. He was in and out of a highly specialised, well equiped hospital within 2 days. Had a world renowned consultant perform the procedure and made a full recovery.

When he was diagnosed with prostate cancer NHS offered no treatment or radiotherapy with nasty side effects as again he was not fit for surgery. Privately, at a leading cancer hospital, he had cutting edge cyberknife radiotherapy. No side effects and only a handful of sessions and he is cured.

But, if I had to choose between NHS treatment at a specialist hospital or private treatment at a local private hospital I would choose NHS every time.

Sometimes going privately offers more choices with more experienced staff. Sometimes it is not appropriate.

It's so important to get advice from clinicians and research options. One big failure we noticed was not being told all options but only the ones offered locally.

There is a big difference between "all that can be done" and "all that we can do".
I wish you and your dad well OP. Don't make hasty decisions and do your research.

[lovemylover]

My partner is having Hormone therapy and Radiotherapy,
Ha your dad been told it will be surgical, [sorry you might have said already]
Everyone i know or heard about has had a choice on the NHS ,assuming that the treatment would be suitable for whare the cancer is located, and how far advanced it is of course
Sometimes there is watching and waiting option, if it is very slow growing, or radioactive seed implanted

[Jassmells]

Thanks for all your comments. We have to check it hasn't spread. So clearly I hope it hasn't spread and that he gets to make the choice he wants, if it's spread obviously that's potentially a game changer.