For those who have accessed private healthcare, do you find there is a big difference in speed and quality of care compared to NHS?

[Yappydogs]

I recently decided to book a private GP appointment owing to some ongoing health issues I've been having. It's the first time in my life that I've accessed private health treatment. It was regarding something that's been impacting my quality of life for a while. I was having tremendous difficulties getting an appointment with my NHS GP. At the practice I'm registered with, you have to jump through hoops backwards and blindfolded to even have a chance of getting an appointment. You can only get an FTF (face-to-face) appointment in what they deem to be exceptional circumstances. You also have to deal with receptionists gatekeeping you (and heaven forbid if it's an embarrassing problem, or just something you'd prefer to only discuss with the GP directly). They seemingly have an obsession with telephone appointments. I believe this is the norm now in England, but some practices seem to be worse for it than others.

With all of that mentioned, with the private appointment I had, the difference in how easy it was to make an appointment, and how I was dealt with upon attending, was night and day compared to the NHS. I booked a 30-minute appointment which gave me ample time to explain what my issues were. With the NHS it's a maximum of 10 minutes per appointment, and I've found that in reality it can often be less than that. I get the sense that they can't wait to get rid of you, and there is a sense of a revolving door when attending appointments. The GP I saw privately was very patient and understanding. I actually feel like I am getting somewhere now after being fobbed off for so long. I'm aware that it may well get expensive quite quickly as I don't have PMI, but I was prepared for that. I've been saving up for this appointment and subsequent ones that I might require. Do you think the old adage of "you get what you pay for" applies to healthcare as much as any other service or commodity?

Getting a diagnosis ( for cancer) privately, probably saved my life. I am in Scotland, there is no 2 week pathway here.

I needed an ENT referral; pre-pandemic the urgent referrals were 12 weeks. My GP ( who was fab) said go private if you can. Saw the surgeon privately, had an op, got the diagnosis and referred to haematology. High Grade blood cancer.

It is scary to think that many people, who are less fortunate than I, will wait even longer today, for the NHS in Scotland to tell them it’s too late.

Completely agree with you.
2 of my adult children, in their 20s, live in London. Both have prompt, efficient primary care, with communication that surprised me so much, that I had to ask whether they had gone private, NO, NHS.
But here in Dorset, its atrocious!

I had a private bupa medical with mammogram recently and the difference with the NHS was massive. Beautiful clinic/hospital like a fife star hotel. Coffee and tea making facilities and snacks. The various nurses and doctors I saw throughout the day were all extremely helpful and treated me like a valuable customer as well as a valuable patient. I had about an hour with the doctor to discuss my health and to carry out checks, blood pressure (taken several times to get an accurate reading) ECG, blood tests for cholesterol and other essential readings, personalised health plan written up. At the end, the doctor asked if I had any more questions. I asked her to check the few moles I have and she spent 15 minutes throughly looking at them and confirming they were ok.
Bedore any appointments I’m always asked if I want to select the sex of my doctor too. I always ask for a female because I’ve had male doctors performing intimate exams or discussing gynaecology stuff in the past and not had the best experience.

Yes and no.

My private cardiologist is also my nhs cardiologist.
I see him privately right now but he is exceptional either way.

A lot of private hospitals are honestly a bit skanky and indistinguishable from nhs HOWEVER... having been to cleveland clinic and onewellbeck my.eyes have been opened.
Onewellbeck is not my jam but it is like a 5 star dubai hotel / business class lounge

It does make a difference in terms of time though and things the nhs have ignored or dismissed (my knee) have been picked up privately after i pushed for an mri

oh yes massive.

i also used a private GP recently as I couldn’t access my nhs gp and had a really bad ear infection. Cost a lot but I was able to see him and get them prescribed.

(Adult ear infections are not covered by the pharmacies scheme)

My friend was told her hernia was a 5 year wait and went private and had keyhole

It’s like night and day. I’d be on my knees before I gave up private healthcare. I’ve lost track of the number of times we’ve used it, we avoid NHS unless we have absolutely no choice. Private cancer treatment is a game changer. It kept my husband alive about 2 years longer than it would have on the NHS, firstly by being able to access a specialist who actually knew his cancer and secondly by being prescribed non invasive treatment the NHS wouldn’t authorise but which is standard of care elsewhere in the world.

We used to wonder whether PMI was worth the cost but i don’t think we could afford to be without it now.

My DS was diagnosed by a consultant in a private clinic but immediately moved us to his NHS department at a London hospital (which he was heading) for a life long condition. No long term support of this nature would be available in the private sector.

Yes, the difference is crazy. I’m lucky I have cover for myself & family through work. If I didn’t, I would pay.

I was referred to a private hospital via the NHS when I needed surgery on my shoulder. The wait for NHS operation was many months, the consultant said she'd refer me to the private hospital to have it done. Saw surgeon and he opened his diary, gave me a date and asked if this was ok.

I was in within six weeks and the op carried out, overnight stay and then home. One follow up appointment with surgeon and that was it. This was in 2018.

@moneyadviceplease didn't know you can get private cancer treatment on just medical insurance, was there any top up required? Asking as a family member might need that. What hospital was it under?

I went privately for cancer, without health insurance. My GP had fobbed me off with telephone appointments for 6 months, despite many symptoms.

I was seen, diagnosed and operated on within 2 months, some delays due to my own booked holiday, pre diagnosis. and am now clear. 6 weeks after surgery o got a call to book to have my first colonoscopy by the NHS. I did have complications, and was transferred to NHS ICU as a precaution, but then back to private HDU after 24 hours. The difference between he two in terms of constant medical care was none.

However in terms of person centred care was miles apart. A nurse came in to brush my hair and bring me peppermint tea, and see if I was ok. Someone came every time I pushed the bell, and brought painkillers rather than having to wait in pain for a dr to prescribe. . A radiologist stayed late to scan me urgently when I had another odd symptom 48 hours after surgery, I saw the same Drs and surgeon every time.

Yes, I wish I had had health insurance, but even paying the full bill, I felt relieved to still be here, and not have had delays, spread, chemo and more. It was worth it.

Speed - definitely

Quality - no difference

My experience of private vs NHS physio has been night and day.

Even seeing the same physio.

The private appointments were a little bit longer. Longer enough that could do a full assessment, some hands on manipulation and properly teach me the exercise program.

Left with clear written instructions, links to video reminders, and a structured rehab program to work through. One follow up appointment that was much shorter a couple of months later.

NHS initial appointment was phone, that basically went through some checks that decided I merited physio. Then a shorter initial face to face appointment that covered far less than the NHS one. Left with a far less robust plan and a paper leaflet of generic exercises with some scribbles on where to find better examples. Multiple follow up appointments. Longer recovery.

Frustrating, because I’m pretty confident the total cost of the private was less than the NHS approach. But by squeezing the individual contact points down it looks like it’s a better value solution on the NHS approach.

My NHS is experience with physio has been more like your private experience - perhaps it depends on area?

I've had to go private a few times or I'd still be in bed crippled and unable to work now. My GP is useless and did absolutely nothing to help me and I'd have lost my job if I hadn't gone private for my surgery - I went abroad to europe for it. I pity the poor sods who had to wait for theirs.
I'm a medical professional in the NHS. I've completely lost faith in it tbh and can't wait to retire in 4 years time.
I was left in agony in bed for a year and a half, I live alone and had no help whatsoever. I spent most days crying with pain. I only kept my job because management was kind enough to let me work from home doing admin, triage and patient telephone appointments.

No top ups. I’m not aware of any insurance that doesn’t cover cancer. Ours was unlimited. You can choose your hospital but my advice is private care on one of the main cancer centres such as the Royal Marsden in London or The Christie in Manchester. Also the London Clinic. To be honest, it’s more about where the best consultants are working privately and most of the top ones will have their NHS work on the big cancer centres as that’s where the research happens. Lots of the London ones are at UCH, Royal Marsden and st Marks for bowels. It’s then looking where they practice privately and the majority will have a private practice.

I've never used a private GP as I can see my GP or ANP on the day (providing you phone at 8am) and the care is excellent. We've used private hospital care and were obviously seen far more quickly than we would have done through the NHS, but if you leave aside things like the food menu and lovely coffee on offer, the care was no better - and of course, the consultants who treated us also worked in the NHS. No A&E either, but fortunately that wasn't needed.

How much was the appointment? Sorry if I've missed it - I haven't read the full thread.

Getting an appointment at our GP surgery is like taking part in the Hunger Games! In DP’s previous job he had private medical and I was a secondary on the policy. Had a dubious mole in October last year and I saw a private GP who said it needed referred to dermatology, but the private care didn’t cover me for that (it would have covered DP). NHS GP wouldn’t accept the private GP’s referral letter, so it was an eight week wait for an in person slot, where the GP agreed it was dodgy and needed specialist examination. She then did a referral. I’m in Scotland so no two week wait, and I finally saw someone in dermatology in June this year! It was actually fine as it turned out, but all that waiting around was not good.

@moneyadviceplease thank you

All the medical insurances now cover cancer.

they’re even advertising it these days. The 2 week pathway for cancer relies on getting a gp apponrnt and referral and it’s hard to do these days.

i go private for my own long term condition (which the nhs won’t treat) and the reception is absolutely chocka with private cancer patients.

I've had private dentist appointments (proper wholly private dentist, not the hybrid ones who do both), private hearing aids, private specialist consultations. OH has had private MRI scans, private root canal treatment (again wholly private dentist) and private eye specialist appointments.

The difference is stark. Particularly the administration, organisation and ease of getting appointments, not being messed around being passed from pillar to post between depts/staff etc. So easy to phone up and get dealt with by the receptionist in one go, by a receptionist who knows what they're doing, understands the situation, can make an appointment there and then, and the appointment doesn't get changed multiple times and happens on the due date without delays etc.

The actual consultation/treatment is usually pretty similar, but it the "journey" which is so much quicker, easier, and less stressful etc.

I've got endometriosis and can't get help via the NHS. I've had NHS support before, including several surgeries. The last time I tried to see someone on the NHS I waited 19 months for an appointment at the wrong clinic. At the time (I've got endometriosis in the bowel wall) I had excruciatingly painful, completely unpredictable diarrhoea and couldn't leave the house. My DH got me health insurance through his job and I've been using private care for the past three years. I can see the specialist I want, when I want to, I get regular scans, and I've also been able to see other people he has recommended to help me with symptom management.

The NHS, FWIW, have provided me with such a shockingly poor standard of care that I've developed crippling health anxiety as a result. There were so, so many errors, including two massive post op haemorrhages that were both mismanaged. One was a massive internal bleed and the A&E consultant told me I was making a fuss and tried to send me home. I bled 2 litres of blood into my abdomen and he said it was gas pain. The thought of going back to NHS care terrifies me.