If money and other resources were no object on NHS, what would the health implications have been for you?

[Oliversporridge]

This assumes timely and relevant access, acknowledgement of scientific/medical studies/data, most appropriate drugs if required, non cosmetic procedures and the interplay between a person’s different medical conditions.

I would have received free physio whilst recovering from my mastectomy instead of having to pay for it. I would also have had access to support and advice whilst doing my years of treatment, meaning I would potentially not have ended up with a hysterectomy or severe vaginal atrophy. Things could have been quite different for me I suspect.

I would not have spent the vast majority of my adult life exhausted from anaemia.

I would have been put on the waiting list for an endometriosis operation and saved seven years of pain (grandma eventually paid for private op).

I would have been diagnosed with CRPS soon after my accident and would have been able to access physio and rehab that might have saved my ability to walk

nhs would have provided me with a wheelchair (had to buy my own)

I would probably been able to have the surgery to my back and ears more quickly, but other than that, I can’t fault the treatment Ive had on the NHS. I had a mastectomy 14 years ago and was given immediate reconstruction, followed by two further minor operations to tidy up my reconstructed boob and create a new nipple. I was given physiotherapy in the hospital gym for several months. Like most people I know who have had cancer, I was hyper aware of everything that happened to my body after my diagnosis, and my oncologist, GP, and breast surgeon made immediate referrals for scans and investigations for every single thing that worried me. After a scare three years ago, I ended up at the rapid Assessment Unit who ruled out a recurrence very quickly and then referred me to the Long Covid Clinic to investigate the symptoms I was having. That referral led to several further investigations and support for a variety of issues, including several months of physiotherapist following my back surgery. The service Ive had couldn’t really have been any better.

I would not have the post pregnancy injuries I endured after DD1 as I would not have had a new, inexperienced midwife who was left alone with me, did not realise my baby was stuck during labour and ignored me when I said something was wrong.

Divine intervention sent an Obstetrician into my room (he was on his way home and popped his head around the door) who immediately realised what was going on and I was whisked into theatre in minutes. Thankfully DD was born healthy. I wasn’t quite as unscathed due to the emergency caesarean. I’m grateful to the NHS but the circumstances around her birth were completely unnecessary.

I waited over a year for a gynae appointmet for a very painful condition. 4 months in I paid for a private appointment with a consultant from the the nhs team. She diagnosed me and prescribed treatment. My gp wouldn't prescribe the medication so I had to pay for that too.
Finally got my nhs appt, identical diagnosis and treatment. Hoping gp will prescribe now.
I still haven't paid off my credit card bill. It will probably take a few months.
I have severe osteoporosis. Confirmed by private scan. Had to wait until my 3rd fracture before being allowed an nhs dxa scan.

I may not have had a hysterectomy and such a chequered work history. Possibly had children. My bipolar would have been appropriately treated 30 years earlier. DF may not have died. DH may still be alive and certainly wouldn’t have had the appalling treatment at the end of his life. Death could have been handled so much better.

Are you including in plentiful counselling being available? I would have benefitted from that I think.

Would have been able to access comfortable inpatient treatment for a severe psychotic depressive episode in a mother and baby unit or hospital. Instead of being left to die at home where I tried to take my life 8 times before going private to get mood stabilisers/antipsychotics and having to then deal with social services during the worst MH crisis of my life because the health service didn’t get me to a place of safety or medicate me properly and instead left my children to witness what happens when you give antidepressants to a bipolar person and refuse to review the medication even when they are reporting serious psychotic side effects.
It was 4 years ago and I’m still angry.

The NHS has saved my life with rapid and emergency treatment this year. Due to the rare nature of my illness the Drs worked closely with John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford and Addenbrookes, even consulting with colleagues in America to make sure the treatment was completely current. I then had an operation two weeks after an ENT appointment and had amazing care then. The only things that would have been different would be better breastfeeding support with my first born so that I could have successfully fed her myself and better post-op care recently so that my pain levels could have been managed much better.

I'd have a diagnosis and treatment.
At the moment I'm on a 7 month waiting list for a cardiac scan and another 6/7 month list to see a gastro specialis (then who knows how long for tests).

I wouldn't have the TBI I ended up with at 11 aster the failure to listen to my parents concerns

I wouldn't be stuck on a waiting list that I've been on since 2024 waiting for a diagnosis that should have been done in 1996

I wouldn't have needed an eight hour emergency operation (think running from the CT to the operating theatre), a coma on life support in ICU, a month in hospital, two further operations (both requiring ICU, one in another coma on life support). I was then medically retired in my early 40s and after having my stomach, duodenum and gallbladder removed and a total vagotomy I'm now tube fed permanently.
All because a surgeon operated at the edge of his ability screwed it up. He admitted it after a very long time. There should have been a specialist surgeon in the hospital but to save money he was only there twice a week.

My husband might still be alive (hopefully) having received the correct diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia following a bone marrow biopsy, rather than the wrong one of pneumonia (no biopsies done, they just made the assumption his ultra high while blood cell count was down to pneumonia as it responded to IV antibiotics) in November 2024. He could have started the correct treatment and the AML might not have turned into Myeloid Sarcoma as quickly as it did - he died in May 2025, 6 weeks after they finally diagnosed it. Those words came from the consultant haematologist just before they switched off his life support.

Some of these are so sad.

To the PP who asked about counselling, I think I would include it, yes - if the lack of it would be detrimental to health (including mental health).

I would have had my gallbladder out and not ended up with chronic pancreatitis.