Private Healthcare

crazyH

Seriously, why would anyone pay for private health care , when we have the best health care system in the world ? We are the envy of the world.

In no way will I talk down the NHS but the 'envy of the world' trope is just one pushed by politicians who want us to believe it can't be any better.

I have a Swedish colleague who called me up the morning after the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony saying 'What was all that about? We have a health service too.'

We have Benenden, about £25 a month. DH had his cataracts done privately through them before lockdown, he’d still be waiting if he hadn’t.
I’ve just been referred for an MRI, only a 3 week wait on NHS which is amazing.

Have you thought about pay as you go? It will be much cheaper in the long run plus quite a lot of services that are covered you still have to pay a extra excess on the top.
Having worked as a Health care Professional in both the Private Sector, and NHS personally I wouldn't want to be treated in my local private Hospital.
I would however recommend beening treated on the local Hospital Private ward, they have the skills 24/7 emergency backup on site,only difference is any investigations are not done in the normal working day, plus the generated income goes back into the Hospital coffers.

Germanshepherdsmum

I had a quick look at Saga after what you said tickingbird. I fear you may not have studied the conditions too closely.
I would certainly agree with saving the premiums up and using the pot to pay for treatment if and when required.

I suspect the numbers aren't for quite the coverage either, but I may be incorrect. Our private insurance is as a result of working for brother, his group premiums are low but there is an amount out of pocket prior to paying.

I prefer to save for everything in little pots. Dental, pets, health, Christmas pressies, holidays - we're in charge of our own money and have more saved towards our eventual care.

crazyH

Seriously, why would anyone pay for private health care , when we have the best health care system in the world ? We are the envy of the world.

I thought you were joking when you wrote that

It may have been true up to 10 years ago?

I know someone who, when she revisits her 3rd world country, she books up as many health things as she can think of beforehand.
Disclaimer, that may certainly not be true of a lot of other countries, but it is true of hers.
Saved her months of waiting from the NHS

I think part of the problem with insurance contracts is that the ‘headlines’ lull one into a false sense of security which can lead to the important conditions, the ‘small print’, not sinking in. I’m not suggesting tickingbird was guilty of this at all because when she posted she’d only had a quick look. I’m simply quoting my professional experience over the years. One forms a favourable impression of a deal which colours one’s further reading. The insurer always wins.

fancythat

I know someone who, when she revisits her 3rd world country, she books up as many health things as she can think of beforehand.
Disclaimer, that may certainly not be true of a lot of other countries, but it is true of hers.
Saved her months of waiting from the NHS

I trust that if something goes wrong in one of these ‘third world countries’ she doesn’t expect the NHS to put it right. Do you really mean ‘third world’ btw?

She doesnt have procedures done there. She has investigations. and a top to toe health check up.

Yes 3rd world.

Rather her relying on third world investigations than me.

We couldn’t afford premiums for private healthcare. I just hope the NHS improves. Considering the astronomical salary she is on and the autonomy she has, how come Amanda Pritchard from NHS England is never on the telly explaining the situation and her Grand Plans? She keeps a very low profile.

After having a recent Hip replacement, I went to my local surgery for the dressing off and review.
Practice nurse commented how beautiful the scar was, she then went on to say she recently saw a total mess of a wound of an operation done aboard, done as a Health Tourist.
Patient arrived back to UK with the advise see local Doctor or Hospital if anything goes wrong..
It went wrong the NHS had to sort, she told me it's not uncommon.

The person I know has saved the NHS money. She wont have been the only one from her country of birth.

Though I appreciate it probably works the other way around mostly.

But as the NHS deteriorates year on year, it isnt hard to guess that others will make more use of their birth countries for health issues, in the future.

We’ve been with Benenden for ages LadyGracie. For what it does cover its amazing value isn’t it.

I think that one way or another we will have to contribute more for the NHS. When it was created life expectancy was shorter. Since then the majority of people are living longer and as techniques improve the demand for treatment increases.

The first successful knee replacement was carried out in London in 1968. The first successful IVF treatments was in 1978 (Louise Brown). Christian Barnard's first heart transplant was in 1967 but the patient only lived for 18 days. The first successful transplant in England was in 1968 at Papworth and the patient lived for more than 5 years.

Think of all those babies in ICUs that go on to lead healthy lives. At the time the NHS was founded many babies would not have survived.

These are just a few examples of why we should pay more towards the NHS.

Talking of private medicine we had an annual travel policy for a while. My DH had myocarditis and we mentioned this. No damage was done and at the followup he was told that his heart was in excellent condition. Never the less, when we reviewed and later switched to single holiday policies his file was passed to the underwriters and the premium was increased.

Stick with the NHS which is dedicated to providing health care to anyone in this country, free at the point of need.

Direct your political support to parties which actually believe in the NHS and do not want to line the pockets of their wealthy funders by privitisation.

I have BUPA but the cost is becoming astronomical so I’m going to cancel. All the scans etc., I had last year were on the NHS through the 2-week thing.

www.theguardian.com/society/2023/feb/01/1500-more-patients-of-jailed-breast-surgeon-ian-paterson-recalled

caveat emptor ?

I think there are very few people who do not want to save and keep the NHS, but it is straining at the seams and I am not convinced that just throwing money at it is the answer.

I thinkit is far, far too big to be run efficiently. I would break it up into separate regional healthcare businesses with complete autonomy. It would still be NHS, free at the point of use and be run by people who are financed by the state, but just like thr introduction of Mayors for very large cities and conurbations has done a lot to help those areas, especially those in the north. I think the NHS should be run regionally by managers and Health leaders who would be responsible for running health systems tuned to their region, and their region only.

crazyH

Seriously, why would anyone pay for private health care , when we have the best health care system in the world ? We are the envy of the world.

Are you joking? We have had terrible ‘care’ from the NHS over the last few years. We now pay for private treatment as hoc as we need it. The difference is incredible.

Would also recommend Benenden which is £11.25 per month and works well for us. Obviously it cant cover every procedure at that price but doesnt penalise previous health problems and not a long wait fir appointments. Its a charity first started in 1800s treating tubercolosis.
Otherwise why not put the £200 pm away and use it to pay fir private care if and when you need it.

Dh had private health insurance until he retired - we opted not to continue, but have since paid for a few minor procedures/consultations.

I do remember, though, when he still had insurance, we were both referred by the GP for possible melanomas after living for 13 years in very hot climates.
We both saw the same consultant dermatologist, he on a private basis, me on the NHS - and I saw him sooner! (Neither suspect thing was malignant.)

It is great value Juliet27 I agree wholeheartedly.

M0nica

I think there are very few people who do not want to save and keep the NHS, but it is straining at the seams and I am not convinced that just throwing money at it is the answer.

I thinkit is far, far too big to be run efficiently. I would break it up into separate regional healthcare businesses with complete autonomy. It would still be NHS, free at the point of use and be run by people who are financed by the state, but just like thr introduction of Mayors for very large cities and conurbations has done a lot to help those areas, especially those in the north. I think the NHS should be run regionally by managers and Health leaders who would be responsible for running health systems tuned to their region, and their region only.

This sounds good in theory but in practice wouldn't we end up with even more of a postcode lottery? Some areas would be better than others and consequently people would travel to those areas for treatment. To prevent this the whole country needs to function at the same level.

This is the way the NHS functions, with individual regional Trusts, MOnica. It’s my belief that the formation of the Trusts was a retrograde step and things have gone downhill since then. We do have a postcode lottery, with some Trusts far more efficient than others. There is no uniformity of approach, treatment or priorities.