Princess of Wales has left Hospital

I always have mixed feelings about private health care - and education. I make no pretence that, due to hubby and I both having had good jobs - and both spending a lot of our spare time with second jobs in training accountants - we are very comfortably off. I would also add that we've never been big spenders in life, having taken most of our holidays in a touring caravan (and we've had just two 'vans in 35 years).

My first foray with private health was at the age of 25, desperate for a baby and suffering some unknown abdominal pain. The GP felt there could be a problem that was interfering with my ovaries. The waiting list for NHS investigation (1977) was three years. I paid privately to have it investigated and treated and the recovery time was such that I didn't become pregnant for another three years. Back then, I was considered elderly for a first baby.

I then had years of relying on the NHS - and wonderful they were when needed - but in our retirement and with the failing NHS we decided to take out private insurance. NOT to have a single room (I wouldn't want one, I am a convivial person), or a particular consultant, but simply to speed things up if needed. For some minor issues I have used the NHS entirely. But in October last year my dentist spotted an abnormality in my cheek and referred me to the NHS - he said the wait would be a maximum of two weeks, as per "the rules". After 4 weeks we learnt the wait would be 10 weeks - a disgrace to my mind - so I used my private health insurance and saw the consultant a week later. I was adamant that if cancer was diagnosed I would return to the NHS, which I have done, having "saved" the NHS £3,000 on biopsies, a CT and an MRI scan. I am 1/3 through my radiotherapy on the NHS - and they have been excellent. The waiting rooms are, however, jam packed with patients and appointments frequently run late.

Yes, I was lucky to be able to pay, but I can, so I did. At the time I expressed my opinion to my friends that it shouldn't have to be like this, but I wasn't going to risk my life waiting for the under-funded NHS to work as it should do.

I believe the Queen Mother had breast and colon cancer during her later years but the public were not told about it. Catherine has had abdominal surgery and that is all we need to know. It is a private matter.
I hope she is fully well again soon and wish anyone going through surgery a speedy recovery.

The word parasite or parasitic is a horrible disgusting expression particularly when referring to certain people or sections of society. My DH had both hips replaced in a private clinic paid for by the NHS. These were done recently, quickly and efficiently. Waiting for our local hospital would have meant a long long wait. It was offered and accepted by us, and as well as being extremely grateful, I couldn't care less if this was a backdoor method or not. Hoping the Princess recovers quickly and is soon restored to full health. Yes Annie, Diana broke up at lease three marriages, so pots and kettles come to mind!

Grantanow

Pretty good life when one does not have to queue for NHS services.

Having had cancer a few years ago, and a recent pulmonary embolism, I can assure you that, as an NHS patient, when its urgent, you are very definitely treated urgently.

The private sector is not a parasite Grantanow. Yes, people can queue jump if they pay but those people will be paying/have paid NI contributions and if they disappear from NHS queues that frees up places for NHS patients. I am well aware that most private hospitals don’t have ICUs. The transfer of patients to NHS units is part of the two-way relationship whereby NHS consultants can use space in private hospitals which is unavailable in NHS hospitals.

You’re living in cloud cuckoo land if you think parliament could eradicate the private healthcare sector tomorrow. Let’s face it, the nub of your argument is that you don’t like people to have more money than you, and have the opportunity to purchase things you can’t,, do you?

I am totally against the eradication of Private Healthcare as I am Private Education.

Grantanow to call the private sector parasitic is frankly insulting all the staff working in that sector.

Since its inception the NHS has worked alongside and with the private sector.

semperfidelis

I read an award winning biography of the Queen Mother some time ago. It became clear she had been through a number of serious illnesses during her life time. The public never knew. So, I completely understand why some Royals want to keep their personal health issues to themselves and not go public.

Various nurses told my Mum that the Queen Mother had a colostomy bag for years. mum had bowel cancer twice (different strains) and major surgery then had to use a bag for the rest of her life.

The private sector could be eradicated by Parliament tomorrow. The only reason we have it is that Mr Bevan recognised in 1947 the only way to set up the NHS was to accept the greed of doctors at the time. He stopped their mouths with gold.

Doctors train while being paid at the taxpayers' expense in the NHS. I recognise they pay some professional and student fees but the majority of cost of the university medical schools and supervision in the NHS does not fall on them but the taxpayer.

Our NHS faces a grave emergency through underfunding. In times of emergency government has directed labour, removing the normal free choice.

I don't think your comment GSM rebuts my point that the private sector is a parasite. It provides a queue jumping mechanism for those who can afford it and deprives most of us of siphoned-off resources needed by the NHS.

Moreover, the private sector creams off treatments which if they go wrong for any reason then have to be picked up by the NHS. You may be unaware that for 2016 to 2021 some 6,600 patients (government's own figures given in a PQ answer) were transferred from private to NHS hospitals because the private sector mostly does not invest in IC units or other resources to deal with the consequences of failed treatments or operations. So the taxpayer once again subsidises the private sector shareholders.

This is a News and Politics section so I think it perfectly legitimate to focus on government policies which favour a privileged group. For what it's worth I support the monarchy for several reasons: it keeps populist or deadwood politicians out of the presidential role, it helps the tourist industry, encourages additional patriotism and provides a loyalty focus for the armed forces but I think it is over-privileged and expensive. If the Royals took their turn with medicine with rest of us I would think better of them as individuals.

Best wishes to Catherine.
THAT WOMAN is not my queen either.

I read an award winning biography of the Queen Mother some time ago. It became clear she had been through a number of serious illnesses during her life time. The public never knew. So, I completely understand why some Royals want to keep their personal health issues to themselves and not go public.

Why is there always arguments on here?
Best wishes to Princess Kate x

The private sector is parasitic on the NHS

I really dislike the use of the word parasites and parasitic to describe something which fills posters with resentment and jealousy.

People who use private healthcare are also paying taxes to fund the NHS. Doctors work their contracted hours for the NHS and what they do outside those hours is up to them.

The NHS is not supporting or hosting the private sector therefore the private sector cannot be parasitic upon it.
It might use it sometimes but that is because it is failing to provide the services people need.
Why is that? It is the fault of successive governments, not the private sector.

lemsip

in the news today; the queen's niece reveals she's sufferering an agonising and unbearable medical condition! is she hoping camilla can pull some strings.
further reading says it endometriosis

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13025181/queen-Camilla-niece-Ayesha-Shand-medical-
condition.html

daily express too.

not my queen.

If you read the article the Queen's niece wants to highlight awareness of endometriosis, for which she has a planned operation arranged. She said the Queen has been very supportive since her father's death
Nowhere does it indicate she needs the Queen to 'pull any strings'

What on earth is you'd point - are you getting commission for plugging the DM!

cc

Grantanow

growstuff

PS. No need to commend my high principles. I wouldn't have a choice.

Absolutely. Most of us don't have a choice. Those who think the private sector takes a load off the NHS are being fooled. The consultants working part time or full time in the private sector (having trained in the NHS) are denying the NHS trained senior staff. The private sector is parasitic on the NHS. And being profit-making it charges accordingly so that when the NHS pays for patients to get private treatment it is sending taxpayers' money to shareholders. There are a few senior politicians who have been treated in NHS hospitals over the years and their security needs were presumably met without fuss. Many of us would have a higher regard for the Royals if they took their turn with the rest of us.

When I had my cataracts done under the NHS it was in a private hospital - the surgeons doing this work were all normally employed in the local major NHS hospital but used private facilities because there was insufficient space in their normal workplace.

Grantanow and growstuff

That was not the point of the post at all.
You've both misinterpreted it totally.

I know several people who have had operations carried out in private hospitals over many years and under various governments totally free of charge and paid for by the NHS. It may have been more cost-effective for the NHS to use the private sector, who knows.

Grantanow

growstuff

PS. No need to commend my high principles. I wouldn't have a choice.

Absolutely. Most of us don't have a choice. Those who think the private sector takes a load off the NHS are being fooled. The consultants working part time or full time in the private sector (having trained in the NHS) are denying the NHS trained senior staff. The private sector is parasitic on the NHS. And being profit-making it charges accordingly so that when the NHS pays for patients to get private treatment it is sending taxpayers' money to shareholders. There are a few senior politicians who have been treated in NHS hospitals over the years and their security needs were presumably met without fuss. Many of us would have a higher regard for the Royals if they took their turn with the rest of us.

When I had my cataracts done under the NHS it was in a private hospital - the surgeons doing this work were all normally employed in the local major NHS hospital but used private facilities because there was insufficient space in their normal workplace.

I once spent a night in a mixed ward opposite a bed occupied by a popular professional footballer. He was a delightful young man, my assessment endorsed by the clamour of teenage girls attempting to ‘visit their brother’. The staff had to leave their duties to deal with this. The poor man was really embarrassed by the fuss.

Having witnessed this on a small scale and accepting that a Royal would be supported by protection staff, I can well imagine the uproar at the inconvenience that an admittance would cause. Extra police blocking entrances, the florists delivering flowers etc., anyone who looked vaguely suspicious being stopped - all much easier to control in a private, smaller hospital with all patients in private rooms.

My TKR was carried out by a senior NHS surgeon in a private hospital. He was very open and explained the NHS patients he sees there are only there because there is insufficient theatre and ward space in his base hospital. He has time for more operations, the space isn’t there. He wasn’t being paid extra, just changing locations once a week within his contracted NHS hours.

He does also have a private practice. Chatting with his secretary she commented I’d wait longer to see him privately as his private consultation and theatre time is very limited.

Others may disagree, it sounded reasonable to me and yes, I was relieved to have my surgery and dispense with constant pain.

I was pleased to read that Katherine had returned home privately without needing to smile for the press. A hospital discharge can leave anyone feeling wobbly no matter the length of stay. I wish her a speedy recovery.

The beautiful Diana surely made 4 wives a misery

I think we will all have to pay more for our NHS. Perhaps there should be a separate health tax? So many procedures and treatments are getting more and more expensive and better but are unsustainable cost wise. My son is a senior consultant surgeon - yes he does some private work but his NHS salary is considerable less than Mick Lynch’s and some train drivers - somewhat galling after nearly 20 years training. Why shouldn’t he boost his income when he has 4 children - one of whom is profoundly disabled - to look after? Their life has also been spent trying to get compensation for some terrible mistakes at her birth. So please forgo all the spite and envy - look beyond the headlines.

Germanshepherdsmum

She lives in New York lemsip. Why ask if she is hoping Camilla (who is your queen whether you like it or not) can pull some strings? How unnecessary.

She’s not my queen either. She made the beautiful Diana’s life a misery along with her sausage fingered adulterous Prince. The Royal Family died along with the real Queen for me. Parasites we no longer need in this day and age.

And why shouldn’t she? By the way, we don’t know what surgery she had so can’t claim to have had a ‘similar’ operation.

Casdon

There’s nothing good about needing to have surgery, whoever you are, and whether it’s private or NHS Grantanow.

No, but she gets a private room, excellent care, doesn’t have to worry about her children or her job. Unlike those who have had similar surgery in the real world and under the cash strapped NHS.

Grantanow

Germanshepherdsmum

Speak for yourself Grantanow.

I notice you don't take issue with the points I made about the NHS being denied resources by the private sector.

I most certainly do take issue with your comments about the NHS being denied resources by the private sector. If a NHS trained doctor chooses to work full or part time in the private sector that’s their choice. You can’t chain them to the NHS and you’re not going to eradicate the private sector either.

It really doesn’t worry me that Kate or the King have private medical treatment. They aren’t this awful government that is responsible for the decline of our nhs.
I’ve been referred for surgery to a private clinic. It isn’t urgent so I’ll wait about 4 months. If I waited for the nhs my gp said ‘it will be a very long time unless it goes wrong, then yiu;ll go in for emergency surgery via an and e.
I hope Kate and the King recover well. And well done Charles for being open about this health problem, evidently prompting men to seek help

Grantanow must you be so sour? Are you having a bad day? Let’s just be happy that any mum is out of hospital and back to her husband and children.