NHS or Private.

Like private education, if everyone was forced to use the NHS, the quality of service would drastically prove very quickly.

Credit cards taken at reception on arrival. Alternatively, if patients have insurance they will have been given codes to give at reception.

Franbern that does not normally happen. Private patients are usually seen elsewhere and to my knowledge, never during an NHS clinic. That clinic was not well managed.

Very few consultants have full-time NHS posts, the vast majority work a % of the week for the NHS. A few work privately only.

I know of one consultant who operated one day on his private patients first and this was on the day he should be operating on his NHS patients only. This happened once, followed by his NHS patients and never again, he soon learned the error of his ways!

This same consultant had the cheek, again once only, to transfer his private patients who had major surgery to the NHS ward immediately post-op for a few days because he trusted the NHS sister to look after his patients.

spangler
You ask: There are those who say that going private is tantamount to queue jumping, but the counter argument is that getting off the NHS waiting list shortens the queue.

My answer: The problem is that of those doctors undertaking private practice, the large majority also work in NHS consultant posts, doing their private work outside of and on top of their NHS commitments. A small proportion of doctors work in full-time private practice only.

So getting off the NHS list and going private will not shorten it. It will more than likely make the waiting time longer

GagaJo

Like private education, if everyone was forced to use the NHS, the quality of service would drastically prove very quickly.

GagJo, if everyone was forced to use the NHS would that mean not being able to go abroad for privately paid surgery?

Did you know that if the private hospitals had charged VAT on the 2018/2019 year, £2billion would have been raised. Whether that would have been pumped into the NHS is open for discussion.

I never have and never will have money for private and it would never enter my head to dream about it I have always had such good treatment in the NHS and I m not only proud of it (I know I worked for it) but think it’s still a national treasure

In my area, prior to Covid, a private hospital was used for NHS hip and knee replacements, one of which I had three years ago. I had a private room and superlative care. It amused me that for the first meal after my op I could have chosen tempura prawns! Now, that hospital is being used for other NHS procedures and I shall probably have to wait a year, in pain, for my next hip replacement. If I had money in the bank I would definitely go privately.

I had my hip done last October, I had pain in June, x ray July ,saw consultant August, was due to have the op Novembet, but got a cancellation for early October. I had it done at a stand alone unit which only does hips and knees. Incredibly well staffed, and only two people in each little ward. A friend had the same surgeon, but paid, you get more aftercare such as physio and hydrotherapy, but I was really happy with my experience. I'm lucky to live in apart of London with good GPs and hospitals.

I have always been against going private but over the years have changed my mind after having to go private twice for MRI scans. The first was one my knee and this prompted the Dr to take action and I had my knee replaced quite quickly. The second time has been on my back to find out just what is causing my upper back pain. The Dr just kept giving me painkillers and they didn't always work. So I booked in for a private consultation and an MRI scan. The result was it was my lung that was causing the problem and once again the Dr has taken action and quite quickly I am now seeing someone on the NHS.

Due to a waiting time of over two years and thepain and discomfort I was in my mother in law paid privately for my hysterectomy. Saw the same consultant as I would have using nhs. Being a socialist I told him going private was against my principles - he laughed but agreed. He said he would definitely have “lost” his wife if she had gone to a private hospital when she was ill without doubt nhs emergency facilities and expertise saved her.

We are lucky in this country to have the NHS, the ability to have medical help and support open and accessible to all at any time is widely considered to be one of Britain’s all-time greatest achievements. But lately the worry over its longevity has been heightened by reports of over-worked, poorly paid doctors and nurses and under staffed departments. The Covid19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem. And most recently in the news, it's estimated that taxes would need to increase to an additional £2000 per household for 15 years, that's £40 a week, to try and bring it back from the brink. So should VAT be added to private health care?

Just a reminder that the waiting lists for going private are now much longer, as so many who had their NHS ops cancelled are going down that path.

BUT ALSO near us the private hospitals are working flat out in partnership with out local Hospital Trust treating NHS patients who need urgent care eg cancer patients,