Private heath

[Kiltie]

Today, I got home from a private hospital having had some minor surgery.

I have had similar with the NHS a number of times over the last few years.

Private : I've been happy with worse hotels.

NHS : Although I love the concept, my experience is that it's bedlam.

It's tough. I'd like the NHS to be "perfect" but that ain't going to happen in my lifetime.

I enjoyed the luxury of the private hospital but felt a degree og guilt.

To be clear, my employment contract includes BUPA so, yeah the guilt bit is ridiculous, but still ... it just doesn't feel right.

What are other people's thoughts?

Cheers,

Eric

[ManicMushroom]

ummm, I would love to go to private if i could afford.

as things are, twice now, the NSH has 'lost' my x-rays twice now, Im just going to get a credit card and go private.

[Puggit]

While the NHS is still run by the government, it won't work...

[pies1981]

i'm going private in the next few months, and i wont be feeling one bit of guilt....

[Taita]

I've got health insurance through work, hopefully will never have to use it, but I'd use it in a flash if I needed to.

[voyds9]

I have private health insurance for purely selfish reasons. If I am ill I don't earn money (self employed), so I need treating as fast as possible.

Health insurance enables me to get treatment at a time of my choosing, often the same day or next day, and major surgery within the week. Follow up treatments are also available when I want them, none of the physio will be able to see you next May

[Puggit]

swerni said:

why feel guilty???

I have cost BUPA a fortune over the past few years.
That means the NHS hasn't has to foot the bill,leaving it with more money to waste on non-jobs.

EFA

[pies1981]

voyds9 said:

I have private health insurance for purely selfish reasons. If I am ill I don't earn money (self employed), so I need treating as fast as possible.

Health insurance enables me to get treatment at a time of my choosing, often the same day or next day, and major surgery within the week. Follow up treatments are also available when I want them, none of the physio will be able to see you next May

A question, say you do a lot of sports, could you ring them up and get a sports massage with a physio say once every 6 weeks?

[soprano]

pies1981 said:

voyds9 said:

I have private health insurance for purely selfish reasons. If I am ill I don't earn money (self employed), so I need treating as fast as possible.

Health insurance enables me to get treatment at a time of my choosing, often the same day or next day, and major surgery within the week. Follow up treatments are also available when I want them, none of the physio will be able to see you next May

A question, say you do a lot of sports, could you ring them up and get a sports massage with a physio say once every 6 weeks?

No, you need to have a specific medical condition, and I believe for physio to be covered you need to be referred by a consultant

[Simpo Two]

Kiltie said:

I enjoyed the luxury of the private hospital but felt a degree og guilt.

To be clear, my employment contract includes BUPA so, yeah the guilt bit is ridiculous, but still ... it just doesn't feel right. What are other people's thoughts?

By taking yourself out of the NHS system (investing your savings in your health) you're giving your place to some poor chappie who needs it... both parties benefit. I don't see the problem.

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 2nd November 09:34

[Chris_H]

My mate had to have his gallbladder out as he was suffering all kinds of problems. The gallbladder was due to be sent off for further investigation once removed but the hospital lost it. It was never found and that was private.
A very red faced consultant had to explain this to my mate who was not amused!!

[ClaphamGT3]

Those of us who can afford to be treated privately 9or to insure to) have a moral obligation to do so, in order to ensure that NHS resources can best be deployed tio excellence in acute care and in provision to thiose who do not have a choice

[pies1981]

ClaphamGT3 said:

Those of us who can afford to be treated privately 9or to insure to) have a moral obligation to do so, in order to ensure that NHS resources can best be deployed tio excellence in acute care and in provision to thiose who do not have a choice

fk morals

[King Herald]

ManicMushroom said:

ummm, I would love to go to private if i could afford.

as things are, twice now, the NSH has 'lost' my x-rays twice now, Im just going to get a credit card and go private.

I went private to get my carpal tunnel operation done, and I must admit I am not impressed by the place I used at all. It appears to have very poor organisation, and they charge you like a wounded bull every time you so much as stick you head round the door.

£800 to have a consultation and tests to tell me what I already know: I have carpal tunnel. Then another £85 for the specialist to take three minutes of his time to tell me the above results.

£1600++ for the operation. Then another £90 for the specialist to tell me a week later "okay, looks like it has healed, you can have the stitches out now".

I worked out he charged me 50p a second for his valuable time. Not a bad screw to be on, seeing as he was so busy I had to sit in the waiting room for over an hour to get my final 50p a second consultations. Then they forgot about me, while I was waiting to get the stitches out, until I piped up after another hour and pointed out I was still sat there.


I still need to get the other hand operated on, but I'm pretty sure I won't be going back to that same hospital if I can help it.

[pies1981]

King Herald said:

ManicMushroom said:

ummm, I would love to go to private if i could afford.

as things are, twice now, the NSH has 'lost' my x-rays twice now, Im just going to get a credit card and go private.

I went private to get my carpal tunnel operation done, and I must admit I am not impressed by the place I used at all. It appears to have very poor organisation, and they charge you like a wounded bull every time you so much as stick you head round the door.

£800 to have a consultation and tests to tell me what I already know: I have carpal tunnel. Then another £85 for the specialist to take three minutes of his time to tell me the above results.

£1600++ for the operation. Then another £90 for the specialist to tell me a week later "okay, looks like it has healed, you can have the stitches out now".

I worked out he charged me 50p a second for his valuable time. Not a bad screw to be on, seeing as he was so busy I had to sit in the waiting room for over an hour to get my final 50p a second consultations. Then they forgot about me, while I was waiting to get the stitches out, until I piped up after another hour and pointed out I was still sat there.


I still need to get the other hand operated on, but I'm pretty sure I won't be going back to that same hospital if I can help it.

Bupa?

[nownek]

Simpo Two said:

Kiltie said:

I enjoyed the luxury of the private hospital but felt a degree og guilt.

To be clear, my employment contract includes BUPA so, yeah the guilt bit is ridiculous, but still ... it just doesn't feel right. What are other people's thoughts?

By taking yourself out of the NHS system (investing your savings in your health) you're giving your place to some poor chappie who needs it... both parties benefit. I don't see the problem.

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 2nd November 09:34

And, if you're in an employer sponsored scheme, you get taxed on the benefit so even the Treasury benefit!

[soprano]

King Herald said:

ManicMushroom said:

ummm, I would love to go to private if i could afford.

as things are, twice now, the NSH has 'lost' my x-rays twice now, Im just going to get a credit card and go private.

I went private to get my carpal tunnel operation done, and I must admit I am not impressed by the place I used at all. It appears to have very poor organisation, and they charge you like a wounded bull every time you so much as stick you head round the door.

£800 to have a consultation and tests to tell me what I already know: I have carpal tunnel. Then another £85 for the specialist to take three minutes of his time to tell me the above results.

£1600++ for the operation. Then another £90 for the specialist to tell me a week later "okay, looks like it has healed, you can have the stitches out now".

I worked out he charged me 50p a second for his valuable time. Not a bad screw to be on, seeing as he was so busy I had to sit in the waiting room for over an hour to get my final 50p a second consultations. Then they forgot about me, while I was waiting to get the stitches out, until I piped up after another hour and pointed out I was still sat there.


I still need to get the other hand operated on, but I'm pretty sure I won't be going back to that same hospital if I can help it.

I don't understand people taking issue with the amount that consultants charge - its not just the fact that s/he has taken a short period of time for the consultation - they have trained for years at great expense to themselves, only to be flogged by the NHS for 10 years before they can become a consultant and start taking on private work and actually earn a decent living for all the effort/time and money they have invested in themselves. I don't begrudge that at all.

Edited by soprano on Sunday 2nd November 12:08

[Scraggles]

got bupa with work, with doctors being paid not to send people to hospital, will let them know if the need arises

[turbobloke]

Nothing wrong with private health care. You should feel anything other than guilt, your employer's policy is freeing up space and money for NHS patients. Even nu labia's chippy socialists of sorts are coming around to the facts of life, after banning private top-ups to NHS care they are now saying it;s OK, but there's some ridiculous rider that you have to have it done at home iirc. Pathetic, their attitude for far too long has been to let us all die needlessly, if not through curable ill-health then by drowning in grubby collectivist lowest common denominator rhetoric.

[King Herald]

pies1981 said:

Bupa?

No, I have my own works insurance cover.

soprano said:

I don't understand people taking issue with the amount that consultants charge - its not just the fact that s/he has taken a short period of time for the consultation - they have trained for years at great expense to themselves, only to be flogged by the NHS for 10 years before they can become a consultant and start taking on private work and actually earn a decent living for all the effort/time and money they have invested in themselves. I don't begrudge that at all.

Oh yes, 50p a second sounds a reasonable charge, for someone whose training was probably paid for by the government.....