private medical insurance

[Connemmara]

Hi - I waited 4 weeks ago in a NHS Casualty hospital for attention for 6 and half hours with a broken shoulder - now I am considering paying monthly for private care - anybody help me where and how to go about this - thank you. I know of a case of a little girl who waited 10 hours after a minor car accident - I know this is part of the cuts but I could not stand waiting in A&E for that amount of time ever again.

[Bbbananas]

That doesn't happen at our NHS hospital tambo. And in my opinion it shouldn't - an emergency is an emergency and everyone should be treated the same in that instance - whether privately covered or not. Like sqad says, probably a particular consultant has that personal policy, but I don't think it is usual.

[tamborine]

OH had sepsis & was incontinent. The private room was caked in his soil & he was left to eat petit fours with soiled hands. I asked for room to be cleaned & chatting nurses said cleaners were busy. I cleaned him, room/toilet myself ! The bill for this treatment was £15k to insurance.

On recurrence of same months later I admitted him to NHS ward, he was spotless as was the ward - good sister in charge of ward. You dont always get what you pay for.

[Bbbananas]

Now that I do agree with ! (your last sentence.)

What an awful experience for him, and you, tambo.

[Sqad]

tambo....you should have had a meeting with the Consultant AND Matron......bad publicity is bad for the hospital but more importantly for the Consultant's Private practice.


I must say that my experience has been the opposite to yours........but there are exceptions on both sides.

[tamborine]

that's why I would NOT have private insurance. Stupidly, I didn't think to take photos.

[tamborine]

The consultant was subpeoned (?) to High Court and said by the judge to have 'made a case after the event'. None of his opinions matched the GP records.

[Sqad]

This has got me confused.......what has the state of the room in the PH got to do with the GP records and a court case?

(sqad has the feeling that he wished he hadn't pursued this thread)

[tamborine]

If you really want to know the depth of my case I could email it to you but would rather not reveal on the internet.

[Sqad]

tambo....no don't worry....a bit late now it would seem.

[McMouse]

I have had PHI for over 40 years but in an emergency go or get taken to A&E. In my experience A&E triage generally gets the priorities right. My heart attack was dealt with immediately while my self inflicted mashed big toe was left to throb until all the more important stuff had been done. Mind you once A&E has stabilised the situation I organise a transfer to the private sector for the comfort, privacy and superior catering.

[tamborine]

Sqad, would High court cases involving consultants automatically be recorded on some medical journal or such.

[Sqad]

tambo.....extremely unlikely and i have NEVER come across this.

[craft1948]

Our local BUPA clinic is lovely..........it's like a very plush hotel.

[Sqad]

craft....is that York?

[craft1948]

Yes it's the old Purey Cust which has relocated into what was the Nestle Rowntree dining block.

[Bbbananas]

Working in a NHS surgery, I have a real bugbear about some of these patients' expectations. Just because they have a private policy they still expect a NHS surgery (or casualty dept) to give them priority in all things. They expect their referrals to be done immediately & before any NHS referral. They expect insurances etc to be done immediately, above & before anyone else.

When they whinge on the phone to me "Why hasn't it been done yet - I'm going private you know?" I Tell them I am a NHS secretary, this is a NHS practice and I treat everyone the same - unless it is something medically urgent & then everyone will be treated the same and accordingly. It fair p1sses me off....

[craft1948]

And it has an A&E department.............

[tamborine]

Salla, fortunately my health has been good but I do agree with you. PH treatment of my OH seemed to turn him into a hypocondriac. He rattled more more than maraccas.

[Sqad]

Yes, I remember it when it was the Pury Cust....never worked there, but did a lot of work at the Belvedere in Scarborough, which has been taken over by BUPA and is now closed,so I gather.

[Sqad]

salla...both NHS and Private were occasionally a "pain in the '@rse" but at least the PP's paid.

Why does your practice get involved with PP's as they can deal with the Private Hospitals directly?