private health care ... why do so many have a problem with it...?

[joko]

i ask because i genuinely dont know, not to provoke controversial debate...

it seems to me that its like anything else you pay for - if you can afford it why not?
i know if a member of my family was ill and needed urgent treatment that wasnt available soon enough, i would pay so save them...

to my knowledge it does not replace or hamper NHS medicine... and if private medicine was banned, nothing would really change within the NHS...would it?

just today actually, my physio stated she was worn out (about 4pm) but had to go off and continue work with her private patients, but she was just thinking of the money for her wedding... i assume she is not the only one that does both...maybe that extra cash is what makes her able to afford to do NHS work...as we all know their wages arent great...perhaps without it they would not be in medicine at all?

when i hear people speak of it seems to be to be pure begrudging jealousy and a feeling they someone is benefitting where they are not - but isnt that the case with anyone rich? - they get better stuff because they have the cash to pay for it - to put it bluntly...

i would also think actually it takes some of the burden off the NHS because those patients are basically sorting themselves out separately and not costing the NHS money or time or resources...

is there some other issue i am missing...?

cheers

[joko]

actually i was under the impression the main benefits were things like no waiting lists, nicer food, comfy beds, tvs private rooms etc - rather than better more clever doctors etc...i would think that the actual operations are pretty routine and of the same standard in both places

[lcg]

because we already pay for the nhs through taxes etc. and we should have a first class service via this...shame subsequent govt.s have completely fuffed it up x

[emmie]

I have had as many bad experiences in Private hospitals, in some cases worse treatment, so never think that because you pay through the nose you will get 5 star treatment. As to NHS, that needs reforming badly, has done for years, and i have come across nursing staff, who couldn't give a s.... not just to me, but others who have been in hospital, relatives, friends, and health and safety regulations have certainly screwed up patient care.

[emmie]

I went private because i couldn't get the help i needed from NHS, then promptly had one of the worst experience of my life. Private care is in it for the money, end of story.

[carmalee]

I agree that there are huge benefits to be had under private medical as Joko has pointed out but there is also a down side. At an NHS hospital, should anything go wrong during a proceedure there are usually expert consultants to hand - unlike private hospitals which often have limited facilities. And I'm not going to talk about this any more cos am going into a private hospital for an op this Thursday!!!!

[bednobs]

i have had various experiences of "private" healthcare (vicariously)
It peed me off because people often find they are not covered when it matters most

[Eve]

I googled out of interest to see about going private for gastro and found my NHS gastro consultant. Bet I wouldn't have to wait 10 months between appointments to see him privately!

[emmie]

our PCT gave the go ahead a while ago to sell off a number of our local surgeries to a private American Health company, against the wishes of the patients and doctors, that i am afraid is the future, and no they haven't been improved by the change

[shaneystar2]

We had private healthcare for years .A perk of my husbands job .When we retired we kept it up .As we got older up went the premiums but we paid up in good faith .

When a push came to a shove last year and my husband needed urgent treatment we found we didn't have enough cover for the treatment he needed .
It was costing us mega money a month as it was and they still wanted to us to pay more .We cancelled our policy and took our chances with the NHS .
When you are on a fixed income the premiums for private care are quite a lot of money each month and that's a lot of dosh out your pension .And the older you get the more expensive the premiums become .
He had the same surgeon who he had seen privately to start with who did the same op he would have had done privately . Ok he had to wait a bit longer but as it was cancer he was fast tracked .
He had good care under the NHS and I'm eternally grateful to them .They saved his life .

[masma]

I fell over and landed on my elbow causing the ball (?) at the top of my arm to be broken in a few pieces. At that time we had private health care. Although I was seen as an NHS emergency and couldn't fault the treatment I had, I was able to get after care privately and very quickly. I now have 90% movement which is much better than expected. A friend of mine did exactly the same thing but.. she had to wait 8 weeks before she could get any after care and phisio. Buy this time her arm had 'set' and she now has only 50% use of her arm. Sadly now we're pensioners we can't afford private health care.

[Sqad]

If you can afford Private Health Care take it.

Doc.

<<< You do hear horror storiries about struck off doctors working in the private sector.>>

That is NOT true..........a struck off Dr cannot work "AT ALL"

My advice is based on working and being a patient in both NHS and the Private Sector.

[woofgang]

we have had excellent seamless service between our private healthcare and the NHS. The only time it went horribly horrible was when we fetched up at A and E (having phoned first and been told how to get rapidest non ambulance admission service) The reception staff were dangerously unhelpful in the extreme and it took a call from the private consultant (who also works in the NHS) via the private hospital to get the NHS to extract its digit. The hospital was Southampton General.

[Sqad]

Do you want your operation on the date to suit you?
Do you want a particular surgeon to do the operation?
Do you not want to wait in the NHS queue?
Do you want your own room, toilet and bathroom?
Do you want your X-rays, blood tests and investigations as soon as possible?


Then go Private......if none of the above bother you....then the NHS will do.

Then go private

[Davethedog]

The problem with private care is that of the United States. As long as the NHS remains no one has a problem with it its fine, however there are those amongst the ruling party, who are rich anyway, who want us all to have private care and no NHS.

In the US there over 20 millon who have no access to proper medical care. Those hooror stories where people are turned out of hospitals because they don't have insurance or the right insurance is not a myth.

[Sqad]

Dave.....this thread is not about comparing healthcare in the U.S with that of the UK....both of which have their strong and week aspects.

I have assumed that joko is referring to private health care in the UK...I may be wrong.

[RATTER15]

My neighbour (now deceased) was in a private hospital for 3 weeks with his MS. he was then moved out by his wife as he had 2 huge pressure sores on his bottom. He went to an NHS hospital just up the road, he cancelled his payment plan and vowed never to go back to private.

Most people receive excellent treatment on the NHS but unfortunately not all, same applies to private.

I would never pay for private! I have always has a great service from the NHS.

[joggerjayne]

How about this thought ...

The NHS has finite resources.

If some people CAN afford to pay for their health care, maybe they SHOULD pay for it.

That frees up NHS resources for other people, who then get to the front of the NHS queue more quickly.

And it's not an answer to this point to say that private surgeons should go to work for the NHS. That wouldn't happen. They would just go to work abroad.

[Sqad]

RATTER....with every" horror story" in Private health, there is an equal "horror story" in the NHS.It is your choice whether you pay privately.....I have given you the advantages in my post above.