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Paying for private health care with type 1


Jack, in many instances a consultation is only the tool to open the door. Whatever anyone pays for a consultation (and, trust me, it's not fixed), any tests, which are then further broken down into phlebotomy charges, disbursements (syringes or cannula, collection tubes, lab costs, scans, x-rays, physiotherapy, theatre costs, pharmacy private prescriptions, inpatient drugs, hotel facilities (i.e. bed, room, catering), photography, where necessary, and so on. Everything is chargeable. These private hospitals, or even private treatments in NHS hospitals are businesses, required to run at a profit. I really cannot consider many circumstances whereby a person would be referred, by their GP (there is no facility to just rock up to a consultant), and only require a consultation. Unless you are considering GP type consultations, then in a very large percentage of cases, follow up, investigative/diagnostic activity would be required, as a starter. So, your quoted, £150-£250, is almost like paying someone to open a door to allow you to do some serious spending.

Perhaps if you lived in this country you might have a better vision of how things work. It is significantly imperfect, but many alternatives are not affordable to most. Private medical cover is also imperfect, and, at times questionably moral. Thankfully, I have not been faced with a circumstances where my moral compass has been seriously challenged, and I hope it never happens.
 
you're right, I don't know....I wasn't suggesting instead of dr/nurse/clinic and the free treatment and supplies, I have read numerous threads where poor outcomes/treatment is being provided and I think a referral to private for diagnosis and second opinion, then back to your DR to follow up his recommendations/diagnosis
 

Jack - In all but a few cases, if you are going to see a consultant, it is likely to be the same one as you would see on the NHS. They normally interleave their work patterns to accommodate both private and NHS. The following link gives the Consultant min-bios, including their NHS/academic commitments. http://www.spirehealthcare.com/leicester/our-facilities-treatments-and-consultants/our-consultants/ On the sidebar of the above link, there is all sorts of additional information which will feed your lust for medical information, I'm sure.

I do know of a couple of GPs who only do private work, but they underpin their practise income with occupational medical work.

Finally, in most circumstances, if you step off the NHS to the private sector, for a quick scan, or whatever, you will not be allowed back onto that NHS pathway for your treatment. There are exceptions. It can be fudged, but it is frowned upon in most instances.

We don't live in an ideal world, any more than you do, I bet.
 

If you are talking about paying privately to see a Consultant, the only advantage is you will get to see him faster unless you have cancer, in which case you won't see him any faster. The majority of private consultants and "ologists" also work in the NHS, so the likelihood is you will see the same person whether you pay or not. One off consultancy visits aren't out of this world expensive, but any follow up treatment will be unless you take his report and revert to the NHS. Anyway, who says private consultants are any wiser than NHS ones? All they do is take away any waiting anxiety.

EDIT post crossed with And Breathe
 
jack412 said:
I don't know why more of you don't go private now, I would be seeing a decent private Dr, than the dr/nurse stuff I'm reading here on the forum
Click to expand...

For many people in the UK, private health insurance is cost-prohibitive and not an option.
But what makes you think that the doctors and nurses are any better if you have private health care? My below knee amputation was carried out by a world-renowned surgeon in an NHS hospital and I was nursed by agency staff while recovering. The same surgeon also operates in the private hospital some 2 miles away from the NHS one, and the agency staff work there too!
The only obvious benefit is the reduced waiting time before hand and a room to yourself.afterwards. When you are discharged, home care is still provided by NHS Community Nurses wherever you have the job done.
 
my reference is the posts from people about their dr/nurse/clinic, some complain of poor care from what seems poor staff, I don't understand why they don't seek a private second opinion
it is not the consultants at the hospital nor the quality of care that the majority receive from hospitals or even local Dr's
 
I think that you are missing the point here. Whilst the government is playing with the idea of providing more of our healthcare services through private companies, there is no plan to withdraw free at source care. Whilst your care may move over to an independent company working for the NHS; there are no plans to start charging you directly for your care. The NHS is the biggest monopoly in the world; you may well find that you get a better service from a contractor that specializes in diabetes care than you do currently and as a European citizen you won't be asked to pay for your treatment. There is nothing to fear here.
 

Two years ago my father was in the care of an NHS hospital in Bournemouth, They sent him to the private (Nuffield) wing of Guys in London for a heart valve operation.. He was transported both ways by a private ambulance.
Presumably it was more cost effective to do this than to attempt to provide the very specialist and skilled help he needed at Bournemouth (open heart surgery on an octogenarian is not an everyday operation). I was frankly surprised that they even attempted the operation but the out come was at least two more years of life As it was contracted by the NHS, he didn't pay a penny ,not even for the private room and excellent food he got in the private wing.
(there aren't many countries that give you board and lodging 'for free')
 

Hopefully so Andy, that would be a compromise of sort

My eldest lad went to see a consultant regarding his skin at a private hospital that cost him £80 for the consultation, the Dr he seen there was one that worked in the Dermatology Clinic at his local hospital which he's been to previously, the advice and treatment she give was no better than what he'd been previously given, he could have saved the £80 and stuck with the NHS, but then again he would never have known I suppose.
 
I would advise people to take a look at Benenden health care, based in Kent. We have been members for a few years now, it has been opened up to all in recent years whereas before it was restricted to certain people. We pay the princely sum of £8.19 each per month. Now whenever I need to see a Consultant, if the NHS lists are long, I use Benenden. I had an MRI on my back and hip bursitis and an injection done on the same claim at a Nuffield hospital. I have seen a knee surgeon, an endocrinologist and also a specialist gynae. No excess, you settle the bill and they reimburse.

It is not private health in the normal sense but it is a brilliant compromise and one I am delighted to have. Not once have I had a problem getting onto the consultant's NHS list after the initial consultation nor been treated like a pariah for doing so. They have recently started to do travel insurance too.

Ali
 
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