vickster
Legendary Member
Probably yes, but some private consultants no longer have an NHS post
cost of private health care
- Thread starter cyberknight
- Start date
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Probably yes, but some private consultants no longer have an NHS post
midlife
Guru
The private only consultants I know have retired from the NHS.
Very few 'good' consultants will do only private work, with the exception of a few private hospitals in central London none will tackle any thing close to 'complex' care, and when the S*** hits the fan its your local A&E that will have bail you out.
If needed you can get a coronary artery by pass graft within in 24hrs of admission to your local A&E, liver transplant etc.
There is sadly a massive waiting list for nearly all none life saving/time critical treatments in the NHS, but don't be under under illusion that private health care deliver 'better' outcomes or gets you access to 'better' health care options, waiting list mitigation aside.
vickster
Legendary Member
I know of several highly regarded orthopaedic knee experts who only have private practice and neither are in central London.
Anyhow…
Wait times aside, the benefits of private HC for me are…
Choosing which Consultant to see and knowing I’ll see the same Consultant for duration of care (indeed that I’ll see a Consultant at every appointment and he/she will deliver the care, surgery, injections in my case)
Have appointment at a time and location that works for me and knowing I’ll be seen within 15 minutes of appointment time, no long clinic waits in the middle of the working day
Most recently being able to move surgery to a new date without issue and knowing that it is extremely unlikely to be cancelled at the last minute (never happened across numerous orthopaedic ops in the last 12 or so years)
My experience of private physio is also much better than NHS with proper hands on treatment and without ridiculous waits between appointments (please come back in 2-3 weeks, oh sorry we have no appointments for at least 6).
Similarly private counselling, 3 month wait to even speak to someone
And free car parking at the hospital
YMMV
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OP
OP
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
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I know of several highly regarded orthopaedic knee experts who only have private practice and neither are in central London.
Anyhow…
Wait times aside, the benefits of private HC for me are…
Choosing which Consultant to see and knowing I’ll see the same Consultant for duration of care (indeed that I’ll see a Consultant at every appointment and he/she will deliver the care, surgery, injections in my case)
Have appointment at a time and location that works for me and knowing I’ll be seen within 15 minutes of appointment time, no long clinic waits in the middle of the working day
My experience of private physio is also much better than NHS with proper hands on treatment and without ridiculous waits between appointments (please come back in 2-3 weeks, oh sorry we have no appointments for at least 6).
Similarly private counselling, 3 month wait to even speak to someone
And free car parking at the hospital
YMMV
dont forget very nice food
vickster
Legendary Member
dont forget very nice food
Only get a sarnie for day ops but a nice fresh one on a plate with some salad
Private room another benefit
And I bet you they wouldn't touch you if you had any form or chronic disease or potential for complications
.I have plenty of respect for orthopaedic surgoens, my boss is one, and as is one of lead for NHS England.....but interms of complexity......there are more complex things in health care.
For low risk elective private hospitals are fine, but acute NHS hospitals don't have the luxury of turning people away because things might get risky.
If you can afford private health care go for it, but for the best care around the NHS is actually impossible to beat.....try asking about what happens if you go into kidney, lung, heart failure in a private hospital.
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Jameshow
Veteran
And I bet you they wouldn't touch you if you had any form or chronic disease or potential for complications
I have plenty of respect for orthopaedic surgoens, my boss is one, and as is one of lead for NHS England.....but interms of complexity......there are more complex things in health care.
For low risk elective private hospitals are fine, but acute NHS hospitals don't have the luxury of turning people away because things might get risky.
If you can afford private health care go for it, but for the best care around the NHS is actually impossible to beat.....try asking about what happens if you go into kidney, lung, heart failure in a private hospital.
They have a rear entrance don't you know!!!
vickster
Legendary Member
And I bet you they wouldn't touch you if you had any form or chronic disease or potential for complications
I have plenty of respect for orthopaedic surgoens, my boss is one, and as is one of lead for NHS England.....but interms of complexity......there are more complex things in health care.
For low risk elective private hospitals are fine, but acute NHS hospitals don't have the luxury of turning people away because things might get risky.
If you can afford private health care go for it, but for the best care around the NHS is actually impossible to beat.....try asking about what happens if you go into kidney, lung, heart failure in a private hospital.
My experience has primarily to date been orthopaedic, of course there are more complex medical issues than I have (but they can have a notable imapct on my wellness and quality of life). I can’t speak for the OP‘s health issues.
As I said, private healthcare usually won’t cover pre existing or chronic illness.
i have used A&E recently for a heart issue on the advice of the cardiologist I saw privately (told me to get monitored asap if symptomatic). I am now using private healthcare (a work benefit also as I said) again for tests and follow up as much to save using the NHS resources and get done asap (had to wait longer already due to having Covid)
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presta
Guru
I've heard that if something goes wrong with private healthcare the NHS tell you to go back to whoever did it, and get them to sort it out.
How do you pick?
I don't expect restaurant quality, but the NHS food I've had doesn't have enough friut, veg and fibre. There's not enough of it either, I lost over a kilogram in 6 days once.
I've had quite a lot of private rooms, the NHS don't want me telling other patients what's happened.
presta
Guru
The private sector do a lot of ablations, whilst the complication rate is quite low (~1%), they are serious.
vickster
Legendary Member
Personally…Recommendations from GP, physio, other Consultants, expertise and experience in particular problem
vickster
Legendary Member
How long do you have to wait for yours? I don’t remember my father having to wait too long for his, although the first was postponed for a medical reason when he was checked pre op (granted that was pre Covid)
3 years ago my mother had pulmonary endarterectomy surgery at Papworth. She was operated on by David Jenkins, the top man in the UK and one of the top surgeons in the world for this type of surgery.
Before the clot removal the patient’s body temperature is cooled to 20C to prevent organ damage and all the blood is removed! The surgeon gets 20 min per lung to do this before the blood is returned and the process repeated for the other lung. I don’t know exactly what this would have cost with all the aftercare etc but you could probably buy a reasonable house with it.
In somewhere like the US she would probably not been able to have it regardless of insurance without selling her house to fund it.
Before the clot removal the patient’s body temperature is cooled to 20C to prevent organ damage and all the blood is removed! The surgeon gets 20 min per lung to do this before the blood is returned and the process repeated for the other lung. I don’t know exactly what this would have cost with all the aftercare etc but you could probably buy a reasonable house with it.
In somewhere like the US she would probably not been able to have it regardless of insurance without selling her house to fund it.
