Is it worth having private health care?
This is a website about the NHS and how to use it better. At MyHSN, we are passionate supporters of the NHS. But ..
Some parts of the NHS work well – e.g. GPs, maternity care, ICU, coronary (heart) care, or if you need an emergency operation (like having your appendix out).
But other bits of the NHS work less well. These include: planned orthopaedic operations (like a hip replacement, when you may wait over 18 months on a waiting list after you have waited over four months to see the surgeon); or non-cancer surgery to get you out of pain (e.g. a hysterectomy, when your womb is removed); or rapid investigation for a possible cancer; or tests are not happening in a timely fashion.
So, if you need treatment for something like that, perhaps you should consider being seen sooner by going private – using some of your hard earned money. You could do this for the first consultation at least, which can cost £200-400.
Not many people have private medical insurance, but you might have access to it through your workplace – it’s worth checking! Sometimes the follow up appointments can be on the NHS, which can save on additional costs.
Remember: for some problems, things can get worse quite quickly if there is a delay in treatment, and you may end up needing a bigger operation. So sometimes it’s better to get on top of it sooner.
You can find your local private doctors on the internet (e.g. local BUPA and Nuffield hospitals). By the way, most of doctors that do private medicine also work in the NHS.
It is your decision. But remember .. ‘health not wealth’.
