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[groundhog]

Private health care has been a double edged sword for me. 35 years ago my husband was an officer in the navy and private health care was a perk of his rank/job.  It was quite unusual in those days to go private and when I went Ill with Chrons and needed surgery I went private, trouble is you get sort of trapped and I carried on ‘going private ‘ for years.  Sometimes I was a private patient in a nhs hospital so I didn't have the perks of a nice room etc. Anyway fast forward 30 years and you know the outcome, a hysterectomy that nearly killed me and has caused permanent disability.  They think it's because of the way my endometriosis was treated (privately) by repeatedly aspirating cysts in my abdomen, they think the repeated aspirations has damaged my peritoneum.  I don't thunk they would have taken that approach on the nhs as they wouldn't have had the time plus it is actually against nhs guidance.
I'm still partly private and it's crippling me financially,
So going private isn't the panacea some may think x
Plus every serious complication I've had has been in a private hospital.
I'm very disillusioned.

[CLKD]

PF explains 'health tourist' really well.

A private patient in an NHS hospital is unlikely to get the 'works' offered in a private hospital.  Though in order to cut waiting lists, private hospitals are taking on NHS patients - often the Surgeon works in both establishments. 

Years ago a young girl from I think, Turkey - needed corrective surgery so her Government paid for it because the NHS had the expertise.  Her Surgeon travelled with her to learn as it was a teaching hospital.  Win win all round.  She went home with support and a Surgeon who knew more about what she required.

[CLKD]

I suppose what I would like to know is what would someone give up in order to remain well: holidays, trips abroad, top of the range vehicles, nights in the Pub., theatre trips ........... and if the OH is against paying for treatment, what then?

[groundhog]

Every time I mention how much we are having to pay out on medical bills, my husband reminds me most people pay that amount on a holiday and as we can't go abroad then we are infant no worse off, if that makes sense. 

Without your health you can't really do much so I would and sacrifice a lot of things in order for me to see my consultant privately.  I finthe nhs struggles with complex patients unless you are lucky enough to have access to a specialised hospital.

[Shadyglade]

There is no price for good health.

[CLKD]

Does your Surgeon work in the NHS and Privately groundhog? 

[Pennyfarthing]

Does your Surgeon work in the NHS and Privately groundhog?

most do both and lets not forget they were all trained by the NHS.

I recently went for a skin cancer appointment on the NHS but was sent to a different dept to the one I normally go to.  Same hospital but down a different corridor through a door into a much more different waiting area.  Then I saw a sign which said it was a private clinic but for my same consultant.

It was beautifully decorated with cappucinos and biscuits and soft drinks set out, big squidgy leather sofas, very posh magazines etc.  The receptionist was very welcoming and I told him  I thought there must have been a mistake and he said it was because of the time delay in appointments.

I didnt get any better treatment but the coffee was good. 😂

[Shadyglade]

Funny old world isn't it. 

[CLKD]

A Consultant is part-time in the NHS in order to take on a private patient list. 

When I had treatment for breast disease under a Company Scheme, we called my room The Dallas Palace 

[CLKD]

A family on TV earlier apparently 'on the bread line' take their holidays abroad by using credit cards  and Himself began to mutter. He doesn't often pass a comment about how people spend their monies so I raised this thread.  He said he would give up everything as long as we are both healthy, after all: it's free to walk .......... to sit and enjoy scenery; to listen to the birds etc..  But health can rarely be got back.

When I look round at people we know of similar age to ourselves and how much they have suffered over the years we have been lucky [apart from the dreadful depression and anxiety which almost cost me my Life].  He has tendonitis in his big toe joints but in general ..........

[Shadyglade]

When I had a op in a private hospital I was given a 'wine list' with the dinner menu.

It was like a holiday but with pain killers.

Seriously though, some people are just plain stupid.  Whats wrong with days out when they can afford it.

[CLKD]

That was what we said, although we do realise that sometimes going abroad can be cheaper than staycation.  But if one is short of money maybe save up - he had been a teaching assistant but his job was cut so why not offer 'extra' tuition etc.? 

[Taz2]

If he'd been a teaching assistant then I can see how they couldn't afford holidays without putting it on credit even his job had been cut.    Poor pay and holidays at the most expensive time of year don't go well together.

Taz x

[CLKD]

They don't.  But are holidays really top of someone's list when money isn't available?

[JaneinPen]

When we lived abroad we were not admitted to hospital until we could either pay or prove we had insurance cover. We also in every country we lived in had I.d cards which we carried and were shown before treatment. Until this is mandatory here the NHS do not have the wherewithal to do the same so unpaid bills will continue to stack up. If we are drivers we already carry a licence with all our info on so I don't really see why a lot of people are against I.d cards