Private or N H S ???

[domino]

Went private last week, tuesday i was rushed into hospital with abdominal pains, N h s hospital, yes i know i,m not the only one that needed looking after but 7 hrs to get a bed , everyone was blomming brillient, Been home a few hrs now and i ca,nt tell you how good it feels , but when i think what all thoses doctors and nurses do , they are worth their weight in gold. But the state of our health service is shocking. A/e where i was taken we had to join the Q wAS GIVEN GAS AND AIR IN THE CORRIDOR, BLOODS TAKEN IN A CORRIDOR sat on a trolly in the corridor. then i was asked if i would mind giving up my bed for another patient, as they had no beds left. Hope all this makes sence, but the difference in the two was incredable.

[chalky]

Hi Domino,

Hope your recovery will be speedy.



Best wishes,
Chalky

[nomorepanic]

Domino

We found this with Alex's eye op's and my appointments for my Chrons.

Alex was given his own private room with a TV and coffee on tap and even got fed afterwards as well!

Mine was the same and all very quiet and private and so much quieter and constant one-to-one check-ups.

The NHS is much madder!

I know they do their best but it doesn't compare really does it? I am NOT slating the people here as I appreciate it is the same people that work in the NHS as do the private rounds but I personally feel more looked after in a private hospital than I do in an NHS one.

They even welcomed Alex by name when he went back so that really is the personal touch.

[Dying_Swan]

Hey Domino.

You are quite right - there is a huge inequality in British healthcare. It's pretty shocking really. I've been both a private and NHS patient and it is one extreme to the other. I remember one admission I had - was emergency abdominal surgery stuff. I spent one night on a general NHS ward and thought I'd died and gone to hell! It was dreadful and they were so pushed, I don't think they would have noticed if I actually did die. Fortunately, I was moved the next day. I work in the hospital and they put me in the private suite. It was totally the opposite end of the spectrum!

I was recently admitted again and sent into the private suite. The nurses were so good, because they had the time. I had a massive dilemma about my treatment options, and the nurse sat down with me and talked it all though. Back on the NHS ward, I'd been Nil By Mouth for over 24 hours. When I asked for something to eat, finally....they got me a plate of biscuits as that's all they had time to get. I vomited the biscuits up in gratitude

That said, my clinic appointments in NHS hospitals have been far quicker than my clinic appointments at Harley Street!

It is a big national issue and it is very sad to my mind, that it is only people who can afford it, who get it. I used to be very anti-private healthcare, but having seen both sides, I can utterly understand people choosing to go private. It's just a shame it isn't available to everybody.

Thanks for raising it Domino and I really hope you are starting to feel better now

xxx

[nomorepanic]

Swan - I totally admire you with what you do. I could never do your job as I have said to you before.

I am totally for the NHS but we are lucky and get private healthcare through Alex's company. I would NEVER pay the prices on my own - they are totally ridiculous!!!

But if you are given something for free (apart from the tax) then you would be silly to give it up.

Having said that - I have now resorted back to the NHS as the private health won't cover my "chronic condition"!

I was told by my GP that I could see the same consultant that is treating me on NHS but it would be 3 months - private was 3 weeks if that !!

Mad isn't it?

[Dying_Swan]

Yep Nic it's terrible.

When I was at Uni I had a bad ear infection which started all my anxiety. Anyway, I had to go off sick from my course. We were allowed 3 weeks sick in 3 years, but this was a nasty infection so it was going to take longer. I told my GP I would be forced to take a 'break' from my course if I couldn't get sorted quickly. It was a 6 month wait to see an NHS ENT surgeon, so I went private and saw someone the next day.

I had the same last year - wait 4 months for NHS appointment or 2 days for private. I think anybody in that situation would make the same decision, unless they are extremely moral indeed!

I belong to a non-profit making organisation called Benenden Healthcare. You have to work for public services I think to be a member, or be a relative of someone who does. Anyway, it's great. It's about 50p per week and they pay for up to £1000 of outpatient diagnostics and consultations. So I've had about £1300 of outpatient stuff privately for 50p a week! And you can go anywhere so long as the Consultant also has an NHS post, which almost all of them do.

Definitely worth looking into as lots of people qualify to be members.

I took out Axa PPP insurance after my one night in an NHS ward to cover the inpatient stuff! Since cancelled.
The whole thing is a shambles really. Write to Gordon Brown!

xxx