Private Healthcare

I appreciate every viewpoint posted thus far, and yes its not intended as a "NHS vs Private" debate, however the experiences from both sides (debate aside) is part of the reason why the public have a choice: if it was perfect in the NHS then there would be no need for private medical insurance.

In answe to the question: in part I've always been a "just in case" type of person. As an example however in the case of dental I've always been lucky with my teeth, bar a touch of non-visible caculous (sp) which is recommended can only be managed by regular cleaning at the dentist's (by regular they mean every 3 months) otherwise there are no signs or symptoms. I however have only had this done about 4 times (I'm just coming up 35 years old) and each time paid with a private dentist.

At one stage in life I was out of work and on the JSA, so could not afford to have this done privately so I went to the NHS. The experience was a nightmare - not only was I manhandled by the "student nurses", I was left with bleeding gums for 3 weeks, and charged £46 for the please (with my last private dentist even though it cost £70, once out the door the bleeding stopped - and this had been the same witht he 3 private dentists I had registered with depending where I was living at the time). Now my partner is looking to also go to the dentist and I've advised her to go private.

For a more serious proceedure (she may need one or two porcelain crowns) than mine, I would not trust NHS dentists.. epecially after my regular and straight forward "clean" was botched. Do I think it a one-off? Yes. do I want to gamble it can't happen again? No!

So I'm considering overall health and accept we get what we pay for, as long as what we pay for is fair. A friend of mine broke/fractured his third finger sometiem back - he was in A&E for 6 hours (NHS) waiting to be seen, only to be told they could not treat him on the day and could only get him an appointment in 6 weeks time!

After 6 weeks and his appointment, turns out all they did was taped the damaged finger to a stable finger so it would "grow back and restrenghten on its own". Yes, he waiting on the NHS 6 hours plus weeks to be told what he could have figured out in 1 hour of the accident without leaving his home.