NHS: here's the unpleasant truth

Blackpool_Saver

tomterm8 wrote: »

As an IT person, trust me, we are not essential, if it means I have to work more than 48 hours a week, without extra pay.

More seriously, yes, I understand a surgeon or IT worker is essential, but I for one wouldn't want someone to operate on me after working a 75 hour week. Which was fairly common in the past.

exactly, yet another reason why I have private health cover, I don't drink or smoke and I don't go on holiday, I pay my health cover premiums.

Blackpool_Saver

LizEstelle wrote: »

And now shall I give you the 'unpleasant truth' about private medicine in this country?

You know, the little things like the way they hand their messes back to the NHS as soon as the client has the rank stupidity to develop a chronic illness..?

You are over simplifying it a bit aren't you? however I would like to hear your experience, I am still seeing my consultant and still using my cover for the same condition.

LizEstelle

Blackpool_Saver wrote: »

exactly, yet another reason why I have private health cover, I don't drink or smoke and I don't go on holiday, I pay my health cover premiums.

Good, just so long as you're happy for dear ol' BUPA to wave you and your premiums a fond farewell just as soon as you develop anything which means long term care.

I think the NHS should send such customers to the back of the queue.

LizEstelle

Blackpool_Saver wrote: »

You are over simplifying it a bit aren't you? however I would like to hear your experience, I am still seeing my consultant and still using my cover for the same condition.

It's not 'my experience'. It's the statistics.

Have you ever actually looked at the fine print in the clauses you've signed up to?

Blackpool_Saver

LizEstelle wrote: »

It's not 'my experience'. It's the statistics.

Have you ever actually looked at the fine print in the clauses you've signed up to?

Yes, I moved from corporate cover to private (paying my own way) cover and was accepted with SEVERAL pre existing conditions and like I say an additional condition I developed is still ongoing after 4 years and still covered.
I have had a 20% increase this year and still think it is very good value for money as last time I went into an NHS ward a woman coming off heroin tried to jump out of the window during the night, I decided there and then that I would never go back on a public ward. In a private room nurses don't keep pulling back the curtains between the bed when you want privacy, soon as you lay down and close your eyes, back go the curtains it's like being in a bloody goldfish bowl.

Blackpool_Saver

Re the fine print, I have read it and discussed it and am confident that consultations, tests, ops, after care and follow ups are covered.
Regarding a continuing condition then medication can be prescribed by a GP, although a lot of them can't speak properly these days, thankfully they can still scrawl out a prescription, if it is an important prescription and I cannot be bothered arguing the toss with a receptionist I get a private GP appointment.

FATBALLZ

The NHS needs serious reform. Anybody who has dealt with it on a professional level knows as much.

chucky

Blackpool_Saver wrote: »

The majority of Americans do have health insurance and those who don't can claim from Medicaid and the like. They grow up knowing they have to pay premiums to insurance companies like we pay national insurance.
The problem with this country is people expect to get everything free, pay your private health insurance premiums instead of drinking and smoking or other luxuries, in other words get your priorities straight, then you can have private treatment and leave the nhs for those who can't like they do in America.

and how many amercians don't get covered by any of this and have huge medical bills that they are unable to pay for...

you can say that the majority of Americans are covered but there 400 million people in that country - how many is the majority 60%...

that leaves you with quite a few million people that will have issues with their medical care... i'm sure that people would be more than happy with millions of people struggling to pay medical bills in this country...

lostinrates

chucky wrote: »

and how many amercians don't get covered by any of this and have huge medical bills that they are unable to pay for...

you can say that the majority of Americans are covered but there 400 million people in that country - how many is the majority 60%...

that leaves you with quite a few million people that will have issues with their medical care... i'm sure that people would be more than happy with millions of people struggling to pay medical bills in this country...

all of this is right. but its also as blinkered to suggest that the NHS provides full and complete care. Drugs not available because of post code loteries or a national decision...for cancers, diseases of old age. Drugs for me are not available NHS, and personally, i think that's right...my condition is sufficiently rare and my outlook was (though I think I prove them wrong) sufficiently bleak to make it ''uneconomical'' to treat me, in much the same way a profitable insurance company would have to view it. BUT the crunch is, that if i go private for suitable drugs I also have to opt out of NHS for the rest of the treatment relating to my condition while I do that..while the differences are immense, the nhs have to take me back if i can't sustain treatment ...as a patient it feels much the same.

Andy_L

"A senior female consultant asked by a 22-year-old clerk to produce her passport in order to identify herself before starting work at a new hospital?"

Its an absolute outrage that the NHS has to comply with employment law and ensure its employees can legallly work in the country!!! :-)