Thinking of Going Private for Coronary Heart Disease Op

usignuolo

My brother has recently been diagnosed with coronary heart disease (blocked artery) and been told he needs a stent. However he has to wait for a gap in the waiting list which could be up to two months.

He won't consider private treatment as he feels he cannot justify the expense with two children at uni. However my sister and I have some savings and could pay for him to have it done privately if this was a practical solution.

I know it is a specialised operation. Anyone know how much would it cost and is there anywhere in East Anglia which does it?

lauren_1

If he gets worse he will be jumped up the queue or taken in as an emergency, if the hospital are happy to let him wait then he isnt in any imminent danger at the moment although he will have to change his lifestyle considerably whilst he waits. The waiting list MAY be up to 2 months but that doesnt mean he will be waiting 2 months

Going private often is seen as the quick fix route but all in all its not a fancier operation or even better than the NHS ones (aftercare is questionable though)

jaspercat2002

I don't know anything about cost etc sorry but if you are looking in East Anglia Papworth hospital is outstanding for heart surgery. It is an NHS hospital but think they also do private.
My dad had a quad bypass there last year and patients were being helicoptered in from other countries to get the specialist care they can offer.

Hope all works out well

Sorry - edit just to agree with Lauren - if an NHS patient needs the surgery urgently you do get it. My dad had his echo cardiogram on the Friday and was in for his bypass on the Monday, no messing about, And he was virtually symptomless

mountainofdebt

usignuolo wrote: »

He won't consider private treatment as he feels he cannot justify the expense with two children at uni.

I can understand the sentiment but I'm sure that the children would rather have a well dad than have their tution fees paid or a contribution to their living expenses.

heretolearn_2

This is very kind of you and of course you are worried and want it done as quickly as possible.

If it isn't going to wipe out your savings, then make the offer to him. He may not want this anyway, or he may accept, you don't know till you offer.

If it will wipe you out though, while I can understand why you want to do this, you might want to reconsider. As others have pointed out, if he were in imminent danger he would get the op immediately, and just as there is a maximum wait time doesn't mean he will have to wait that long.

JaneRN

It is a worry when it is your family but I would be happy to wait the two months and get it done on the NHS. Quite often when you pay privately the op is carried out by the same NHS surgeon and often in the same theatre with the same technique / equipment etc.
If the surgeon felt your brother was in immediate danger I'm sure they would have done it at once. Hope all goes well.

Bunny

the surgery would most likely be carried out by an NHS surgeon as mentioned and sometimes after care is carried out by the NHS especially if critical care is needed, so you get the same treatment, perhaps a quicker operation, perhaps not. I wouldn't say done any better though.

As also mentioned if the op needed to be done sooner they would get him in and do the job, I've known surgeons to come in to do the op in the middle of the night if a situation/symptoms change and I don't just mean when that surgeon is on-call.