Private v NHS

Bossyboots

I have just spent a year having tests only for my consultant to say he cannot diagnose my problem. He has therefore referred me to a consultant at another hospital who is (allegedly) specialising in my particular area. I am totally despondent to find out now that I basically have to start again as if the last year has never been. This means I face a five month wait to see the new consultant. I am probably going to need another scan and I had to wait nearly three months for the last one.

I am considering whether to go privately for some of the appointments. I object in principle to this considering I am paying NI every month but don't know what else to do. I cannot afford the whole thing privately but wonder if I can have either the consultations or scan privately. Does anyone have any experience of this or any advice on how I might be able to achieve speedy treatment but at minimal cost to myself?

Jay-Jay_4

If I were you I would pay privately for the initial consultation. This should be anywhere between £100 and £200 but should be more towards the £120 mark. Get to the consultant and hear what he has to say because your 'wait' is for the initial consultation, not subsequent treatment.

When you've heard what he's got to say, tell him that you cannot afford the treatment privately. It should be no skin off his nose to refer you for treatment on the NHS.

Many MANY consultants work at your local hospital AND your private hospital..if you can get one of these chaps you're halfway there.

I was in the position of waiting 17 weeks for an appointment on a breast lump :mad: I spent 17 weeks worrying that I could have cancer, only for the consultant to spend 2 minutes with me and eventually tell me that it was fine.

I WISH that I had gone for a private consultation and saved myself the worry. I now have PMI for the whole family so that I don't ever have to go through that again.

nearlyrich

If you pay for a consultation you might be seen quicker but you may have to go back in the NHS queue if the new consultant doesn't think your problem is as urgent as others already in his queue for treatment. However if you are in pain or your problem is affecting your ability to do your job your GP should be able to push you up the list especially if you have been seeing another consultant without sucess and have already been on the waiting list.

I currently have PHI as a benefit of my job but I have paid for treatment in the past, sometimes it's not as expensive as you think it will be, if you are paying most consultants will give you a none-insurance quote.

Whilst I agree with your principles, if your problem is causing you to put your life on hold it is a reasonable use of savings to look after your health, in an ideal world it wouldn't be necessary but the NHS is underfunded and full of waste.

Talk to your GP and ask what they can do to help you to see a consultant more quickly, ask to be referred to another area if the waiting list is shorter for your problem.

Hope you get sorted soon.