Nuffield Private Hospital misleading information

maggiesoup

I can't wait for an NHS op on my shoulder, too painful, so decided, first time in my life, to check out going private. I called the general info line for Nuffield Hospital and got a quote for the op my dr said I needed. They quoted £3800.  The process is that you have to see the consultant first (£180 for 20 min) which I did yesterday and he confirmed that I needed this op.  He finished the brief consultation by writing down a code which I was to give it to Reception and they will confirm the price.  Imagine my horror when she printed off the fee of £10,240.  Of course I queried it and she said the price I was quoted was wrong.  I told her I'd called the line again before leaving home and they are still quoting the price of £3800.  I simply cannot afford a further almost £6000 so have cancelled the proposed op date.  However, they still want their £180 for the consultant's time and this is my query.  I would not have travelled 50 miles for the appointment if I knew the cost was £10,240.  I feel I should fight paying his fee for wasting my time based on giving me information withheld from me (ie this code) Can anyone point me in the right direction or would it be David taking on Goliath?    

TELLIT01

The original figure of £3800 is way too low, although the OP wasn't to know that if they hadn't previously investigate the cost of the surgery.  

I wouldn't hold out too much hope, but you could try writing the the Nuffield hospital you attended and say what happened.  They may refund part of the consultation fee.  I would expect them to be recording calls so should be able to check.  You could also ask for a transcript of the conversation.

Are you sure they didn't say "Shoulder surgery costs are from £3800"?  I don't see how somebody could quote a price before the consultant knew the extent of the problem.

flaneurs_lobster

The Nuffield phone quote was presumably qualified in some way? Described as "indicative" or "subject to consultation" or "guidance only" or some other wording?

Maybe the basic price for the op was given, before any consideration for diagnostics (X-Ray, Ultrasound, NMR etc), accomodation, nursing fees, drugs/dressings, VAT and probably other stuff?

Does that £10k quote include post-op evaluation or rehab?

Robin9

Has your GP made a referral to the NHS for you?    If yes you will get a timescale from 3 possible hospitals (which may well include the Nuffield)

littleboo

What you have been given is the Procedure Code. Is the procedure you were originally quoted for the same as the one the consultant has specified? You can check the price of the same procedure code at different providers. 

sheramber

I don't see how you could be given an accurate price before a consultation unless it came under a fixed price arrangement.

Otherwise it will just be a guide based on the information you gave over the phone.

There are some prices quoted on the Nuffield site for some operations. 

maggiesoup

Thanks for all the replies.  Very informative.

The 0300 number I called was obviously just a general enquiries line and not the Glasgow hospital.  There was no other telephone numbers one could try for a quote.

The girl definitely did not say this is a starting price/guide price/prices from..... etc.  She quoted the price and nothing else. No mention of there being several different operations one could get keyhole surgery (arthroscopy) done on your shoulder.   

She also did not advise that this was a "Procedure Code" (as someone mentioned above) and that I would get a different price once I'd had the consultation.  How would I have known, as a layman, that this Procedure Code was the starting point?   If I'd known there was a very good chance it was going to be substantially more I wouldn't have booked the consultation or at least been given the opportunity to find out HOW much more it may have been.

Mr dr has not referred me but I did mention to him that I was going to seek private treatment and he said that was probably wise (given that the NHS is stretched enough)

A friend has suggested writing to Alex Perry, Nuffield Chief Executive, but is this too far?  I realise the consultancy fee is minor compared to the cost of the operation, but it's the principle!

Okell

I had a couple of existing medical problems deteriorate during Covid.  A hernia and a Dupuytren's contracture.

After Covid the NHS waiting times even to be seen by a consultant were unacceptable so I got two private referrals.  And I'm a retired NHS manager.

I have no idea what you were told when you made a telephone enquiry, but surely you - even as a non medical layperson - would have realised that you needed a consultation with a consultant before you would have known what treatment and surgery (if any) was necessary?

You can't just ring up and speak to someone to find out what your surgery is going to cost.

By all means complain to Nuffield, but I think you'd be fortunate to get any refund on the consultant's fee.

FWIW (1) I waited another year and got my hernia repaired for free on the NHS, and (2) I've not needed hand surgery either on the NHS or privately

Mee

May be I am missing the point, but I don't understand why you would withhold  or demand a refund of the consultant's/ation fee in this instance. S/he provided a consultation service you received. 
Though your disagreement is with the hospital, I would be wary of acting in a way that could be misinterpreted by the consultant concerned - it's a small world.
Regarding your shoulder I would check BoA treatment standards and patient specfic  resources:

https://www.boa.ac.uk/standards-guidance.html

VicariousThrills

Mee said:

May be I am missing the point, but I don't understand why you would withhold  or demand a refund of the consultant's/ation fee in this instance. S/he provided a consultation service you received. 

I think this is a bit unfair. The process seems a bit like a bait and switch. The consultation wouldn't have been necessary if the OP had known the true cost in advance. However, it seems unlikely that the hospital would have quoted a final rather than indicative price prior to the consultation. Without knowing exactly what was said it's hard to say if you have a case OP.

rach_k

Have you googled what the procedure code you've been given is for?  Is it the exact same thing - with the exact same name, nothing more, nothing less - as you asked about on the phone?  Procedure codes are pretty specific.

I think you've probably just been naïve.  We're so used to the NHS that we don't realise how much private healthcare costs!  The information you wanted - how much it would cost to have your op - simply isn't available for free.  The price for learning the cost of the op you need is £180 and I think that's actually pretty good; we've always paid more for initial consultations.

Whether they should have given you more guidance about costs probably depends what you said to them on the phone.  If you simply asked the price of "X op" and were given it, that's on you.  If, on the other hand, you told them that you're looking into possible costs but don't know how private treatment and pricing works, I would expect them to have told you they really can't give you an accurate total without you seeing the consultant (although they may still have given you the price they did).

I don't think you should expect the fee to be written off.  The fact that you were given the same price twice on the phone suggests that there is something with that name at that price.  The most I would expect is for them to say they'll look at how telephone staff talk about prices.