NHS vs Private Healthcare - How can the NHS be so bad? (The NHS vs Private Health Care)

Member Name: depurple2

Product:	The NHS vs Private Health Care
Date:	06/10/06 (2667 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Private healthcare - fast appointments, staff who care, good surgeons

Disadvantages: NHS - long waiting lists, disinterested doctors

The NHS - What a great idea! Everyone pays some money into a big pot each month, and in return you get cared for if you are ill. Well, that's the theory, anyway. Sadly in my experience it hasn't quite worked out that way.


My experience of the NHS

I had to see a rheumatologist. I waited 6 months for my first appointment. I parked at the NHS hospital and duely fed £1.50 into the parking meter for 2 hours parking. It couldn't possibly take longer than that, could it? My appointment was for 09:10, and I was on time. I arrived in the waiting area to be told that the doctor hadn't arrived yet, and nobody knew where he was. He eventually turned up half an hour later (no explanation), but then he had to see all the people who had been waiting since 8am.

He didn't really explain what could be wrong with me, but sent me off for some blood tests. The trainee vampire massacred both my arms in an attempt to find a vein. Eventually he succeeded, with help from someone else.

I got the letter for a follow up appointment. Six months later. When I turned up for that appointment, I was told they were running 2 hours late. I just couldn't wait that long, so they said they would put me on the list for an appointmen in the near future. This turned out to be another 7 months. I'm still waiting to find out what might be wrong with me.

Then I needed an appointment at my GPs surgery. I was told I would need to see a particular nurse, and there was a 5 week wait for an appointment with her. So I had to wait. When I got there it turned out that she was in fact on holiday, and the nurse I did see couldn't help. I had to see a doctor instead. Cue another wasted hour...

The list could go on. I have ongoing treatment at an NHS hospital in London. The therapists just seem bored and disinterested - I am just a number to them. Once they have "treated" me, they can add me to their list of figures, regardless of how ill I still feel.


My experience of Private Healthcare

I have a policy with BUPA. I have had to use it twice. The first time was for minor skin treatment. One consultation within a week of first getting referred, treatment a couple of days later. Friendly doctor, helpful nurse.

The second time I had to have my wisdom teeth out. Despite the fact I was in severe pain, the NHS waiting list was 9 months. Thank goodness for PMI. I was referred straight to an excellent consultant by my dentist, he sent me for X-rays straight away. Then I had another consultation where the procedure was explained to me, and any questions I had were answered. I had the operation the 2 weeks later (Christmas got in the way or I would have had it sooner), followed by 3 more check ups. Everyone was friendly and helpful, and I got a private room in hospital, which was very comfortable - my own bathroom, Sky TV, a nice window, no set visiting hours.


It's quite a contrast! I'm not entirely sure what has gone with the NHS. How can they be short of money?
I pay more into the NHS each month than I do for my private medical insurance. So how can the standard of care be so different? Yes more people use the NHS, but an awful lot more people pay into it as well. The NHS also make a lot of money out of extra charges like car parking (over £1 million pounds a year at some hospitals). I suppose the NHS have A&E units, but I would gladly pay a bit more to go to a private one of these as well. Maybe they could discount my National Insurance then?

I believe that the NHS has been ruined by bad management. Ridiculously complicated scales of charges mean that some doctors that are good at doing paperwork make a fortune, while the hospitals spend money on pointless things like art for the foyer. How am I supposed to see the art? I can't even get an appointment to see the doctor!

I think it would be interesting if the people who run private hospitals did a job swap for a month with the people who run the NHS. Maybe the NHS managers would learn what it's like in the real world.

Summary: I don't want to be a number! I am a person.