Health Supplements

Private healthcare

Posted on 20. Dec, 2011 by admin in Primary health

The majority of individuals in the United Kingdom depend on NHS health services, however, there are also many providers of private healthcare and more NHS services may be privatised in the future once the government reforms have come into play and primary health trusts have been phased out.

Advantages of private healthcare

The NHS is under a great deal of pressure and resources are stretched, as a result of this some people opt for private healthcare. The main advantages of private healthcare are:

• Better facilities: many private hospitals and clinics are much more modern than NHS hospitals and are generally smarter and more spacious.
• Private rooms: almost all private hospitals and clinics have private rooms and many have en-suite bathroom facilities.
• Shorter waiting lists: waiting lists for many treatments are shorter than at NHS hospitals because the demand for NHS care is so great.
• Larger range of treatments: many treatments are inaccessible on the NHS because the NHS only provides essential treatments. Private clinics offer non-essential treatments. Patients may be advised to have private healthcare if they are interested in cosmetic surgery or weight loss surgery for example.
• Better continuous care: in most cases, private patients will see the same consultant throughout their treatment, which enhances patient care and allows patients to establish a relationship with their doctor.

Disadvantages

There are numerous advantages to private healthcare but there also a few disadvantages:

• Cost: private healthcare can be extremely expensive, especially if you don’t have private health insurance. The vast majority of NHS services are free of charge, while private care may cost hundreds or even thousands of pounds.
• Waiting lists: waiting lists for some consultants can be very long; this is usually the case for consultants with excellent reputations in specialist fields.
• Cohesive care: if you aren’t a straightforward case, private care may become quite difficult to arrange, as it can be difficult to liaise between various hospitals, in the NHS often the different departments are all under the same roof and this can make it much easier.

Private health insurance

Many employers now provide private medical insurance that are incorporated in the employee’s benefits package, but you are also able to take out individual or family policies. Private health insurance can be very beneficial, as it will partly or completely cover the cost of private healthcare in the event that you or one of your family members becomes ill. Different policies offer different levels of cover, as a general rule the more you pay the more comprehensive the cover but it is always a good idea to shop around to se what you can get for your money.

If you have an existing health condition, you will need to get a specialist policy and check that any treatment you have is covered by your policy.