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Some additional things to point out are: That only NHS Hospitals provide Emergency, Critical or Complicated care. Private Hospitals only provide planned and routine care. Private Hospitals do not have Emergency Rooms or Critical Care Units. If a Private Patient develops complications or becomes an emergency. They're always immediately transferred to an NHS Hospital, via an emergency or urgent ambulance. Recently just prior to his death. Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh had to be transferred from King Edward VII's Private Hospital to the St Bartholomew's NHS Hospital. Because his care needs became too complicated for the Private Hospital. Many NHS Hospitals also have their own Private Wings or Private Wards for Private Patients. Such as the Private Lindo Wing within St Mary's NHS Hospital. Where Princess Catherine gave birth to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. When opting for private care. It's often more prudent to choose a Private Wing/Ward within an NHS Hospital. Because if you become an emergency case. You can be instantly transferred into that NHS hospital's ICU. Whereas if you were in a separate Private Hospital. You would have to wait many minutes for an ambulance to arrive and then take you to the nearest NHS Hospital before you then entered that NHS Hospital's ICU. Clinicians in private hospitals are not looking to make as much as they can get. Often they will refer patients back to the NHS under their care when this is more beneficial/convenient for the patient. EG. A patient may pay Private to quickly obtain a diagnosis and treatment plan for their condition. But with the patient's consent, will then receive the treatment plan, tax-funded on the NHS.
You should also make it clear that Private HC in the UK does not provide any A&E/ER service, and Private healthcare often cherry picks the £$€£$ work, if there are complications they often refer you back to the NHS.
but you still might be paying private, but also a fellow patient you are talking to could be NHS if the NHS hospital had no appropriate room so the NHS paid for the room and services.
@@ab-js2gw before the Victorian era the fire brigades were run by the insurance companies and they would only put a fire out if you had the right fire insurance, this could cause a riot
The comments below are spot on. I was a paramedic in London for 11 years and we did attend private hospitals when patients were suddenly unwell. I would say that having the NHS benefits the private sector as they only take on the profitable, straight forward operations. It can be convenient to go private. NOTE the costs of private care is a lot cheaper then US private care.
Most consultants in UK private hospitals are doing overtime from an NHS hospital. Fun fact: my father got an infection in a private hospital and had to be rushed to the nearest NHS hospital because they didn't have the staff that could deal with the complication. Lesson learned: don't go private for anything really complicated
I had a hernia op done privately and chatting to the nurse about the op and as it was my first op under a general anaesthetic She said not to worry the surgeon and anaesthetist would have not touched me as a private patient if there were any risk of complications.
I used private medical care in UK a few times, to speed up the first specialist consultation after seeing a GP. you find that it is the same specialist that also works for the NHS in their day job. usually you will wait a week, whereas in the NHS it will be two or three or more. It's worth it if you are really worried about the problem.
I love the NHS but my experience has been horrible. I started going to my GP about 3 years ago for my periods being so painful. I was told that everyone has periods & I needed to suck it up. 3 years of constant GP visits and being made to feel stupid & given totally inappropriate anti psychosis meds, finally was referred to a gyno because of private healthcare through work(which to get referred was a nightmare itself). Immediately diagnosed with endometriosis & had an investigative operation where they found a 14 cm cyst on my ovary. It makes me so sad that I had to resort to private healthcare & if we're not careful, private healthcare will become more prominent
This is a very well explained video on the NHS for people that don't live in the UK. The US could have a similar system but the US health lobby is a very powerful group with lots of brown envelopes waiting to be filled.
00:00 🇬🇧 The video discusses the comparison between UK private healthcare and the NHS from the perspective of an American living in the UK for nearly 10 years. 01:04 🏥 The NHS is the primary healthcare provider in the UK, but there is also an option for private healthcare, which around 12% of UK residents have. 03:02 🌡 The video is prompted by the host's personal experience with a potential health issue and the need for a quick resolution before traveling to the US. 05:01 ⚕ Reasons for choosing private healthcare in the UK include faster access to medical services, shorter waiting times, and the ability to address non-NHS-covered health issues. -11:24 🏨 Private healthcare may offer more luxurious amenities and accommodations compared to NHS hospitals, though these amenities are not critical to medical care. 14:13 💰 Private healthcare typically involves out-of-pocket expenses, whereas NHS services are funded through taxes, making the latter more cost-effective for patients. 19:10 👩⚕ The expertise of specialists in private healthcare and the NHS is generally equivalent, with many doctors working in both sectors simultaneously. Quality of care is not significantly different. 20:37 💼 The NHS should not be considered inferior in terms of specialty or quality of care compared to private healthcare. 21:05 💔 The speaker, an immigrant, strongly prefers the NHS over private healthcare in the UK, emphasizing the importance of maintaining NHS funding. 22:29 🇬🇧 While the speaker appreciates having the option of private healthcare, she does not wish for the UK to become more privatized and believes the NHS is superior for most instances of healthcare.
if you do not like the GP you can ask for s different one but a lot of GP practices use multiple doctors, and you can ask for a particular doctor or refuse to see a particular one. a lady can ask for a female doctor or a chaperone
Having experienced inpatient care in both the NHS and a private hospital care in the past five years I agree with your assessment. The emergency care was on the NHS - the elected care was in a private hospital. Both experiences were good (although a mistake in the private hospital post-operative care led to the subsequent emergency admission - the mistake was down to my misunderstanding.) I usually use the private hospital for elective surgery because I prefer the privacy (and can afford it) - but the NHS ward I was in following the emergency was absolutely fine (it was clean, the furnishings were reasonably modern and the care first rate.) Both have the merits you describe. In my view private hospitals are a necessary evil - so the NHS have a non-taxpayer funded comparator to maintain standards.) All hospitals and GP surgeries are monitored by the CQC to ensure that all perform to the minimum required standard - so although some areas of the country may be less well served than others the general level of care is consistently high - though as in all walks of life some individuals fail (often at the top / middle of an organisation.) The NHS actually sub-contracts out a lot of minor surgeries to the private sector (e.g. cataracts, etc.)
Some people go private because they can afford it and don't think they should be a burden on the NHS. You can also pay for insurance. Also you could get the same doctors in private hospitals has in the NHS. In the NHS hospitals I've been in been 4 to a ward, you can also have a private room. I prefer to have wards with other people in so I have too talk. Last year my husband had his right kidney removed because of a tumor. It was cancerous and only took a fortnight from speaking to a specialist and and having the op. The NHS has been underfunded and understaffed for a a number of years. I have had a number of ops and had no problems. Love the NHS,
As someone who works in the NHS - there is a push toward having all single rooms (with en suite loos) and you'll usually find that new builds will have them. However it will take a long time until that's the norm across the country as so many hospitals are in older buildings. Some people prefer being on a ward where they can chat to other people, my mum always did. Personally I would prefer a private room.
I love the fact you used the "royal we" when you said "we as a country don't want to pay for new coats of paint when it could be spent on life saving", I think we're getting to you :)
My friend was mugged, the stamped on his face sort of mugged, his company paid private healthcare let him have regular brain scans for months of headaches. So it was an advantage…not to disparage the nhs, but private does get you to the front of the queue, It was almost funny that as soon as he went back to work he took part in a team football match and broke his collar bone, that was dealt with entirely by the nhs.
NHS consultants often do some work in the private sector. NHS hospitals are probably better regulated, the NHS will not do unnecessary tests for financial gain, the NHS hospital deals with everything not just the most profitable operations. If there are complications the NHS hospital has all the departments and experts to hand.
Considering room v wards , it's far easier fir a nurse to view and ascertain a group of patients in a ward rather than opening/closing doors to individual room.
Excellent video; comprehensive and clear information. One thing to add, though: for a rather obvious reason, private health insurers won't provide cover for pre-existing medical conditions.
s you say Private health care in UK gets you a quicker operation with smaller waiting list which could be carried out by same surgeon who would operate on you at a later date in the NHS but with a better bed to recuperate in a private room
One thing about BUPA health care (the name of the Private Health Care body in the UK) is that if someone who is unfortunate enough to have an accident albeit a road or other type of accident or even a illness or disease which comes on suddenly or as an emergency it's always an NHS Ambulance that picks them up and takes them to a NHS Hospital. After They've been given emergency treatment they take them to a private hospital to recouparate. Also a lot of private operations are carried out in NHS Hospitals because the private hospitals aren't equipped to the same level as the NHS hospital with the level of medical equipment. Another thing to mention here is the fact that the NHS Consultants/ (Doctors) are also the Consultants in the private health care. So all in all unless it's purely snob appeal or for speed of getting treatment then going private isn't really a worthwhile investment in the UK I personally will never knock the NHS because they have saved my life and repaired me on many occasions with absolutely no cost to myself. Other than through paying something called National Insurance Contributions which is a small percentage of the wages earned! From an accident I had a few years ago I was on the operating table for 24 hours straight having 14 fractures in my face and jaw repaired I woke up with absolutely no scaring at all from having surgery done to my bone structure from under face. I then had my ribcage repaired and my knee joint repaired all this cost me absolutely nothing. I made a full recovery! So if anyone knocks the NHS then quite frankly they don't understand what the highly skilled staff of the NHS can do. All BUPA does is give you a room with a TV in and mugs people off for it financially
It's not just for snob appeal, and speed of treatment. It also provides a patient with a greater amount of time, consideration and efficiency of care with a single dedicated Consultant and treatment plan. In the NHS you will be seen and treated by multiple different clinicians of varying grades, you'll rarely see the Consultant. All of your appointments and consultations will be brief and hurried 5-10 minutes maximum. The various stages of your care can be scattered across multiple appointments, spaced far apart. With Private Health Care. All your appointment(s)/Consultation(s)/treatment(s) will be with / done by the same single Consultant. Your Consultations are 30-60 minutes. You're not hurried in any way. And thus able to discuss things slowly and in detail with your Consultant and only your Consultant. Many stages of your care will be completed all within the same consultation on the same day. Any which can't be. Will be scheduled very close together.
@@andywilliams7323 As I've said in my comment I was nearly killed in a road accident during my recovery I had the same consultant surgeon doctor all the way through my recovery and could see him for as long as was needed. So I'm sorry but what you've said doesn't actually ring true
@@britbazza3568 Because from what you describe. Your accident required very serious emergency and complex care throughout. Hence why you were under dedicated Consultant care. However, that is simply not the case for NHS patients undergoing routine, planned and non-emergency care.
I would be interested to know what the 12% figure you quoted includes. I have a small health plan I pay for monthly, but it's not the same as proper health insurance - it's mostly a complement to NHS services rather than an alternative to it. I can claim for things the NHS doesn't cover like dental work or a new pair of glasses. I think acupuncture is on there too. I can also claim something like 50% toward a handful of things like physiotherapy or scans which are available on the NHS but may have longer waiting lists. However the vast majority of my healthcare still comes via the NHS. It's not all that unusual to have a plan like this (especially if you're likely to need to claim a lot) and sometimes employers do offer it as a perk too.
This is such a great breakdown, and for me it’s so important to stress to an American audience, here in the UK we DO have private healthcare, you can still pay for it and access it if you choose to! I’ve had private healthcare cover paid 100% by my employer for the past three years, which I’ve never had to use, but it’s there if I need it! We still have that option, UK healthcare is NOT solely run by the government!
I’m from the UK and I’m not going to scream at you. My husband and adult daughter are in BUPA. The thing to remember is that in the main BUPA IS great for anything that’s NOT emergency. A few Christmas ago my husband had an abscess at the back of his head. Emergency arrival, immediate surgery and then wound dressing all over the Christmas period when everyone else was at home. He has diabetes and being in BUPA has enabled us to be seen quicker, and more importantly suitable around work, for cataracts, carpal tunnel and back pain. My daughter had her wisdom teeth out within weeks but she wasn’t in an inordinately large amount of pain. My other daughter has Psoriatic Arthritis and only of her drugs that she takes monthly, an injection, costs £10K. She has had an immense amount of NHS support. Cannot complain. It’s a really good mix for us and affordability. FYI, we pay private healthcare for 1 adult 20 years+ plus full private fee paying schooling for 2 children (1, aged 10-16 & 1, aged 5-16) again work related as it provided out of school hours care yet still paid, happily, full taxes etc… without any deductions. In the UK we pay for everyone.
I have private healthcare cover via my husband’s employer however, they are very prescriptive about what they will actually treat me for so I have never used the cover and always go vis the NHS. Private cover is no good for emergency care or complications and the NHS always steps in under these circumstances.
My mother opted to have a foot operation privately and when they found out she wasn't with an insurance but paying herself they halved the cost of the operation and gave her the cast boot and crutches. The woman in the next bed was with an insurance company paid for both of these
Please note she is talking about NHS in England & Private Hospitals in England, not the entire U.K. as health is devolved in Scotland,Wales & Northern Ireland.
@@fedoracay I live in Wales and am Welsh, I know we have private hospitals here but there is a driffeance between all of them but slightly ones. My comment was directed at anyone who didn't understand the driffeance who isn't Irish or British
Don't talk such rubbish, health is the same everywhere, either you pay for it or the govt. will, it's your choice. Never mind Scotland, Wales, it's the United Kingdom she's referring to. And you need to see a private GP for the blood in your stool.
To add to your comment about expertise in the NHS vs private - my friend's husband was waiting for an eye operation and asked his NHS consultant what it would cost for him to do it privately in order to cut his waiting time - so having the same doctor but outside of the NHS system. The consultant - who could have made thousands from this man - told him it wouldn't be necessary and ensured that he got seen as quickly as possible. Once you develop a relationship with a consultant within the NHS they usually want to keep you in the system.
Wards sounds horrible & private rooms sound wonderful, unfortunately in practise the opposite can be true. When you're in a private room, if there aren't enough nurses on call, you can end up suffering alone in your room, desperately waiting for help, I know, I've seen it. In a ward, you can just call out for help & someone will be floating about ready to help, or will be by shortly, or even your fellow patients might lend a hand if they can; it's also less lonely, the lack of privacy is often worth it.
Depending on postcode the CCG (clinical commissioning group) which decides which treatments are prioritised for the area they cover. For e.g a post code that has a high pensioner population would need more geriatric services (say physio) compared with paediatric or maternity services such as IVF
I have had Diabetes for nearly twenty years and had all my checks, retinal scans and laser treatment through the NHS very satisfactorily, but a couple of years ago my NHS eye specialist told me that I was getting cataracts and should have my lenses replaced. I know a few people who have had this and on the NHS it can take up to a year so, as my company health insurance would pay for it, I contacted a local private hospital to get it done. Turns out my NHS eye specialist was the one who did the operation :-) The hospital was more comfortable and the sandwich afterwards was nicer but I'm sure I received exactly the same level of professionalism that I would have got on the NHS although, perhaps, the new lenses were of slightly better quality. The whole thing cost a tad over six grand.
One thing you wouldn't have been aware of is that many private facilities are able to deal with straightforward medical care and particularly the elective procedures. However, if complications arise they have to transfer you to an NHS hospital because they are usually much larger and are kitted out for all eventualities. This is very common with unexpected childbirth complications - these days this is a rare eventuality and you would normally check in to an NHS hospital that can cope with them - so private clinics almost immediately send you to the local NHS if things get hairy. Some specialisms are often based out the bigger NHS hospitals e.g. a friend was diagnosed with cancer after being admitted to the Princess Grace in London (the Royals often use it) as he was covered by his partners employee private insurance. Unfortunately it was difficult case and he had to be transferred to Barts (St Bartholemew's) because they were a centre of excellence for his condition - the silver lining was the private insurance paid out £200+/night you weren't able to be treated in a private setting.
Signed up for Private healthcare this morning. £82 per month, £250 excess, guaranteed comfortable private room in private hospital with en-suite facilities. I can just afford the payment but I think its the way to go for those that have the money. No claims reduction included each year. NO complaints about my general NHS care received in past, in fact its been excellent, but the waiting times are so bad - 16 weeks for a CT scan, for e.g.
Private medical insurance - at least those I’ve had through work - have excluded emergency care. I think there is also a huge difference in how a hospital makes you -feel- … have been into brand new hospitals with modern design and airiness, and also older hospitals where parts clearly have roots in old (felt like Victorian) institutions. We might smile at what you’ve called amenities, but an up-to-date design (even if you’re still in a 6 or 8 bed ward) helps you feel better in a stressful situation.
They also exclude chronic conditions, insurance is after all for the unexpected, once they know it is definitely going to happen what is the point of insurance.
I just had to have my gallbladder removed. Whilst I was feeling quite unwell, my operation was considered non-urgent. Due to the Covid backlog, the NHS waiting list was 18 months to two years! I belong to a mutual society that offers certain medical treatment and operations in a private hospital, so I got my surgery through them within about five months. I had a private room and a very nice breakfast! I had no qualms about using the service I had paid into, plus I felt I was helping the NHS by removing myself from the waiting lists! I also see a private physiotherapist and I have paid for a mole to be removed, as it wasn’t covered on the NHS.
Even if the US never adopts free health care, the status quo **could** be improved significantly if the costs where audited and somewhat controlled. However, there's no way that US hospitals are going to give up the profits that they make, for example, by charging $56 for a 5 cent pair of disposable gloves < (true story) or charging $1K for a 2 mile ambulance ride. It's disgusting daylight robbery over-charging like this that makes insurance so expensive. I saw on another youtube channel the other day, a guy received a snake bite and it cost the guy $150K just for the anti-venom + £13K per night for the room etc. etc. etc. As long as financial rape at this level is accepted by the masses things will never change.
I believe that doctors in the UK have to work a number of hours a month in the NHS to remain qualified. So any doctor/surgeon that wants to work in the UK private sector, still has to work in the NHS at some point during the month. I saw one once and he worked every Monday in the NHS and private the rest of the week.
A good comparison, just a few things to note: - most areas will have multiple GP surgeries to pick from, but you may not be allowed to register if they have too many existing patients or you live too far away - private medical staff are actually trained by the NHS (and sometimes they aren't as good, because they have less experience with certain issues) - the longer wait times and shorter appointments for the NHS are largely due to more people using their services than the private facilities
All General Practitioners (GPs) are private, but they have a contract with the Government to provide 'NHS' services. This means they can charge for additional services such as writing a letter if you have an ailment and your gym require written proof that you are able to exercise (for insurance purposes) my Doctor charges £15 or if you need vaccination, as part of entry requirement, for example yellow fever - you can only go to officially recognised Doctors' surgeries so the charge will change depending on where you go, but the one I went to charged me £45.
Private health care is useful to get an urgent diagnosis if one doesn’t want to wait due the NHS. Further many companies offer private healthcare as part of one’s employment package - again companies want to offer this to enable employees to get treated quickly to minimise work disruption. It’s nothing to do with snobbery at all. There are drawbacks ie private hospitals will not offer the wide range of complementary services that one sees in the NHS.
FYI, you keep talking about a two week fast track for more urgent thins. If its necessary, you get treatment Immediately. I have twice been to hospital and been taken directly to an operating theater, the first time was for my appendix, the second time I crushed my thumb in a car door jam (ironically in in a hospital carpark/parking lot).
My friend has skin cancer and has lots of little operations to remove moles. The operations are done on the NHS but her husband has private healthcare and the local hospital has a private wing. So she gets an operation on the NHS side then wheeled to the private side for a day or two of recovery. Her NHS doctors visit her in the evening because the coffee is nicer and it works as a shortcut to the car park. She uses it because they serve wine with dinner.
You can be on the NHS and still go to a private hospital, I'm an NHS patient, I've been referred to a couple of local private hospitals a number of times for various scans the NHS has picked up the bill, if your operation is deemed life threatening then for NHS will pay for a private hospital to admit you for an operation in the hospital if necessary.....
my wife went for a GP appointment her GP did the examination and immediately phoned for an ambulance she was going to the hospital directly from the surgery under blue lights.
Saying about your neck reminded me of the time many years ago when seeing the doctor, as soon as I entered the office, he jumped up and felt the slight bulge in my neck. It wasn't anything other than a bit of fat. Regarding hospital wards, I was in a short stay ward attached to a specialist unit dealing with such as stents. There were four women and four men, one of the women said how they were very nervous but were helped a lot by the chat and banter between the patients.
If you want a lovely room with a view and fancy food, book into the Marriot or Hilton. It's a hospital, not a hotel. I want the NHS spending money on staff, training and equipment, not comfy chairs and fancy chef's.
Or come here to Boston, Mass. just recently had emergency gallbladder surgery done in a prestigious hospital. Tufts Medical Center. Brought in by ambulance, diagnostics, and then surgery. I had a private room. I also have excellent health care insurance. The bill without the insurance was over $40,000. They bill you from every which way. Doctors fee, surgical team, lab results, diagnostics, X-rays, ct. scan, etc. Everyone has their hands out. My health insurance, which I pay through deductions from my paycheck. Boston area has probably some of the best medical facilities in the country.
The thing is, recovery is pretty vital. And actually… it should be better than a hotel. Because you aren’t in holiday… you are being treated for and recover from major health concerns.
Also you can get insurance that rather than copay is 'if your NHS wait time is longer than x you can go private and claim'. (And the lower the value x, the more expensive the insurance).
I have to say, this is a very good review about the hospital system to explain to a possible future resident/ visitor to these shores, so kudos on that. Just to add (and I'm not sure how widespread this is in other parts of the UK) that since the pandemic, there's been a good reason to overhaul the waiting time explanation for hospitals depending on procedure. For example, at my trust, we use a 'P' system for waiting times: P(riority) 1 = within a few days (cancer/ life saving treatment) P2 = within a couple of weeks to a month (cancer pathways/ urgent surgeries) P3 = between one to three months P4 = from three to six months P5 = from six to twelve months (Covid reluctant reasons) P6 = from twelve to twenty four months (repeated non responsive to reasonable offers to care). if you're unsure why you stand in waiting times for yourself, just ask as most hospitals won't inform you which adds to patient frustration about being 'forgotten' about. Because of the pandemic, shortness of staff and pressure from the Gov, the NHS in our NW region are funnelling the smaller non-urgent P3, P4 & P5 cases to private care, paid for by the NHS!! But, that's being forced upon by the ridiculous governmental pressures unspoken of, publicly. Irony on why the NHS is continually underfunded, non...? Great review, though!
The main reason private health cover is included in some (very few) employment packages is for the convenience of the employer (treatment can be arranged when it suits the employer) rather than the employee.
My father, back in the early 1960's, arranged for my mother to have private maternity care. I did not present in the normal way. The doctors screamed until I was transferred to an NHS hospital. If you want nice carpets and fancy meals, go private. If you want the clever machines and clever surgeons go NHS. This is the case with all doctors I have known. They want the expertise, so they go NHS.
A really good and fair appraisal of private versus NHS treatment in the UK. The real advantage of private medical care is that you can sometimes choose WHEN to have treatment and that may save time or be more convenient. But the same surgeon who operates in the local hospital may very well carry out your operation in a private hospital. Better food sometimes, too. But if you are involved in a road accident, for example, you will be taken to an NHS hospital Accident And Accident centre not a private hospital. Pleased to hear your neck is fine though!
In the 1970s the UK government adopted a policy of wage restraint. Pay was not allowed to go up even though there was a lot of price inflation at the time. Many larger companies got around this by offering their workers, especially executives, perks that were not covered by the wage restraint rules. Foremost amongst these perks were the "Company Car" (a British concept many people from other countries do not understand), but close behind was private healthcare cover (usually by BUPA). So, during the late 1970s, through the 80s and into the early 90s BUPA cover was a fairly common perk of any executive job with medium to big companies in the UK. It has fallen out of favour a lot since then. From my own experience, it just means sometimes you might get a nicer, private room rather than a 4-6 bed hospital ward, but you see the same doctors you would see on the NHS and get the same treatment, usually in much the same timescale for major illness.
In a NUTSHELL "NO"?? UK Private health care does not deal with everyday medical needs, might be OK for boob jobs, tum:my tucks & other cosmetic surgeries. If you have complications in the private services eg:- stroke,heart attack Allergic reactions for example, the facility will imediatly call an emergency ambulance & you'll be Transfered to the nearest NHS A&E Hospital.
Private Health Insurance is not always £700 - £1000. Many people can get full coverage with no excess/co-pay for £400 - £700. Like any kind of insurance. It pays to shop around and find the best deals. And not stay with the same insurance provider for a long period.
the NHS is based on "need" not "want" Private health care in the UK picks up high profit low risk procedures. You won't get a laparotomy/ chemotherapy etc private no matter how much you paid, there is no senior overnight cover onsite or 24/7 urgent care etc
I got PMI (private medical insurance) via work but the price is going up by 40% this year, costing about £2k p.a. for me and my wife. Always support NHS but the waiting time is getting out of hand, esp. in London.
There is no comparison btw private HEATHCARE and the NHS. Typically for speed people use private healthcare for procedures. You still see the same nhs doctors in Private hospitals, also after services in private settings are limited. The NHS provide comprehensive service. Note - Prince Philip had his surgery in an NHS hospital. You can have a private wing in NHS hospitals - this is a pay to access service.
My sisters father in law has a chronic life limiting lung condition. A few years ago he was at an appointment with his NHS consultant who said he needed some test but he couldn’t get him in for 3 weeks because there was no availability. The private hospital was across the road and he also worked there, he rang his Secretary and booked him in for all the tests at the private hospital for the next day. Yes he had to pay but it meant he didn’t have to wait. I don’t think it was that expensive either, a few hundred £. Well expensive but not bad when it’s your life!
We were with one gp, didn't think much of the doctor, so asked a nurse at the local hospital if they could recommend a better gp and then signed up there. Much better
Hi I am diabetic in the UK and I have ongoing treatment for eye problems. If I was in the USA so far it would cost me in £100000 drugs alone for which I pay zero and also have laser treatment and I have a check-up every 4 weeks. The appointments are not hurried and I can talk my consultant and not feel rushed . All of this cost me zero and it is a really good experience.
Love the way here in the UK there has been a growth to adverts for health insurance and funeral plans. Essentially 80% won't be able to afford any worth while insurance and even if you can you still need to get past in the very poor gp system so best to pre oay your burial.
I used to have health insurance through my work. I only used it once when I need my tonsils removed. Going private allowed me to have the operation near my parents so I could stay with them for the two weeks afterwards I was required to isolate. I didn't need to as the surgeon would have done it for free, as he had been a pupil of my father, who had been a GP. Since it would not cost me anything I claimed anyway. The food was a lot better than other times I have stayed in hospital and I got a private room.
The biggest differences between private healthcare and the NHS over here is that the NHS in most cases will be able to deal with more health issues than a private practice, but a private practice will see you faster than an NHS service
Hmmm no egg this time. My wife, or as I call her "Boss" and "Owner" depending on what I've done, is a Ward Sister in our local Hospital. However, when our second child was born in 94 we decided to take out Private Cover for our children in case they needed something faster. We still have it for our younger two (out of four) children, and for our seven grandchildren. We've never had to use it, but it does give us and the family peace or mind. Owing to the fact I was "retired" from the military in 2017 due to injuries in 15, I have two Community Nurse visits a week to check and change dressing on my legs, owing to issues from 3rd and 4th degree burns I received to my lower legs, luckily my bum and lower back only received 2nd. Both myself and our younger daughter see a psychiatrist for PTSD. Mine is for what I've seen rather than what I did or had done to me, it dates back to 1985 when my Company was in Ethiopia during the famine and includes everything up until 2015. As it turns out, if you're not a psychopath or sociopath things can effect you, who knew? Our daughters PTSD is from seeing her birth family murdered by the Taliban, as well as her husband who she was made to marry when she was 12. As you might be able to tell, our younger daughter is adopted. Well she saved my life by dragging me into her home in Afghanistan after I was blown up, well was told that's what happened, my memory is very groggy. She put out the fire my lower body, got her 2 year old daughter to keep pressure on on of my bullet wounds by siting on it, while she held my stomach closed with her hands. When our reinforcements arrived and made the area safe, my comrades from our patrol and I were loaded onto a helicopter, but I wouldn't let go of her hand. On image I have, that always makes me smile is from the helicopter ride, seeing two of my heavily armed Special Forces Troopers holding a two year old an a 3 month old. My Commanding Officer put a ton of pressure on the Home Office to bring my girls home with me, but it was my wife and older daughter who came up with the solution, adoption, every one in the family agreed and now she's stuck with us. My wife called it a three for one deal, all we really had to do was provide proof that we were able to provide for her and our granddaughters. So we sold my (I still cry) 1964 convertible Mustang, 1970 Harley Davidson Shovelhead, 1974 Triumph Bonneville and the Bosses 1976 Honda Nighthawk CB750 (she likes birds). We bought two of them on our honeymoon in 1984, we were looking at the idea of a road trip by car, from San Francisco to Miami. It changed from using a car when the Boss saw me drooling at a window containing my Harley, it cost more to bring the bikes home from the U.S.A. than it did to buy them. So our younger daughter and our two granddaughters live five doors from us now. And we have five granddaughters, three of which like to do my make up so I feel pretty, my sons aren't very happy when they are made pretty though.
I've worked for private clinics and I've used the NHS for many years, and from me, the NHS is a big NOPE. Ridiculous waiting times, with doctors it's a hit or miss thing, and most of the times you miss. The chances of getting prescribed paracetamol and being sent back home until the symptoms get worse is like 99% of the time. Since they are so overwhelmed with patients they only prioritize severe cases, so if you have a chronic or an unknown condition that is not considered severe enough(aka life threatening), you will be left untreated or your appointments will be at the end of the queue. While I was working in private clinics I would constantly see people coming for their appointment, getting an MRI on the same or the following day and having the follow up the next week. In less than one month they would have a diagnosis and would start a treatment. Yes it is kinda expensive and yes you get the same doctors that work in the NHS, but the perks of having private equipment and private staff makes rapid diagnosis and treatment of the patients a lot more easier for the doctors. Not to mention that doctors make way(And I mean WAY) more money from private appointments than from the NHS. It's actually the other way round, their main concern is the private sector and the NHS is the side job. And you have to take into account that HMRC takes 20% of your income(and 20% from everyhing you buy through VAT, in comparison, USA and most of the best economies have around 10%), and that could go up to 40% if you earn more than 37k per year, so you are actually paying more for NHS than you would for a PMI
" No intention of becoming pregnant soon", tempting fate, unexpected pregnancy's often occur and that will often raise a bigger question. No contraception is 100% infallible.
Because if COVID my cardiologist appointment has been 3 months in the NHS but it’s not seeped serious. I do not think this is too bad as I’ve still got contact with doctor and if anything changes they will fast track me. I love the NHS.
My father through his work had private healthcare care. My mum suffered from cancer on and off for 12 years and saw her consultant via the NHS but he also worked in a private hospital so my mum used to go private for her own room. She preferred spending a week in a hotel like room after an op.
To be honest I prefer being on a ward with other women - I enjoy the company. For one stay in hospital I had my own room and got quite lonely and depressed.
Private healthcare tends only to cover elective surgery and childbirth and most private hospitals are only equipped to deal with routine surgery, care and diagnostics. In recent years, with the NHS aiming to see non-emergencies within 13 weeks of a GP referral, the sector has struggled. It is largely kept alive by contracting services to the NHS. Most of the consultants you may see also work within the NHS. The pandemic has obviously impacted NHS waiting times and it’s likely the private sector will gain, both through more opting for private care and through greater opportunities to contract services to the NHS. Private healthcare is often offered as an employee benefit though it is regarded as taxable. Margaret Thatcher was a great advocate of private healthcare, although ironically because of her complex needs later in life, she was treated in NHS hospitals. My father was offered the opportunity to have an operation in a private hospital, which the NHS would have paid for. However, they decided they couldn’t do it because of his additional health risks, which they didn’t have the facilities to cope with. If you’re seriously ill, the best place to be treated is in an NHS teaching hospital.
I had my gallbladder removed privately because my husbands work provided private healthcare insurance but the surgeon was the same one who would have seen me in the NHS and he accessed my recorded from the NHS only difference was the nice room and nice food 😂
When you visit your gp and you have something the matter with you and waiting list is to long you can ask your gp he can refer you to a private appointment to see someone at private hospital it cost 100 pound to go see a specialist
Well, the point you are missing is that NHS is not actually cheaper than private health. What brits pay in taxes to afford NHS is much higher than what they pay in private health. The coast for the government is always higher, since there is no competition. If there were no NHS tha money people wouldn't pay in taxes could pay any private insurence. And besides, the coast of private health would also decrease, since there wouldn't be the government to make a unfair competition.
I used my private health insurance provided as a perk by my employer, it was an appalling experience - dirty hospital, I had to do all the coordination of appointments myself, only had the option to use a hospital 25 miles away. I ended up getting the work done by the NHS at a hospital 4 miles away, coordinated by the NHS. I would abolish private health care if I had my way. Worth noting that when the late Duke of Edinburgh had his last hospital visit, he went to a private hospital initially, but was transferred to an NHS hospital when the private hospital realised they couldn't cope.
Ur acne example is a good one. In the UK it is common for someone with acne to go to the health section and pick up some cream or gels stuff to put on from over the counter medication (meds u can buy without prescription) unless it was what we would call serve acne were it covers the majority of the face or is causing other problems or is normal acne is getting worse with counter meds.
@@Psmith-ek5hq Because whilst the NHS does give full coverage, if they're ever ill enough to need it, the private care let's you jump the NHS queue. And many non urgent procedures do have quite a queue. It also provides good mental health cover for things like counselling & therapy that the NHS doesn't really do, and can be very expensive privately.
Most private hospitals are limited on what they can carry out and as you pointed out its used more for line jumping than anything. Our U.S. friend although married to a Brit and on the NHS chose private for her bunion op mearly because of the waiting time. The NHS no longer does treatments like nail fungus or ingrowing nails etc.
I have bupa private care. Took me 6 months for mri scan because they were doing nhs scans during covid. A joke really as I get taxed on top of premiums £600 a year. I am disappointed at private care and feel people like me who pay for private care and get taxed extra on top of lightening the load on the nhs should get a tax reduction not taxed extra. I’m dumbfounded why I get taxed for receiving private cover through my work. 😮
Those snobs as you call them. Do everyone else waiting for a consultation, treatment or operation on the NHS, a favour. Every one of those snobs who go private. Do not occupy a position in NHS waiting lists. Freeing up space for NHS patients, reducing the queue and reducing the NHS waiting list. If it weren't for those snobs. Everyone waiting on the NHS. Would be waiting even longer. Many NHS patients are also treated privately, paid for by the NHS. Again so the NHS can more quickly reduce the size of its waiting lists. The NHS is sending a lot of its patients to private hospitals at the moment. To help the NHS reduce its huge waiting list backlog caused by COVID.
my wife had insurance with her job got much nicer surroundings and a better menu, when the NHS was set up the doctors did not want to lose their private patients so the private system was left in place
I do like the NHS but the past few years it has been a nightmare. It’s so hard to speak to GP takes weeks to get seen. For this reason I prefer private. I get seen a lot quicker.
▪ People who live in countries where there is _no_ national health service will think of the cost and decide to wait instead of seeking help. They put themselves on a _de-facto_ waiting list.
I spent two weeks in a private room in an NHS hospital in 2022 before being transferred to another NHS ward bay, then to another after a week, again in a ward bay (of four beds / patients) before finally being discharged and taken home by hospital transport (ambulance) - all NHS wards, all NHS health & medical care. Not privately paid for. Whether it was due to my age and "multiple co-morbidities", I cannot say, possibly these factors had something to do with it.,. I was 68 at the time, and there was a possibility that a lady who was in the bed next to mine - in a previous NHS hospital - had passed Covid-19 to me (but I was negative at every testing, fortunately) However, it just goes to show how meticulous the NHS is and I'll always be in favour of it over private healthcare.
I had treatment under BUPA and was left very disappointed. Received much better from NHS. A lot of staff that work Private also work in the NHS, Harley Street doctors/surgeons especially.
My mother used to work at a private surgery, I was sent to the same place for my nhs plastic surgery. I recognised their coffee cups, as we had cupboards full of them 😀
Like your videos. You have become very English with your love of the NHS. When I lived there I got a long lecture from my NHS GP because I suggested I was happy to pay extra for an appointment time that suited my work. I prefer the hybrid Australian system where there is a very good public health system but 45% of the population also have private health insurance. The Government encourage this to reduce pressure on the public system through tax penalties and incentives. Even the public system is far faster than NHS. GP services are mainly public, and my GP can arrange free ultrasounds and blood tests with results within a week. You can also easily change your GP. Private insurance mainly used for hospitals - public hospitals are OK but with private you get choice of specialist, hospital, time and own room. But even though semi retired we pay as a couple around $2000 Aussie Medicare public tax levy (like UK National Insurance), plus $4500 private health insurance and around $1500 per year in prescriptions for medication.
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Some additional things to point out are: That only NHS Hospitals provide Emergency, Critical or Complicated care. Private Hospitals only provide planned and routine care. Private Hospitals do not have Emergency Rooms or Critical Care Units. If a Private Patient develops complications or becomes an emergency. They're always immediately transferred to an NHS Hospital, via an emergency or urgent ambulance.
Recently just prior to his death. Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh had to be transferred from King Edward VII's Private Hospital to the St Bartholomew's NHS Hospital. Because his care needs became too complicated for the Private Hospital.
Many NHS Hospitals also have their own Private Wings or Private Wards for Private Patients. Such as the Private Lindo Wing within St Mary's NHS Hospital. Where Princess Catherine gave birth to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
When opting for private care. It's often more prudent to choose a Private Wing/Ward within an NHS Hospital. Because if you become an emergency case. You can be instantly transferred into that NHS hospital's ICU. Whereas if you were in a separate Private Hospital. You would have to wait many minutes for an ambulance to arrive and then take you to the nearest NHS Hospital before you then entered that NHS Hospital's ICU.
Clinicians in private hospitals are not looking to make as much as they can get. Often they will refer patients back to the NHS under their care when this is more beneficial/convenient for the patient. EG. A patient may pay Private to quickly obtain a diagnosis and treatment plan for their condition. But with the patient's consent, will then receive the treatment plan, tax-funded on the NHS.
You should also make it clear that Private HC in the UK does not provide any A&E/ER service, and Private healthcare often cherry picks the £$€£$ work, if there are complications they often refer you back to the NHS.
but you still might be paying private, but also a fellow patient you are talking to could be NHS if the NHS hospital had no appropriate room so the NHS paid for the room and services.
Concept of private health care is nonsense, same as private police, fire service or private government.
@@ab-js2gw before the Victorian era the fire brigades were run by the insurance companies and they would only put a fire out if you had the right fire insurance, this could cause a riot
The comments below are spot on. I was a paramedic in London for 11 years and we did attend private hospitals when patients were suddenly unwell. I would say that having the NHS benefits the private sector as they only take on the profitable, straight forward operations. It can be convenient to go private. NOTE the costs of private care is a lot cheaper then US private care.
That's good because I'm sure you pay more in taxes to cover the NHS
Most consultants in UK private hospitals are doing overtime from an NHS hospital.
Fun fact: my father got an infection in a private hospital and had to be rushed to the nearest NHS hospital because they didn't have the staff that could deal with the complication. Lesson learned: don't go private for anything really complicated
I had a hernia op done privately and chatting to the nurse about the op and as it was my first op under a general anaesthetic She said not to worry the surgeon and anaesthetist would have not touched me as a private patient if there were any risk of complications.
@@neilmorrison7356 my father had a heart valve operation. They weren't expecting an infection - but he got one
NHS is great in emergencies, however people sometimes get private insurance because of the wait on NHS (I am not talking about emergencies.)
It’s all about waiting times.
I used private medical care in UK a few times, to speed up the first specialist consultation after seeing a GP. you find that it is the same specialist that also works for the NHS in their day job. usually you will wait a week, whereas in the NHS it will be two or three or more. It's worth it if you are really worried about the problem.
I love the NHS but my experience has been horrible. I started going to my GP about 3 years ago for my periods being so painful. I was told that everyone has periods & I needed to suck it up. 3 years of constant GP visits and being made to feel stupid & given totally inappropriate anti psychosis meds, finally was referred to a gyno because of private healthcare through work(which to get referred was a nightmare itself). Immediately diagnosed with endometriosis & had an investigative operation where they found a 14 cm cyst on my ovary. It makes me so sad that I had to resort to private healthcare & if we're not careful, private healthcare will become more prominent
This is obviously a made up story.
This is a very well explained video on the NHS for people that don't live in the UK. The US could have a similar system but the US health lobby is a very powerful group with lots of brown envelopes waiting to be filled.
00:00 🇬🇧 The video discusses the comparison between UK private healthcare and the NHS from the perspective of an American living in the UK for nearly 10 years.
01:04 🏥 The NHS is the primary healthcare provider in the UK, but there is also an option for private healthcare, which around 12% of UK residents have.
03:02 🌡 The video is prompted by the host's personal experience with a potential health issue and the need for a quick resolution before traveling to the US.
05:01 ⚕ Reasons for choosing private healthcare in the UK include faster access to medical services, shorter waiting times, and the ability to address non-NHS-covered health issues. -11:24 🏨 Private healthcare may offer more luxurious amenities and accommodations compared to NHS hospitals, though these amenities are not critical to medical care.
14:13 💰 Private healthcare typically involves out-of-pocket expenses, whereas NHS services are funded through taxes, making the latter more cost-effective for patients.
19:10 👩⚕ The expertise of specialists in private healthcare and the NHS is generally equivalent, with many doctors working in both sectors simultaneously. Quality of care is not significantly different.
20:37 💼 The NHS should not be considered inferior in terms of specialty or quality of care compared to private healthcare.
21:05 💔 The speaker, an immigrant, strongly prefers the NHS over private healthcare in the UK, emphasizing the importance of maintaining NHS funding.
22:29 🇬🇧 While the speaker appreciates having the option of private healthcare, she does not wish for the UK to become more privatized and believes the NHS is superior for most instances of healthcare.
I think benefits:
• Less waiting time
• More privacy
• Choosing your consultant
• Flexible appointment times (weekends/ evenings)
if you do not like the GP you can ask for s different one but a lot of GP practices use multiple doctors, and you can ask for a particular doctor or refuse to see a particular one. a lady can ask for a female doctor or a chaperone
You may also find that you are in the catchment areas of multiple doctor's practices.
Having experienced inpatient care in both the NHS and a private hospital care in the past five years I agree with your assessment. The emergency care was on the NHS - the elected care was in a private hospital. Both experiences were good (although a mistake in the private hospital post-operative care led to the subsequent emergency admission - the mistake was down to my misunderstanding.) I usually use the private hospital for elective surgery because I prefer the privacy (and can afford it) - but the NHS ward I was in following the emergency was absolutely fine (it was clean, the furnishings were reasonably modern and the care first rate.) Both have the merits you describe. In my view private hospitals are a necessary evil - so the NHS have a non-taxpayer funded comparator to maintain standards.) All hospitals and GP surgeries are monitored by the CQC to ensure that all perform to the minimum required standard - so although some areas of the country may be less well served than others the general level of care is consistently high - though as in all walks of life some individuals fail (often at the top / middle of an organisation.) The NHS actually sub-contracts out a lot of minor surgeries to the private sector (e.g. cataracts, etc.)
Some people go private because they can afford it and don't think they should be a burden on the NHS. You can also pay for insurance. Also you could get the same doctors in private hospitals has in the NHS. In the NHS hospitals I've been in been 4 to a ward, you can also have a private room. I prefer to have wards with other people in so I have too talk. Last year my husband had his right kidney removed because of a tumor. It was cancerous and only took a fortnight from speaking to a specialist and and having the op. The NHS has been underfunded and understaffed for a a number of years. I have had a number of ops and had no problems. Love the NHS,
As someone who works in the NHS - there is a push toward having all single rooms (with en suite loos) and you'll usually find that new builds will have them. However it will take a long time until that's the norm across the country as so many hospitals are in older buildings.
Some people prefer being on a ward where they can chat to other people, my mum always did. Personally I would prefer a private room.
In the UK there is no private emergency health care.
No they’re not stupid are they ?? Leave all that to the taxpayer , just take on all the juicy profitable stuff
@@mrjagriff Very true, always profit before people.
I love the fact you used the "royal we" when you said "we as a country don't want to pay for new coats of paint when it could be spent on life saving", I think we're getting to you :)
My friend was mugged, the stamped on his face sort of mugged, his company paid private healthcare let him have regular brain scans for months of headaches. So it was an advantage…not to disparage the nhs, but private does get you to the front of the queue,
It was almost funny that as soon as he went back to work he took part in a team football match and broke his collar bone, that was dealt with entirely by the nhs.
NHS consultants often do some work in the private sector. NHS hospitals are probably better regulated, the NHS will not do unnecessary tests for financial gain, the NHS hospital deals with everything not just the most profitable operations. If there are complications the NHS hospital has all the departments and experts to hand.
Considering room v wards , it's far easier fir a nurse to view and ascertain a group of patients in a ward rather than opening/closing doors to individual room.
Excellent video; comprehensive and clear information. One thing to add, though: for a rather obvious reason, private health insurers won't provide cover for pre-existing medical conditions.
s you say Private health care in UK gets you a quicker operation with smaller waiting list which could be carried out by same surgeon who would operate on you at a later date in the NHS but with a better bed to recuperate in a private room
One thing about BUPA health care (the name of the Private Health Care body in the UK) is that if someone who is unfortunate enough to have an accident albeit a road or other type of accident or even a illness or disease which comes on suddenly or as an emergency it's always an NHS Ambulance that picks them up and takes them to a NHS Hospital.
After They've been given emergency treatment they take them to a private hospital to recouparate. Also a lot of private operations are carried out in NHS Hospitals because the private hospitals aren't equipped to the same level as the NHS hospital with the level of medical equipment.
Another thing to mention here is the fact that the NHS Consultants/ (Doctors) are also the Consultants in the private health care. So all in all unless it's purely snob appeal or for speed of getting treatment then going private isn't really a worthwhile investment in the UK
I personally will never knock the NHS because they have saved my life and repaired me on many occasions with absolutely no cost to myself. Other than through paying something called National Insurance Contributions which is a small percentage of the wages earned!
From an accident I had a few years ago I was on the operating table for 24 hours straight having 14 fractures in my face and jaw repaired I woke up with absolutely no scaring at all from having surgery done to my bone structure from under face. I then had my ribcage repaired and my knee joint repaired all this cost me absolutely nothing.
I made a full recovery! So if anyone knocks the NHS then quite frankly they don't understand what the highly skilled staff of the NHS can do.
All BUPA does is give you a room with a TV in and mugs people off for it financially
It's not just for snob appeal, and speed of treatment. It also provides a patient with a greater amount of time, consideration and efficiency of care with a single dedicated Consultant and treatment plan. In the NHS you will be seen and treated by multiple different clinicians of varying grades, you'll rarely see the Consultant. All of your appointments and consultations will be brief and hurried 5-10 minutes maximum. The various stages of your care can be scattered across multiple appointments, spaced far apart.
With Private Health Care. All your appointment(s)/Consultation(s)/treatment(s) will be with / done by the same single Consultant. Your Consultations are 30-60 minutes. You're not hurried in any way. And thus able to discuss things slowly and in detail with your Consultant and only your Consultant. Many stages of your care will be completed all within the same consultation on the same day. Any which can't be. Will be scheduled very close together.
@@andywilliams7323
As I've said in my comment I was nearly killed in a road accident during my recovery I had the same consultant surgeon doctor all the way through my recovery and could see him for as long as was needed. So I'm sorry but what you've said doesn't actually ring true
@@britbazza3568 Because from what you describe. Your accident required very serious emergency and complex care throughout. Hence why you were under dedicated Consultant care. However, that is simply not the case for NHS patients undergoing routine, planned and non-emergency care.
I would be interested to know what the 12% figure you quoted includes. I have a small health plan I pay for monthly, but it's not the same as proper health insurance - it's mostly a complement to NHS services rather than an alternative to it. I can claim for things the NHS doesn't cover like dental work or a new pair of glasses. I think acupuncture is on there too. I can also claim something like 50% toward a handful of things like physiotherapy or scans which are available on the NHS but may have longer waiting lists. However the vast majority of my healthcare still comes via the NHS. It's not all that unusual to have a plan like this (especially if you're likely to need to claim a lot) and sometimes employers do offer it as a perk too.
This is such a great breakdown, and for me it’s so important to stress to an American audience, here in the UK we DO have private healthcare, you can still pay for it and access it if you choose to! I’ve had private healthcare cover paid 100% by my employer for the past three years, which I’ve never had to use, but it’s there if I need it! We still have that option, UK healthcare is NOT solely run by the government!
I’m from the UK and I’m not going to scream at you. My husband and adult daughter are in BUPA. The thing to remember is that in the main BUPA IS great for anything that’s NOT emergency. A few Christmas ago my husband had an abscess at the back of his head. Emergency arrival, immediate surgery and then wound dressing all over the Christmas period when everyone else was at home. He has diabetes and being in BUPA has enabled us to be seen quicker, and more importantly suitable around work, for cataracts, carpal tunnel and back pain. My daughter had her wisdom teeth out within weeks but she wasn’t in an inordinately large amount of pain. My other daughter has Psoriatic Arthritis and only of her drugs that she takes monthly, an injection, costs £10K. She has had an immense amount of NHS support. Cannot complain. It’s a really good mix for us and affordability. FYI, we pay private healthcare for 1 adult 20 years+ plus full private fee paying schooling for 2 children (1, aged 10-16 & 1, aged 5-16) again work related as it provided out of school hours care yet still paid, happily, full taxes etc… without any deductions. In the UK we pay for everyone.
I have private healthcare cover via my husband’s employer however, they are very prescriptive about what they will actually treat me for so I have never used the cover and always go vis the NHS. Private cover is no good for emergency care or complications and the NHS always steps in under these circumstances.
What an excellent video!!! Tysm GGL!!!
My mother opted to have a foot operation privately and when they found out she wasn't with an insurance but paying herself they halved the cost of the operation and gave her the cast boot and crutches. The woman in the next bed was with an insurance company paid for both of these
Please note she is talking about NHS in England & Private Hospitals in England, not the entire U.K. as health is devolved in Scotland,Wales & Northern Ireland.
I don't think it is much different in Wales - we have private hospitals here. I'd be surprised if devolution makes much/any difference
@@fedoracay I live in Wales and am Welsh, I know we have private hospitals here but there is a driffeance between all of them but slightly ones. My comment was directed at anyone who didn't understand the driffeance who isn't Irish or British
Don't talk such rubbish, health is the same everywhere, either you pay for it or the govt. will, it's your choice. Never mind Scotland, Wales, it's the United Kingdom she's referring to.
And you need to see a private GP for the blood in your stool.
To add to your comment about expertise in the NHS vs private - my friend's husband was waiting for an eye operation and asked his NHS consultant what it would cost for him to do it privately in order to cut his waiting time - so having the same doctor but outside of the NHS system. The consultant - who could have made thousands from this man - told him it wouldn't be necessary and ensured that he got seen as quickly as possible. Once you develop a relationship with a consultant within the NHS they usually want to keep you in the system.
Wards sounds horrible & private rooms sound wonderful, unfortunately in practise the opposite can be true. When you're in a private room, if there aren't enough nurses on call, you can end up suffering alone in your room, desperately waiting for help, I know, I've seen it. In a ward, you can just call out for help & someone will be floating about ready to help, or will be by shortly, or even your fellow patients might lend a hand if they can; it's also less lonely, the lack of privacy is often worth it.
Depending on postcode the CCG (clinical commissioning group) which decides which treatments are prioritised for the area they cover.
For e.g a post code that has a high pensioner population would need more geriatric services (say physio) compared with paediatric or maternity services such as IVF
I have had Diabetes for nearly twenty years and had all my checks, retinal scans and laser treatment through the NHS very satisfactorily, but a couple of years ago my NHS eye specialist told me that I was getting cataracts and should have my lenses replaced. I know a few people who have had this and on the NHS it can take up to a year so, as my company health insurance would pay for it, I contacted a local private hospital to get it done. Turns out my NHS eye specialist was the one who did the operation :-) The hospital was more comfortable and the sandwich afterwards was nicer but I'm sure I received exactly the same level of professionalism that I would have got on the NHS although, perhaps, the new lenses were of slightly better quality. The whole thing cost a tad over six grand.
One thing you wouldn't have been aware of is that many private facilities are able to deal with straightforward medical care and particularly the elective procedures. However, if complications arise they have to transfer you to an NHS hospital because they are usually much larger and are kitted out for all eventualities. This is very common with unexpected childbirth complications - these days this is a rare eventuality and you would normally check in to an NHS hospital that can cope with them - so private clinics almost immediately send you to the local NHS if things get hairy.
Some specialisms are often based out the bigger NHS hospitals e.g. a friend was diagnosed with cancer after being admitted to the Princess Grace in London (the Royals often use it) as he was covered by his partners employee private insurance. Unfortunately it was difficult case and he had to be transferred to Barts (St Bartholemew's) because they were a centre of excellence for his condition - the silver lining was the private insurance paid out £200+/night you weren't able to be treated in a private setting.
Signed up for Private healthcare this morning. £82 per month, £250 excess, guaranteed comfortable private room in private hospital with en-suite facilities. I can just afford the payment but I think its the way to go for those that have the money. No claims reduction included each year. NO complaints about my general NHS care received in past, in fact its been excellent, but the waiting times are so bad - 16 weeks for a CT scan, for e.g.
Private medical insurance - at least those I’ve had through work - have excluded emergency care. I think there is also a huge difference in how a hospital makes you -feel- … have been into brand new hospitals with modern design and airiness, and also older hospitals where parts clearly have roots in old (felt like Victorian) institutions. We might smile at what you’ve called amenities, but an up-to-date design (even if you’re still in a 6 or 8 bed ward) helps you feel better in a stressful situation.
They also exclude chronic conditions, insurance is after all for the unexpected, once they know it is definitely going to happen what is the point of insurance.
I just had to have my gallbladder removed. Whilst I was feeling quite unwell, my operation was considered non-urgent. Due to the Covid backlog, the NHS waiting list was 18 months to two years! I belong to a mutual society that offers certain medical treatment and operations in a private hospital, so I got my surgery through them within about five months. I had a private room and a very nice breakfast! I had no qualms about using the service I had paid into, plus I felt I was helping the NHS by removing myself from the waiting lists! I also see a private physiotherapist and I have paid for a mole to be removed, as it wasn’t covered on the NHS.
Even if the US never adopts free health care, the status quo **could** be improved significantly if the costs where audited and somewhat controlled. However, there's no way that US hospitals are going to give up the profits that they make, for example, by charging $56 for a 5 cent pair of disposable gloves < (true story) or charging $1K for a 2 mile ambulance ride. It's disgusting daylight robbery over-charging like this that makes insurance so expensive. I saw on another youtube channel the other day, a guy received a snake bite and it cost the guy $150K just for the anti-venom + £13K per night for the room etc. etc. etc. As long as financial rape at this level is accepted by the masses things will never change.
I believe that doctors in the UK have to work a number of hours a month in the NHS to remain qualified. So any doctor/surgeon that wants to work in the UK private sector, still has to work in the NHS at some point during the month. I saw one once and he worked every Monday in the NHS and private the rest of the week.
A good comparison, just a few things to note:
- most areas will have multiple GP surgeries to pick from, but you may not be allowed to register if they have too many existing patients or you live too far away
- private medical staff are actually trained by the NHS (and sometimes they aren't as good, because they have less experience with certain issues)
- the longer wait times and shorter appointments for the NHS are largely due to more people using their services than the private facilities
All General Practitioners (GPs) are private, but they have a contract with the Government to provide 'NHS' services. This means they can charge for additional services such as writing a letter if you have an ailment and your gym require written proof that you are able to exercise (for insurance purposes) my Doctor charges £15 or if you need vaccination, as part of entry requirement, for example yellow fever - you can only go to officially recognised Doctors' surgeries so the charge will change depending on where you go, but the one I went to charged me £45.
Private health care is useful to get an urgent diagnosis if one doesn’t want to wait due the NHS. Further many companies offer private healthcare as part of one’s employment package - again companies want to offer this to enable employees to get treated quickly to minimise work disruption. It’s nothing to do with snobbery at all. There are drawbacks ie private hospitals will not offer the wide range of complementary services that one sees in the NHS.
FYI, you keep talking about a two week fast track for more urgent thins. If its necessary, you get treatment Immediately. I have twice been to hospital and been taken directly to an operating theater, the first time was for my appendix, the second time I crushed my thumb in a car door jam (ironically in in a hospital carpark/parking lot).
My friend has skin cancer and has lots of little operations to remove moles. The operations are done on the NHS but her husband has private healthcare and the local hospital has a private wing. So she gets an operation on the NHS side then wheeled to the private side for a day or two of recovery. Her NHS doctors visit her in the evening because the coffee is nicer and it works as a shortcut to the car park. She uses it because they serve wine with dinner.
You can be on the NHS and still go to a private hospital, I'm an NHS patient, I've been referred to a couple of local private hospitals a number of times for various scans the NHS has picked up the bill, if your operation is deemed life threatening then for NHS will pay for a private hospital to admit you for an operation in the hospital if necessary.....
The NHS provides healthcare for your whole life. Private health insurance is for as long as you can afford it.
my wife went for a GP appointment her GP did the examination and immediately phoned for an ambulance she was going to the hospital directly from the surgery under blue lights.
Saying about your neck reminded me of the time many years ago when seeing the doctor, as soon as I entered the office, he jumped up and felt the slight bulge in my neck.
It wasn't anything other than a bit of fat.
Regarding hospital wards, I was in a short stay ward attached to a specialist unit dealing with such as stents.
There were four women and four men, one of the women said how they were very nervous but were helped a lot by the chat and banter between the patients.
The doctors are the same for both- qualification wise
If you want a lovely room with a view and fancy food, book into the Marriot or Hilton. It's a hospital, not a hotel.
I want the NHS spending money on staff, training and equipment, not comfy chairs and fancy chef's.
Or come here to Boston, Mass. just recently had emergency gallbladder surgery done in a prestigious hospital. Tufts Medical Center. Brought in by ambulance, diagnostics, and then surgery. I had a private room. I also have excellent health care insurance. The bill without the insurance was over $40,000. They bill you from every which way. Doctors fee, surgical team, lab results, diagnostics, X-rays, ct. scan, etc. Everyone has their hands out. My health insurance, which I pay through deductions from my paycheck. Boston area has probably some of the best medical facilities in the country.
The thing is, recovery is pretty vital. And actually… it should be better than a hotel. Because you aren’t in holiday… you are being treated for and recover from major health concerns.
Also you can get insurance that rather than copay is 'if your NHS wait time is longer than x you can go private and claim'. (And the lower the value x, the more expensive the insurance).
I have to say, this is a very good review about the hospital system to explain to a possible future resident/ visitor to these shores, so kudos on that.
Just to add (and I'm not sure how widespread this is in other parts of the UK) that since the pandemic, there's been a good reason to overhaul the waiting time explanation for hospitals depending on procedure. For example, at my trust, we use a 'P' system for waiting times:
P(riority) 1 = within a few days (cancer/ life saving treatment)
P2 = within a couple of weeks to a month (cancer pathways/ urgent surgeries)
P3 = between one to three months
P4 = from three to six months
P5 = from six to twelve months (Covid reluctant reasons)
P6 = from twelve to twenty four months (repeated non responsive to reasonable offers to care).
if you're unsure why you stand in waiting times for yourself, just ask as most hospitals won't inform you which adds to patient frustration about being 'forgotten' about.
Because of the pandemic, shortness of staff and pressure from the Gov, the NHS in our NW region are funnelling the smaller non-urgent P3, P4 & P5 cases to private care, paid for by the NHS!!
But, that's being forced upon by the ridiculous governmental pressures unspoken of, publicly. Irony on why the NHS is continually underfunded, non...?
Great review, though!
The main reason private health cover is included in some (very few) employment packages is for the convenience of the employer (treatment can be arranged when it suits the employer) rather than the employee.
My father, back in the early 1960's, arranged for my mother to have private maternity care. I did not present in the normal way. The doctors screamed until I was transferred to an NHS hospital. If you want nice carpets and fancy meals, go private. If you want the clever machines and clever surgeons go NHS. This is the case with all doctors I have known. They want the expertise, so they go NHS.
A really good and fair appraisal of private versus NHS treatment in the UK. The real advantage of private medical care is that you can sometimes choose WHEN to have treatment and that may save time or be more convenient. But the same surgeon who operates in the local hospital may very well carry out your operation in a private hospital. Better food sometimes, too. But if you are involved in a road accident, for example, you will be taken to an NHS hospital Accident And Accident centre not a private hospital.
Pleased to hear your neck is fine though!
In the 1970s the UK government adopted a policy of wage restraint. Pay was not allowed to go up even though there was a lot of price inflation at the time. Many larger companies got around this by offering their workers, especially executives, perks that were not covered by the wage restraint rules. Foremost amongst these perks were the "Company Car" (a British concept many people from other countries do not understand), but close behind was private healthcare cover (usually by BUPA). So, during the late 1970s, through the 80s and into the early 90s BUPA cover was a fairly common perk of any executive job with medium to big companies in the UK. It has fallen out of favour a lot since then. From my own experience, it just means sometimes you might get a nicer, private room rather than a 4-6 bed hospital ward, but you see the same doctors you would see on the NHS and get the same treatment, usually in much the same timescale for major illness.
In a NUTSHELL "NO"?? UK Private health care does not deal with everyday medical needs, might be OK for boob jobs, tum:my tucks & other cosmetic surgeries. If you have complications in the private services eg:- stroke,heart attack Allergic reactions for example, the facility will imediatly call an emergency ambulance & you'll be Transfered to the nearest NHS A&E Hospital.
Private Health Insurance is not always £700 - £1000. Many people can get full coverage with no excess/co-pay for £400 - £700. Like any kind of insurance. It pays to shop around and find the best deals. And not stay with the same insurance provider for a long period.
the NHS is based on "need" not "want" Private health care in the UK picks up high profit low risk procedures. You won't get a laparotomy/ chemotherapy etc private no matter how much you paid, there is no senior overnight cover onsite or 24/7 urgent care etc
I got PMI (private medical insurance) via work but the price is going up by 40% this year, costing about £2k p.a. for me and my wife. Always support NHS but the waiting time is getting out of hand, esp. in London.
There is no comparison btw private HEATHCARE and the NHS. Typically for speed people use private healthcare for procedures. You still see the same nhs doctors in Private hospitals, also after services in private settings are limited. The NHS provide comprehensive service. Note - Prince Philip had his surgery in an NHS hospital. You can have a private wing in NHS hospitals - this is a pay to access service.
My sisters father in law has a chronic life limiting lung condition. A few years ago he was at an appointment with his NHS consultant who said he needed some test but he couldn’t get him in for 3 weeks because there was no availability. The private hospital was across the road and he also worked there, he rang his Secretary and booked him in for all the tests at the private hospital for the next day. Yes he had to pay but it meant he didn’t have to wait. I don’t think it was that expensive either, a few hundred £. Well expensive but not bad when it’s your life!
We were with one gp, didn't think much of the doctor, so asked a nurse at the local hospital if they could recommend a better gp and then signed up there. Much better
Hi I am diabetic in the UK and I have ongoing treatment for eye problems. If I was in the USA so far it would cost me in £100000 drugs alone for which I pay zero and also have laser treatment and I have a check-up every 4 weeks. The appointments are not hurried and I can talk my consultant and not feel rushed . All of this cost me zero and it is a really good experience.
you can ask for a different doctor on NHS
Love the way here in the UK there has been a growth to adverts for health insurance and funeral plans. Essentially 80% won't be able to afford any worth while insurance and even if you can you still need to get past in the very poor gp system so best to pre oay your burial.
I used to have health insurance through my work. I only used it once when I need my tonsils removed. Going private allowed me to have the operation near my parents so I could stay with them for the two weeks afterwards I was required to isolate. I didn't need to as the surgeon would have done it for free, as he had been a pupil of my father, who had been a GP. Since it would not cost me anything I claimed anyway. The food was a lot better than other times I have stayed in hospital and I got a private room.
The biggest differences between private healthcare and the NHS over here is that the NHS in most cases will be able to deal with more health issues than a private practice, but a private practice will see you faster than an NHS service
Hmmm no egg this time. My wife, or as I call her "Boss" and "Owner" depending on what I've done, is a Ward Sister in our local Hospital. However, when our second child was born in 94 we decided to take out Private Cover for our children in case they needed something faster. We still have it for our younger two (out of four) children, and for our seven grandchildren. We've never had to use it, but it does give us and the family peace or mind. Owing to the fact I was "retired" from the military in 2017 due to injuries in 15, I have two Community Nurse visits a week to check and change dressing on my legs, owing to issues from 3rd and 4th degree burns I received to my lower legs, luckily my bum and lower back only received 2nd.
Both myself and our younger daughter see a psychiatrist for PTSD. Mine is for what I've seen rather than what I did or had done to me, it dates back to 1985 when my Company was in Ethiopia during the famine and includes everything up until 2015. As it turns out, if you're not a psychopath or sociopath things can effect you, who knew? Our daughters PTSD is from seeing her birth family murdered by the Taliban, as well as her husband who she was made to marry when she was 12.
As you might be able to tell, our younger daughter is adopted. Well she saved my life by dragging me into her home in Afghanistan after I was blown up, well was told that's what happened, my memory is very groggy. She put out the fire my lower body, got her 2 year old daughter to keep pressure on on of my bullet wounds by siting on it, while she held my stomach closed with her hands. When our reinforcements arrived and made the area safe, my comrades from our patrol and I were loaded onto a helicopter, but I wouldn't let go of her hand. On image I have, that always makes me smile is from the helicopter ride, seeing two of my heavily armed Special Forces Troopers holding a two year old an a 3 month old. My Commanding Officer put a ton of pressure on the Home Office to bring my girls home with me, but it was my wife and older daughter who came up with the solution, adoption, every one in the family agreed and now she's stuck with us. My wife called it a three for one deal, all we really had to do was provide proof that we were able to provide for her and our granddaughters. So we sold my (I still cry) 1964 convertible Mustang, 1970 Harley Davidson Shovelhead, 1974 Triumph Bonneville and the Bosses 1976 Honda Nighthawk CB750 (she likes birds). We bought two of them on our honeymoon in 1984, we were looking at the idea of a road trip by car, from San Francisco to Miami. It changed from using a car when the Boss saw me drooling at a window containing my Harley, it cost more to bring the bikes home from the U.S.A. than it did to buy them.
So our younger daughter and our two granddaughters live five doors from us now. And we have five granddaughters, three of which like to do my make up so I feel pretty, my sons aren't very happy when they are made pretty though.
I've worked for private clinics and I've used the NHS for many years, and from me, the NHS is a big NOPE. Ridiculous waiting times, with doctors it's a hit or miss thing, and most of the times you miss. The chances of getting prescribed paracetamol and being sent back home until the symptoms get worse is like 99% of the time. Since they are so overwhelmed with patients they only prioritize severe cases, so if you have a chronic or an unknown condition that is not considered severe enough(aka life threatening), you will be left untreated or your appointments will be at the end of the queue.
While I was working in private clinics I would constantly see people coming for their appointment, getting an MRI on the same or the following day and having the follow up the next week. In less than one month they would have a diagnosis and would start a treatment. Yes it is kinda expensive and yes you get the same doctors that work in the NHS, but the perks of having private equipment and private staff makes rapid diagnosis and treatment of the patients a lot more easier for the doctors. Not to mention that doctors make way(And I mean WAY) more money from private appointments than from the NHS. It's actually the other way round, their main concern is the private sector and the NHS is the side job.
And you have to take into account that HMRC takes 20% of your income(and 20% from everyhing you buy through VAT, in comparison, USA and most of the best economies have around 10%), and that could go up to 40% if you earn more than 37k per year, so you are actually paying more for NHS than you would for a PMI
The excess / copay is much fairer in the UK. Mine is £75 whatever the treatment, and only paid once per year for continued treatment.
The problem is the N H S has had it .it’s on it’s last leges. Two meany people using it never paid in .
the only advantage of private in uk is if your condition is not urgent you can scedual the treatment
sorry about the spelling
" No intention of becoming pregnant soon", tempting fate, unexpected pregnancy's often occur and that will often raise a bigger question. No contraception is 100% infallible.
I immediately thought don't jinx it.
Thanks for this video, very insightful
Because if COVID my cardiologist appointment has been 3 months in the NHS but it’s not seeped serious. I do not think this is too bad as I’ve still got contact with doctor and if anything changes they will fast track me. I love the NHS.
NHS is rationed healthcare, most of the time it works very well but on an individual basis you can find treatments subpar on occasions.
My father through his work had private healthcare care. My mum suffered from cancer on and off for 12 years and saw her consultant via the NHS but he also worked in a private hospital so my mum used to go private for her own room. She preferred spending a week in a hotel like room after an op.
To be honest I prefer being on a ward with other women - I enjoy the company. For one stay in hospital I had my own room and got quite lonely and depressed.
Private healthcare tends only to cover elective surgery and childbirth and most private hospitals are only equipped to deal with routine surgery, care and diagnostics. In recent years, with the NHS aiming to see non-emergencies within 13 weeks of a GP referral, the sector has struggled. It is largely kept alive by contracting services to the NHS. Most of the consultants you may see also work within the NHS. The pandemic has obviously impacted NHS waiting times and it’s likely the private sector will gain, both through more opting for private care and through greater opportunities to contract services to the NHS.
Private healthcare is often offered as an employee benefit though it is regarded as taxable. Margaret Thatcher was a great advocate of private healthcare, although ironically because of her complex needs later in life, she was treated in NHS hospitals. My father was offered the opportunity to have an operation in a private hospital, which the NHS would have paid for. However, they decided they couldn’t do it because of his additional health risks, which they didn’t have the facilities to cope with. If you’re seriously ill, the best place to be treated is in an NHS teaching hospital.
I had my gallbladder removed privately because my husbands work provided private healthcare insurance but the surgeon was the same one who would have seen me in the NHS and he accessed my recorded from the NHS only difference was the nice room and nice food 😂
How much f does it cost to remove gallbladder pls?.
Some of the newer (NHS) hospitals have (mainly) private rooms
I never had acne but did have a lot of spots at age 13 and greasy skin. I still have greasy skin at age 60.
What on earth has this got to do with anything? And, for God's sake, who cares if you still have greasy skin? It's not the end of the world, Fiona.
@@2eleven48 I can comment as I wish and so can you. Bye.
My dad paid for a hip replacement and it cost £5,000 which was a lot 20 yrs ago. He went private then.
Yawn, Fiona.
When you visit your gp and you have something the matter with you and waiting list is to long you can ask your gp he can refer you to a private appointment to see someone at private hospital it cost 100 pound to go see a specialist
Well, the point you are missing is that NHS is not actually cheaper than private health. What brits pay in taxes to afford NHS is much higher than what they pay in private health. The coast for the government is always higher, since there is no competition. If there were no NHS tha money people wouldn't pay in taxes could pay any private insurence. And besides, the coast of private health would also decrease, since there wouldn't be the government to make a unfair competition.
I used my private health insurance provided as a perk by my employer, it was an appalling experience - dirty hospital, I had to do all the coordination of appointments myself, only had the option to use a hospital 25 miles away. I ended up getting the work done by the NHS at a hospital 4 miles away, coordinated by the NHS. I would abolish private health care if I had my way. Worth noting that when the late Duke of Edinburgh had his last hospital visit, he went to a private hospital initially, but was transferred to an NHS hospital when the private hospital realised they couldn't cope.
Ur acne example is a good one. In the UK it is common for someone with acne to go to the health section and pick up some cream or gels stuff to put on from over the counter medication (meds u can buy without prescription) unless it was what we would call serve acne were it covers the majority of the face or is causing other problems or is normal acne is getting worse with counter meds.
I get private healthcare through my job - I pay extra as I've added my family, too but we've never actually used it, just using the NHS instead!
Why pay extra for your family if they use the NHS? Isn't it just a waste of money?
@@Psmith-ek5hq Because whilst the NHS does give full coverage, if they're ever ill enough to need it, the private care let's you jump the NHS queue. And many non urgent procedures do have quite a queue.
It also provides good mental health cover for things like counselling & therapy that the NHS doesn't really do, and can be very expensive privately.
Most private hospitals are limited on what they can carry out and as you pointed out its used more for line jumping than anything.
Our U.S. friend although married to a Brit and on the NHS chose private for her bunion op mearly because of the waiting time.
The NHS no longer does treatments like nail fungus or ingrowing nails etc.
I have bupa private care. Took me 6 months for mri scan because they were doing nhs scans during covid. A joke really as I get taxed on top of premiums £600 a year. I am disappointed at private care and feel people like me who pay for private care and get taxed extra on top of lightening the load on the nhs should get a tax reduction not taxed extra. I’m dumbfounded why I get taxed for receiving private cover through my work. 😮
£600 extra tax on top of the premiums my work pay for private cover after good employment and sickness record
Private is different in the UK. Private tends to take the least risk and usually shares the same staff as the NHS.
Hello dear. You do not need to go private unless you are a snob or cannot wait for your operation if any.
Those snobs as you call them. Do everyone else waiting for a consultation, treatment or operation on the NHS, a favour. Every one of those snobs who go private. Do not occupy a position in NHS waiting lists. Freeing up space for NHS patients, reducing the queue and reducing the NHS waiting list. If it weren't for those snobs. Everyone waiting on the NHS. Would be waiting even longer.
Many NHS patients are also treated privately, paid for by the NHS. Again so the NHS can more quickly reduce the size of its waiting lists. The NHS is sending a lot of its patients to private hospitals at the moment. To help the NHS reduce its huge waiting list backlog caused by COVID.
my wife had insurance with her job got much nicer surroundings and a better menu,
when the NHS was set up the doctors did not want to lose their private patients so the private system was left in place
I do like the NHS but the past few years it has been a nightmare. It’s so hard to speak to GP takes weeks to get seen.
For this reason I prefer private. I get seen a lot quicker.
▪ People who live in countries where there is _no_ national health service will think of the cost and decide to wait instead of seeking help. They put themselves on a _de-facto_ waiting list.
So very true. I didn’t think of it like that. Great comment!
I spent two weeks in a private room in an NHS hospital in 2022 before being transferred to another NHS ward bay, then to another after a week, again in a ward bay (of four beds / patients) before finally being discharged and taken home by hospital transport (ambulance) - all NHS wards, all NHS health & medical care. Not privately paid for. Whether it was due to my age and "multiple co-morbidities", I cannot say, possibly these factors had something to do with it.,. I was 68 at the time, and there was a possibility that a lady who was in the bed next to mine - in a previous NHS hospital - had passed Covid-19 to me (but I was negative at every testing, fortunately)
However, it just goes to show how meticulous the NHS is and I'll always be in favour of it over private healthcare.
Likewise, I had a bone infection so got "upgraded" to private rooms to ensure I wasn't exposed to anything worse.
I had treatment under BUPA and was left very disappointed. Received much better from NHS. A lot of staff that work Private also work in the NHS, Harley Street doctors/surgeons especially.
My mother used to work at a private surgery, I was sent to the same place for my nhs plastic surgery. I recognised their coffee cups, as we had cupboards full of them 😀
Like your videos. You have become very English with your love of the NHS. When I lived there I got a long lecture from my NHS GP because I suggested I was happy to pay extra for an appointment time that suited my work. I prefer the hybrid Australian system where there is a very good public health system but 45% of the population also have private health insurance. The Government encourage this to reduce pressure on the public system through tax penalties and incentives. Even the public system is far faster than NHS. GP services are mainly public, and my GP can arrange free ultrasounds and blood tests with results within a week. You can also easily change your GP. Private insurance mainly used for hospitals - public hospitals are OK but with private you get choice of specialist, hospital, time and own room. But even though semi retired we pay as a couple around $2000 Aussie Medicare public tax levy (like UK National Insurance), plus $4500 private health insurance and around $1500 per year in prescriptions for medication.