Friends and family often ask me should I have health care in the NHS or should I go private? The analogy I use for private health care is that it is a lot like flying.
Flying economy or on a cheap airline is extremely safe. However, if you spend more, you get a much better experience.
Flying first class will get you there in exactly the same time as flying economy and with exactly the same safety but the experience will be much more comfortable and much more geared around your needs and wants.
That sums up the differences between private healthcare and the National Health Service. The other great advantage of course is that you can choose who you go and see and where you get seen.
First class or economy?
Both get you there, but first class is just much nicer…
Appointments are at convenient times, there is not any waiting around, tests and procedures all happen very quickly rather than waiting six weeks for a test, then another six weeks to see a Consultant. Finally, of course, you do in fact get to see a Consultant that you choose, rather than a nurse or a junior doctor or even a temp doctor (locum). So, for that reason alone, private health care is extremely attractive.
But isn’t it expensive? Well it does cost money to see people and have tests done privately. But that investment saves a lot of time in seeing the right doctor, to get a diagnosis and organising treatment which is much swifter than it can be as an Outpatient in the National Health Service. The most precious resource you have is your time and do you want to spend it worrying about what is going to happen next or do you want to be able to get in touch with your doctor whenever you need to, see him whenever you need to and get on with your life as quickly as possible?