Your view on Private Health Insurance?

Whereas, given the choice, I wouldn't touch James Cook hospital with a barge pole.
I wish we had that option again.

Our first child was born in the friarige at Northallerton and I can't speak highly enough of the maternity team there. They were superb from start to finish.
Our second was born at James Cook as my wife was classed as high risk. There we felt little more than numbers and names on the whiteboard.
We were disappointed to be told this time with our third on the way that we are more than likely going to have to use James Cook again. Fingers crossed that the wife's 30 week scan gives us the good news that we can use the friarige again.
 
I have two personal yeahs for the NHS
Someone close to me was recently diagnosed and needed urgent cancer surgery, he couldn't have got his scans done any quicker and his surgery date is sooner than he would have got privately. I checked and would have paid.
My Dad was very ill for many many years with lots of serious issues, no amount of Insurance would have covered it and if we'd been in the States the family would have been bankrupt several times over trying to fund his care.

IMO if you can afford it and need it go private but I do NOT begrudge a penny of tax going to the NHS and it must still be free for all.
In fact I've always been a supporter of a ring-fenced individual NHS tax for us all and as we get older as a society I don't see any option if we still want a NHS.
 
IMO if you can afford it and need it go private but I do NOT begrudge a penny of tax going to the NHS and it must still be free for all.
In fact I've always been a supporter of a ring-fenced individual NHS tax for us all and as we get older as a society I don't see any option if we still want a NHS.
This 100%
 
After living in the US for 5 years (and already paying an infinite amount more for medical/dental/vision care that in the previous 47 years in England added together), I am an even bigger fan of the NHS than I was when I lived on Teesside. Having said that, there is a certain level of service that paying customers can get that the NHS don't (and don't need to) provide. For those than can afford private care I would say go for it, it doesn't buy you better medical care but you get shorter waiting times and nicer infrastructure AND importantly you also shorten NHS queues for those who can't buy care from elsewhere.

As an parallel alternative to the NHS private healthcare is a win-win. As a replacement it would be a disaster (and please don't say "ah but your medical insurance will cover all the costs").
 
Cars, holidays, watches, houses, clothes, dining out etc too. The possession of wealth shouldn't be something to be ashamed of if you have worked your back side off to earn it, especially if you took the risk to start a business, perhaps even with loans, became succesful and created jobs for others.

I have private insurance to give my family the best health care that I can. I feel no shame for this.
It's in our household's ten year plan, going private. Simply because we want the best for our family. The waiting lists for treatments on the NHS are only going to get longer and longer and it's going to cost lives unless they begin to be funded properly within 12 months.

Yes the NHS is a fabulous service as a whole but like you I won't be made to feel guilty for going private and all the benefits it has when it's what we believe to be the best option for our family.
 
I had it while living abroad - it was the law. It was undoubtedly better service for day to day GP consultations. I had a couple of times where I needed to use it...eg I had an injured thumb - I got an appointment straight away, Doctor looked at my thumb and said he wanted an X ray - I walked across the hall got the xray done - walked back to Doctor, waited 10 minutes and got the treatment I needed. All done in 20 minutes. Like others on here, I've thought about health insurance here but it does goes against the grain. Our NHS should be the "Go To" not a money making health Ins company
 
After living in the US for 5 years (and already paying an infinite amount more for medical/dental/vision care that in the previous 47 years in England added together), I am an even bigger fan of the NHS than I was when I lived on Teesside. Having said that, there is a certain level of service that paying customers can get that the NHS don't (and don't need to) provide. For those than can afford private care I would say go for it, it doesn't buy you better medical care but you get shorter waiting times and nicer infrastructure AND importantly you also shorten NHS queues for those who can't buy care from elsewhere.

As an parallel alternative to the NHS private healthcare is a win-win. As a replacement it would be a disaster (and please don't say "ah but your medical insurance will cover all the costs").
Not only what you pay. You get taxed on your employer's contributions. Eye watering when it comes to doing your tax return.
 
Totally agree with all this from Colgates... however I fear we have all but passed the point of no return. To slash waiting lists whole swathes of patients are now deemed uneligible for 'non life threatening' treatment from certain sectors, physio, podiatry etc etc so people are faced with the choice of suffer or pay.
We've had a couple of issues in the family recently where the NHS service has been terrible and we've been fobbed off. Some of this is Covid but the tories have been defunding and privatising services piecemeal in the NHS for years. Through no fault of the dedicated NHS staff in some areas the service just isn't there. I am now seriously considering looking at private healthcare but its with an extremely heavy heart.
HeineOtto I really feel your pain on this mate. Who is your MP?
 
I have my reasons and experiences which I won't go into other than to say the A&E and surgical care were outstanding. However once on the wards it's a totally different scenario.
Of course it is, the slashing of trained staff and the changes to nurse training over the last few decades have been ridiculous, escalated over the last ten years as the majority in society have their services attacked.

All part of the continued transfer of wealth to those that need it less in this idiot nation.
 
I wish we had that option again.

Our first child was born in the friarige at Northallerton and I can't speak highly enough of the maternity team there. They were superb from start to finish.
Our second was born at James Cook as my wife was classed as high risk. There we felt little more than numbers and names on the whiteboard.
We were disappointed to be told this time with our third on the way that we are more than likely going to have to use James Cook again. Fingers crossed that the wife's 30 week scan gives us the good news that we can use the friarige again.
Congrats Randy. If you wanted more kids you only had to ask, I have several going spare
 
that sounds like a dog whistle to me.

I mean if you follow that logic, why treat smokers or drinkers or obese people? why treat dementia or Alzheimers? after all its only people getting old right?

I'm not sure what you mean by 'dog whistle'.

No, I would never advocate not treating drinkers, or smokers or obese people, or Alzheimers sufferers. I do think the NHS should expect people to take care of themselves though. If someone continues to smoke after treatment for smoking induced lung cancer then there's a decision to be taken there. Provided people try to help themselves though, there's no reason to deny treatment.

Improving quality of life for more people is the key isn't it? The NHS is always going to be about treating the masses. There will never be enough money to treat everyone for everything that they'd like. It's about treating everyone for what they need. Cosmetic surgery or some of the more esoteric stuff could and should be left to individuals to fund themselves.
 
Not only what you pay. You get taxed on your employer's contributions. Eye watering when it comes to doing your tax return.
You need to find an accountant. You should not be paying tax on employer contributions, your own contributions are deductible and you may get tax credits anyway. Unless your salary is in the millions of course, when I won't be sympathetic.
 
My wife saw a private doctor as part of an accident claim, £1100 for no more than 15 minutes, thats the future if we go to private health care, once more the tories looking after the wealthy !
 
Assume the standard Bupa cover is what most work places offer, has anyone actually had to use this and is it worth having? I took the cash alternative my employer offered instead as the list of things they wouldnt treat was as long as my arm so didnt really see the point, but I think getting treatment for anything non urgent on the NHS will be impossible over the next few years so might have to reconsider
Just seen this. I would say no, go look at my earlier post for the hoops you have to jump through. Mine is BUPA too.
 
Just seen this. I would say no, go look at my earlier post for the hoops you have to jump through. Mine is BUPA too.
I think this may down to the level of BUPA healthcare provided. I have had this cover through my work for over 20 years ( added wife and family), We have unfortunately had to use it about 10 times between us and have never had any issue over treatment, rate of pay for treatments, support to find experts to support us ( from mental health issues to joint operations to physiotherapist to more serious and life saving procedures).
 
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