Private Health Care in the North

Started by Jim Bob, January 28, 2019, 06:57:08 AM

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Jim Bob

Anyone taken private health insurance or know anything about it?
I believe it's the future for us all unfortunately and would consider looking into it now.
I m sure there are many companies out there offering it but I m wondering which is the best to go with!!!

imtommygunn

I have had BUPA for years. It's ok but you need to be wary they've had a falling out with one of the trusts (whichever one Belfast is in) so it can be hard to get some stuff sorted at all.

Any one which you have will likely have the same issue I suspect.

To be honest I'd not use it much but I know some who do who swear by it.

Rois

I have it through work with Aviva and it has been brilliant so far, but that's because I've had cause to use it. 

I needed surgery that had an 18 month waiting list on the NHS, and got the operation within 4 weeks back in November there.  I had to go to Scotland for it (they didn't have the required High Dependency Unit for "just in case" in any private hospital in NI), but that was absolutely no problem. 

It's the sort of thing that is brilliant if you need it but feels like a drain if you don't. 

screenexile

Quote from: Rois on January 28, 2019, 09:12:43 AM
I have it through work with Aviva and it has been brilliant so far, but that's because I've had cause to use it. 

I needed surgery that had an 18 month waiting list on the NHS, and got the operation within 4 weeks back in November there.  I had to go to Scotland for it (they didn't have the required High Dependency Unit for "just in case" in any private hospital in NI), but that was absolutely no problem. 

It's the sort of thing that is brilliant if you need it but feels like a drain if you don't.

I'm with Aviva and very lucky have it through work there's a £50 excess on glasses and dental work in ours too which is fantastic.

Luckily I haven't had to use it for anything else but I know others here have found it brilliant. Unfortunately my knees were a pre-existing condition when I started here so they aren't covered but the Belfast Trust sold a load of operations to the south so rather than wait 24 months I've only had to wait 6!

haranguerer

Also have been thinking about getting cover - how much is it per month roughly?

Dougal Maguire

I'm with Benenden through the Civil Service. Thankfully I only had to use it once for physio. Got taken privately straight away whereas there was a 6 month wait on the NHS
Careful now

general

Was just about to chip in my experience - don't buy it expecting to receive better treatment.

Much of the time any appointments and/or operations if required will be at a public hospital.

It more or less means you don't have a huge wait to see the doctor or consultant. I have it as a perk - which i pay tax on im sure.

my wife is a nurse and she says they often admit patients for operations who are in via private cover thinking they are better than others who have had to wait and expect preferential treatment - something that really bugs me!

Rois

Quote from: general on January 28, 2019, 12:06:31 PM
Was just about to chip in my experience - don't buy it expecting to receive better treatment.

Much of the time any appointments and/or operations if required will be at a public hospital.


general, is this in the North? 

It is directly contrary to my experience.  All my appointments have been in private clinics or hospitals. 

My sister is a consultant in the Ulster hospital in Dundonald - no private work is done (in her field anyway) in a trust hospital. 

Norf Tyrone

Quote from: Rois on January 28, 2019, 12:38:56 PM
Quote from: general on January 28, 2019, 12:06:31 PM
Was just about to chip in my experience - don't buy it expecting to receive better treatment.

Much of the time any appointments and/or operations if required will be at a public hospital.


general, is this in the North? 

It is directly contrary to my experience.  All my appointments have been in private clinics or hospitals. 

My sister is a consultant in the Ulster hospital in Dundonald - no private work is done (in her field anyway) in a trust hospital.

I have private health via work too. Fortunately I have never used it but almost certain 90pc of procedures is in Ballykelly.
Owen Roe O'Neills GAC, Leckpatrick, Tyrone

screenexile

I think it depends what the situation is. . . I may be wrong on this but a friend told me that there is no private oncology department in the North?? Therefore you can get certain tests done more quickly etc. but you will be along with the general population for treatment/operations.

I think things like physio treatment/eye procedures/cardiac procedures can all be completed in private hopsitals/clinics much more quickly than the NHS.

screenexile

Quote from: haranguerer on January 28, 2019, 10:47:04 AM
Also have been thinking about getting cover - how much is it per month roughly?

I get it through work on a group scheme which I think it £200 per member of staff. I'm taxed on it as well.

haranguerer

Quote from: Rois on January 28, 2019, 12:38:56 PM
Quote from: general on January 28, 2019, 12:06:31 PM
Was just about to chip in my experience - don't buy it expecting to receive better treatment.

Much of the time any appointments and/or operations if required will be at a public hospital.


general, is this in the North? 

It is directly contrary to my experience.  All my appointments have been in private clinics or hospitals. 

My sister is a consultant in the Ulster hospital in Dundonald - no private work is done (in her field anyway) in a trust hospital.

I think this may be re Benenden - it isn't private medical insurance though, its some sort of hybrid.

Owen Brannigan

Private health via a provider over a long period of time can be a major rip off.  As you get older the monthly payment increases greatly.  If you look at the value of the payments against the use made then you will find that self-insurance is just as viable if not cheaper. 

Private health works well to get consultations in a timely manner but it is weaker when it comes to procedures.  It should be noted that in some trusts when you step out to go private it is not always possible to step in to NHS to continue treatment.

The private hospitals in N.Ireland are barely capable of patient care as Rois found in having to go to Scotland. The after operation care is quite minimal and well below the standard provided in NHS. Private hospitals in N.Ireland can often depend on NHS hospital to clear up complications that may occur in some procedures. Not unusual for NHS ambulances to be sent for to take patients for emergency care from private hospitals.  In post operative situations in private care it is not unusual for patients to find their consultant has long since gone back home or to work and they are left in the care of nursing staff without the safety net provided by junior doctors as found in NHS hospitals.