Hellobee Boards

Private like BUPA etc is billed through heath insurance or patients' own pockets and is generally a much nicer facility and shorter waiting list. Often though, it's the same specialist you would see on the NHS as they make extra cash doing a few private days a week. I remember when my dad had cancer the consultant told him he would likely be the one doing the surgery whether he went NHS or private and he thought it wouldn't be worth the money to him. I did tour a BUPA hospital once, it was amazingly nice.

Hiya

The main difference is the waiting lists. My local NHS hospital has a 13 week target turnaround time for an appointment with a specialist - unless it is an emergency, of course. Private hospitals - you are looking at a week to 10 days. The rest of the service you will receive at a consultant's appointment is likely to be the same, with the same doctor probably - only in nicer surroundings, maybe a pot plant or two!

Should you require a hospital stay, the significant difference is the facilities - you would have a private room and it would be much, much nicer than anything you'd ever see in an NHS hospital. The other main difference is the service - and I'm not taking about the standard of medical care, here, I mean the actual service. Drinks and meals on demand, not when the "dinner trolley" is coming round (and if you miss it in the NHS hospital you get a curled up sandwich!). Decent food, not luke warm hospital slop! Flexible visiting hours - not restricted to 6pm - 8pm.

I'd go private every time if I could afford to pay into an insurance scheme (other than the NHS scheme I pay into via my tax, of course!).