Access to the NHS is free at the point of use for UK residents. On the face of it, the NHS is an amazing resource, but decades of underfunding have led to unprecedented delays in treatment times. The average waiting time for a non-urgent appointment with a consultant is 18 weeks, but delays are growing and in some areas, it’s next to impossible to get a face-to-face GP appointment.
Not surprisingly, private health insurance is looking like an attractive option right now for some people. Read on for a list of reasons why private health insurance could be worth having.
Waiting Times are Shorter
With waiting times so long, it’s not surprising that people are looking into private health insurance. Instead of waiting more than four months to see a consultant, you can be referred as soon as you need treatment. In many cases, you can also request appointments that suit your schedule, rather than being given an appointment that might not be suitable.
Second Opinions and Specialist Referrals
When you have private health insurance, you have the freedom to ask your GP to refer you for an expert opinion or specialist treatment if the NHS can’t help. This is useful if you are not happy with what your GP says, or the NHS doesn’t recommend any treatment.
One good example is in the area of hypothyroidism treatment. The NHS typically won’t offer any treatment until TSH blood results are 10 or higher, but in most other countries, this threshold is much lower. With access to private healthcare, you can speak to an endocrinologist and ask for a second opinion, so it’s well worth comparing private health insurance options.
More Drugs Available
There are many drugs and treatments unavailable on the NHS due to funding restrictions, among other reasons. Even with private health insurance, you might still not have access to all drugs and treatments, but the range on offer is wider and it’s worth asking if you find out about a treatment that may help.
Quicker Access to Therapy
Many therapies on the NHS can take forever to access. Mental health treatments are a classic example, as it can take months for an appointment so you can be assessed, and even longer for follow-up treatment. For obvious reasons, this is hardly an ideal situation.
Once you have private health insurance, you can access all kinds of therapies far quicker than anything offered on the NHS. You’ll also have access to a wider range of therapies.
Private Rooms in Hospital
Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a private room if you needed to stay in the hospital? The good news is that with private health insurance, you can forget about staying in a ward where privacy is non-existent and the noise levels make it impossible to sleep.
Private health insurance can be well worth the money but if you need emergency care or treatment for a serious health condition such as a stroke, the NHS can’t be beaten.
*Collaborative post*
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