SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - My recent experience of the UK National Health Service (long post)

clive bradbury · 10-20-09, 04:50 AM

I know that health provision is a hot topic in the USA right now, and I also know that the British NHS has been receiving a lot of criticism over there as part of that debate. I do not propose to join in any of those arguments, but it may be of interest to you to relate my recent experience with the NHS.

I suspected that I had a hernia for some time, so mentioned it when I visited my GP on an unrelated matter. He said that I had two, and referred me for surgery. The subsequent timeline was:

GP appointment: end of July . He sent the information to the NHS surgical team, and I had to wait five working days before contacting them (to allow time to process the paperwork).

I duly phoned the contact number, and was offered a choice of four hospitals:

My local NHS hospital (10 miles away)
Two alternative NHS hospitals, both about 30 miles away
The local private hospital (again roughly 10 miles away)

The reason that the NHS pays for private care as an option is that they are now required to undertake surgery within quite a strict time limitation. If their own hospitals cannot complete it within that window, they tend to pay for private surgery to get the waiting lists down.

I chose the latter (unsurprisingly) and was given an appointment date of September 3rd.

Attended, saw the surgeon, who told me I actually had three hernias (the third being an umbilical). He then asked when I wanted the surgery. Given the media criticism of long NHS waiting lists, I suggested early December, expecting him to laugh in my face at my naïve optimism. To my surprise he told me that I could have the surgery within a fortnight.

This was unsuitable, as I run my own company and had just filled my diary with appointments, so I asked for mid-October, which was duly fixed for Friday 16th.

Admitted at lunchtime, with an initial theatre time of 1430hrs. However things were running late, so it was closer to 1630. Back in my private room, including cable sports channels, by 1900hrs. Evening meal (soup & sandwiches, provided) I would have been able to go home at about 2300, but one wound (keyhole surgery) was bleeding, so I decided to stay overnight.

Went home at 1100 the following morning after breakfast. Follow up appointment with the surgeon due for six weeks’ time.

To summarise, hernia detected end of July, surgery could have been done in early September, private health care throughout, cost to me – nothing.

10-20-09, 04:50 AM	#1
clive bradbury Captain Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: stoke-on-trent, UK Posts: 492 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 0	My recent experience of the UK National Health Service (long post) I know that health provision is a hot topic in the USA right now, and I also know that the British NHS has been receiving a lot of criticism over there as part of that debate. I do not propose to join in any of those arguments, but it may be of interest to you to relate my recent experience with the NHS. I suspected that I had a hernia for some time, so mentioned it when I visited my GP on an unrelated matter. He said that I had two, and referred me for surgery. The subsequent timeline was: GP appointment: end of July . He sent the information to the NHS surgical team, and I had to wait five working days before contacting them (to allow time to process the paperwork). I duly phoned the contact number, and was offered a choice of four hospitals: My local NHS hospital (10 miles away) Two alternative NHS hospitals, both about 30 miles away The local private hospital (again roughly 10 miles away) The reason that the NHS pays for private care as an option is that they are now required to undertake surgery within quite a strict time limitation. If their own hospitals cannot complete it within that window, they tend to pay for private surgery to get the waiting lists down. I chose the latter (unsurprisingly) and was given an appointment date of September 3rd. Attended, saw the surgeon, who told me I actually had three hernias (the third being an umbilical). He then asked when I wanted the surgery. Given the media criticism of long NHS waiting lists, I suggested early December, expecting him to laugh in my face at my naïve optimism. To my surprise he told me that I could have the surgery within a fortnight. This was unsuitable, as I run my own company and had just filled my diary with appointments, so I asked for mid-October, which was duly fixed for Friday 16th. Admitted at lunchtime, with an initial theatre time of 1430hrs. However things were running late, so it was closer to 1630. Back in my private room, including cable sports channels, by 1900hrs. Evening meal (soup & sandwiches, provided) I would have been able to go home at about 2300, but one wound (keyhole surgery) was bleeding, so I decided to stay overnight. Went home at 1100 the following morning after breakfast. Follow up appointment with the surgeon due for six weeks’ time. To summarise, hernia detected end of July, surgery could have been done in early September, private health care throughout, cost to me – nothing.