I have just called my private hospital to arrange my mamogram. I wanted a Friday or any late appointment on an afternoon or evening to fit in with work. It seems that nobody is in on a Friday to do mamogram and it was also impossible to get a late afternoon, I have one at 3pm now but I was made to feel that they were doing me a favour.
I thought that the whole point of phi was that we as the customer had a reasonable say into the time of appointment. As it is my surgeons appointment has to be early afternoon because all his appointments have to be booked so that he has no gaps and his clinic runs 2-4. I cannot say that I want an appointment at 3.30pm if there are appointments free at an earlier time.
It used to be the case that the patient came first but it doesn’t seem so now!
Private treatment = Prompt treatment. A big advantage over the NHS.
I have BUPA insurance but was diagnosed under the NHS because I’ve had breast lumps and cysts, all benign, for the past 28 years and BUPA wouldn’t cover me for breast conditions unless one became malignant.
BUPA gave me the choice of 4 BMI hospitals, the furthest being only five miles from my home and the nearest where I am attending only 1.5 miles. I was diagnosed NHS on a Wednesday afternoon and was seeing my private oncology breast surgeon by 7.30 that evening. Had all the tests and was operated on within 7 days and am now undergoing chemo on a day and a time of my choice with the requested Cold Cap at the same hospital.
For me private health care has been absolutely marvellous and BUPA are so helpful even calling to see how you are. Maybe I’ve just been lucky.
Hazelmary, I think we all think appointments should be at our convenience, but very rarely are they, you can apply the same argument to any paid service, we still have to fit in with other people. Blackswan is correct, private treatment means prompt, I was diagnosed on the NHS but had my surgery privately a few days later, however, I chose to have my chemo and rads on the NHS as the hospital was closer and more convenient, now getting a cash payment from Bupa (who are excellent and extremely efficient) for having treatment on the NHS.
I quite agree with Bupa they are so helpful I am having surgery on the NHS then I will have anything else on private
I am with CIGNA and am also finding them very helpful, having moved across from the NHS clinic once diagnosed. At the end of the day, the medical experts who we all are relying on can only be in one place at a time and as they almost all run their private clinics in addition to their NHS work, they have to run to tight time lines. I had my mx on a Saturday morning, not a time which would have been offered on the NHS and am now receiving chemo at home - a service which saves me making a fifty mile round trip each time, which is a big benefit.
Jude