NHS v Private Health Care

[moosed]

My mums has been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and I'm just wondering if anyone here has any experience of what cancer treatment is like both on the NHS and private health care ? I'm trying to convince her to go private but doing so will cost her about £30,000 which is pretty much every penny she has.

I know you can't put a price on your health but is private health care £30,000 better than NHS ?

 

[roydo]

Cancer treatment on the NHS is brilliant. Well in my experience, it is. (Not me, family members)

 

[peteblue]

My mums has been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and I'm just wondering if anyone here has any experience of what cancer treatment is like both on the NHS and private health care ? I'm trying to convince her to go private but doing so will cost her about £30,000 which is pretty much every penny she has.

I know you can't put a price on your health but is private health care £30,000 better than NHS ?

It's basically the same except that its done quicker, appointments are easier, the bedrooms are better, the food is better, you see the consultant more often. However the clinical treatment is the same, it's just a matter of how long you wait.....

 

[Bruce Wayne]

This might be useful?

http://www.mycancertreatment.nhs.uk/

 

[Minimeister]

I'm sorry to hear that mate. Obviously if it gets her better treatment then it'd be worth every penny but certainly the treatment on the NHS has helped many people I've known beat the disease. Best of luck.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I'm happy to ask the other half later too as she's better place than me to provide an insight. I suspect, as with most things, there will be a degree of variance between suppliers, whether public or private. Hopefully the site I posted above will take a bit of the guess work out of it, at least as far as the NHS is concerned. I don't know if there's any kind of user feedback service for private suppliers.

 

[peteblue]

Sorry, I meant to add that if the NHS can give her a decent date then go with the NHS........

 

[roydo]

@peteblue nails it it really. My mum had a brush with breast cancer ages ago, and cos my dad had a works heathcare thing she went private. Sound.

But the last few years, my dad, now retired, has had some cancer treatments on the NHS, and the only difference has been the private room/food/visiting that my mum had. Not worth £30k as the clinical care is/was identical.

Non urgent stuff, I have gone private, once. For "the snip". Cost £180, private. Or a 6 month wait on the NHS. But cancer they are brilliant at.

 

[Brennan]

My dad had a bad time when he had cancer seven years ago in a hospital i won't name. Poor nursing procedure, not enough care taken of the patients in need of help, one old fella even wet the bed because he had waited so long to get taken to the toilet. Then to top it all off they knocked one of his teeth out (which he swallowed) while they were removing the anaesthetic tube from his mouth after the operation. Depends on the level of NHS care where you live i suspect.

 

[HSD]

I have no idea of private care, but of the people I've known that have had cancer, all were cared for really well but I can only speak for the hospitals by me I'm afraid.

 

[DanEFC92]

Sorry to hear mate.

 

[Bungle]

My mums has been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and I'm just wondering if anyone here has any experience of what cancer treatment is like both on the NHS and private health care ? I'm trying to convince her to go private but doing so will cost her about £30,000 which is pretty much every penny she has.

I know you can't put a price on your health but is private health care £30,000 better than NHS ?

Sorry to hear mate.

My brothers girlfriends mum was diagnosed a few months back and she can't fault the NHS treatment she's had so far, goes in for a mastectomy in a few weeks and she's a lot more relaxed (as much as she can be) because of the way she's been dealt with so far.

I realise its not the same but our little one was fairly poorly recently and in hospital for a bit, and again the NHS were brilliant.

All the best whichever route you go down.

 

[Groucho]

My mums has been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and I'm just wondering if anyone here has any experience of what cancer treatment is like both on the NHS and private health care ? I'm trying to convince her to go private but doing so will cost her about £30,000 which is pretty much every penny she has.

I know you can't put a price on your health but is private health care £30,000 better than NHS ?

Firstly, I'm sorry for your situation and hope, whatever she decides, that it all works out well.

I would say go NHS because, as @peteblue says, you get the same treatment - however a lot of the time you also get the same consultant, operating theatre and staff, but with a different inpatient ward with mildly improved food from the same kitchen. Most of the time you get a bit of a queue jump but with cancer, the wait isn't usually that long anyway.

My question to you, to help you think things through, is why are you "trying to convince her to go private"?

Of course the NHS isn't perfect, however neither is private mate, and consider this; the NHS, even when understaffed, is run with the interest of patients at heart - private companies simply want the cash.

There is a perceived notion that private is always better - it isn't.

Best wishes with whatever your decision though mate.

 

[moosed]

Thanks a lot for the replies/links and advice guys, its appreciated. i think we are going to end up going with the NHS, private is just too much money and i've only heard positive things about the NHS and the cancer treatment it offers.