• Looking for a smarter way to manage your heating this winter? We’ve been testing the new Aqara Radiator Thermostat W600 to see how quiet, accurate and easy it is to use around the home. Click here read our review.

Would you wait

Joined
27 Oct 2009
Messages
37,224
Reaction score
19,930
Country
United Kingdom
If you where in that much pain that you needed an Operation and the NHS waiting list is several months .
But you earn several thousand quid a week and possibly over 5 figures and have several hundred thousand in the bank
Would you pay the around 4k for it to be done privately and have it done within the week or would you take up a vital NHS space and resources and be in pain waiting months
 
I think it depends on the operation required... I tore my pec tendon off the bone a few years ago during exercise. NHS wait would have been 6-9months as in theory I could function as there are sufficient supporting muscles around the shoulder. But waiting this long would mean the tendon would gradually pull back and then if fixed later would require an allograft, which would be a larger operation with much reduced chances of regaining full function of the joints and muscles involved. Therefore done it privately and don't regret it. Fortunately I regained basically 100% functioning of the muscle involved.
 
If you where in that much pain that you needed an Operation and the NHS waiting list is several months .
But you earn several thousand quid a week and possibly over 5 figures and have several hundred thousand in the bank
Would you pay the around 4k for it to be done privately and have it done within the week or would you take up a vital NHS space and resources and be in pain waiting months
Privately without question.
What i would be upset about though is, if i paid if for it via a company to cover the operation and it was taxed as a BIK, i would take NHS to court to reclaim the BIK fees. Being forced to pay for an operation when the waiting times are unreasonable whilst paying for it through your taxes is unacceptable, you cannot have it both ways, the government don't allow, nethier should we. The point being my company is paying for the upkeep of my health to continue to earn an income to stop me
A) Leaching off other tax payers.
B) Continue to regularly pay my taxes still via a working salary.
C) Money saved on NHS spending as i have funded the operation myself.
 
Ah but aren't the people paying to go private simply using resources within the NHS that could be used to do your OP?
 
Ah but aren't the people paying to go private simply using resources within the NHS that could be used to do your OP?
Not necessarily there is many purely private hospitals also within nhs facilities doctors are doing it in their own time and the hospital is charging
 
If you where in that much pain that you needed an Operation and the NHS waiting list is several months .
But you earn several thousand quid a week and possibly over 5 figures and have several hundred thousand in the bank
Would you pay the around 4k for it to be done privately and have it done within the week or would you take up a vital NHS space and resources and be in pain waiting months
You are still jumping the queue when going private, without people willing to pay there would be no private hospitals and all those skilled people would be working for the NHS

would I pay and jump that queue - of course i would, without a moments hesitation and only a little bit of guilt
 
In the scenario you've given, I'd go private.

Decades back I worked for an American company here in the UK. We had BUPA cover as part of our remuneration. One of the guys (who was older) had been to the NHS for whatever the issue was. I think the waiting list was months (and that was pre migration issue, imagine that ;)) so he used the BUPA route and was treated within a couple of weeks.
 
Last edited:
You are still jumping the queue when going private, without people willing to pay there would be no private hospitals and all those skilled people would be working for the NHS

would I pay and jump that queue - of course i would, without a moments hesitation and only a little bit of guilt
Yep its queue jumping in theory but also releasing a place within that queue for someone unable to pay
Would those skilled people be working for the NHS though or would they go abroad .
Would they be doing as many hours for NHS
 
Three years ago a neighbour had skin cancer behind an ear. NHS waiting list was stupidly long for something that needs treatment ASAP. He paid for private and treatment was quick and completely successful. With this in mind, when I found a strange hard crusty lump that suddenly appeared on my scalp under my hair - I said to myself that I would pay for treatment if it was the big C. To get GP appointment was 2 weeks, another 2 weeks for a dermal photo to be taken by GP nurse, plus another 2 weeks to go to dermatologist at hospital. So 6 weeks just to find out what it was. I wouldn't have waited any longer to get it treated - but luckily it wasn't skin cancer.

With something that needs urgent treatment or is very painful/debilitating - I would pay without question.
 
Back
Top