Since the 1940s, the UK has provided state-funded healthcare to all of its citizens. In many ways, this service is still quite unique in terms of how much of the cost is borne by the taxpayer. While most people feel the NHS is sufficient, there are some people who choose private hospital care, and in this article we’ll look at the reasons why patients do this.
With so many people relying on the NHS, and in parallel with this, there is very little health insurance, the NHS is likely to remain the primary care provider for a long time. But some people choose treatment in a private hospital because it offers their possibly greater degree of comfort than the NHS can provide. One of the main attractions is having your own private room, which is in contrast to state hospitals that have several people in each room.
Treatment is arguably delivered much faster in a private hospital compared to an NHS hospital. Although it should be noted that no private hospital in the UK provides accident and emergency treatment, so there is no concept that this life-threatening situation actually risks anyone’s life.
Most people consider the use of private hospital treatment to be an ‘add-on’ to the NHS, using such services as a way of alleviating any discomfort that can sometimes result from using the NHS. For those with the required extra income, it can simply make food processing more convenient.
It is arguable that because there is simply no pressure on the private medical center, the staff have much more time to devote to patient care, focusing particularly on the little extras that make a hospital stay an experience in a hotel, and far from a clinical practice.
Many private health companies have patients whose treatment costs are covered by private health insurance. While this is one of the most widely used ways to get private healthcare, many private hospital groups also offer a unique option, where treatment can be provided to individuals as needed; so someone who normally uses the NHS service simply decides to have a particular operation at a private hospital, to increase her comfort. It may also be that someone wants one of her relatives to receive a little more attention in certain circumstances.
These are just some of the reasons why people may choose to visit a private hospital over a public one.