BUPA COSTS

[SteveT]

He has no known medical problems, sophiesofa

has never smoked, and he is fit,

but he is 68.

[sophiesofa]

I guess it's the 68 part then

[SteveT]

Costly business this ageing.

[Pugwash]

Although I do not have a BUPA scheme - I pay into the Benenden Health Care Scheme, which allows you to access a private consultation if there is either a too long a wait for NHS appointment or there is no local consultant.

I used it for a very painful lump on my finger which prevented me holding a cup/pen etc. There was a 6 month wait for NHS but after contacting the Benenden, they found one of their Consultants working at Kings - I was seen in 3 days, given an injection and further appointement plus all tests. Suspected base cell carcinoma. Consultant refered me to another team at Kings under NHS and I was operated on with 2-3 months.

[PeckhamRose]

To answer above question.

I DO pay for my health service through my insurance.

The NHS trains doctors and nurses who then often go private for more money.

I have had a few bad experiences but that's about 5% of the experiences I have had all my life with the NHS which as previously mentioned saved my life many times and continues to keep an eye out for me regularly via Kings. It's why I became a member of the Trust.

[Jeremy]

Marmora Man Wrote:

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> A good argument could be made that those with the

> resources should "go private" to reduce their load

> on the NHS.

I don't really think so. As more patients turn to the private sector, more doctors and other staff move over into private work. NHS wards are even sometimes converted into private wards if the numbers add up.

I'm not anti-private healthcare at all, but it's not necessarily true that going private reduces pressure on NHS services.