Public Health Service

Rocker

The Public Health Service in Ireland is in a terrible state.  I hope that it is better in the UK.  In fact it has to be better, it could not be worse!  We simply have to pay for private health insurance if we want any decent treatment in our hospitals.  This health insurance is costly, my wife and I paid around €3,800 for 2013 and this is increasing to €4,200 for 2014.  Staggering costs but it is either pay or wait.  As an example, I spent some time in hospital this year.  The cause of my illness could not be definitively determined so I am undergoing tests which my health insurer is paying for.  One test has a Public Hospital waiting list of 20 months but I will get this test done next week as I have health insurance.

The Health System here is so bad and basically rotten that to change it is virtually impossible.  The latest scandal relates to top up payments made to the senior executives.  The Government put pay guidelines in place but these guidelines are bypassed by topping up executives salaries from other hospital charges such as car parking or shop space rental.  The "I'm worth it" mentality exists while at the same time waiting lists get longer and longer.

/rant over.

Phil_aka_Pip

I rather suspect that when that situation arises in this country (and it will), it will also be impossible for people with chronic diseases (eg diabetics, heart/stroke victims) to get any health insurance (except perhaps at prices that only film stars could pay).

hungrymark

I like the NHS but it's not perfect. It's such a stupendously big organisation that it's next to impossible for the government to make any large scale changes without cocking things up. I've always been pleased with the service personally. I've received better privately, obviously, but, given the limitations of a free-at-point-of-service organisation I think it does a pretty good job. You hear horror stories, mind you.

EricTheWeary

Phil_aka_Pip said:

I rather suspect that when that situation arises in this country (and it will), it will also be impossible for people with chronic diseases (eg diabetics, heart/stroke victims) to get any health insurance (except perhaps at prices that only film stars could pay).

Having a family member with a chronic disease we have found out through internet forums how those with insurance rather than reliant on public health tend to get different treatment. Unsurprisingly the insurance approach tends to be treatment that will be cheaper in the long run. This actually gives less patient choice, in practice, as the option to manage living with the condition - eg controlled by drugs- is more likely to be accepted by a public health service whereas the private sector have a more can we fix it yes we can approach which is often higher risk but doesn't involve long term treatment.
Having also had elderly relatives in the care of the NHS you start getting into the area of what is social care versus what is medical care. So, for example, an elderly person might spend longer in hospital than is medically required whilst care is sorted out for them before their return home. The NHS bear with this to some extent and the lines are blurred all the time. It would be a super duper insurance policy that allowed you to stay in hospital a few more days for what is effectively respite.