Ever thought about private healthcare U.K £1.50 per-week!.

[Colin P]

Sick of N.H.S waiting lists? and no-confidence in your N.H.S doctor?...

I am with www.benenden.org.uk and they are great! paid for my visits to see private opthamolagists upto value of £1000. No quibbles, can't fault them terrific customer care..
I originally joined via my work, (10 yrs ago) since then they have grown, and allowed 'members family' to join, and as of last year ANYBODY!..
There is an initial six month entry period, where you can-not claim, obviously to deter people joining just because they want private healthcare and somebody else to pay for it, for example physio...
The good thing for us, is there is NO questionare, so anybody can join even with an exisiting/ongoing complaint. This is no 'loophole' they advertise that fact!.
Private hospitals all over the U.K or the option to choose a private doctor/opthamolagist of your choice..
Really is worthwile, i can-not praise the way they operate enough. At my place of work, in 21 yrs i have never heard a bad word said about Benenden.
24hr Doctors to speak to also! who give you all the time you require.

Anyone intrested? Give them a ring, and worst case scenario i can add you as i'm an 'exisiting member'...

[lulu]

Hi Colin
Civil Service by any chance? I used to be a member in the late eighties but came out of it, just before I became ill!!!!!!
I am interested that anybody can join, I think I will look into it.
Thankyou
Lulu

[Colin P]

"Civil service!!" more "public sector" lol...

[villfan22]

Colin,

Thanks for the info, I'll look them up. I have come to appreciate that A) NHS waiting lists are too long and no choice in who you see and B) dry eye is sadly a chronic condition that will require long term follow up. It seems sensible to start of some insurance now for the future.

Cheers

[Colin P]

Hiya villfan.
Re- "I'll look them up" simply click on the web address below.
www.benenden.org.uk

My own personal dealing was simple, and went like this!.. firstly i spoke to there 24/7 Doctor.. Secondly i arranged an appointment with My G.P for a referal to the Opthamolagist, and asked for "Urgent" as you leap-frog the non- urgent check-up's (N.H.S Hospital rang me back 3 days later). But then i had to wait 3 months for my next 'non-urgent' appointment (which they cancelled at the last minute, by letter till the next month) I had this appointment, but got no real answers or help, and next appointment was another 3 months!. So i then approached Benenden and explained the situation and the waiting lists are too long and this is really distressing me and affecting my ability to go to work!. NO haggeling, a simple "Yes Sir i fully understand would you like to visit one of our private hospitals, OR one of your choice? and they provided me with addresses and phone numbers in my area of Private Opthamolagists for me to choose from. St Helens was my nearest 'Benenden Private Hospital' which was 30 mins away, so i chose one closer to home of my choice in Bolton.
If you choose the latter like i did? you simply ring them and make an appointment, same week!. They may ask you on the phone? for a referral from your G.P, but this is no problem as you are costing the N.H.S nothing, but you will still retain your N.H.S appointment/treatment incase you are wondering?.
The first Private Opthamolagist i saw i had no-confidence in so went elsewhere. Forum user 'little mermaid' (or rather her mum!) reccomended Dr Bruno Zuberbuler Nr Manchester airport, who was great and did not ask for a referral from my G.P. He will see you anytime at your convenience? my own appointment was 7pm on a Friday night. Upon arrival simply explain to the receptionist that it is private treatment and you require an invoice, for which you forward the original (not a photo copy) with your case number and Benenden send you a bank Cheque for the amount on the invoice. No need to stay with same Opthamolagist? and appointments can be months apart if you wish? i rotated them with the N.H.S appointments..

Plus, it aint just Opthamolagy, one day any one of us may be unfortuante enough to suffer any other kind of un-realted ailment which would need attention also.
And no i don't work for Benenden!. lol..

[villfan22]

Colin,

Thanks for the info. As I say I have been toying with the idea of getting some insurance for a while, for dry eye obviously it is the continued access to opthals at reasonable time frames, days/weeks, as opposed to NHS time frames, Months!

I have had a quick google of a few of the big players, but your not going to get much change from £20 a month minimum! With a private appointment being £120 or more, that would be about a years subs. How the insurer would react to more frequent visits, let's say for routine follow up (something the NHS aren't really bothered with as they probably want you off the books ASAP) I'm not sure if that would be covered. The insurance I have seen seems to be more geared to acute issues as opposed to chronic. In other words, if they know you want to see an opthal four times a years, I Doubt they will be lining up to sign you up.

[Colin P]

Just to clarify villfan, Benenden health insurance will pay a maximum of £1000. for EACH claim/case. Anything over that would be your responsibility.
I only used £400, so still have £600 for this particular case number. I still have my N.H.S appointments also.
Re- the N.H.S and 'getting us off the books' it is the case unfortunatly, and always crops up on here 'Doctors dont seem to care'.
I've a story to tell also, but 12 months in, i can now see, that it is 'targets' and 'budgets' the N.H.S doctors have to work within, i reckon that the doctors would show more empathy but can-not under these pressure conditions. At Bolton Royal Hospital, i have never seen the waiting room with less than 20 people in it, all sat in a little room, way to small, youre sat shouldar to shouldar, with your knees almost touching the person opposite, oh and there is people stood-up waiting for a seat!.
You have to be there 'on-time' OR ELSE!! then wait 2-3 hrs because they are so far behind. The waiting room is really awkward, no-one speaks apart from huffing and puffing about the delays..
That's probably why maybe 90% of our doctors(right accross the board) are from overseas, and all ours have gone to Australia, Canada or gone Private..
The anti-depressent tablet i take was a farce also, i was given slow realease Capsule(lasts all day) form, while in Hospital, once back under care of my G.P he told me you can have the (non-slow release) tablet form instead, i asked why? because "i would really like to stay on slow release capsule" (A) because its cheaper! and we
have to cut our costs.
For anyone not from U.K reading; Every person in the U.K in employment contributes to the N.H.S via taxation deducted straight from your wage, before you even see it. What we get in return is not like it used to be. In the last 10yrs, things have gone really down hill. People are now working for the N.H.S not because they want to help, or it's a career they wanted and studied for; it's now just a job that pays a wage.
And dont get me going on casualty and A+E!!!.. youre looking at 4hr wait guarentead unless there is a limb hanging off-then it's maybe 2-3hrs?...
There is more police and Drunks that have been fighting in there nowadays than staff.. Slipping into a coma is a good tip to get seen..