Private Healthcare in addition to NHS or just stick with NHS?

I'm hoping someone can help answer a few questions regarding private healthcare in the UK. So I am moving to the UK in Feb and will start work three days after I arrive on my new UK work contract. My wife and son will be coming with me.

From what I can, all three of us automatically qualify to use the NHS system once we arrive since I am working and living there and both my wife and son are living permanently with me. Is this assumption correct?

Now, my employer is providing me with private medical from AXA PPP Healthcare (mercer-elect), but they are not covering my wife and child. For me to add them to this private coverage it will be about 750 GBP per year.

My question is, is signing up for this private medical and paying the extra 750 GBP a year worth it? My son was just born 2 weeks ago, and my wife and I are healthy people with no medical conditions at present. Since we all qualify for NHS, I am not sure of the benefit of this private medical coverage. Can someone shed some light on this topic and help point out a few reasons for or against. Thanks!

When we lived in the UK I had private health insurance for myself, wife and 2 children.  During the 5 or 6 years we had it we never used it but I was always pleased to have it in case we, our small children in particular, had something that required elective procedures.  We treated it like any type of insurance, hoping that we never needed it.  We had plenty of visits to the doctors for all the usual stuff kids get, but the clinic in our small town was close to us and had several doctors, and there was never a problem getting a same day appointment.

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=77710.0

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=77490.0

Recent threads on this topic.

Thanks Durhamlad! Sound and sage advice. I should just think of it as a insurance policy and hope to never use it.

@Sara - thanks for those two threads, they were great reads and very informative. Thanks!

I found the NHS to be really difficult to deal with - When I had a lump found in my breast I was not able to see a specialist for 3 months. There seems to be huge waiting lists for everything and I've had my patient notes muddled up numerous times.

Having said that, I didn't bother with Insurance either. I just registered with a private GP and just paid for any appointments I had. The few visits I had that year turned out to save me money over paying for health insurance.

If you know a good private family GP - I say sign with them. They remember you, care about you and see you when you need them.

Sorry to hear of your bad experiences, Lucy. I have to say when my daughter's GP sent her to a hospital clinic for a breast biopsy it was only a matter of days. On diagnosis she was immediately seen by a topnotch oncologist (who also practices privately) and received excellent care. Yes, there were many long waits in the clinic waiting room and notes were 'lost' several times. But we could not find fault otherwise.

I think most people would say that private insurance is basically useful to jump the queues. You still end up with the same physicians in most cases though.

How do you go about finding a private GP?  All the NHS practices in our area seem to be rubbish.  With a baby due soon I'm anxious to find a good one!

I have overall had a pretty good experience with the NHS up to this point.  We had a wonderful NHS practice where we used to live, but since moving I can't find a good one.  I have to say I have had some excellent specialist care here though (and free!), although you do have to wait a while for non-urgent appointments.  I often found the same in the US though not quite as long of a wait.

There aren't any in my area. 

Have a look at http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/

LeisaB where do you live?
I signed up at Harley Health Centre - www.harleyhealthcentre.com/ [nofollow]
They have been truly, truly amazing.

I hope you find one hun,
x

We live in Chessington.  We used to live in Wimbledon and had a fabulous surgery there.  We're wishing we hadn't told them we moved!

I find that NHS and private health care compliment each other well.  I go to my local NHS surgery for most things and am happy with the service.  However if I need to see a consultant (specialist), my NHS GP asks whether I want to take the NHS or private route.  She always recommends private as it's quicker.  AXA is really easy to use and they will find you a consultant nearby.  I know enough people here who have had serious health issues including colleagues, one who had to have an emergency heart operation and one who had bipolar issues,  that you really want to have private insurance as an option. 

I've been to NHS A&E twice since living in the UK, and it's fine.  Once for an eye injury where I went to Western Eye Hospital and once for a tropical illness where I went to University Hospital in London.  What's great is that you can look at the NHS site to see how things are rated before you go, as you can when picking your local NHS surgery and GP. 

Still even with the £750 annual, that's far less than one would pay in the US.   If you still can any negotiating room, try to get your employer to pick that up.  I know people who have bargained for that on their contracts.  It's worth a shot, the worst they can say is no.

If you can afford the £750 then go for it. I'm a big fan of the NHS and have had numerous small time stuff done on the NHS and have always been happy with it. I have private insurance through work though and I know that if I had anything big/serious come along then I wouldn't hesitate to kick the private insurance in to gear. Chances are the NHS would be fine for whatever was wrong with me, but why take chances if you can afford to do otherwise?

One tip I did learn from my mother though who was a nurse, sometimes being in a private room in a public hospital can be a bad thing as you can get isolated and forgotten about. If you can be on a very small ward with just one or two others it much better as you're more visible.

One tip I did learn from my mother though who was a nurse, sometimes being in a private room in a public hospital can be a bad thing as you can get isolated and forgotten about. If you can be on a very small ward with just one or two others it much better as you're more visible.

That's certainly true. But on the other hand, if you do get a private room they will often be more lenient about visitors or even let your kin sleep over in a chair -- in which case, you would have 100% attention of someone. We had the experience once of a 4-bed ward in which one of the other patients was very ill and had family members from overseas constantly in and out even past visiting hours. They clearly were abusing the system and we had to complain to the staff to get them to shut up!

I have MS and have found the NHS fantastic. They've authorized all my drugs and I haven't had a fraction of the trouble I had with my insurers in the US. I've also gone private--for shoulder surgery. What I have heard is that for serious conditions--cancer, MS, diabetes--you want to be seen by a NHS specialist, preferably at a major NHS center. They simply have more experience.

The other thing to bear in mind is that private insurance will generally not pay for chronic conditions. So, once you are diagnosed, you need to go to the NHS.

Also, if you don't like your specialist, hospital or GP, you can change. If you have any problems, contact PALS at your hospital or your PCT.