Regarding NHS against paying private.......
last year I had an ear infection (both inner & outer in both ears), it wasn't painful but itchy and was driving me mad! After four visits, within two weeks, to the GP and no improvement with the medicines/ointments they gave me I demanded I go to see the ENT at the local hospital.
They put me in & I got a letter to say I was 'on the list'. I found out the list could make me wait over six months! I decided to go private.
I got a referral from the GP and rang the local 'private hospital', I got an appointment for the next day!
I was in the room with the doctor for no more than ten minutes for a cost of £210 BUT the medicine & cream he gave me sorted my ears out in twenty four hours!! Almost worth the cost for me.
Plus another £100 for a second appointment two weeks later to make sure all was OK. Another ten minutes!
Anyway, about six months later I got the appointment at the ENT and although my ears were now OK decided I would go, just to be on the safe side. I was in with the NHS doctor a good twenty minutes, she was still happy to do a thorough examination despite me telling her what had happened. She also put me in for a scan to check for an Acoustic neuroma, a growth on a nerve in the brain which affects hearing and balance. That was done about two months later and was all clear!
(Acoustic neuroma was put down as the cause of death on my dads death certificate along with old age (94)) so I'm quite pleased I went for my NHS appointment.
So, IMHO if you can't wait and think it's worth the cost, go private, if you can wait then you'll get great treatment from the NHS.
My lad's got private health care with his work & has had a back & two knee operations with it (football injuries) and has had brilliant treatment.
