The UK is famed for having one of the best healthcare services in the world. A member of the public can step into a hospital at any time with a significant injury, and receive great treatment free of charge. And while the National Health Service is a perfectly adequate and often brilliant organisation for most, it isn’t entirely perfect. Thankfully, there are other healthcare options available to the general public that you may want to consider, such as private health insurance. So, why would anyone opt to use private health insurance over using the NHS? Let’s find out what the benefits are to UK residents.
No waiting times
The NHS will see to everyone that enters their accident and emergency unit. You can arrive in the midst of a heart attack or with an unexplained pain in your leg. The doctors and nurses in an NHS hospital will treat whatever ails you, and they tend to not turn people away. However, this is a walk in service that anyone can use regardless of the severity of their condition. The healthcare professionals will get to you eventually, but you could be facing a long wait if your problem isn’t urgent.
This is because there is no efficient way for NHS staff to screen the patients that stroll into A&E, which means you could end up waiting for a long time behind someone with a very minor issue. They may think that their leg is broken but in actuality they have a slight bruise while you are forced to sit patiently in agony.
Health insurance provides the opportunity to circumvent these wait times as you will automatically be let in to see your private healthcare professional. This quick process can prevent your condition from worsening and reduce stress, something that is counter-productive to the healing process.
Private hospitals
As you can probably tell, a hospital is a chaotic place that needs to be full of busy professionals at all times. Add to that chaos a long line of unscreened and entitled patients, and you have a recipe for disaster. The words chaos and disaster aren’t what you want to hear when discussing a place of healing and relaxation, but sometimes that is what you need to expect at peak times in a hospital.
That is why people with private health insurance are given access to private rooms in hospitals. These types of establishments are only open to you and possibly a few others that have health insurance. Therefore, you are more likely to find yourself in a quieter environment where you will be seen to quicker, which is going to rapidly increase the speed of your treatment.
Also, this decision isn’t concrete. You are still able to use the A&E unit at an NHS hospital if you wish. With private healthcare, you can experience the best of both worlds.
It’s easy to set up
Some people may feel that the sheer amount of paper work isn’t worth the benefits of having private healthcare. These people couldn’t be more wrong, and it doesn’t take long to find the best health insurance.
Switch Health, are an example of a reliable provider of some of the best private health insurance. You can use this company and others to experience any of the positives detailed in this article, or to receive some health insurance quotes.
The struggles facing the NHS aren’t going away any time soon, so check out what it takes to set up your health insurance policy today.
Newer treatments
Sometimes the NHS has to be selective about what drugs and treatments they are allowed to use. In some cases, a new medication is too expensive to roll out on mass to the public, and other times the drug may not have been approved by a specific organisation.
These two factors do not make the drugs in question illegal or ineffective in any way. It is just hard for a large organisation to maintain them as a long term treatment solution to a large group.
However, health insurance can provide you with access to a private healthcare professional that is able to afford and distribute these medications. Therefore, you will have access to different treatments that you will not receive while using the NHS. These newer treatments may be more effective than traditional medicines, which can enhance your overall health.
It can work out cheaper
Being ill is detrimental to a person in more ways than you might think. An illness can cause pain that is uncomfortable to deal with on a daily basis which is detrimental to your relationships and mental health. Furthermore, some pain can be so unbearable that it becomes impossible to work. If you aren’t working, then it is hard to provide for yourself and your family.
It can be a long time before the NHS gets around to treating you due to their long waiting lists for operations. This delay in treatment may cause you further distress as the bills pile up with no way of paying for them.
A private health insurance system may look expensive on the surface, but it can save you money in the long run. The lack of a waiting list can help you get back to work as soon as possible, which can be even more important to your recovery. Plus, there isn’t just one health insurance plan for everyone. You can speak with your private health insurance provider to figure out a payment plan that works with your finances. Therefore, you can experience all of the positive aspects of a healthcare system designed for you without breaking the bank.
More choice
The one major benefit that comes with a health insurance policy is time. The people treating you have time to get to know you, to treat you and offer more treatment alternatives.
These benefits are helpful for the doctors and nurses, but they also provide you the biggest benefit of all. That benefit is choice.
With a health insurance plan, you can decide who treats you, where they treat you and what type of treatment you receive. An NHS hospital is so overrun that it can only provide whatever doctors they have available and a treatment that is easiest to administer. These health care solutions do work, but they can feel rather impersonal.
A health insurance plan provides your doctor the chance to present a choice of treatments, and allow you to make an informed decision about these options, thus providing better care all around.
It is even possible to receive virtual care when you opt to have health insurance. If you don’t feel well enough to leave the house, you can arrange a video call with your GP or talk to them over the phone. This service is usually available at any time of the day, which removes the need for a trip to A&E in the early hours for a minor illness. These services can reduce your concern, making it easier for you to get the rest and relaxation you need to get well.
To sum up
Overall, a health insurance plan can speed up your recovery from illness and make the process of treatment a more pleasant experience. You may not be able to prevent yourself from becoming sick or injured, but you can decide how best to deal with these issues. So, why not look into what health insurance can do for you?
