Understanding how independent healthcare works

In the United Kingdom the National Health Service provides healthcare to the whole population, paid from taxation. While originally conceived as providing essential care to the public it evolved into a comprehensive healthcare provider, raising expectations from the public. A combination of poor management and leadership, combined with chronic under funding for many years (before the recent increase in spending) has created an NHS that provides an often limited level of care, both in terms of choice and quality. The independent healthcare sector provides care paid for by the individual or private company/organisation (although recent developments have seen much NHS work contracted out to the independent sector, to help compensate for the chronic inefficiency of the NHS). The private doctor can afford to give a patient more time for a consultation, will be able to organise rapid access to diagnostic tests and surgery, if required. If you are self pay you should ask for all the costs at each stage of the process, to avoid any misunderstanding. If you have medical insurance please do check if there is an excess on your policy. Furthermore check if the doctor or hospital you are going to visit charges within the insurance companies' guidelines. If not ask how much the additional fee will be. Quite often the difference between what the insurance company will pay and what the doctor charges is very small, but as it may be significant please ensure you know the charges in advance. Further information on healthcare choices in the UK can be found on the DrFoster website: http://www.drfoster.co.uk/public.asp