Catheter ablation: private vs NHS

[HowMyHeartSings]

Is it significantly safer to have a catheter ablation in an NHS hospital rather than a private one? I am fortunate to have health insurance through my work so I have the option to go private if it speeds things up. I understand it's a relatively safe procedure but wondered if anyone else had made this choice between private and NHS and what did you eventually decide? Do people also know if you can choose who does the procedure for you on the NHS, or is that out of your hands? Many thanks for your help.

[Heartandy]

Short answer is I’m not sure but I’d be tempted to go with NHS. I too have private health insurance through work and have used it extensively over last year due to several episodes of myocarditis. I’m privileged to have fantastic and consistent access to my cardiologist (he is also NHS so my care has been seamless when I’ve been admitted to hospital for emergency treatment). And to have access without waiting lists to scans. But (despite all the bad press) I still think the NHS system is fantastic and I’d rather be in the NHS system for procedures or operations. I just feel there will be much better reach back to others if things go wrong. That’s my view but I guess it also depends on relative waitlists etc.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

If I consider my main medical conditions (Type I diabetes, PAD and CVD) if I went private in would only be in the private wing of a large acute hospital so there is 100% backup. This is how I had my angiogram done. Somebody I knew had routine hernia surgery booked at a small private hospital. However, something went wrong and he never made it to A&E about ten miles away. Another friend was offered hip replacement in a private hospital after he passed the maximum wait time. He waited for the main NHS hospital as he had had heart issues and felt happier with a cardiolgist and "crash team" in the house.

So I am saying yes I think it is less safe in a private hospital that is not part of a large acute hospital or part of a specialist one like Papworth, Royal Brompton or Harefield!

[Gowers in reply to MichaelJH]

My cardiologist does nhs & private but, doesn't do heart surgery/ablation in a private hosp unless the patient insists & realises there is not the same backup compared to a large nhs hospital. He gave the example that few private hospitals have cardiologists, liver specialists etc at the hospital 24x7. Private surgeons are usually "on call" following surgery but that can take a while depending how far from the hosp they are

[Hatchjd]

For me It depends on the size of the private hospital and the acute care facilities available if there is a problem.

[Prada47]

I believe I would opt for NHS if anything went badly wrong and you needed surgery it's more likely a Cardiac Surgeon would be on immediate call in an Acute Hospital. This is just a personal opinion and I am sure others will have different opinions !! Hope it all works out for you.

[Lezzers]

I'd agree with prada47. My husband was due a relatively minor op & it was proposed that it be carried out at the local private hospital due to waiting times at the local NHS hospital. However, once they knew of my husbands heart condition the private hospital declined to do the op as they do not have the medical facilities that may be be required in an emergency situation.

[Nomorechocolate23]

It depends which NHS hospital and which private hospital . Do your research! Some NHS hospitals aren't great and some are fantastic! Same goes for private.

[Hidden]

I would always ensure that any private hospital I was proposing to use, has everything needed for an advance resuscitation and an ICU/HDU. (Obviously this depends on the procedure being done)

I have heard of instances where patients have to be rushed to an NHS, A&E, following complications after/during a private hospital operation.

I've had lesser procedures in private hospitals, on my knee and back (×2) but I didn't hesitate to go to Barts Cardiac Centre, for my treatment and procedure!

Just make sure you know that whatever hospital you go too, it has all the facilities you are/could possibly need!