Private health care

[Xroisinellenx]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has gone for private health care and if so how did you do it? I’m in so much pain I can’t wait much longer for an op. I’m meeting my new consultant in February but I’m currently signed off work cuz I just can’t work with how much pain I’m in. Thanks

[Tillyfloss]

hi. We started off privately as my husbands work cover it, I called and had an appointment with my chosen specialist that afternoon. If you don't have cover I think you ask your gp for a private referral and arrange to directly with the hospital you choose. I found it very helpful for pain management, the medication i was on was making it all worse and within two weeks of changing i did see an improvement. Due to the extent of my endometriosis i couldn't be operated on privately he needed his Endo team but I was seen quickly and when the hit real problems they got me operated on quickly via his nhs clinic. Hope that helps. Xx

[Maisie1]

Simple ask your GP for a referral. You can always revert back to NHS for treatment. It will cost up to £200 for your initial consultation. Appriximately £350 for an MRI £250 for a CT scan and £150 for ultrasound

[Gwen172]

Hi, yes just seen endo specialist in Birmingham. Consultation cost £200. He wanted me to have mri which was booked for the following week. That cost £500. Next step would be a laporoscopy. God knows what that’s going to cost! About £5,000. But her is my dilemma!! I had total hysterectomy 24 years ago and gradually my symptoms have got worse. I am having really bad period pains!!! Don’t know where to turn now as don’t want to face more ops. The mri showed nothing. Do I go for the laporoscopy??? Really can’t stick this pain. Have just bought cbd oil vape to try. At the end of my tether!! X

[luthien]

Firstly private obviously costs so you can either take out your own health insurance (check out BUPA for a guide) or contact the hospital to see what health insurance they are under, do a payment plan with the hospital, or have it covered by your work / partners work heath insurance. Check your work first as they'll see it as a positive if you're using their benefits to help yourself - some are included, some you a bit per month, some of them you can't add it on during the year, and others won't let you make an appointment for the first 14 days of regisitering, but there should be someone at work you can call whom is able to advise you on that.

Mine is through my work, with WPA on their website they have a choose your consultant option where you can search a list on ones they approve, with their details and where they work.

If you're going all out on your own either find a clinic near you or search for BSGE, that lists clinics and specialists registered with them, it's a starting point and a good place to check the experience of your specialist. Mine is Mr Philip Kaloo, feel free to search for an idea.

Most private consultants do work for the NHS so they may see you privately and then put you on their NHS wait list.

You'll need to book an appointment with your chosen consultant and then let your GP know you'd like to "be referred to x specialist at x" and they'll sort out all your medical details to send over.

I'd definitely stick to private, I like the making my own appointments right down to the lap date and what I wanted to have done, just how much more they can do / willing to do to get to the source of all the problems. I have written up my experience of endo including my care so have a look either via my profile or search on here for:

"All this effort does pay off - my story - hope it helps !"

xx

[AllthatGlitters]

Hi I went private after having a nightmare of a wait on the NHS, it was a tough decision for me financially as I didn’t have health insurance and I was funding the whole amount myself.

You pick which private hospital and consultant you want and then You have your consultation, you are then advised what treatment is required, sent a cost and then offered surgery within 1-2 weeks.

It’s a very quick process & you are treated amazingly when you are in hospital, have your own private room, nurses have time to spend with you and I never regretted my decision.

You meet your surgeon, anaesthetist before surgery & see your surgeon again once you have had surgery as they explain their findings.

Hope it goes well x

[Thecraftyadder]

I was able to self refer to a Spire hospital. Initial consultation was £180. Then my lap + excision was about £4250 which included a follow-up within 6 weeks. Future appts are £100. I was initially going to just get advice but in the end with help from family I went for the opp as I couldn't wait. I just looked at consultants in the nearest BSGE centre and the googled them to find where their private practice was based.