Beat the UK Hospital Queues with Private Health Insurance
The NHS is an admirable beast but can it really replace the need for Private Health Insurance ?
In the wake and reconstruction of Europe at the end of the Second World War, Clement Attlee’s Labour government created the National Health Service, based on the proposals of the Beveridge Report, prepared during the height of the War in 1942.
A White Paper was published by the British governement in 1943 and was followed by considerable debate and resistance, organised mostly by the professional body of Doctors and Consultants, the British Medical Association.
When the the final BMA ballot amongst GPs and hospital doctors in England took place in May 1948 the majority of Doctors voted against the systems introduction!
The shape and structure of the NHS in England and Wales was established by the National Health Service Act 1946 and was devised and driven by the then Health and Housing Minister Aneurin Bevan.
The founding principles of the NHS called for its funding out of general income taxation and incredibly not through National Insurance.
Services would henceforth be provided by the same doctors and the same hospitals, however –
services were provided free at the point of use;
services were financed from central taxation;
everyone was eligible for care (even people temporarily resident or visiting the country).
This system worked fine in the early years however with the growth of the UK population with the baby boomer generation and a marked increase in immigration since the 1970′s, coupled with the fact that health treatments have improved life expectancy of the indigenous population, the NHS has become increasingly strained in the resources it is able to deliver to patients, within an acceptable timeframe.
Although the recent Labour government has addressed some of the problems of overcrowding and waiting lists, the main problem with the NHS is that everyone can use it and its resources are finite.
Choosing a private health insurance plan allows you as the patient, more flexibility when it comes to your medical care, immediate access to care facilities and more importantly you do not have to worry that you might have to wait weeks for treatment.
As with any insurance, private health insurance is paid for by premiums, usually monthlu ongoing, and of course this will be on top of the national insurance contributions that you have to pay as an income earner to the government.
However when you consider the benefits and treatments that are available with private health insurance, the small monthly charge seems worth it for protecting yourself and your family when they most need it!
Going Private
Taking out the relevant private health insurance will guarantee you that you’ll get the services that you pay for. Private health Insurance cuts your waiting time drastically and having private health care means that if you fall sick or get injured, you will get seen to and treated immediately in confortable surroundings. Paying for this service does not necessarily mean that you’ll be treated to a higher standard than that of the NHS, however when you are hospitalised time is of the essence for treatment and recovery .
Private actually means private, and the treatment you will receive will usually be in a modern equipped private hospital in your area.
Most policies allow you the option of choosing who it is that treats you. Your place of stay is your own space where you can have visitors in confortable clean surroundings without the restrictions often found in NHS hospitals..
It should be remebered that Health Insurance is no different to other insurance when it comes to paying premiums, so if you pay for the minimum cover levels you will get the minimum covers available under the policy. If you spend that little more for the services you could need your cover will be more comprehensive.
There are many different health insurance and medical insurance providers in the UK, all looking for your custom, meaning there are a number of competitive prices available often with attractive side offers or additional covers for free.
Shop around and compare prices for health insurance quotes in order to get the best price. Use the Internet to compare policy details.
Beat the NHS waiting lists with private health insurance and grab yourself some piece of mind….
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