Why go private? A short introduction to the International Medical Industry
Most people in the UK are treated by the NHS. The pathway is understood by all: referral by GP or arrival at A&E, followed by a waiting list. Private care is regarded in the same way as private education, there are no tax breaks for the money you save the state. The UK is unique in this regard. All other countries in Europe use a mix of state funded emergency medicine and private insurance. At present medical treatment abroad for Britons is restricted to the EHIC card, which only covers emergency treatment. While it is theoretically possible via what is known as the S2 route to get the cost of your treatment refunded by the NHS the hurdles are daunting. Only state hospitals are eligible, while the best clinics are excluded. We can try to help (it&aposs part of our agreement with you) but you need to be realistic and know that you will always be required to pay up front and that out of pocket expenses are never reimbursed. Fortunately there are options that don&apost cost an arm and a leg.
In 2018, despite the "free at the point of use" NHS model, 11% of elective surgeries were privately funded. If it was possible, the proportion today would be greater. This is despite the fact that private treatment in the UK is more expensive than in most European countries. The international medical market is growing fast. For some countries it makes an economic contribution comparable to tourism. Examples include countries as diverse as Mexico, Malaysia, Estonia, Hungary and Turkey. We also see countries beginning to specialise in particular medical tourism areas. State run healthcare systems are poorly designed to capture the benefits of specialisation, but private clinics can provide far more efficient, and safer, medical interventions. Specialisation allows for a higher throughput of patients and thereby lower costs.
There are over 600,000 qualified nurses in the UK, but only 300,000 in the NHS. Staff turnover is high: about a third (100,000) leave each year. True, some return, after maternity leave for example. Vacancies run at about 40,000 so paradoxically the demand outstrips the (theoretically) large supply. While 300,000 nurses in Britain prefer not to work as nurses, this is not the case in Europe where staff retention is much better.
It is not clear when the logjam of NHS patients can be cleared, or even if this is possible. New disinfection protocols, staff shortages and vaccine mandates may severely constrict the throughput of operating theatres. The government has allotted £5.4 billion for additional operations, but with five million on the waiting list that is a little over a thousand pounds per operation. There are few operations that don&apost cost significantly more. For example the commonest procedure, cataract removal, costs about £3,500 in the NHS internal market, about £4,000 privately in the UK. A gallstone operation runs to over £5,000 and another common operation, abdominal hernia repair, is a little under £2,000. Procedures requiring general anaesthetic cost upwards of £10,000. Inevitably there will be some hard choices. Some patients may find themselves perpetually behind the trauma or emergency cases. For chronic conditions private self-pay may be the only option to improve your quality of life. The good news is that the price can be less than half the figures quoted above.
The physicians on our panels all speak good English, necessary to keep abreast of international developments in their field. They enjoy the advantage of setting their own prices in a market, and have resources tailored to demand, not a national budget. This leads to a faster and more efficient service. You may wonder why top class surgeons stay at home when they could earn a fortune in the US (or half a fortune in the NHS). Perhaps it&aposs because they enjoy their family and friends, their lower cost of living, their status in their community and the pleasure of following their vocation. Prices can vary wildly from clinic to clinic and from country to country. For example an operation in Poland might cost a tenth of the price in the USA and less than a fifth than in Switzerland. It is true that not all hospitals achieve even the minimum UK standards, but many exceed them. Finding the best care, the right combination of price, quality and timeliness is our job, and we thank you for choosing Compass Elective.
In 2018, despite the "free at the point of use" NHS model, 11% of elective surgeries were privately funded. If it was possible, the proportion today would be greater. This is despite the fact that private treatment in the UK is more expensive than in most European countries. The international medical market is growing fast. For some countries it makes an economic contribution comparable to tourism. Examples include countries as diverse as Mexico, Malaysia, Estonia, Hungary and Turkey. We also see countries beginning to specialise in particular medical tourism areas. State run healthcare systems are poorly designed to capture the benefits of specialisation, but private clinics can provide far more efficient, and safer, medical interventions. Specialisation allows for a higher throughput of patients and thereby lower costs.
There are over 600,000 qualified nurses in the UK, but only 300,000 in the NHS. Staff turnover is high: about a third (100,000) leave each year. True, some return, after maternity leave for example. Vacancies run at about 40,000 so paradoxically the demand outstrips the (theoretically) large supply. While 300,000 nurses in Britain prefer not to work as nurses, this is not the case in Europe where staff retention is much better.
It is not clear when the logjam of NHS patients can be cleared, or even if this is possible. New disinfection protocols, staff shortages and vaccine mandates may severely constrict the throughput of operating theatres. The government has allotted £5.4 billion for additional operations, but with five million on the waiting list that is a little over a thousand pounds per operation. There are few operations that don&apost cost significantly more. For example the commonest procedure, cataract removal, costs about £3,500 in the NHS internal market, about £4,000 privately in the UK. A gallstone operation runs to over £5,000 and another common operation, abdominal hernia repair, is a little under £2,000. Procedures requiring general anaesthetic cost upwards of £10,000. Inevitably there will be some hard choices. Some patients may find themselves perpetually behind the trauma or emergency cases. For chronic conditions private self-pay may be the only option to improve your quality of life. The good news is that the price can be less than half the figures quoted above.
The physicians on our panels all speak good English, necessary to keep abreast of international developments in their field. They enjoy the advantage of setting their own prices in a market, and have resources tailored to demand, not a national budget. This leads to a faster and more efficient service. You may wonder why top class surgeons stay at home when they could earn a fortune in the US (or half a fortune in the NHS). Perhaps it&aposs because they enjoy their family and friends, their lower cost of living, their status in their community and the pleasure of following their vocation. Prices can vary wildly from clinic to clinic and from country to country. For example an operation in Poland might cost a tenth of the price in the USA and less than a fifth than in Switzerland. It is true that not all hospitals achieve even the minimum UK standards, but many exceed them. Finding the best care, the right combination of price, quality and timeliness is our job, and we thank you for choosing Compass Elective.