Medical procedures in British private hospitals

Then we talked about private hospitals. We must still be embarrassed to go to a private hospital. The process of seeing a doctor is still a bit confusing. Now the editor will introduce you to some relevant information.

Private hospitals

Private hospitals refer to for-profit medical institutions. Compared with the British NHS system, private hospitals require people to pay out of their own pockets, rather than the government footing the bill. The nature is generally similar to that of domestic hospitals. Their medical service prices are liberalized, they operate independently in accordance with the law, and pay taxes in accordance with regulations. They are located across the UK and provide the highest quality and fastest medical services to the people.

British private hospitals VS British public hospitals

So what are the pros and cons of private hospitals over public hospitals?

High efficiency: Compared with British public hospitals, the high efficiency of private hospitals is what everyone values ??most. There are no barriers, anyone can see a doctor, and there is no need to queue up or make an appointment. Especially for some diseases that are related to life safety, choosing a private hospital will save you a lot of worry. Basically, you make an appointment for examination and treatment on the same day. Except for some well-known large private hospitals, the treatment will not last more than a week, and the efficiency is much higher than that of public hospitals.

Expensive: Compared with the free NHS system, private hospitals that need to pay out of pocket are much more expensive. It's actually really expensive. For an average specialist, the price of a consultation alone is upwards of ￡100. It is normal for a minor surgery to cost two to three thousand yuan.

For example, our teacher previously wanted to perform full femtosecond laser surgery on the eyes. After comprehensively evaluating the resources in the UK and China, she finally chose to do it in Shanghai. The reason is that the same instrument costs more than 6,000 pounds (equivalent to nearly 60,000 yuan at the time) in a British private hospital, but only 28,000 pounds in Shanghai, which is more than half the price difference.

: Medical treatment process

1. Make an appointment with a general practitioner

Everyone knows that the first step in seeing a doctor in the UK is to make an appointment for a GP examination, and it is free. There are two situations here as well. One is for Chinese residents in the UK, which falls under the NHS free medical care. It is recommended to go to a GP to diagnose the condition first, and decide whether to go to a public or private hospital based on the GP doctor's advice. After all, there are free resources available. If the queue time in public hospitals is long, private hospitals may be considered as appropriate; the second category is non-British residents, such as tourists holding British tourist visas, visiting scholars, holders of family visit visas, etc. Those who are not registered as a GP can go directly to a private hospital.

Here, we should focus on family visit visas. Because Bonley met a friend's mother before and came to the UK to live for three months on a visit visa. I fell ill within these three months. At that time, Bonley accompanied this friend to several local GPs. Because my aunt did not register as a GP in time after arriving in the UK, the local GP refused to accept patients and sent them all to private hospitals. Later, when I talked about this incident with other Chinese people, I found that many people had encountered similar situations. It is recommended that tourists holding a visit visa or tourist visa who encounter illness during their stay in the UK should go directly to the hospital for emergency treatment instead of making an appointment with a local general practitioner.

2. Make an appointment at a private hospital by phone

If you decide to go to a private hospital, you need to make an appointment by phone in advance. The procedure is the same as making an appointment with a GP. GPs and private hospitals belong to two completely different systems and require separate appointments.

The method of making an appointment is very simple. You can make an appointment by phone or online. Generally, online reservations can be made on the official websites of private hospitals. When making an appointment, you need to tell the other party what kind of treatment is needed so that the hospital can make an appointment with the corresponding outpatient doctor.

3. Go to the hospital.

Go to the hospital according to the appointment time and report to the reception desk (front desk). The hospital has good records showing that the person who made the appointment has arrived at the hospital. Then I sat in the lobby and waited for the call, which was basically the same as in China.

4. How to buy medicine?

After the examination, the attending doctor will give you a prescription

In the UK, hospitals and medicines are separated, and you are not required to buy medicines in the hospital. Whether it is an NHS hospital or a private hospital, you need to take a prescription to an outside pharmacy to buy medicine. Boots Pharmacy is the most commonly used one. And the price of prescription drugs is controlled by the NHS. It's free in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and costs ￡8.20 for prescriptions in England.

5. How to pay?

Because the medical expenses in British private hospitals are extremely expensive, many private hospitals pay first for treatment. It's more humane when I think about it. Save people first, then consider charging, rather than being cold and having no money, regardless of whether people live or die. You can pay at the reception immediately after viewing, or you can pay slowly after returning home. Sometimes medical expenses are collected from the doctor's account instead of the hospital's account, so it is best to go home and wait for the invoice (bill), and then transfer it to the designated account after getting the invoice.

6. Regarding medical insurance in the UK

Having said so much, how can we save the cost of medical treatment in private hospitals, which are so expensive? This is about commercial medical insurance. Bangli knows best about Bupa, the largest medical insurance group in the UK, and the medical insurance purchased by the teacher’s company.

Bupa, as the largest medical insurance group in the UK, has a history of more than half a century. Its businesses include commercial health insurance, hospital and medical services, and healthcare services. In the UK, Bupa operates nearly 30 private hospitals, more than 290 nursing homes and many nursing homes.

So the question is, when the UK’s comprehensive free medical system is so complete, why does it need paid medical insurance like Bupa?

Obviously, as a profit-making organization, Bupa is superior to the NHS medical system in terms of service and efficiency. When the family income reaches a certain level, in order to pursue more efficient and better medical services, it is necessary to purchase medical insurance. In many large companies in the UK, the company will purchase Bupa business insurance for its employees. Bupa will regularly organize professionals to come to the company to conduct free physical examinations for employees, and then give corresponding suggestions based on the employees' physical conditions, or recommend them to Bupa Hospital for treatment. As a Bupa member, you can skip the hassle of queuing for an appointment. You have priority in all aspects, and you can reimburse 80% or more of your medical expenses.

If your family has a good income and wants better medical services, you can consider purchasing this kind of commercial medical insurance.

Recommended private hospitals in the UK

With the improvement of domestic living standards, some patients with financial ability have begun to choose to go overseas for medical treatment, hoping to get better treatment. Although the UK is not the most popular medical destination among Chinese people going abroad for medical treatment because the high cost of treatment prohibits many people, but because it has many of the world's leading medical research institutions and medical resources, it is increasingly attracted the attention of Chinese patients. British medical care is as famous in the world as the United States, with world-renowned reputations in cancer, heart, neurological and transplantation. There are many well-known medical experts in Europe and even the world, as well as many well-known medical institutions, such as University College London.

Wellington Hospital (Wellington Hospital, UK)

Wellington Hospital in London, UK is probably the most famous private hospital in the UK. It is currently the largest private hospital in the UK and one of the largest private hospitals in Europe. It is known in the medical field for cardiology, neurosurgery, liver and rehabilitation, obstetrics and gynecology, and orthopedics. It is also the largest sports medicine hospital in the UK. This hospital was the hospital where Liu Xiang received professional treatment after his injury. The surgeon who operated on Liu Xiang was Nick Cullen, the most famous sports medicine expert. His treatment of ankles and Achilles tendons is highly regarded in the UK.

London Bridge Hospital (London Bridge Hospital)

London Bridge Hospital is also one of the largest private hospitals in the UK and belongs to the Hospital Group of America (HCA). It has a history of more than 100 years since its establishment. The hospital is located on the south bank of the River Thames in central London, overlooking the River Thames and Tower Bridge. The superior geographical location and extensive transportation network have become the hospital's unique advantages.

The Cardiac Care Center at London Bridge Hospital is one of the UK's centers of excellence and enjoys an excellent reputation throughout the UK and around the world. In addition to the cardiac treatment centre, London Bridge Hospital also has considerable achievements in cancer treatment. It is a world-class private hospital that provides a variety of cancer treatment services to patients from all over the world. Its treatment scope includes bile duct cancer, brain cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, urinary system cancer, blood system cancer, skin cancer, neuroendocrine cancer, etc.

To find more British private hospitals, please go to the British NHS official website, click on the service near you, enter your British address and postal code, and then search for private hospitals, a list of private hospitals near your home will appear. .