Private health care and young children

[AZURES3]

I would value opinions on the value of BUPA cover etc for young children . I have the option to add my 4 year old son to the company scheme this November, for a small fee but many people I have spoken to say its not worth doing. Many people seem to feel the Paediatric care int he NHS is quite extensive and private Paediatric care tends to not add much value.

Those with children i would value your thoughts

[Booster]

Had both of mine in the scheme since birth.

Only had to use it once for my youngest but wouldn't want to be without it.

I think the benefit you might get will very much depend on the standard of your local NHS hospitals. As we all know, there are very good ones but also very bad ones. Even if they are good you wouldn't be waiting around for an appointment with BUPA like you would the NHS.

[Chick]

I'm lucky I have only needed to use once too. My best friend has three children who have all needed quite a lot of hospital appointments/treatments (and still on-going) and would not ever be without it, she does believe the treatment she has received has saved one of her children being deaf too as through the NHS you see whoever is on duty at the time whereas she has seen the same consultant throughout over the years with her son (now aged 7). It is a luxury and of course one would hope it is not something you would need but private every time if you can afford it

[Waylander]

Generally it is VERY VERY good in the NHS.

The problem really is the appointement times for "mundane" stuff like grommets etc.

I can sometimes fudge it by going direct to the Consultant but I think the advantage of BUPA cover would be quicker Appt times in non-emergency situations.

[Scotty]

"for a small fee" and you're still pondering ???????

JFDI !

[NewNiceMrMe]

There's nothing to debate in my view. Add them.

[Tipex]

As above, if the option is there, and the price sensible, it's better to have it, and never use it, than to find yourself in a position where you wished you had it.

Personally, I can't afford private health care at the moment, but as soon as the Mrs is back at work, it'll be the first thing we do, although having said that, our experience of the NHS paediatric care has been nothing short of excellent.

Shame we can't say the same for the ongoing saga with Mrs Tipex's health.

[AZURES3]

Thanks for the advice guys, its seems well worth the £22 per month fee by the sounds of it. I has heard so many stories about people being seen so quickly on the NHS for children that it wasnt worth it and some people advised very few paediatric doctors did private work.

[cabby]

As above, in my experience I would say the NHS is second-to-none when it comes to paediatric care. When our first son was about 18m old we took him to A&E thinking he had sprained his wrist or at worst broken/chipped a bone. Long story short, he was diagnosed with Osteomyelitis - a bone infection that was found at the core of his wrist bone. Very rare apparently and to this day we don't know how he contracted it. On top of this the infection was right next to the growth plate in his wrist so there was concern this part of his hand/arm would not develop as it should. The story had a great ending - an op to clear the infection went very well and we got the all-clear a year later i.e. no growth development problems.

I had/have BUPA but all the above was done at our local hospital in Sidcup (before half of it was closed). The operation was conducted via video link to Great Ormond Street hospital (they were going to move him there but decided it wasn't necessary in the end.)

So all in all we couldn't have asked for more from the NHS including our own room for the second half of his 2-week hospitalisation. Where we lucky with the care we received? Probably - butI do know that it was great piece of mind knowing that we had 'another option' if we wanted it. Also worth remembering that with most private health care, if you are admitted to an NHS hospital i.e. you don't use your private policy, you get money back for each day of admittance .

[Scotty]

Long story short, he was diagnosed with Osteomyelitis - a bone infection that was found at the core of his wrist bone. Very rare apparently and to this day we don't know how he contracted it.

Rare indeed! My sister had it when young and this is the first time in 35 years since that I've ever come across any one else who's heard of it!

She had it in her foot. It's always described to me as infected marrow. Apparently they think it came from a slight craze from a brick wall at her nursery. She was in for 6 weeks due to the pain moving from one leg to the other. They waited and then when she said the pain was in a leg the operated. Touch and go apparently.