Private medical insurance

If you don't want to rely on the NHS, you can go private for better facilities, shorter waiting times to see specialists and continuity of care. As a private patient you can often choose when treatment will take place, the specialist who treats you and the hospital you go to.

However, private medical treatment can be expensive, so you could choose to take out private medical insurance. Private medical insurance will in most circumstances allow you be treated quicker than being treated by the NHS, however, most policies only cover short-term illness or injury and if your consultant also works in the NHS, your treatment will need to be given in the time he or she has free from the NHS. 

Top tips

  • Find out if your company offers private medical insurance. If the company pays the premium for you you'll have to pay tax on this. You may be able to add other family members to your policy if you pay the extra premium.
  • It may be possible to get cover on different premium levels depending on a hospitals' grade, for example cover can be cheaper if London hospitals are excluded.

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