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NHS quicker than private?

CathyBC
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Hi, I need a colonoscopy and gastroscopy to try and get a diagnosis. 

My NHS appointment is the 5 Jan but I’m not sure whether it will go ahead due to the strikes.

I am lucky to have BUpA through work, but I wouldn’t have the tests with them until 17 Jan.

Not sure which one to go with so any advice most gratefully received.

Thank you 

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    Hi can't you book Bupa appointment so that if NHS strikes do go ahead and you don't get seen you can still go with Bupa ,if you get seen with NHS you can cancel Bupa .

  • Offline in reply to Jenny3109

    Someone can correct me if i'm wrong, and you can correct me too, but doesn't BUPA care via a policy work in the same manner as other insurance policies? Meaning, if they were to contact them and make an appointment, it would be counted as them using the policy regardless if they made a claim or not?

    If i was the OP, i'd query that before using it because it may affect their policy should they need to use it properly in future. These things usually work on an annual basis, so maybe they only allow for so many appointments etc.

  • Offline in reply to ProfBaw

    I'm not sure you may well be right ,I never thought of that .

  • Offline in reply to Jenny3109

    I know with normal insurance policies, if you call them up and tell them you may have to claim or the claim doesn't go any further for any reason, it gets jotted down as a claim. So your premiums go up regardless.

    With these things, there is no poor insurance company and they get you every which way, so I'd always query these things in case it affects anything down the line. Different if they were gonna use the appointment, but making one, then cancelling it if it came to that, would count as a usage as it would with any insurance policy i would assume.

  • Offline

    Hi, and thank you for your replies. I have already had consultations under BUpA so claiming or not is not an issue in itself. I am going to do some ringing round tomorrow to see if I can get an idea of how long it takes to get the results and a follow up appointment. 

  • Offline in reply to CathyBC

    Sorry, I'm being all doom and gloom and really not meaning to be. Be aware, mixing private with NHS can actually hold things up. If you go private and then decide to then go NHS, you have to re enter the NHS system. Whereas, if you stay the course with the NHS, you'll be in the system. Plus, you have to wait for reports etc to go from private to NHS. Some people have actually found this a hindrance. I'd advise you to keep your NHS appointment regardless or the pathway will start from square one again.

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