@Former Member posted:I didn’t qualify to reclaim my travel expenses, so I had to pay all my train journeys and Taxi fares myself but the Ambulance to Euston Station was provided by St Marks at no direct cost to myself.
The upgrade to First Class was courtesty of Virgin Rail.
I don’t know whether I’m oblivious to NHS waiting times but from my own experience and that of family and friends, I don’t know of anyone who has had to wait an exceptionally long time for appointments to come through or felt it necessary to complain.
My very first enquiry into J pouch Surgery; the appointment came through within a couple of months; my request to be referred to St Marks, also came through within a couple of months.
Once under the care of St.Marks and during November 2013; I was offered a date for J pouch surgery in February 2014 but as I was still uncertain, my Surgeon suggested a date in June, to give me time to focus my mind, which I accepted.
If I’d accepted the February appointment, my pouch would have been created within 3 months from my first appointment at St.Marks and Takedown probably 6 months later.
How does this compare to the US ?
That does not sound too bad at all. In the U.S we pay for everything either with insurance or without it, some people get discounts. Most people that are age 65 or retired/disabled get things done for free- like my dad for example. Usually everything has copays. And as far as surgerys, its case by case. For an example, almost 6 years ago, my UC was soo bad my doctor admitted me to the hospital. Within two weeks of being in the hospital, I got my J-pouch Surgery, it never took months. I am not sure if your situation was as bad as mine.