The NHS recommends endoscopy as a diagnostic test for people who experience symptoms such as persistent dyspepsia , problems swallowing abdominal pain, non-cardiac chest pain, ongoing vomiting and nausea, persistent diarrhoea, and blood in stools. However, there are reasons why you may need to have an endoscopy even if you don't have these symptoms, and reasons why you might instead choose to have a private endoscopy. For example, if you need an endoscopy for reasons other than those recommended by the NHS, it's unlikely that the NHS will refer you for the procedure. When this is the case, having a private endoscopy is the only alternative. Another consideration is that having the procedure performed privately usually means a much shorter waiting time, and that it will be performed by an experienced endoscopist who will be able to provide expert interpretation of the results and the implications for your health and symptoms.
Additionally, some people simply prefer the increased privacy and comfort of having the test in a private hospital. In particular, the comfort of a private room can be a significant advantage for someone undergoing an endoscopy. The test can be a little bit nerve-racking for many people, and having a private room in which to prepare for the test, and in which to recover after it's over, can help you feel more at ease and make a big difference in your overall level of comfort.
For people who need an endoscopy as a diagnostic procedure for gastrointestinal problems, the NHS provides coverage for this procedure in certain situations. However, many people choose to bypass the NHS in favour of a having an endoscopy at a private hospital. One reason for this is that the NHS doesn't cover the cost of endoscopy in all situations, in which case many people must pay the cost themselves if they wish to have the procedure. Another reason why people choose to have the procedure carried out at a private hospital is that in many cases people feel it's more worthwhile to pay the private endoscopy cost themselves, or use their own private health insurance, rather than wait for an NHS appointment. Finally and perhaps most importantly, the procedure will be performed by an experienced expert who is better able to interpret findings and their meanings for your current symptoms and future health.
The average private endoscopy cost can reach up to £1,000 or more depending on where the procedure is carried out. This may seem a high price, but there are some advantages to this, especially when you're experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms that may indicate a serious problem. As well as this, there's the fact that a private hospital is more likely than a public hospital to have state-of-the-art medical equipment, and that it's typically more comfortable to have the procedure in a private hospital.
My main base is the Shirley Oaks GI Investigation unit. This offers the most comprehensive range of GI investigations and treatments of any private hospital in south London and Surrey. Standard upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy are offered together therapeutic endoscopy, ERCP, oesophageal manometry and pH testing, video capsule endoscopy and breath testing. Furthermore unlike central London private hospitals where patients are given just a cubicle, patients have their own room in which to prepare and recover which is particularly important when undergoing embarrassing procedures such as colonoscopy.
Upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy are offered using state of the art high definition endoscopic equipment.
