THERE has been considerable correspondence about the NHS in the Free Press recently, most of it critical. I have had treatment for several medical conditions in the past few years and, as I have limited private insurance cover, I have had to make use of services provided by the NHS when my insurance policy would not pay for the cost of private treatment.

I am therefore in a good position to compare the two systems. I make it clear that I have only experienced outpatient treatment by the NHS whereas I have had both outpatient and inpatient treatment in the private sector. My experiences are also limited to Wycombe and Amersham hospitals as an NHS patient and Chiltern Hospital as a private patient.

The standard of treatment at all three hospitals has been very good with little to choose between them. Chiltern Hospital is very comfortable and beautifully decorated so that any waiting that has to be endured is in pleasant and relaxing surroundings with facilities like drinks machines and newspapers available. The NHS hospitals are a little more spartan but quite acceptable. The newly refurbished Amersham Hospital is most attractive and well laid out. These aspects are trivial compared to the standard of treatment and I can honestly say that I have not noticed any significant difference.

In all three hospitals the staff have been kind, helpful, considerate and efficient. In the NHS hospitals the nurses may be more rushed than in the private hospital but I have never known this to result in a reduced level of care.

The main differences that I have found are that waiting times for appointments can be longer in the NHS and appointments are sometimes rearranged but I have never been left waiting for long periods. In fact I seldom have time to read the book that I usually take. When I attended for a recent appointment at Amersham I was actually seen by the specialist a few minutes before the appointed time. This has never happened to me in a private hospital. One other difference is that in the NHS hospitals it is common to be seen by a member of the particular specialist's team rather than by the specialist himself but this is not necessarily a disadvantage.

My experience is that NHS hospitals are doing an excellent job and I am most grateful for their efforts but I shall continue with the private insurance cover as long as I can afford it, if only so that I can see specialists at relatively short notice and at times that suit me. I will also have the assurance that should I need surgery or other in-patient treatment I am not likely to have to join a long waiting list.

I hope this redresses the balance in favour of our hard-pressed but excellent local NHS hospitals.

C G Tapley

Copes Road

Great Kingshill