Why more and more people are turning to private healthcare during the coronavirus pandemic

Private healthcare

Why more and more people are turning to private healthcare during the coronavirus pandemic

Posted on Mon Jun 29, 2020

With NHS waiting lists reaching longer-than-ever lengths, private healthcare is increasingly seen as a way to complement our amazing but currently overstretched NHS services. Meet Adela, a Restaurant Manager who went private to get a diagnosis for her dodgy knee before her restaurant re-opened on 4th July.

  • Adela had an undiagnosed pain in her right knee but was told the wait for an MRI scan on the NHS would be almost six months
  • She called Oryon and arranged an appointment with a physiotherapist
  • She was referred for an MRI scan
  • Her physio discussed and explained the report with her
  • Adela is now able to go back to the NHS with a diagnosis and get straight onto a treatment pathway

Adela’s private healthcare journey

Adela, who has been informed that she can fully re-open her restaurant on July 4th as coronavirus lockdown restrictions ease, managed to see a physiotherapist, get an MRI scan and get a diagnosis and a treatment pathway in just 5 days, avoiding a long wait on the NHS. She had previously injured her knee some years ago but had recently felt the injury flaring up at the worst possible time, as she expects to be rushed off her feet from 4th July onwards!

Knee pain history

Having seen a doctor years ago for a suspected meniscal tear in her knee, Adela was sent for an X-ray. However, the X-ray could not pick anything up as there was no bone damage.

 

Private healthcare knee pain

‘The X-ray wasn’t useful because the images show bones, not meniscus,’ says Adela.

As time passed, the pain was reduced, she went back to work and didn’t think much of it.

Lockdown flare-up

However, during lockdown Adela’s knee started hurting again, and she knew she would need to get it seen to before she needed to be on her feet all day again in her job.

‘I did some research online,’ says Adela, ‘and found that an MRI scan would be the best thing to diagnose a meniscal tear.’ Having looked at her options with the NHS, where she was told she may have to wait up to six months for her scan, Adela decided to do an online search for private MRI centres in London.

‘I found Oryon Imaging on Google and gave them a call. They told me that their Connect service could help me to get an appointment with a local physiotherapist who would be able to see me at short notice, to look at my knee and refer me for a scan.’

Private physio appointment

Oryon Connect arranged for Adela to see David Wynne, Physiotherapist and Oryon Connect Partner who practices in West London, just two days after contacting Oryon.

‘He was very good,’ says Adela, ‘and offered to book me in for an MRI scan during my appointment using Oryon Imaging’s online community. I wanted to book in my own time, so I went home and found that in the short time it took me to get there, David had sent my referral to Oryon Imaging and they had set me up with an online account. I booked myself an appointment for a time that suited me and paid online.’

Private MRI scan appointment

Adela took a short bus journey from her home to the Oryon Imaging clinic on Wimpole Street, parallel to Harley Street.

 

Private MRI appointment

‘I was very impressed with the coronavirus safety measures,’ she says. ‘They gave me a mask and gloves, and the clinic was clean and tidy.’

Having had her MRI scan, Adela collected a copy of her MRI images from the reception and went home.

Follow-up

The next day, David, the physio, sent her a copy of her MRI report and explained that she had a suspected meniscal tear. He went through some specific, targeted physiotherapy exercises to take up permanently to strengthen her knee, and they arranged for another face-to-face appointment two weeks later to check on her progress.

Next steps

Adela is now confident that her knee is on the mend and has talked through her options for continued care with David.

‘He said that, now I have a diagnosis, I can easily go back to the NHS with my MRI report and get straight onto a treatment pathway there. I could even use a combination of the NHS physiotherapy services and private physiotherapy, meaning my options are wide open,’ says Adela.

 

Oryon Imaging

For affordable imaging services with contactless booking, payment and results, as well as robust safety measures in the centre.

Oryon Connect

A free service connecting you with trusted practitioners in London. Our Partners are offering face-to-face and remote consultations. Give us a call to find out more or visit our website.

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