Can We Afford Private Healthcare? Maybe with Scan.com

Vicky Parry 27th Sep 2023 No Comments

Reading Time: 4 minutes

This post is sponsored by Scan.com

Time is crucial and when it comes to our health, that time is often something we don’t have. A week can literally be the difference between living and dying and with a health service on its knees, more and more people are feeling the need to turn to private healthcare to speed up the process. People are taking their health into their own hands. One in eight Britons used private healthcare in the last 12 months, with a further quarter considering it. For a third (33%) of those who used private healthcare in the last year, it was the first time they had ever done so. This is of course not an option for all of us. But don’t totally write the idea off until you know the actual pricing: it is often not as high as people may guess. One service charging lower than expected amounts is Scan.com: an imaging service that promises a complimentary clinical consultation within two days and can offer a scan without a GP referral (something else which can slow down the process) in as little as 5 days.

Even the words “private healthcare” make my heart palpitate: horror stories of what procedures cost make a huge number of us feel priced out, or not even bother to look, or worry about cowboy operations offering cheap alternatives. Scan.com, however, is owned and run by experienced clinicians, and is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

If you’re struggling to get a scan referral via the traditional GP route, or want to skip the waiting lists, Scan.com have an expert clinical team to help. They’ll call you, listen to you, and refer you to a scanning centre of your choice in as little as 48 hours.

Partnered with over 150 scanning centres, you can find an MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound scan near you no matter where you’re located.

Scan.com gives you the freedom to choose the type of scan you need, at a convenient location, with a price to suit your budget. For one affordable cost, they’ll take care of everything, from referral to results.

What they cover

All kinds of scan. That can be MRI, CT, Ultrasound, X-Ray and Open MRI for all kinds of purposes. Covering both diagnostic and preventative care, all scans are carried out by highly trained radiographers, while experienced radiologists examine and report on the results.

If any abnormalities are found within your scan images, Scan.com’s medical team will contact you to discuss the results and next steps. They’ll only contact your GP in the case of a medical emergency.

Your imaging report and copy of your images will be electronically sent to you, for use in any onward consultations you may have. You can take these results back to your NHS GP to access care, with no pricey private follow-ups needed.

What they cost

As the UK’s largest scanning network, Scan.com’s pricing varies depending on the scan type, body area, and scanning centre location. They start from just £295 for a complete package of care, with no hidden costs.

How can you determine legitimate Private Healthcare providers?

“It’s important to do your homework when choosing a healthcare provider. We’re proud of our 4.5 star ‘Excellent’ Trustpilot rating, and CQC registration, because it shows people that they’re in safe hands when they choose Scan.com. We’ve scanned over 15,000 private patients, and are a trusted provider to the NHS as well. As clinicians ourselves, we know what the best possible care looks like and built Scan.com on those principles.” – Dr Lizzie Tuckey, Managing Director, Scan.com

Another method is by looking at legitimate reviews on trustpilot etc. Check what other people say about the service. We spoke to one anonymous customer of Scan.com who said that they literally saved her life. “After repeatedly being told for years I was too young for an MRI or to have a serious back injury by the GP, I decided to go through this service.The clinician, Emma, rang me straight away, referred me for the MRI and within a few days it was booked. After the MRI I was told I needed immediate surgery and it took the GP 12 hours to inform me of this whereas Emma rang me straight away and advised me to go to A&E and was really reassuring and supportive at an extremely difficult time. All the doctors at A&E told me how using this service was the best thing I ever did. Such a fast, efficient and useful service – honestly the best 300 pounds I ever spent. Would recommend this service to anyone over and over again”

Is it Easy to Book a Scan?

So easy! Follow these steps:

1.Enter the body part you need scanning and your postcode/town and you’ll be shown all available locations nearby.

The price shown for each centre is the total cost of your scan, with no hidden fees.

2. Complete a booking form. This takes a couple of minutes to fill out your details, including a short safety questionnaire to ensure you can safely have your scan.

3. Once they receive your booking, Scan.com’s medical team will call you to discuss your symptoms, complete your referral, and ensure that the scan you have chosen is appropriate for your condition.

4. Have your scan. All scans are carried out by highly trained radiographers, while experienced radiologists examine and report on the results.

You’ll find full information on how the MRI scan works and the procedure here.

5. Get your results. If any abnormalities are found within your scan images, the Scan.com medical team will contact you to discuss the results and answer your questions.

Your imaging report will be electronically sent to you, for use in any onward consultations you may have.

If you are worried about waiting for a scan then start this process here.

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.