When people think about private medical insurance (PMI), the first things that usually come to mind are shorter waiting times, private hospitals and the comfort of having your own room. Those benefits certainly matter. But the most important advantage is often overlooked – faster diagnosis.
And when it comes to serious illness, speed can make all the difference.
Across Northern Ireland, more people are exploring private medical insurance because of the growing pressure on the health system.
One in four people here are currently on an NHS waiting list for a first consultant appointment. In many cases the median wait is over a year. For some treatments and procedures, it can be far longer.
In certain specialities, particularly orthopaedics such as hip and knee operations, some waiting times are now exceeding 300 weeks -…