Compared to many countries around the world, here in the UK we are very fortunate indeed to have the National Health Service. We may not realise it ourselves, but it really is the envy of many countries around the world. In the USA, for example, if someone breaks their leg and they don't have medical insurance it may cost them several thousand dollars to have it fixed.
With that said, the NHS does have some limitations, and one does not need to be a fortune teller to see that in these days of austerity, certain functions of the NHS may in the future need to be paid for by the individual. One area that is starting to be affected is that involving special care for cancer.
What will happen with the NHS, is that they will only use specific drugs which may not be the best, or that consultations may take longer. To speed the process up, some people take out a private medical insurance in order to cover themselves in this eventuality.
This way, by paying a monthly sum, should you have the unfortunate news that you have cancer, you would be able to use your medical insurance in order to receive private care. This is normally better and prompter.
Some people may not like the idea of an additional sum of money leaving their bank accounts each month, but if you have a history of cancer in the family, then it might be a good idea. It could quite literally be the difference between life and death.
