Davina Bradley, 51, an NHS worker from Brimingham, Chesterfield, travelled to Norway in July 2009 for a urology consultation and scans after suffering months of undiagnosed abdominal pain.

"I'd been in agony since April and was waiting for an appointment to see an NHS urologist. Just an initial consultation a local private hospital, would have been £150 to £180, without the scans. I found Scanhealth in Norway on the internet. For a consultation with a urologist, an MRI scan, cystoscopy, abdominal and CT scan plus a mammogram, the price quoted was £713. I'd done some research into prices in the UK and was looking at £600 to £1,000 just for a cystoscopy. The flights for my husband and I were £100 each and a hotel was £65 per night for three nights.

"I wasn't nervous. The staff spoke excellent English, and I was screened for MRSA as Norway has the lowest rate in Europe, which was reassuring.

"The clinic was great, and the results put on a disc for me to bring home. I found I have chronic urethritis and a cyst on my right ovary. Now I can wait for my NHS appointment without worrying it's something serious. I still believe in the NHS but if there's a waiting list and you have a bit of money, it's worth paying for peace of mind."

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