The health and social care champion for England has warned that patients face a two-tier system, as a new poll revealed one in seven people had been advised by an NHS professional in the past year to consider paying for private healthcare.
Healthwatch England, which gathers the views of health and social care users in England, says it is concerned that some health services are now only available to those who can afford it. It says more work is required to overcome the barriers to care in deprived areas.
A Savanta poll of 1,758 adults in England revealed that 14% had been advised to consider going private by an NHS professional. More than a quarter (28%) said they had accessed private healthcare in the past year, which included dentistry.
The most common reasons were that people considered they would receive better quality care (37%); that the NHS waiting list was too long (34%); or they wanted a procedure that was not available on the NHS in their region (22%). Healthwatch England says many people are unable to afford private care but feel they have no other options.
Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, said: “With access to NHS care remaining the most significant challenge people report to us nationwide, we’re seeing a two-tier system emerge where timely access to services is often available faster to those with money to pay for it.
“Our polling shows that people who are more financially comfortable are much more likely to be able to access free or discounted private GP appointments through their work.
“We know that many people, especially those on lower incomes, disabled people, carers and younger people, face real challenges accessing care. And, if they can access services, they sometimes choose not to attend GP or dental appointments or buy prescription medications to avoid extra costs.”
Data from the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN), an independent organisation, shows there were 227,000 private healthcare admissions in the first three months of this year, the highest since the network started collecting data. There were 17,000 more private admissions than in the same quarter in 2022.
Some patients are paying to see consultants for a diagnosis rather than wait for months on NHS waiting lists. Bronwen Williamson, 60, from Sunderland, paid £200 to see a consultant when she fell ill early this year with suspected arthritis and was told she faced a six-month waiting list.
She said: “I couldn’t get out of bed. I was totally at rock bottom. I went to see a consultant and I was only in his office for about 10 minutes and he diagnosed me.” Williamson was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and was then able to get the drugs she required on the NHS.
“If I hadn’t gone private, I would still be waiting to be seen,” she said. “I would say to someone who is suffering: ‘please go private and get the ball rolling’.”
Healthwatch England says the NHS should offer better support for those on the waiting list.
It will publish a new report this week called “The public’s perspective: The state of health and social care”. It will examine how barriers and delays to timely care affect nearly every part of the NHS and social care system.
