More Britons are turning to private healthcare “out of desperation” over the failures of the NHS, a study has found.
Data from think tank Nuffield Trust shows the number of people paying out of pocket for hospital care has increased since the pandemic – with the biggest increases occurring in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It came as plans revealed NHS England was set to offer cash incentives to trusts that do not leave patients waiting in emergency departments for 12 hours or more.
Up to £150 million will be spent on top-performing hospitals under the new guidelines, which also encourage the use of virtual services to free up space in emergency departments.
More Britons are turning to private healthcare “out of desperation” over the failures of the NHS, a study has found. Archive photo
Between September 2019 and September 2023, paid hospitalizations increased by 218 percent in Northern Ireland, 124 percent in Wales, 80 percent in Scotland and 20 percent in England.
This meant a 32 by chi in A&E.
And the Scottish National Party also collapsed due to its performance on the health service.
In 2023, 12,000 people died in Scotland while waiting for an ambulance, a 70% increase on the previous four years.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt promised almost £6 billion in new funding for the NHS in England in the spring budget.
But Mark Dayan, of the Nuffield Trust, said: “The fact that more people are paying out of pocket at a time when the economy is tight and difficult, not a time of plenty, suggests they are are turning to the private sector out of desperation. as NHS provision stagnates.
“This means that the balance of care is changing very slowly, moving from needs-based care to care based on willingness and ability to pay.”
David Furness, of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, said: “With NHS waiting lists at record levels, it is no surprise that more and more people are choosing to use private healthcare, either by paying out of pocket or through insurance.
“Independent providers also continue to play their role in providing universal, high quality NHS care, free at the point of use for patients across the country, with independent providers providing around one operation admitted to the NHS in every year. five, and 10 percent. Percent of all elective activities, it is clear that the sector is essential to ensuring that NHS patients can get the high-quality, timely care they need.
A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Department of Health said: “The Department of Health and the wider health and social care system are fully aware that NI’s waiting lists are too long.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt promised almost £6 billion in new funding for the NHS in England in the spring budget.
“The Elective Care Framework sets out firm, time-bound proposals for how the department will systematically tackle the patient backlog.
“Considerable efforts are being made across the system to maximize currently available resources.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “NHS Wales is working hard to provide high quality care to reduce waiting times, with the number of long waits continuing to fall in each of the last 23 months, the most low since August 2021.
“We ask a lot of our health and care services, and everyone who works in these services continues to work incredibly hard, providing care to all of us when we need it.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to eradicating long waits, exacerbated by the pandemic, to ensure all people receive the treatment they need as quickly as possible.
“An investment of £30 million is towards a range of national and local plans to reduce national backlogs built up throughout the pandemic by maximizing the use of local and national resources across Scotland.
“This builds on our £1 billion NHS Recovery Plan, which has delivered a significant reduction in the longest waits and continues to support an increase in activity through the implementation of improvements sustainable and new models of care.”