Over the past three years, the phrase “new normal” has entered the common vocabulary. Increasing concerns that the new normal means a greater divide between the haves and have-nots have been exacerbated by a surge in the number of people opting to pay for private healthcare amid growing frustration at NHS waiting lists.
In 2022, private hospitals treated a record 820,000 inpatients and day cases. Of these, 272,000 funded the treatments or procedures themselves, while the remainder was covered through private medical insurance. It is this former figure that is causing the most consternation. Will the shift towards private healthcare become the latest example of the new normal?
Younger patients are more likely to go private
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the research findings is that the age group making the greatest use of private healthcare is not affluent baby boomers.
18-24 year olds are more likely to use private healthcare than any other age group. Four in ten from this age group have done so, mostly for GP appointments and scans.
Almost three quarters of under-35s said they “would consider” using private healthcare. While this might seem surprising at first glance, it supports the contention that Millennials and Gen-Z are more focused on experiences than possessions. They prioritise quality of life over acquiring wealth and tangible assets.
Waiting lists are the biggest driver
Ian Gargan is Chief Executive of the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN). He told The Guardian that quality of healthcare is not a major driver, but getting treated quickly is. He said “long NHS waiting lists and uncertainty around how long you’ll be waiting” were the driving factors.
He went on to explain that for some patients, paying for treatment immediately was more cost-effective than spending weeks or months unable to work while waiting for a knee or hip replacement on the NHS.
Affordability remains a barrier
The ability to circumvent NHS waiting lists is fine for those who have private medical cover. Also, as already mentioned, growing numbers are paying for private treatment out of their own pockets. More than 80 percent of those who have done so feel it was money well spent, but that presupposes that they have either the private cover or the available funds.
Affordability is the biggest barrier, followed by ethical objections. However, as far as the former is concerned, research shows there is a lack of clear information about the cost of private healthcare. There are opportunities here for providers to empower patients by giving them better information regarding costs.
The second barrier is more complex. Dr John Puntis, Co-chair of Keep Our NHS Public said it was “absolutely shameful” that waiting lists mean the NHS “can’t diagnose and treat life-threatening illnesses such as cancer in a timely fashion.”
However, in the short to medium term, there seems little prospect of NHS waiting lists easing. In the meantime, people will continue to do whatever it takes to receive the treatment they need.