NHS waiting times mean more than half of British public would consider private healthcare

LONDON, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a survey of over one thousand adults in the UK conducted by St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, 53.4% of people would "consider" private healthcare if faced with a long wait for treatment on the NHS, and 18.6% would "strongly consider" treatment.

When asked for the most compelling reason for choosing private healthcare, 59.6% gave "shorter wait times" as their answer, with 17.1% saying "quality of healthcare", and 14.6% giving "access to specialist consultants" as their answer.

The survey also identified the five main benefits of private healthcare according to respondents. In priority order, these are:

• Shorter waiting times;
• Higher quality healthcare;
• Access to specialist consultants;
• More personalised healthcare; and
• Access to a broader range of healthcare treatments.

Dr David Mitchell, Medical Director at St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, says that the findings highlight the role private healthcare providers can play in easing pressure on the NHS:

"As NHS average waiting times for treatment continue to rise, private healthcare providers can ease the burden on the NHS by sharing the patient load. We shouldn't see the NHS and private healthcare providers as competitors, but as mutually beneficial parts of the country's overall healthcare system."

The data shows that 35 to 44-year-olds are the age group most likely to strongly consider using private healthcare when faced with a lengthy waiting period on the NHS. These results suggest that those in the younger age group are more likely to be willing to pay for faster access to healthcare, whilst those in the older age groups are more likely to wait for treatment on the NHS.

Both men and women gave "shorter wait times" as the primary reason they would choose private healthcare, but women were more likely to value "a personalised approach to healthcare" whilst men were more likely to value "higher quality healthcare". In general, men were more likely than women to say that they'd consider private healthcare to avoid a wait for treatment.

Responses were also fairly consistent across age groups, with most prioritising "shorter waiting times" and "higher quality healthcare" as the main reason they would opt for private healthcare. The exception was the 55 to 64 age group, who saw "access to a wider range of specialist consultants" as the second most important reason after shorter waiting times for treatment.

Overall, the findings of this survey are roughly consistent with earlier research on the same topic. In March 2022, research by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), a leading progressive think tank, found that 17% would strongly consider private healthcare if faced with a long waiting list on the NHS.

The fact that this number is now 18.6% could suggest a small increase in demand for private healthcare as the NHS continues to struggle to cut waits for services in post-pandemic Britain. 

For more information about this survey, please visit St John & St Elizabeth Hospital.