How is the private healthcare market perceived in the UK?
People receiving treatment through private healthcare isn’t a new concept to the UK but it is starting to grow in popularity, as more people start to find new ways to take their health into their own hands.
With the NHS firmly ingrained into the psyche of the British public, how do people feel about the growth of the private healthcare market?
What is driving people to get treatment through private healthcare in the UK?
In recent years, there has been an increase in people seeking treatment through private healthcare, which has accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amid record breaking NHS waiting lists, spending cuts and on-going strikes, the NHS is struggling to cope with the demand from people seeking treatment, which is driving people to seek alternative options through private healthcare.
A survey commissioned at the end of last year by charity, Engage Britain, and featured in The Guardian, showed that 10% of adults in the UK have turned to private healthcare in the last 12 months, with 63% of those doing so because of delays on the NHS.
Perhaps there is a perception that by choosing private healthcare instead of NHS, people are able to take control of their own health by deciding when and where they can get their treatment, as well as which clinic and healthcare professional to use.
What is the perception of private healthcare in the UK?
Although many people are looking to private healthcare for their treatment, there is still wide support for the NHS. According to IPPR, 88% of people believe in “cross-party universal support for the core principles of an NHS free-at-the-point-of-delivery” - showing that there is still a want for universal free healthcare.
Interestingly, qualitative research we conducted on the perception of private healthcare shows a split between the younger and older generations - with younger generations not welcoming private healthcare as much as older people. This could perhaps come down to affordability, as older generations are likely to have more disposable income than younger people. Equally, the need to access healthcare for treatments may vary across the generations.
“It’s a good option to have if you need to be seen quickly or urgently. It would save long waiting queues for operations but it’s not something that a lot of people can afford.”
“Better than the NHS. Quicker treatment and better aftercare”
“I believe they are in the process of trying to slowly eliminate the NHS and so that’s why private healthcare is being advertised.”
Is private healthcare creating a two tiered healthcare system?
As the shift towards private healthcare continues to grow in the UK, there have been arguments that this is creating a two-tiered healthcare system, meaning those who can afford private treatment are seen more quickly than those we cannot.
“I am not and never will be someone who welcomes private health care. I don’t believe you should have a two tier health system based on ability to pay.”
Until public healthcare services can keep up with increasing demand, those who can afford it will continue to look for alternative means to better their lifestyle by seeking quick medical treatment privately. This means that private healthcare options will only continue to rise.
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