Self-pay in healthcare: A conversation with Georgina Bishop, The London Clinic

Self-pay in healthcare used to be considered as only accessible to those with higher incomes, where they are more likely to have disposable cash to spend on certain treatments. However, our recent report with The London Clinic, ``What's happening to self-pay in healthcare?” showed that 42% of the UK population see self-pay as a viable option for them, and 30% more likely to consider using self-pay since the start of COVID-19.

With this in mind, we spoke to Georgina Bishop, Head of Self-pay at The London Clinic, who shared her insights and knowledge of the changing market and how the industry can adapt to make self-pay more accessible. Georgina is passionate about delivering a seamless journey for patients from start to finish, and for the professional healthcare community.

What are the benefits of self-pay in healthcare?

As the country recovers from the effects of the pandemic it is clear that there is a huge pent up demand for health investigations and treatments. Patients have done all they can to protect the NHS in the last 18 months, but as life begins to return to normal those lumps, bumps, tummy troubles, and aches and pains have reached the point where they need looking into.

Private healthcare offers patients a way to continue to relieve the pressure on the NHS by finding alternative ways to put their mind at rest and get the treatment they need quickly and easily.

By paying for treatment, patients are able to avoid lengthy delays and get back to spending time with their loved ones, back to work and back to doing the activities they enjoy.

Are you surprised to see more of an interest in self-pay from 18–24 year-olds?

This age group has grown up with easy access to goods and services so it’s not a surprise that when it comes to their own health they look for quick and easy ways to get what they need.

How do you think it is best to communicate with this generation when it comes to self-funding their healthcare?

For the private healthcare sector this shows the potential we have to widen our market away from the perceived ‘traditional’ view of a private healthcare user.

Moving forward, the sector should look at new ways to provide information about the services we have available for younger users.

This may mean less advertising of things like hips and cataracts, and instead explore more age-related health screening, therapy services and preventative solutions, offering a whole health approach rather than a single ‘treatment as needed’ type offer.

Using a variety of mediums for showcasing services to extend the reach to all generations will be the key to success.

There is a lack of awareness to the types of financing options available to people when it comes to self-pay. What can the sector do to make people more aware of the options available to them?

You can walk down any high street now and spread the cost of even small ticket items. Finance is a way of life and this should be no different for healthcare. Indeed, it’s more important than ever to ensure that potential patients understand that private healthcare is accessible and affordable. We would never want to encourage anyone to take on debt they can’t afford, but for a large number of patients spreading the cost of treatment is a great option.

As a sector we need to recognise that this is yet another way we can help patients who may not have considered private healthcare previously to access services quickly. Talking to patients about their options is a great start.

Wearable tech is becoming a big trend, particularly amongst the younger generation. How do you see technology playing a part in healthcare in the future?

Lots of people are using wearable tech to take personal responsibility for their own health and wellbeing, from a simple pedometer tracking daily step counts to the more sophisticated measurement of all types of activity and health stats.

This tech is already helping patients understand their own health and quickly identify when something is awry. It is likely to only get more sophisticated and has the potential to give early warning signs for a wide range of conditions. As we all know early detection is often key to better outcomes so it will be great to see this develop.

How can the industry as a whole make self-pay more accessible?

For patients considering using private healthcare as a viable alternative to a long wait, the private sector needs to recognise that it can be daunting making a first approach. We must find innovative ways of making this easier for would-be patients. The use of apps, web chat and online booking and payment systems will surely be required to offer 24-hour, instant access.

In supporting patients at a very stressful time for both themselves and their loved ones, it is important to remember that a personal approach can really make the difference. It is essential that the patient feels listened to and that they can trust the information they are being provided with.

It should be easy for patients to find information and ask further questions. We need to respond quickly to requests for more information, offer a friendly, reassuring voice and take time to explain ‘how it all works’.

The opportunity is there for us all to make a difference and as a sector we should be looking at what we can do to help patients and our NHS colleagues to ease the backlog.