No one could doubt that the NHS has been struggling since the start of the pandemic but it is undeniable that there has been a number of shortfalls to routine care and a significant rise in waiting times for treatment.

A new report from the Engage Britain foundation has found that over 20% of patients have engaged the private healthcare sector to expedite their treatment or to access support that the NHS is unable to provide.

What are the facts?

• 21% of patients have been forced to use private healthcare because the treatment was not available on the NHS,
• 25% of patients felt that their medical condition was not taken seriously,
• 25% said waiting times were impacting their mental health, and
• 28% felt that it was an uphill battle to access the care that they needed

Furthermore, it is becoming apparent that delayed medical treatment is having a significant impact on patients’ mental health.

In July Sajid Javid gave a stark assessment that the NHS backlog could soon reach 13 million, all of which paints a dark picture for the future of healthcare provision on the NHS.

Is Private Medical Insurance (PMI) the solution?

Yes, PMI will certainly help those patients with new medical conditions to circumvent the NHS delays.

The private healthcare providers have re-designed their policies to allow members to access Virtual Private GP consultations. This now means that from the primary GP care to the conclusion of treatment, the NHS does not need to be utilised.

What does a PMI policy offer and how much will it cost?

The national average premium for a member in their 60’s is less than £65 per month, based on IHCS market analysis. Even the most basic policy will cover core benefits shown below, with the ability to upgrade cover further:-

• In-patient surgical care – i.e. heart / joint operations
• Day-patient surgical care – i.e. cataract operation
• CT/ PET/ MRI scans
• Access to National hospitals
• Cancer care – including drugs and treatment not readily available on the NHS
• Virtual private GP consultations

Private medical insurance may not be the answer in every case, but the reality is that accessing NHS care is becoming more difficult. PMI is an affordable way to guarantee treatment and to get the very best care possible.

If you’d like any help or advice arranging Private Medical Insurance, Rowley Turton can introduce you to IHCS, an independent PMI specialist. Please contact us for an introduction to IHCS.