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| NHS waits force patients to pay for private ops | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Long NHS waiting times appear to be pushing people into paying thousands of pounds for private treatment. | Long NHS waiting times appear to be pushing people into paying thousands of pounds for private treatment. |
| There were 69,000 self-funded treatments in the UK in the final three months of last year - a 39% rise on the same period before the pandemic. | There were 69,000 self-funded treatments in the UK in the final three months of last year - a 39% rise on the same period before the pandemic. |
| Experts said it was a sign of how desperate people had become. | Experts said it was a sign of how desperate people had become. |
| The BBC has seen evidence of people taking out loans and resorting to crowdfunding to pay for private treatment. | The BBC has seen evidence of people taking out loans and resorting to crowdfunding to pay for private treatment. |
| The figures from the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) do not include those who have private insurance - instead they are the people paying the full cost of treatment themselves, leaving them liable for huge bills. | |
| The numbers paying for care topped 250,000 last year. | |
| For common operations like hip and knee replacements, the costs can top £15,000. | |
| Patient groups warned there was a risk of a two-tier system being created, with the poorest losing out because they were the least likely to be able to afford to pay for treatment. | Patient groups warned there was a risk of a two-tier system being created, with the poorest losing out because they were the least likely to be able to afford to pay for treatment. |
| 'I couldn't work so I took out a loan for op' | 'I couldn't work so I took out a loan for op' |
| Katie was told she would have to wait up to two years for her operation | Katie was told she would have to wait up to two years for her operation |
| Katie Hopper, 19, had been struggling with knee problems for a number of years, but it got so bad this year she ended up effectively stuck in bed and unable to work. | Katie Hopper, 19, had been struggling with knee problems for a number of years, but it got so bad this year she ended up effectively stuck in bed and unable to work. |
| She was suffering with dislocations, nerve pain and muscle spasms, which were preventing her working as an apprentice engineer or playing basketball, at which she competed at a high level. | She was suffering with dislocations, nerve pain and muscle spasms, which were preventing her working as an apprentice engineer or playing basketball, at which she competed at a high level. |
| "I was pretty much bedbound. I was feeling very isolated and very lonely. My mental health was definitely suffering," she said. | "I was pretty much bedbound. I was feeling very isolated and very lonely. My mental health was definitely suffering," she said. |
| Katie was told it could be up to two years before she would get the treatment she needed on the NHS. | Katie was told it could be up to two years before she would get the treatment she needed on the NHS. |
| "I couldn't wait that long. I would have lost my job. It is a very active job and I couldn't do it." | "I couldn't wait that long. I would have lost my job. It is a very active job and I couldn't do it." |
| In the end, she took out a loan to pay for the treatment to be done privately in April. It cost more than £7,000 with the follow-up physiotherapy she needed, but she was operated on within two weeks. | In the end, she took out a loan to pay for the treatment to be done privately in April. It cost more than £7,000 with the follow-up physiotherapy she needed, but she was operated on within two weeks. |
| She is now back working and has even started playing basketball again. | She is now back working and has even started playing basketball again. |
| "It has put me under financial pressure, but it was worth it 100%. You can earn money, but you can't earn back time." | "It has put me under financial pressure, but it was worth it 100%. You can earn money, but you can't earn back time." |
| Big variations across UK | Big variations across UK |
| There are now more than 6.6 million people waiting for hospital treatment in England - one in nine of the population - and ministers have warned it could be 2024 before the numbers start coming down. | There are now more than 6.6 million people waiting for hospital treatment in England - one in nine of the population - and ministers have warned it could be 2024 before the numbers start coming down. |
| More than a third of them have been waiting more than the target time of 18 weeks. Similar problems are being seen in other parts of the UK. | More than a third of them have been waiting more than the target time of 18 weeks. Similar problems are being seen in other parts of the UK. |
| The PHIN data showed there were big variations in how much the levels of self-funded treatment had risen. | The PHIN data showed there were big variations in how much the levels of self-funded treatment had risen. |
| Comparing the last three months of 2021 with the same period in 2019, Wales and Scotland showed the biggest jumps at 90% and 84%. Northern Ireland rose by 34% in comparison - although some providers have not reported into PHIN yet so when more data is added the figure could be higher still. | Comparing the last three months of 2021 with the same period in 2019, Wales and Scotland showed the biggest jumps at 90% and 84%. Northern Ireland rose by 34% in comparison - although some providers have not reported into PHIN yet so when more data is added the figure could be higher still. |
| In England, the East Midlands was the region that saw the biggest increase, up by 75%. | In England, the East Midlands was the region that saw the biggest increase, up by 75%. |
| Overall the data shows clear drops in people self-funding when the pandemic hit. But before the pandemic the numbers were steady - with about 50,000 people paying for their own treatment every three months. | Overall the data shows clear drops in people self-funding when the pandemic hit. But before the pandemic the numbers were steady - with about 50,000 people paying for their own treatment every three months. |
| From April, about 70,000 people were self-funding every three months. | From April, about 70,000 people were self-funding every three months. |
| Some of this is likely to be the system catching up, given the drop in treatments during 2020. | Some of this is likely to be the system catching up, given the drop in treatments during 2020. |
| But patient groups said it was also a clear sign of desperation, and another illustration of just how bad waiting lists had got in the NHS. | But patient groups said it was also a clear sign of desperation, and another illustration of just how bad waiting lists had got in the NHS. |
| 'I only got treatment because a stranger paid for it' | 'I only got treatment because a stranger paid for it' |
| Brenda Pugh developed severe osteoarthritis in late 2019 and was told she needed a double hip replacement. | Brenda Pugh developed severe osteoarthritis in late 2019 and was told she needed a double hip replacement. |
| She got one on the NHS, but had to go private for the other. She was only able to do this after a person heard about her case when they saw her interviewed by the BBC last year. | She got one on the NHS, but had to go private for the other. She was only able to do this after a person heard about her case when they saw her interviewed by the BBC last year. |
| She had the £11,000 operation in February and said it "absolutely changed my life". | She had the £11,000 operation in February and said it "absolutely changed my life". |
| But Ms Pugh, who is in her early 60s, said there were thousands of people in her position who were still suffering because they were unable to get treatment. | But Ms Pugh, who is in her early 60s, said there were thousands of people in her position who were still suffering because they were unable to get treatment. |
| "It's not right. We've all paid our National Insurance contributions, we've all paid our dues and to not be able to get the treatment is just… immoral is probably quite a strong word but I'll use it." | "It's not right. We've all paid our National Insurance contributions, we've all paid our dues and to not be able to get the treatment is just… immoral is probably quite a strong word but I'll use it." |
| Warning over health inequalities | Warning over health inequalities |
| Patient watchdog Healthwatch England said waits for treatment were one of the most common concerns flagged by patients, and warned the situation risked "widening health inequalities". | Patient watchdog Healthwatch England said waits for treatment were one of the most common concerns flagged by patients, and warned the situation risked "widening health inequalities". |
| Chief executive Louise Ansari said for most people going private "simply isn't an option", especially with the cost-of-living crisis. | Chief executive Louise Ansari said for most people going private "simply isn't an option", especially with the cost-of-living crisis. |
| "People on the lowest incomes are the most likely to wait the longest for NHS treatment. This leads to a worse impact on their physical health, mental health and ability to work and care for loved ones." | "People on the lowest incomes are the most likely to wait the longest for NHS treatment. This leads to a worse impact on their physical health, mental health and ability to work and care for loved ones." |
| Jonathon Holmes, of the King's Fund health think tank, said the figures were "worrying". | Jonathon Holmes, of the King's Fund health think tank, said the figures were "worrying". |
| "The risk is we're left with a two-tier system where some people have to wait too long for care and others feel forced to bust the bank to get the care they need." | "The risk is we're left with a two-tier system where some people have to wait too long for care and others feel forced to bust the bank to get the care they need." |
| But a spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said there was a clear plan to tackle the Covid backlog, with new surgical hubs and community diagnostic clinics being set up. | But a spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said there was a clear plan to tackle the Covid backlog, with new surgical hubs and community diagnostic clinics being set up. |
| "Good progress is being made on cutting longest waiting times, with the number of patients waiting over two years for treatment falling by more than 80% since February," he added. | "Good progress is being made on cutting longest waiting times, with the number of patients waiting over two years for treatment falling by more than 80% since February," he added. |
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