A record number of patients are going private to beat long NHS waiting lists.
UK private hospitals reported 232,000 admissions in the second quarter of 2024, the highest ever for the three months to July, according to data from the Private Healthcare Information Network.
Thousands have been driven to take out private medical insurance amid a public health crisis. More than seven million patients were waiting for NHS operations or procedures in September 2024.
Brian Walters, of health insurance broker Regency Health, said:
Private admissions continue to rise as the NHS looks to clear its post-COVID backlog.
This heightened claims activity is being reflected in renewal premiums, with annual increases significantly higher than historical market norms.
Despite this, many consumers now consider private medical insurance to be a necessity rather than a luxury.”
Most admissions (164,000) were funded by private medical insurance in the second quarter, up 9% year-on-year.
Meanwhile the number of admissions where patients paid out of their own pocket fell slightly, by 5%. However, people are still far more likely to be ‘self-payers’ than they were before the pandemic – with admissions on this basis running 36% above pre-COVID levels.
