Private Healthcare Use Rising as NHS Waits Grow

A two-tier health system is taking shape in England, with more patients turning to private healthcare to bypass long NHS waiting times. Healthwatch England, the patient watchdog, has warned that reliance on private providers is increasing, raising concerns about fairness and access to care.

Recent polling of nearly 2,600 people revealed that 16% had used private healthcare in the past year—up from 9% just two years earlier. Four in ten of those who paid for treatment said NHS delays were the main reason. Wealthier households were far more likely to go private, with 35% of people earning over £80,000 using private care compared to just 10% of those earning under £20,000.

Patients are not only paying for full treatments but also using private providers for scans and tests before returning to the NHS with results, hoping to be seen faster. While the NHS aims for a six-week target for tests, private providers can often deliver results within 48 hours.

The watchdog highlighted the story of Chloe Leckie from Buckinghamshire, who struggled for years with endometriosis. After repeated NHS delays, she turned to the private sector when her husband’s insurance policy changed, covering the £20,000 cost of a hysterectomy. She described the NHS as unable to provide the help she needed, saying she was “lucky” to have the option of going private.

Healthwatch England analyzed 390,000 pieces of patient feedback over three years, concluding that the government must do more to reduce waiting times and provide better communication to patients while they wait. Currently, nearly four in ten people wait longer than the NHS target of 18 weeks for hospital treatment.

Private healthcare providers report nearly 950,000 operations and treatments carried out last year, alongside more than a million scans and tests. Demand is also rising for private mental health care, weight-loss drugs, and GP appointments.

Medical leaders warn that this trend is adding pressure to NHS staff, as patients often return with private test results that must be reviewed before NHS treatment can proceed. The British Medical Association has called for urgent national action to bring waiting lists down and prevent a deepening two-tier system.

The Department of Health and Social Care insists progress is being made, with waiting lists at their lowest level in nearly three years. Officials say investment and modernization are beginning to improve access, but acknowledge there is still “a long way to go.”

This growing reliance on private healthcare underscores the challenges facing the NHS and raises critical questions about equality, affordability, and the future of healthcare in England.