New research released today reveals that pain is by far the biggest driver in the increasing trend of ‘self-pay’ private healthcare, where people pay for the treatment they need.

Almost half (48%) of people in Britain who have paid for treatment such as surgery in the last year in order to get faster access to treatment, declared this was because they were in pain.

Other reasons included not being able to do their jobs (15%), needing to be fit to care for someone else (6%), not being able to play sport (6%) and wanting to be fit for a major life event (7%).

With the NHS waiting lists now at a record high of almost 7.7 million people, this is expected to rise further.

The nationally representative poll of 2,000 people over the age of 45, conducted by Savanta on behalf of Practice Plus Group, an independent healthcare provider, showed that 73% of Brits over the age of 45 have either paid, or would consider paying in the future, for the healthcare they need.

More than half (58%) of those polled in the survey cited the length of the NHS waiting lists as a factor- now at almost 7.7 million- and over half (56%) of people who have paid in the last 12 months are working either full or part time- with many of those working in manual roles and intermediate-level jobs.

According to the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN): “Self-pay admissions grew rapidly immediately post the Covid lockdowns and have on average been around 40% higher than pre-pandemic levels for the past nearly two years… Some people will find it more economically viable to pay for these procedures themselves and be able to return to work sooner, rather than waiting. Those choosing to use self-pay may also have a pre-existing condition which rules out the use of private medical insurance.”

Jim Easton, CEO of Practice Plus Group, said: “This research confirms what we hear every day from those who call our contact centre; people on long waiting lists are in pain. They can’t live the active lifestyles they want and they’re anxious about the future and how their health and lifestyles might deteriorate further. The NHS is working hard to reduce waiting lists and we’re proud to play our part as a large NHS provider, but there are still over 400,000 people waiting for operations such as hip and knee replacements. So it’s not surprising that people are choosing to just pay for what they need, to be seen faster and get back to their best sooner.”

[REGIONAL CASE STUDIES X 3]

East Midlands:

Jo Bracey, 60, from Leicester, had suffered with an arthritic knee for many years and with the NHS waiting list in her area being two years for a knee replacement, she decided to take control and bought herself a new knee for her 60th birthday.

She said: “Life is short. I had stopped playing badminton and tennis and hadn’t been able to walk my dog as much as I had put on weight, so I needed to do something. I was taking paracetamol and ibuprofen every morning and night for many years. My doctor was horrified when I told him. He said I was putting myself at risk of stomach problems.

“I found the Practice Plus Group Hospital in Barlborough on an internet search and even though it was a long way from my home in Leicester, the reviews and price were really good. The knee replacement surgery was £4.5K cheaper than my local private hospital.”

East Midlands:

John Wilson 70, from Nuneaton, is a semi-retired, active man who developed a hernia after playing badminton. John said: “The pain was like a knife being stuck in and twisted and it was just getting worse. I went to see a consultant at my local NHS hospital, who confirmed I had a hernia but said I would need an MRI scan. I had already waited weeks and weeks to see him and the scan would take another 8-10 weeks. I waited and was then told the results would take another 6 weeks to report on, while the operation would still be months away.”

John had to stop working at the café he worked at, could no longer walk into town every day and had put weight on. He had also stopped playing his beloved ukulele and guitar due to the hernia pain.

“My wife then decided she would start to look into paying for healthcare privately,” he said. He had the operation just a few weeks after enquiring with Practice Plus Group, and was soon back to walking four miles a day- and playing the ukulele.

Southwest:

Ian Keys, 70, from Shepton Mallet, Somerset, said:

“In the second half of 2020, I began noticing a deep pain in my left hip which got progressively worse until it made a favourite pastime of walking on the Mendip Hills with my wife just about impossible. There were also sharp pains immediately below my knee (linked, I understood later), and night pains too… I was always conscious of them and they fundamentally affected and curtailed the things I wanted to do, both physically and, increasingly as the months passed, mentally too.

“After exploring the NHS option and seeing their consultant, it was clear that I would have to wait a long time; their waiting list was about 12 months. I didn’t want a year of enforced idleness and pain, so my wife and I decided I should have the operation at Practice Plus Group Shepton Mallet, carried out privately, and where there was a very short waiting list. It came with glowing recommendations and was less expensive than other options. I had the operation last November [2023] and was amazed at both the instantaneous lack of hip and knee pain and the fact that I could walk just a few hours after the surgery. Soon, within the space of two to three months, I was back to walking five miles a day and feeling like my old self.”

Practice Plus Group is launching a new identity for its self-pay offer, called WellSoon. It promises high quality surgery in four to six weeks, at typically 30% less expensive than other private hospitals.

South East:

Jay Vaya, 60, an internet office worker, had been suffering with the symptoms of a hernia for a while, which were becoming more and more troublesome.

He said: “I couldn’t stand for long periods without the pain becoming so bad that I would need to sit down and press the hernia back in for relief.”

“My GP sent me for a scan to confirm the hernia and then we discussed the possible wait time on the NHS. My daughter, nephew and friends had all indicated to me that it could take over 7 months for my hernia to be repaired. My GP said it could be much longer.”

“I researched what I needed to do to pay for this myself and even just reading the testimonials for Practice Plus Group it was enough for me to know I wanted to go there. It was one payment for the surgery and I was reassured that if I needed to come back for any reason, the cost would still be the same. I am a Type 2 Diabetic so I had been warned I may need further tests or there may be complications, so having that peace of mind of the one cost was reassuring as I was told by other hospitals I contacted that I would need to pay extra if I needed to return.”

Jay had his operation earlier this year and has recovered well.

NOTES TO EDITORS

To find out more visit: practiceplusgroup.com/wellsoon

For more images please see download link: https://practiceplus.canto.global/b/U0MK8

Contact Details:

For more information please contact Abby Samuel, Head of Communications at Practice Plus Group: 07555 147760/ abby.samuel@practiceplusgroup.com

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