Scotland ‘already has a two-tier health service’

39,000 patients sought private treatment last year, FM is told

SCOTLAND already has a two-tier health system as more than 39,000 people sought private treatment in the past year, Nicola Sturgeon was told yesterday.

The First Minister faced tough questions about leaked minutes from a meeting showing that NHS chiefs discussed making wealthier patients pay for treatment.

The ‘damning’ revelations were branded ‘deeply alarming’ and completely undermine the founding principles of the NHS.

But at First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar told the SNP leader that Scotland already has a ‘two-tier’ system, with more patients choosing to go private rather than endure atrocious waiting times.

An analysis of Public Health Scotland figures found there were 8,529 first-time hip or knee replacements performed in Scotland in 2021. Of these, 3,430 procedures were done privately, paid for by the patient or medical insurance.

The number of people now paying for treatment without health insurance has increased by 72 per cent, Mr Sarwar said.

He told the First Minister: ‘Often these are people who are forced to borrow money, turn to family and friends or even remortgage their homes to get health care that should be free.

‘I know the First Minister doesn’t like facts, but let’s look at the facts. Almost 2,000 people have gone for private treatment for endoscopy and colonoscopy. Privately these treatments cost an average of £1,195. Over 7,800 people have gone private for cataract surgery – average cost of £2,660 – and a staggering 3,500 have had a hip or knee replacement, a private hospital average cost of £12,500.

‘These figures make clear that under the SNP healthcare in Scotland is already a two-tier system. So does the First Minister accept that this goes against the founding principles of our NHS, a universal health care system free at the point of need?’

Miss Sturgeon rejected this, saying: ‘We will always act to protect the founding principles and we’ve done more than any other government to achieve that. The one thing that was missing completely from Anas Sarwar’s question was reference to a global pandemic that caused the cancellation and the pausing of elective services in our National Health Service for a considerable period of time.’

Mr Sarwar argued this was not a ‘good enough excuse’, adding: ‘She denies we have a two-tier system. In 2021, 40 per cent of all hip and knee replacements in Scotland were paid for privately. Our NHS is at risk because of this Government’s choices and this Government’s crisis.’

Responding to Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, Miss Sturgeon said the total spend on use of the independent sector represents 0.5 per cent of the overall frontline health budget in Scotland compared with 7 per cent in England, where the Conservatives are in control.

Miss Sturgeon added: ‘This Government will take no lessons from the Conservatives when it comes to privatising the NHS. In fact, this Government will take no lessons from the Tories on the NHS full-stop.’

Mr Ross retorted that, because of mass teacher walkouts yesterday, ‘sadly, in Sturgeon’s Scotland, no one is getting any lessons today’.

Addressing the leaked minutes, Miss Sturgeon said: ‘None of these ideas that would have any impact on the founding principles of the NHS are being discussed or remotely considered by this Government. This can’t be clearer. NHS leaders do not make government policy.’