Thousands lose faith in NHS and rush to go private
SPIRALLING NHS waiting lists are driving thousands of people to fork out a fortune for private treatment.
There are more than 600,000 patients on NHS hospital waiting lists, including outpatients, inpatients and those due for diagnostic tests, figures have revealed. Analysis by The MoS shows they include almost 65,000 people waiting for orthopaedic surgeries such as hip and knee replacements – with a further 60,000 waiting for cataract outpatient or inpatient appointments.
Now some Scots are so fearful they will not be seen in time they are choosing instead to pay for their own care. Andrew Tatham, ophthalmic surgeon at privately run The Edinburgh Clinic, said: ‘Waiting times have increased dramatically due to the reduction in numbers of patients seen in the NHS.
‘There was a three to four-month period during the first lockdown in spring 2020 during which no routine cataract surgery was performed, leading to a large backlog of cases.
And unfortunately, waiting times have continued to grow due to continued reduced capacity at NHS hospitals.’
One NHS source said he has witnessed a ‘massive increase’ in people paying for treatment, adding: ‘To get a hip replacement paid out of your own funds is about £13,000. A cataract is in the region of £4,000 per eye. The ‘us and them’ situation is getting worse.’
There are a record number of people on NHS waiting lists, with at least 608,581 patients in outpatient, inpatients and diagnostic test queues, Public Health Scotland figures show.
Scottish Labour’s health spokesman, Jackie Baillie, said: ‘As this crisis deepens, those who can afford to go private will continue to jump ship, while those who can’t are left to languish on ever-growing waiting lists.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Throughout the pandemic, NHS Boards have ensured urgent, maternity and vital cancer services continue as usual.’