NHS patients in England turn to private healthcare after £260 charge

NHS difficulties has seen patients across England opt to go private. NHS difficulties has seen spending on private health surge to £2.5 billion to an all-time high as Britons bypass the free national healthcare system and instead put their trust in private treatment. midwives.

Dr Avinash Hari Narayanan (MBChB), Clinical Lead at London Medical Laboratory, said people are taking a more proactive approach to maintaining their health. However, he said: “It is concerning that a growing amount of our household spending is going on health issues that the NHS is increasingly unable to fund.

“For example, we spent £657m on therapeutic equipment last year; that’s items such as spectacles and contact lenses, hearing aids and wheelchairs. Until 1986, the NHS offered free eye tests and glasses for everyone.

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“Similarly, NHS dentistry was initially free. Today, even under the NHS, crowns and bridges will cost most Brits over £260, and that’s if you can find an NHS dentist in your area. It’s small wonder that we are now spending £4bn on dental services, up from £3.6bn in 2022.”

He added: “These record figures appear just as patients in England endure another rise in prescription prices. From 1 May, NHS prescriptions rose from £9.65 to £9.90 per item and the 12-month prescription prepayment certificate increased from £111.60 to £114.50.

“Prescription costs of almost £10 are becoming a burden on household purses. Until the late 1960s, there was no prescription charge in England, and there are currently no charges in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. So these record figures present a mixed picture in many ways.

“It does look as if we are becoming inured to spending money on health services and equipment that was previously free, and that does represent some long-term health risks for the UK population if costs continue to rise and services fall.

“On the other hand, these results also show we are proactively choosing to spend our money on healthcare products to help ensure we remain healthier and fitter for longer.”