A few years ago, subscribing to private health insurance was a vogue in the UK. Back then the economy was much more prosperous and people had various reasons for opting out of the free sevices provided by the NHS. A newspaper article citing a report by leading health analysts wrote: “UK economic performance is a key determinant of demand for health and care cover. Economic prosperity and business/consumer confidence in the past has driven demand for private medical insurance."

While things were certain for both the economy and individuals, the demand for private medical insurance rose sharply and people registered with for private healthcare. This demand was to fall sharply afterwards as things got a lot worse and out of hand. Today there is a huge reverse of fortune for the private health sector as the NHS, in spite of some failures, sees an increasing number of patients.

Clean and healthy facility

A principal reason for people migrating to the private health sector, the economic prosperity point aside, was the fear that some NHS hospitals were infested with so called 'superbugs', various viruses that patients seeking treatment could be exposed to. The superbug was to inflict so much fear and, in fact, cause deaths that many believed that escaping to private hospitals was the best option. In their wisdom many agreed that private health facilities dealt with far smaller numbers of people than the NHS and there was a higher likelihood that they would be cleaner and safer.

Then the government came up with its ‘deep clean’ policy, promising to effectively deal with the superbug issue. Although some dismissed the whole policy as a complete failure from the onset, particularly opposition politicians, many other issues have since taken primacy and the focus turned to them.

Waiting time

Another criticism of the NHS that prompted many patients to seek solace in private medical facilities was the long, boring and annoying waiting time they faced. One could remain on waiting list for several months after being referred by their GP. There were instances where some people were said to have lost their battle with an illness long before being seen.

However, a number of changes introduced in recent times have considerably cut down the waiting time. Currently the maximum waiting time for any NHS patient is within 18 weeks of referral by a GP. Figures have also confirmed that many hospitals have been offering treatment to patients within eight weeks. This is significantly encouraging when compared to a little over 10 years ago, when they had to wait up to 18 months.

Clogging the NHS system

The move from private medical sector to NHS is more of a reflection of the tough economic reality faced by many, although some analysts have opined that it is a show of restored confidence. The NHS, as many examples suggest, has been embroiled in increasing cases of medical negligence following which people have made huge claims costing hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Even if the NHS is accused of being negligent, at least, being too expensive may not be one of its shortcomings. Thus, the drive towards it services by those who formerly held private medical insurance is hugely influenced by poor economic fortunes and the need to save money. In this instance the private medical insurance sector's loss is the NHS' gain. But caution must be exercised in celebrating this trend, as the NHS will be dealing with more patients than it previously did and this could mean the possibility of more errors.