NHS patients 'opt for private surgery'

Patients are giving up holidays to buy surgery

Around 100,000 uninsured NHS patients are paying for private surgery because they have waited so long for treatment, according to a survey.

Researchers claim that eight out of ten doctors believe the number of patients paying for operations because of long waiting lists has grown over the last five years.

They also said 40,000 people waiting to be seen as hospital outpatients were admitted as emergency cases in December because their condition deteriorated.

The study of 400 GPs, by Medix UK plc, says the workload of family practitioners is dominated by patients whose condition is worsening as they wait to see a specialist.

Mike Stone, director of the Patients' Association, told BBC News Online the situation would not improve until the NHS "gets its act together by cutting waiting times".

Appointments

According to the survey unnecessary appointments involving people waiting for surgery were a serious problem, with GPs coping with more than 100,000 such cases in December.

There is no doubt that GPs are spending far too much of their valuable time in efforts to get patients onto waiting lists

Dr Rino Coladangelo

Medix said the appointments, affecting nine out of ten doctors, would not have been required if the patients had received the surgery they required.

A similar number had tried to get patients seen at a hospital sooner because their condition worsened in December.

Almost 80% said half of more of their recent referrals to outpatients were asked to wait too long to see a specialist.

The same proportion of GPs thought their local hospitals discharged patients too soon after operations to make way for new cases.

A clear majority had treated patients because they had been sent home too early.

No choice

Mr Stone said he was unsurprised by the findings, adding that more and more patients were realising the only way they could get treatment was to pay for it themselves.

He said: "People, quite rightly, are making decisions - rather than perhaps taking a two week holiday, they're thinking 'well, my health is more important'.

"We have heard of patients who have had to have their houses remortgaged to get the operation."

Mr Stone said many patients, particularly those needing potentially life-saving operations, felt they had no choice but to find the money for private treatment.

'Valuable time'

Dr Rino Coladangelo, Medix chief executive and himself a family doctor with 20 years experience, said the survey revealed the real experiences of GPs and their patients.

He said: "There is no doubt that GPs are spending far too much of their valuable time in efforts to get patients onto waiting lists, to expedite appointments and to cope with premature discharge."

He said: "They are important because they give a picture of how NHS waiting list problems are affecting the already over-burdened GP."