NHS: One in four GPs using private medical insurance, according to survey

One in four GPs now have private medical insurance amid growing concerns over hospital waiting lists, new research suggests.

A survey of 860 GPs for Pulse magazine found 21 per cent have their own personal private medical insurance, while four per cent have it funded through their employers.

A further 15 per cent said they were considering taking it out.

Asked why, people said it was because “NHS waiting lists are too long” and that they were unable to take sick days due to the intensity of the workload in general practice.

NHS waiting lists in England have climbed to a record level, with 7.47m patients waiting to start routine hospital treatment at the end of May, up from 7.42m at the end of April.

One GP who chose to remain anonymous told Pulse: “I have and will continue to seek a private opinion for myself or my family where NHS wait lists are too long.

“Locally, routine mental health appointments are 18 months [if a patient isn’t rejected completely as not being suitable], ADHD/ASD assessments up to four years, cardiology and dermatology appointments are one year, most others several months - I am fortunate in being able to afford private care, but I am conscious that many cannot.”

North East London GP partner Dr Shahid Dadabhoy said: “I decided to access the private sector and get insured, largely because I am not bulletproof and neither is my family.

“As a GP, I can’t be offline through sickness or waiting for investigations on the NHS. I need to get patched-up to walking wounded level and paradoxically back to the ever-thinning NHS frontline as soon as possible.”

Another GP who wished to remain anonymous, said: “My son had glue ear and needed grommets and adenoids.

“The NHS wait was three months for a first [appointment], then another nine months for the surgery. A whole year for a two-year old not to hear, not to learn to speak, and to miss out on all the social development that goes along with being able to hear.

“I paid privately for the day-case surgery which was nearly £5,000 – that was a real eye-opener that my self-insurance pot would never keep up with healthcare costs and I took out health insurance the next day.

“Sadly, I no longer trust the NHS to diagnose or treat cancer in a timely manner and I consider private health insurance to be an essential expense.”

The Conservative Party is on track to miss their 2019 manifesto pledge to recruit 6,000 new doctors to general practice by 2024/25.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: “Cutting waiting lists is one of the government’s top five priorities and we are making progress, including virtually eliminating 18-month waits and treating record numbers each day.

“Our elective recovery taskforce is also going further to unlock the independent sector so patients can be treated more quickly.

“There are more than 2,000 additional doctors in general practice compared to June 2019, we have hit our target of 26,000 extra direct patient care staff a year early and we have the highest ever number of doctors accepting a GP training place.

“In addition, we are increasing the number of training places by 50 per cent as part of our Long-Term Workforce plan.”