If those who can afford it take up the offer, then that frees up space for everybody else in the public system
Certain sections of the medical community would have me burnt at the stake for publicly declaring my concerns about how the health service is run in our country. It is heresy to even mention the word “private” in any capacity and many think those that do must be silenced.
I gave decades of my life to the NHS. Training at Cambridge and the Middlesex hospital, then as a junior doctor in London Cambridge and in the USA, followed by many happy years at Hammersmith Hospital, treating thousands of patients along the way. In recent years, I have predominantly been involved in creating new initiatives in the private sector so it’s fair to say I have a reasonable idea of how the two systems can balance against each other.
Grand arguments about how the health service is structured are irrelevant. However, I do believe that the private health industry should be appreciated for its contribution and potential to help clear the devastating lockdown backlogs. It is offering choice to millions of people, delivering cutting-edge technology and providing timely services which for many are impossible to get through the traditional routes.
Once a patient is diagnosed and treatment has begun, for the most part the NHS delivers a competent service. The problem is getting over those initial hurdles, which are incredibly stressful for an already worried individual. Diagnostic delays at all levels are the real root cause of our dreadful cancer survival statistics. Instead of waiting weeks for an initial appointment, followed by further delays for diagnostic tests, why shouldn’t someone be able to pay a relatively small fee to rapidly expedite that process? An ultrasound for example does not break the bank, and for the sanity of the patient that is money well spent if it is delivered in hours or days, instead of weeks or even months.