More patients are paying for private care to bypass NHS waits – report

A patient watchdog has sounded the alarm over the growing number of people turning to private healthcare amid concerns over the NHS waiting list.

Healthwatch England said that the proportion of people paying for healthcare privately had “increased significantly” over the last two years as it warned over a “two-tier” health system, where those who can afford to do not have to wait for care.

Meanwhile, there has been an increase in the proportion saying they had paid for private healthcare because the NHS waiting time was “too long”, according to new figures.

The new Healthwatch England report highlights shifting public attitudes over the last two years about NHS care.

Healthwatch England compared responses from 1,758 people in England in September 2023 to a new poll of 2,593 adults in England at the end of last year, with both polls run by Savanta.

It found in 2023, 9% of people surveyed said they had accessed private healthcare in the last year.

By 2025, this figure rose to 16%.

It said that people earning more than £80,000 were more likely to have said they had paid for private healthcare in the last year.

When it asked why they had used private healthcare, some 39% said it was because the “NHS waiting time was too long” in 2025, up from 34% in 2023.

Some three in 10 (30%) said that private healthcare was more convenient in 2025, up from 14% in 2023.

Healthwatch said that the shift towards private healthcare comes as “confidence in NHS hospital services remains low”.

It comes as the NHS figures show that the waiting list for treatment continues to fall.

The list in England has fallen for the third month in a row, with an estimated 7.25 million treatments waiting to be carried out at the end of January, relating to 6.13 million patients.

This is down from 7.29 million treatments and 6.17 million patients at the end of December and is the lowest level since February 2023, when it stood at 7.22 million.

The list hit a record high in September 2023, with 7.77 million treatments and 6.50 million patients.

Commenting on the new survey, Chris McCann, acting chief executive at Healthwatch England, said: “The NHS 10-Year Plan aims to tackle long waits for elective care, however, this work needs to move faster if we want to boost patient confidence, stop the move towards two-tier healthcare, and restore the NHS as a truly universal service for all.”

He added: “Everyone waiting for hospital care, no matter where they live or which hospital they were referred to, should get the same level of service and communication.

“This includes timely confirmation that their referral has been received and accepted – not lost in an administrative black hole – and information on managing their symptoms while they wait.

“Hospitals should also provide patients with regular updates to confirm they are still on the waiting list and give enough notice of any planned cancellations.”

Professional photographer Andrew Howe was referred to a neurologist in August after suffering fatigue, weakness, aching muscles, brain fog, dizziness and lack of balance.

But the 67-year-old from Leicestershire said: “I’ve got a letter confirming that I’m on a waiting list, but when I ring them for an update, there’s no word about when I might actually get an appointment.

“I’ll be honest, it’s scaring me to death. My symptoms are getting worse.

“I’m eager just to have a diagnosis and to know what’s causing my problems so I can get treated.”

Stephen Whitley is still waiting for an urgent appointment after seeking help in September for symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease.

When the 62-year-old from Skegness called his hospital to find out when his appointment would be, there was a nine-month wait for an urgent appointment.

“I think that because I’m waiting for my condition to be formally diagnosed, I’m stuck with a long wait,” he said.

“If I already had a diagnosis, I might be seen quicker, but now I’m worried that it could become more serious, just because I have to wait to even get an appointment to confirm I even have this condition.”

David Hare, chief executive of Independent Healthcare Providers Network, said: “This latest research reflects the growing numbers of people from all across the country who are now accessing private healthcare services, either alongside or instead of NHS care, in what is becoming a ‘new normal’.

“This includes a wide range of treatments, including general practice, scans and tests, consultations and surgery.

“People’s health and the health of their family is their number one priority and so it is not surprising that more people are willing to fund their own treatment – or use private medical insurance provided by their employer – to ensure that they receive the swift, high-quality care they need at their convenience.”

An NHS England spokesperson said: “The NHS delivered record numbers of appointments, tests and scans in 2025, reducing the waiting list to its lowest level in three years and cutting 18-week waits to levels last seen in 2022.

“GP teams provide over a million appointments every working day, while expanded services like Pharmacy First are helping patients access care faster and more easily.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We will end the unacceptable, two-tier, healthcare system we inherited that leaves patients feeling they have no choice but to go private.

“We have made significant progress already: NHS waiting lists are at their lowest level in three years; A&E performance is the best in four years; GP satisfaction is on the rise; and we have delivered 1.8 million more dentist treatments.

“Our extra investment and modernisation is beginning to turn the tide, but we know there’s a long way to go.”