New stats reveal ‘two-tier’ health service impacting over 50s

New research by Age Scotland has found that 30% of older people have paid for or would consider paying for private healthcare due to difficulties accessing NHS care or long waiting times for treatment.

Findings from the charity’s Big Survey revealed that 16% of over 50s had already paid for private treatment, including dentistry, hip and knee operations, cataract surgery, cardiology treatment, mental health assessments and MRI scans. A further 14% said they would consider paying for healthcare in the future.

However, 30% said they could not afford to pay for private healthcare and another 19% said they did not believe they should have to pay. Although the majority of those who paid for private healthcare came from financially better off households, 6% had an annual income of less than £10,000.

Of those who had paid for healthcare, 18% were in their 80s, 17% in their 70s and 15% in their 60s.

The charity believes the findings point to an emerging two-tier health service where those who can afford to pay can access potentially life-saving treatments while those on low incomes face lengthy delays in receiving treatment.

The use of private healthcare reflects the growing challenges many older people face accessing healthcare in different parts of the country.

For instance, the survey showed that 56% said they had found it difficult to get a mental health assessment on the NHS, 38% found it hard to get a physiotherapy appointment and 38% found it hard to get an audiology appointment.

Age Scotland’s Interim Chief Executive, Katherine Crawford, said:

“We’ve long been aware of the growing challenges many older people face accessing healthcare and it’s extremely worrying to see increasing evidence of the “two-tier” healthcare system that has emerged in recent years.

“We appreciate the NHS is working tirelessly and to capacity to deal with lengthy backlog. It’s vital that we see continuing efforts to cut waiting lists, as well as investment in healthcare for those in later life which includes swift access to routine but often life-changing treatment such as orthopaedic and eye care procedures.

“The reality is that most of these procedures are routine and cost-effective but without them the person’s needs become far greater and much more expensive to address. The earlier these procedures are carried out, the better the longer-term outcome for patients and the less overall spend the NHS will incur as a result.

“The situation is becoming increasingly desperate for those awaiting life-changing operations and treatment and there is no parity in a system which sees those who can afford to paying to expedite treatment while others have no option but to remain on seemingly endless waiting lists.”