Admissions to private hospitals hit record amid NHS crisis

The number of admissions to private hospitals reached a record high in the first quarter of 2024 as the NHS crisis has pushed more Brits away from the service.

There were 238,000 admissions to private hospitals in the first quarter, up six per cent on 2023 and the highest number on record, according to data from The Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN).

There were nearly 900,000 admissions to private hospitals in the UK in 2023. This is more than any previous year and seven per cent higher than 2022, which was also a record year for private hospital admissions.

There are two key causes of this trend.

Firstly, wait lists and service problems in an overworked and difficult-to-access public healthcare have encouraged people away from the service in search of an alternative, despite the higher cost.

Secondly, there has been a huge rise in the number of companies offering private healthcare insurance as an employment perk, particularly in the capital.

According to PHIN, an “unprecedented” number of Brits paid for their healthcare using private medical insurance (PMI) in 2024 rather than being funded directly by the patient (self-pay).

“It is little surprise that this trend is being almost entirely driven by private medical insurance as employers recognise the threat of poor health which has manifested itself in soaring economic inactivity figures,” Emily Jones, Client Consulting Director at leading independent consultancy Broadstone, said.

“As a consequence, our clients have elevated healthcare to a Board level priority as they look to rapidly expand coverage of PMI and put in place preventative steps like access to virtual GPs, direct access services and on-site health screenings,” she added.

The gap between insured and self-paid customers was the largest since before the COVID-19 pandemic, with the biggest increases in PMI-funded admissions from the 20-29 and 30-39 year-old age groups. The number of admissions from both these demographics rose by 13 per cent.

“Until NHS waiting lists come down significantly, we expect to see continued corporate investment in private healthcare solutions to support the wellbeing of their staff,” Jones added.