A recent report in Health Insurance & Protection Daily highlights the problem of increasing waiting lists for NHS treatment in Wales, but is there a solution?
The report states that, in Wales, the number of patients waiting over 26 weeks has risen by 70% since 2011. However, with continued pressures being experienced by NHS Wales in terms of funding cuts and an increase in the number of patients, there does not appear to be a strategy in place to address the problem.
In December 2015, there were almost 450,000 people waiting for treatment in Wales, which equates to one in seven people. This figure is destined to worsen rather than improve as the resources of NHS Wales are further stretched.
Many experts claim that the only way to bridge the gap is to use private medical providers. Over the Christmas period, there were cases of NHS Wales sending patients to private health care providers to carry out operations, as hospitals did not have the necessary staff and resource. The cost of subcontracting such operations is unknown, but is considered significantly higher than when NHS Wales operate. Surely, this will only place additional financial burdens on the already-stretched NHS Wales budgets.
An increasing number of people are turning to private medical care providers to guarantee prompt care should it be needed. Many companies are now offering private medical care as part of the employment remuneration package, a trend that continues to rise. Individuals taking responsibility to protect themselves with private medical cover may alleviate some of the pressure on NHS Wales, although whether it will actually result in a reduced NHS waiting list is debateable.
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