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NHS waiting times: what to do if you're facing treatment delays
How to manage the wait, why rearranging an appointment could bump you down the list, and the pros and cons of going private
Nearly 10 million people could be waiting for an NHS appointment or treatment across England, according to a recent survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
That is over 2 million people more than previously estimated. The survey of around 90,000 adults showed that 21% were waiting for hospital appointments or treatment, extrapolating to 9.7 million people.
Being stuck on a waiting list can be very difficult emotionally and physically, especially if your condition causes you severe pain or discomfort, but the right support and information can make a difference.
We asked Healthwatch and the Patient's Association for advice if you're waiting for treatment. Find out the questions to ask, when to speak up and what you need to know about going private, if that's an option for you.
Listen to our podcast as we dive deep into your options when you are put on a waiting list for NHS treatment
Getting referred for treatment? What to ask about
If you're being referred for treatment, here's what to ask so you are in the know about next steps:
Ask your consultant about typical waiting times for your condition at the hospital you'll be treated at - they're not guaranteed to know, but should be able to give an estimate.
In England, you can compare waiting times at different hospitals online using NHS England's 'find a hospital' directory.
Ask what you can be doing to get yourself as fit as possible for surgery, and what support there is available to help you do that - this is likely to make your recovery quicker and easier.
Make sure you know who to contact if you haven't heard anything or if your symptoms change.
Ask when the 'clock' stops and starts on your total waiting time - for example, not being able to take up an appointment that's offered can affect this and make you less of a priority (because of the impact on waiting time statistics).
What to do while you're waiting for NHS treatment
It depends on the treatment and your condition, but generally speaking working on your fitness is likely to be helpful for recovery - various programmes are available to help you do this, such as Fitter Better Sooner (from the Royal College of Anaesthetists) and Let's Move with Leon (from Versus Arthritis).
If you're faced with a lengthy wait, and it's feasible for you, you can also choose to go private.
Recent figures from PHIN (the Private Healthcare Information Network) show that in the UK, around 800,000 healthcare treatments each year are privately funded, and most of these are for patients who use the NHS for most of their health services.
Going private tends to be a simpler prospect for one-off surgeries such as these, but there still may be some admin involved in getting a referral and choosing a consultant, and it is of course expensive.
Getting a clear picture of what private treatment will cost you isn't always easy.
For example, a knee replacement could cost anywhere from £9,000 to more than £16,000, depending on the provider. On average, a knee replacement costs you £13,412, according to recent data from health insurance provider WPA.
There are a few different variables, and a lot depends on whether you're self-paying or using private health insurance.
Looking to buy private health insurance?
Find the right private health insurance policy using the service provided by LifeSearch.
This should cover most costs, depending on your policy, but it's important to check, says Matt James, chief executive of the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN).
'If your GP has referred you to a specialist for a consultation, contact your insurer to check that they will cover costs for that specialist and hospital.'
He notes that you usually need to do this again if you're referred for further treatment. There are often yearly limits on outpatient services such as diagnostic scans and physiotherapy, so keep asking questions to avoid nasty financial surprises.
The initial outpatient consultation fee for a private appointment is usually between £150 and £300, which you'll be informed of in advance.
If you're offered further tests such as X-rays, or any immediate minor treatment on the day, the costs are unlikely to be included in this initial fee - so you should ask about this.
Your consultant must send you details of the costs for any proposed surgery in advance, and you may want to compare those with other consultants or hospitals.
You can do this on the PHIN website, which should be mentioned on the consultant letters - consultants are legally bound to publish their fee information on this site.
We've gathered the average self-pay price for three popular surgical procedures across the UK, based on recent data from the health insurance provider WPA. These prices represent current averages, but actual quotes vary significantly.
Cataract surgery (one eye) cost: £2,542.
Hip replacement (total) cost: £13,412.
Knee replacement (total) cost: £14,057.
There are two main ways to self-pay for private care:
Package prices cover all the main costs, including the specialists' surgical fees, which makes it much easier to compare prices. You should still check what is included, especially with follow-up services such as take home medicines, post-operative consultations and physiotherapy.
Fee per service charges mean you'll get separate invoices for each bit of your care, such as the surgeon's fees, and hospital costs from medicines to meals. This isn't necessarily worse value, but it makes the total cost harder to track and predict.
Going private does mean keeping much more on top of your care and the associated costs, but if you want to be seen sooner, it's almost certainly quicker, and you may decide the pay-off is worth it.
Waiting time problems hit poor hardest
Like Covid itself, the post-pandemic treatment backlog isn't affecting people equally.
Some regions are much worse hit than others, and even within regions, your surrounding hospitals might have significantly longer waits than the average.
While the government has announced plans to allow people to travel further afield to cut waits, realistically this is unlikely to be practical or affordable for many.
According to research done by Healthwatch and the King's Fund, people living in areas of social deprivation are statistically more likely to face longer waits.
And of course the option to go private simply isn't there for a lot of people - or it involves going into significant debt.
How opting for private healthcare affects the NHS on a broader scale is complicated.
It's important to make the best choice for you and your health, but the theory that going private alleviates pressure on the NHS by rerouting some of the backlog doesn't quite work in practice: often the consultants end up being the same, so capacity issues may remain.
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In some cases, however, we have included links to regulated brands or providers with whom we have a commercial relationship and, if you choose to, you can buy a product from our commercial partners. If you go ahead and buy a product using our link, we will receive a commission to help fund our not-for-profit mission and our campaigns work as a champion for the UK consumer. Please note that a link alone does not constitute an endorsement by Which?.Which? Limited is registered in England and Wales to 2 Marylebone Road, London NW1 4DF, company number 00677665 and is an Introducer Appointed Representative (FRN 610689) of the following:1. Inspop.com Ltd for the introduction of non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to provide advice and arrange non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance products (FRN310635). Inspop.com Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to provide advice and arrange non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance products (FRN310635) and is registered in England and Wales to Greyfriars House, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff, South Wales, CF10 3AL, company number 03857130. Confused.com is a trading name of Inspop.com Ltd. 2. LifeSearch Partners Limited (FRN656479), for the introduction of Pure Protection Contracts and Private Health Insurance, who are authorised and regulated by the FCA to provide advice and arrange Pure Protection Contracts and Private Health Insurance Contracts. LifeSearch Partners Ltd is registered in England and Wales to 3000a Parkway, Whiteley, Hampshire, PO15 7FX, company number 03412386.3. HUB Financial Solutions, for the introduction of equity release advice, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (‘FCA’) to provide advice and guidance on financial products for those who have retired or are approaching retirement (FCA Firm Reference Number: 455713). HUB Financial Solutions is registered in England and Wales to Enterprise House, Bancroft Road, Reigate, Surrey RH12 7RP, company number 05125701.4. Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers Ltd (FRN 301), for the introduction of non-investment landlord insurances, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to provide advice and arrange insurance contracts. Alan Boswell insurance brokers Ltd is registered in England at Prospect House, Rouen Rd, Norwich NR1 1RE, company number 02591252.Other financial services:Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), Unit 26 (2.06), Newark Works, 2 Foundry Lane, Bath BA2 3GZ. London & Country are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.We do not make, nor do we seek to make, any recommendations or personalised advice on financial products or services that are regulated by the FCA, as we’re not regulated or authorised by the FCA to advise you in this way. In some cases, however, we have included links to regulated brands or providers with whom we have a commercial relationship and, if you choose to, you can buy a product from our commercial partners. If you go ahead and buy a product using our link, we will receive a commission to help fund our not-for-profit mission and our campaigns work as a champion for the UK consumer. Please note that a link alone does not constitute an endorsement by Which?.
