Fresh data from The King’s Fund and Healthwatch England has higlighted the strain patients, particularly those in deprived areas, are under as NHS backlogs continue to build as a result of the pandemic.
A poll conducted by Healthwatch England of more than 1,600 adults waiting for planned treatment, or who had a relative waiting, found that private treatment was not an option for 47% of them.
In contrast, the survey found almost one in five people (18%) had already gone private for treatment or were considering it – a similar figure to that from an Engage Britian poll earlier this month.
The latest research also found 57% of those whose treatment was delayed agreed it was taking a toll on the level of pain they faced; 54% agreed their mental health had been affected; 53% said their ability to carry out household tasks had been affected; and 42% noted their ability to work had been affected.
More than half of the respondents, 57%, said they or their relatives would be willing to travel to receive treatment if it reduced their waiting time. A further one in five would be willing to travel so long as the NHS offered support such as accommodation (10%) and transport (10%).
Almost half of those surveyed (46%) said they or their relatives did not receive enough information, or any at all, about when they could expect their treatment.
And 48% did not receive any support to manage their condition during their wait, while 64% had not been given a contact they could turn to while waiting for treatment.
Deprived areas harder hit
The findings emerged alongside analysis from The King’s Fund into waiting lists for common procedures which showed people living in the most deprived areas in England were 1.8 times more likely to wait more than one year for hospital care than those in the most affluent.
With a record 5.6 million people across the country currently waiting for hospital treatment, the analysis also showed that waiting lists were growing more quickly in deprived areas.
From April 2020 to July, waiting lists have on average grown by 55% in the most deprived parts of the country compared to 36% in the least deprived.
Wake-up call for government
Siva Anandaciva, chief analyst at The King’s Fund, said: “Waits for hospital treatment were already rising before Covid-19. But the pandemic has pushed NHS waiting lists to record levels and laid bare the deep health inequalities in our country.
“It is not a surprise that waits for NHS care vary across the country but the fact that patients in deprived areas are nearly twice as likely to wait a year or more for planned treatment should be a wake-up call for a government that has committed to levelling up the country, and ring alarm bells for MPs in red wall constituencies.
“The government’s forthcoming plan to tackle the backlog of care must include a strong focus on tackling health inequalities and avoid a one-size fits all approach, otherwise there is a real risk that patients from our most deprived communities will continue to wait the longest for the treatment they need.”
Sir Robert Francis, chairman of Healthwatch England, added: “With healthcare services forced to prioritise critically ill patients throughout the pandemic, it is a reality that people will be waiting longer for hospital treatment for a while.
“However, NHS England must manage waiting lists better by reducing the risks and inconvenience to patients caused by delays to care, as part of the national action to reduce the backlog.
“People need clear and individualised information from the NHS, such as what the next steps for their treatment or care will be and how long they can expect to wait.”
He also noted that more emphasis on interim support, such as physiotherapy, pain relief and mental health support could make the experience of waiting more bearable and get people ready for surgery.
