Private medical insurance (PMI) claims volumes fell for the second consecutive quarter in July to September, but overall figures remain above last year, according to Healthcode.
The clearing organisation processed and validated 2.89 million invoices on behalf of private healthcare providers in Q3.
While up 2% year-on-year, this represented a quarterly fall of 1.6% on the previous three months which was itself a fall of 0.7% on Q1.
However, this cost a combined £1.3bn for the sector which was 4.9% higher year-on-year but down slightly on Q2.
Treatment setting
Invoices submitted by hospitals were up by an average 1% compared with Q3 2024 while those from non-hospital sources increased by an average 3%.
The total number of outpatient invoices was 2.62 million – down on Q2 by 1.5% but up 2.5% year-on-year. Admitted care (268,078) was down 2% on Q2 but slightly higher than 2024.
Orthopaedics accounted for most activity in Q3 with 189,000 invoices – down 2% on April to June figures of 193,000, but still represented a year-on-year increase.
Radiology stayed second with 117,000 claims, up fractionally compared with the previous quarter (116,000) but was less than 2024.
Hospital physiotherapy invoice volumes of 79,000 dropped 2.5% compared with Q2 and were also down year-on-year.
Along with radiology and pathology and haematology, oncology was one of three top 10 hospital specialties to post a larger volume of invoices in Q3 compared with Q2 and was also up year-on-year.
While the Q3 volume for cardiology (38,000) fell when compared with Q2, activity has been trending higher than 2024 in every month this year.
Highest growth in Scotland
Of the UK countries, Scotland saw the highest annual growth in volumes for the second quarter in a row, averaging 10% across Q3 compared with 2024.
Wales followed with 7% and then England (just 1%). Northern Ireland was fractionally down.
While all English regions were relatively consistent, they picked up again towards the end of Q3.
For the second quarter in a row, the South West performed strongly with year-on-year growth in each month of Q3. By contrast, Q3 invoice volumes in London were on a par with 2024 although it remains the centre of private healthcare in the UK.
Peter Connor, managing director at Healthcode, (pictured) said: “It was unrealistic to expect yet another year of double-digit growth in insured healthcare.
“So far, 2025 has marked a return to a more sustainable level with invoice volumes 3% higher than at this point last year, whereas the equivalent annual growth in 2024 was 12%.
“At the same time, our data reveals some interesting emerging patterns such as signs that activity is growing outside London and that hospital specialties like cardiology and oncology are getting busier.”