With a record 625,000 people on the hospital waiting list, the Scottish National Health Service is facing unprecedented strain. This number represents one-ninth of the population. The Covid pandemic has exacerbated the backlogs, causing more people to seek private medical care due to the lengthy wait times.
According to a poll commissioned by the BBC, one in five people have paid for private medical care within the past year, with the majority of these individuals stating they would have preferred to use the NHS. The Health Secretary, Humza Yousaf, expressed concern over the results of this poll and the government’s resolve to eliminate the backlog.
For some, such as Linda Fyfe, a hip replacement operation was too urgent to wait, so she decided to seek treatment abroad. David Thompson, 66, opted for a private hip replacement when he was faced with a two-year wait on the NHS. He ultimately took out a loan to pay for the procedure because he felt he had contributed to the NHS for so long without receiving much in return.
71% of respondents support the planned 1p increase in the income tax rate for higher earners to fund the National Health Service. The majority of people believe that the NHS will adhere to its founding principle of “free at the point of use,” but there are some who doubt this will still be the case in 2033.
The Scottish government is determined to reduce the backlog and ensure that patients do not feel compelled to seek private care as a result of lengthy NHS wait times. Due to the system’s current strain, however, many Scots have been compelled to pay for private medical care.
