‘no One’s Being Honest About It’: How Nhs Crisis Forces Patients To Go Private

Long waiting lists are creating a boom in the medical insurance market, leading to fears of a long-term change in attitudes to the health service

When Rosemary Duff heard how long she would have to wait for a hip replacement operation on the NHS, she felt she had no choice but to dip into her savings.

“I waited a month to see my GP, then another four months to see a consultant. His opening words were ‘unless you go private, there’s an 18-month waiting list’, which was a bit of a shock,” said Duff, 71, from Norwich. “Much against my principles, I agreed to go private.”