Going Private: A briefing on private primary care

This briefing is aimed at helping improve understanding of private primary care in terms of what it offers, current trends and potential future developments.

Private healthcare is often thought of in terms of hospital treatment, and some of the most common procedures undertaken in the private sector include cataract operations, and hip and knee replacements. But the health system is changing. Since the pandemic, patients have often found it more difficult to access NHS care.

Our 2023 research found that younger people are particularly likely to have used private GP services. Nearly half (45%) of 18 to 24-year-olds who had used private healthcare had accessed GP appointments privately. The rate of usage declined as people age – just 6% of those aged 65 or more had used private GPs.

This briefing talks more about the trends, facts and figures we’ve gathered about private primary care.