Headline Findings

This report covers a wide range of topics relating to public attitudes to private healthcare, with some of the most notable headlines being:

• Almost seven in ten of people (67%) say that they would consider using private healthcare, with over one third (34%) saying they would pay for treatment in the next 12 months if they needed it. This rises to almost half (44%) of 25-34-year-olds who expect to use private healthcare in the coming year.
• Paying for treatment is becoming increasingly normalised with almost one third (32%) of people surveyed stating they had previously used private healthcare. Unsurprisingly given that NHS waiting lists are at record levels, speedier access to care is the top reason for people choosing to use private healthcare, with over half (54%) of all 18 to 24-year-olds who have used private healthcare previously having done so to access a private GP appointments. Of the general public that have used private healthcare previously, over two in five (42%) went straight to pay for care rather than trying the NHS first.
• There has been a significant rise in the proportion of people using private medical insurance (PMI). Of those that have used private healthcare, six in ten (58%) said they paid through PMI compared with under half (49%) in 2023. Indeed, having insurance was a key reason cited for using private healthcare with one in five people (20%) saying that they used private healthcare because they have private health insurance, either paid for themselves or through their work. Perhaps not surprisingly, 55% of respondents indicated that they would be somewhat or much more likely to apply for a job if it came with Private Medical Insurance.
• Regardless of whether they used insurance or self-pay, the vast majority (88%) of people who have used private healthcare considered it worth the expense.