New analysis shows patients can cut months off wait for NHS treatment

Patients in England could cut months off their wait for care by exercising their right to choose a different provider for their NHS treatment.

New analysis from the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) has found that across England, patients need to travel just 12 miles – around 25 minutes by car – to cut three months off their waiting time.

In the North West, for example, a patient waiting for treatment in a hospital with a long average waiting time for the region would only need to travel 8.5 miles to a hospital with lower waiting times and see their average waiting time go from 21 weeks down to below 7 weeks – a saving of over 14 weeks.

There are also there are significant variations in waiting times for different patient treatments across regions:

• Patients waiting for trauma and orthopaedics treatment in hospitals with the longest waits in the South West, wait on average 23 weeks, while patients waiting in the providers with the shortest, wait just over 9 weeks – a disparity of 14 weeks (3.5 months).
• Waits for ophthalmic carein the East of England vary from over 17 weeks, down to just over 3 weeks – a range of over 14 weeks.
• Waits for gynaecology care in the North West vary from 23.5 weeks, down to just over 10.9 weeks – a range of over 12 weeks.

According to polling by conducted by Savanta for IHPN, almost three quarters (73%) of the public believe they should have a right to choose where they receive their NHS treatment. Over seven in ten people (71%) would be happy to travel more than 30 minutes outside of their local area to get treatment more quickly. Only 5% of people said they would not travel outside their local area to get quicker treatment from the NHS. For patients travelling outside their area for treatment, their travel and accommodation costs can be covered by the NHS.

NHS patients can choose to receive their treatment in an independent provider and new data in the report shows that 96% of people in England live within a 30 minute drive of an independent provider, with people living in the most deprived areas of England just as likely to live near an independent provider as the general population.

David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), said:

“These new figures show just how much quicker patients can be treated when they are given a choice over where they receive their NHS care.

“This “right to choose” has been in place since the last Labour government was in office but too few people are aware that the power is in their hands when choosing a healthcare provider.

“With NHS waiting lists still unacceptably high, the new Government must do more ensure the public are fully aware of the wide range of healthcare providers – both NHS and private – where they can receive treatment in their local area, free at the point of use.

“This will not only help patients access the quickest possible NHS treatment and lead happier, healthier lives, but also help cut the record high NHS backlog”.

Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, said:

“Patients support the right to choose where they receive their NHS treatment and 7 out of 10 are willing to travel outside their local area to be treated. We’d like to see health professionals letting patients know they can choose where they have their care and supporting them to make a choice that is best for that patient.

“For some patients, travelling out of their area will be about getting treatment more quickly. New research shows big differences between waiting times between areas that are only a short drive away. For other patients, choosing to travel out of their area for treatment may be based on choosing a hospital or area where they have better support from friends or family. Whatever the reason – patients have the right to choose and the NHS should provide patients with the information they need to choose a healthcare provider, including where waiting times are shorter, as well as the nature and quality of the care on offer.

“With so many millions of patients waiting for care, we believe patients exercising choice leads to better outcomes for themselves and can play a role in reducing health inequalities and rising levels of long-term health problems.”