Health Insurance Providers Could Help NHS

A new study from health insurance company Aviva UK Health suggests that the private healthcare industry could have a role to play in alleviating the pressures facing the National Health Service . The new study found that 50 per cent of GPs believe that time constraints have hindered their ability to deal effectively with patients, while 43 per cent of family doctors believe it has restricted their ability to diagnose.

The findings of the survey follow recent research from Aviva health insurance which suggested an increasing impatience among Brits with the NHS, as UK citizens grow concerned about their health while waiting for diagnoses. Worryingly, 57 per cent of GPs who responded to the survey believe that they have less time now than they did five years ago to see patients.

The ongoing government cuts are unlikely to help the situation, and with the UK deficit likely to take several years to clear, private medical insurance companies may see more Brits opting to go private in the search for effective healthcare . Dr Hugh Laing from Aviva UK Health noted his company gives customers a 24 hour confidential GP helpline.