An increasing number of workers are turning to their employers to see a private GP as NHS waiting lists reach record levels.
Healthcare Trust provider, Healix, has experienced a 200% increase in the number of GP appointments workers have taken up via their company since 2021, in the depths of the pandemic. Since October 2022, uptake of appointments has increased by 70%.
This comes as the company has experienced a surge in demand for its services as employers look to provide further support to employees as accessing primary care has become more difficult as NHS waiting lists reach record levels. Healix has experienced an 18% increase in members since 2022, with turnover increasing by 80% in the last eighteen months.
Ian Talbot, CEO at Healix, said: “Companies are now looking more than ever to provide support not just to management level but to all levels of staff.
“We’re seeing demand soaring for quick intervention and the convenience of seeing a doctor remotely. The number of people seeking a referral for hospital treatment via their employers has also risen.”
The news comes as an increasing number of people are using private healthcare, with a recent poll by the IHPN finding that those aged 18-24 were most likely to have used it, with 45% saying they have gone private for a GP appointment.
The latest NHS Digital data on GP appointments carried out in June showed that 2m appointments were delivered between fifteen and 21 days after they were booked.
A recent report by the BMA found that the overall number of NHS GPs has seen little growth since 2015, with the number of GP partners declining significantly over that time despite promises by the Government in 2020 to recruit 6000 GPs by 2024.
Ian continued:
“As we near winter, when historically pressures have mounted on health services, employers must step up to support workers through quick access to primary care.
“Doing so will help alleviate stretched health services and ensure that employees can bring their best selves to work at a time when accessing primary care has become increasingly challenging, with record numbers out of work due to ill health.”
