A Short History Of Private Hospital Care In The United Kingdom

Health care in the United Kingdom before World War Two was not universally accessible, and the general population suffered from a wide range of ailments and conditions some of which, in truth, could be easily treated. Only the well heeled could afford the high quality treatment afforded by the private hospital.

On 5th July 1948, the National Health Service was born and health care was suddenly available to everyone in the land. Millions of people sought treatment for conditions of all kinds - the vast majority of which could be easily treated. Some, however, were much more shocking.

In parallel to the development of the NHS, the private hospital continued to exist. The primary provider of private hospital health care services in the UK is Bupa. Bupa began in 1947 providing health care to many companies. It has grown significantly in size across the UK. Not only this, but it has built several businesses abroad - some by acquisition. For example, Bupa own the largest private hospital system in Spain - as well as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Australia.

In the United Kingdom the vast majority of people use the HNS, but around 8% of the population use private hospital or other private health care services. The main advantage of using a private hospital or associated services is that waiting times are reduced significantly. While the NHS undoubtedly performs high quality health care duties, the shear weight of the British population on the system means that serious operations can sometimes take much longer than would otherwise be desired.

The steady growth of Bupa for example, is highlighted by the fact they bought a large hospital in central London recently (2008) - the Cromwell Private Hospital. Having such a prestigious facility in the heart of the British capital is a sign of the growth and stature of private health care.

The benefits of private health care are various - the usual reason for choosing to pay extra for such services is the added convenience or perceived service. One popular added extra is the private room - compared to the NHS ward, where several people share the same space. Of course, a taxation funded health system cannot aim to provide such comforts.

People waiting for serious treatment such as hip replacements tend to have a far shorter waiting time than those in the NHS, although waiting times have improved since the Labour government increased NHS funding since their election in 1997. If the conservatives are successful in the next election, it is not clear if such funding will occur - or if indeed it is financially viable given the current economic problems. The recession has seen tax revenues drop dramatically. This reduced income, particularly in reference to the badly hit banking sector is arguably where a large portion of extra health funding came from.

A reduction in funding in the future may lead to even more people considering the benefits of private hospital care. Having said this, in times of economic hardship, the National Health Service - which delivers health care free at the point of delivery - will continue to be the majority's choice in health care professionals.