NHS: Wait or Pay?
Panorama · Season 69 · Episode 33
The number of people waiting for hospital treatment in England has hit a record high of 5.61 million, as the NHS struggles to clear the growing backlog of cases caused by Covid-19. Victoria Derbyshire meets some of those on the waiting list and hears about the profound effects it is having on their lives. She discovers that a growing number of people see no alternative but to pay for their own treatments using savings, bank loans and even crowdfunding sites. And she reveals exclusive research showing just how many people are now considering turning their backs on the NHS and going private instead.
Episode Details
Air date, runtime, timezone, and episode position.
Season
69
Episode
33
Air Date
27/Sep/2021
Air Time
20:00
Runtime
29 min
Overview
Episode summary.
The number of people waiting for hospital treatment in England has hit a record high of 5.61 million, as the NHS struggles to clear the growing backlog of cases caused by Covid-19. Victoria Derbyshire meets some of those on the waiting list and hears about the profound effects it is having on their lives. She discovers that a growing number of people see no alternative but to pay for their own treatments using savings, bank loans and even crowdfunding sites. And she reveals exclusive research showing just how many people are now considering turning their backs on the NHS and going private instead.
Episode Navigation
Move between previous and next episodes.