GPs are telling patients to go private

GPs are advocating private treatment to patients due to the limitations of clinical commissioning group (CCGs), according to Spire Healthcare. 70% of GPS tell patients who don’t meet requirements for procedures of limited clinical effectiveness, they should go private. 62% of GPs are telling patients to wait until their condition worsens. Spire Healthcare has surveyed 824 GPs in England to learn about procedures limited by their CCG and the advice they give to patients who do not meet the eligibility criteria set for surgery. 63% of GPs – up from 30% in 2011** – are indicating to their patients that they should consider using their private medical insurance where they have this. 80% of GP-led CCG’s appear to have identified their procedures of limited clinical effectiveness’ (PoLCE). Surgery for varicose veins, tonsillectomy, carpal tunnel syndrome and hernia repair topped the list – despite varicose vein and hernia surgery being two of the four NHS funded procedures followed up using Patient Reported Outcome Measures or PROMs. One in six GPs also stated that knee arthroscopy, knee replacement, hip replacement and cataract surgery, have also been either restricted of had their criteria for proceeding to surgery increased.