Women in Britain are paying up to £11,154 to have a hysterectomy at a private hospital, amid major delays in NHS gynecological care, a study has revealed.
The cost of undergoing the procedure in particular rose by 19% from £7,385 in 2021 to £8,795 last year, while… NHS Waiting lists rose sharply.
The revelations have led to claims that independent sector healthcare providers are taking advantage of long waiting times for health service treatment by increasing their prices.
The number of women waiting for care in an NHS hospital for conditions such as fibroids and endometriosis More than double From 360,400 when Covid hit in 2020 to 749,329, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists showed.
In November, there were 584,607 women in England on the NHS gynecology waiting list, with 20,809 of them having been on the list for more than a year, leading to a growing number of women going to the private sector to overcome delays.
Women undergo a hysterectomy to treat problems related to their reproductive system, such as heavy menstruation, fibroids, or chronic menstrual pain. More than 40,000 women a year in England undergo surgical procedures on the NHS. Mainly those in their 40s and 50sAlthough the numbers are low.
The cost of an operation at a private hospital rose across England, Scotland and Wales between 2021 and 2024, an analysis found. Prices rose by 22% in southwest England in that time, and by 18% in the West Midlands, according to research by insurance experts MyTribe, which tracks the cost of private healthcare.
The company said the highest price for the procedure charged by a private hospital last year was £11,154 in Yorkshire and the Humber, and the lowest was £6,420 in the South West. In Yorkshire and the Humber – the most expensive area – a hysterectomy costs £9,765 on average, followed by the East of England (£9,709) and Scotland (£9,355).
David Rowland, director of the NHS, said: “Chronic underfunding of the NHS over the past decade means that women are unfortunately often unable to access gynecological services, often leaving them in severe pain. “. health and Public Interest Research Group.
“Private hospitals will inevitably turn underfunding of health services to their advantage, including by raising the price of treatment that is not easily accessible by the NHS.”
He added that women who go to the private sector “not only run the risk of being charged exorbitant sums, but also risk receiving unnecessary treatment, which could lead to serious harm.”
Dr Rani Thakkar, president of the RCOG, said untreated conditions “have a devastating impact on almost every aspect of life”. [women’s] Their lives, including their physical and mental health, and their ability to work and socialize.
She added: “Long waiting times on the NHS are certainly a factor why some women choose to have surgery privately.”
MyTribe director Chris Steele said the price hikes were worrying. He advised women who are considering going to the private sector to compare prices at several hospitals and consider having the procedure performed outside their home area.
He added that those in England could ask their GP whether the NHS would pay for them to have it in a private hospital under the patient’s choice framework.
the Independent healthcare provider network He blamed the rise in prices on high inflation. “Independent providers, like all parts of the UK economy, have faced rising costs over the past few years. However, these figures show that the increase in the cost of hysterectomies over four years has been below the rate of inflation.
Recent trade body Go special report They added that 88% of people who used private healthcare thought it was worth the money.
