Are we heading for a two tier healthcare system in the UK? (BMJ, 14 March 2022)

Summary

Extrapolation from a recent poll suggests that about 16 million adults in the UK found it difficult to access healthcare services during the pandemic, and of these, one in eight opted to access private healthcare. This could create the conditions for a two tier system, whereby those with the means to pay have access to healthcare more quickly than those who don’t. This would jeopardise the high levels of support the NHS has enjoyed since its establishment and have serious implications for equity in access to healthcare services. But this is unlikely because of limited capacity in the private sector writes Michael Anderson and Elias Mossialos in this BMJ editorial.