NHS ‘dying before our eyes’, BMA to say, as survey reveals Scots going private

The NHS is “dying before our very eyes”, the union representing doctors has warned, as a new poll revealed the extent of private medical care in Scotland.

The survey, carried out by the Diffley Partnership for BMA Scotland, found nearly a third (29%) of Scots had accessed private treatment in the last two years or lived with someone who did.

Dr Iain Kennedy, BMA Scotland chairman, said it was “abundantly clear” that Scotland was now divided between people who could afford to go private – and those forced to “languish” on NHS waiting lists.

He warned the situation will get worse unless the Scottish Government takes immediate action to secure the future of the country’s health system.

According to the survey, 17% of Scots reported accessing private medical care in the last two years while 14% said a member of their household had done so.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents who had accessed private care for themselves or a member of their household said it was because the NHS waiting list was too long.

Of those who underwent private treatment, 45% used personal savings while 20% said they had to cut back on leisure activities to afford it.

Some 9% had to cut back on essential items such as energy and groceries while another 9% had to borrow money to fund private treatment.

Nearly half (46%) of respondents who did not use private care in the past two years said it was because they could not afford to.

Some 43% said their likelihood of using private healthcare had significantly or somewhat increased in the past few years.

Meanwhile, 63% reported their confidence in being able to access a timely hospital appointment through the NHS had significantly or somewhat decreased in the past few years, as 60% said the same for GP appointments.

In a speech to the BMA’s 2025 annual representative meeting in Liverpool, Dr Kennedy will point to his warning last Christmas that the NHS would struggle to see another year with its founding principles remaining intact.

He is expected to say: “Our NHS should be free at the point of need. But, through today’s research, I can reveal that almost a third of Scots say either they or someone in their household have had to use private healthcare within the last two years.

“Our survey showed that the majority are forced to do so, as waiting lists are simply too long. They just can’t get the timely care they need.

“And it will only get worse, because 43% of those surveyed feel they are now more likely to go private.

“It is abundantly clear that Scotland has been divided into those who can afford private healthcare and those languishing on ever longer NHS waiting lists.”

Dr Kennedy will say he does not believe the issue was a result of an “active choice” but “a failure get to grips with an evolving population and its health needs”.

He will warn: “But, be in no doubt, the NHS is dying before our very eyes.”

The doctor will call for reform in four parts of the NHS, including a shift in the balance of care into the community, the instruction of a workforce plan to recruit and retain doctors as the population ages, a long-term focus on prevention and a “more mature” approach to measuring the health service.

He will tell BMA members on Tuesday: “The chance to save our NHS remains. If we want to provide timely care to all, which is free at the point of need, then immediate action is required.

“We did ask the Scottish Government for a national conversation but were largely ignored.  So, instead, NHS reform must now happen.”

He will add: “The impact of the Scottish Government repeatedly ignoring the warnings made by the BMA and many others is clear.  Patients are suffering, unable to access the care they need when they need it, or having to use their own hard-earned money to go private.”

The Diffley Partnership surveyed 1,203 people aged 16 or over between May 30 and June 4.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “We will always protect the founding principles of the NHS – publicly owned and free at the point of need.

“That’s why we are investing a record £21.7 billion in health and social care this year, including £106 million to deliver over 150,000 additional appointments and procedures.

“But we recognise some of the concerns raised by the BMA, and we are determined to deliver the reform our NHS needs to ensure it provides quality care for everyone who needs it now and into the future.

“The First Minister set out his plan to renew our health service by investing in prevention while harnessing technology to support earlier diagnosis and tailor medical treatment to individual patients.”