IMN Content - Lifestyle and Consumer Content

Dr. Pixie Comments: Is the Furture of British Healthcare Bleak?

The NHS cuts have left Brits feeling that they are facing longer waiting times and in some cases are even being denied treatment.
Health - 16 September 2011   Download IconContent available for download:  
Audio | Interview with Dr. Pixie and Raman Sankaran| Login to Download

You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.
  News Hooks:

New research has revealed that over half of Brits are worried about their ability to pay for costs associated with looking after their and family�s health over the next five years. Women are more worried than men (54% vs. 48%) and the 18-24 generation has been revealed as the least worried (42%) compared to 50-64 year olds (58%), reflecting the changing values as Brits get older.

Over half of adults (51%) agree that NHS changes mean they may need to wait longer than ever before, and a further 45% believe the changes mean they may be denied treatment. Six in ten would actually consider paying or turning to private health care to be seen quicker, throwing question on the standard of NHS health care compared to ten years ago.

The past ten years has seen an increase in the proportion using online health resources, notably NHS direct in order to diagnose their own symptoms; over a quarter (28%) look online to understand if their symptoms and nearly a third (31%) do to check to see if they need to see a health care professional and 56% are willing to communicate with healthcare practitioners via instant messaging.

Almost eight in ten would be happy to disclose personal health information online, and six in ten agree that online advice is useful as it fits in with their day, and a third would prefer to use this as their main way of contacting a medical professional.

. Introduction:

The recent changes to NHS spending has meant that healthcare is a hot topic on everyone lips, and new research has revealed that over half of Brits are worried about being able to keep up with costs of health for them and their families over the next five years. With the majority fearing longer waiting times and even being denied treatment as well as the change in modern lifestyles, the past ten years has seen many turn to online health services in order to understand their symptoms and diagnose before seeing a healthcare professional.

So, with proposed changes to the way the NHS operates, and the expected squeeze on NHS budgets, how are people's attitudes towards accessing their healthcare changing and is there now a greater emphasis on personal responsibility moving forward?

Joining us to discuss this further is Media Medic and �Embarrassing Bodies� GP, Dr. Pixie and Raman Sankaran from Simplyhealth.

. Suggested Questions:

What does the research reveal about healthcare concerns in our area?

What patterns are you seeing emerging in the way in which people access health information and advice?

What are people willing to disclose online?

What advice would you have for listeners who want to be pro-active about looking after their health?

Where can we find out more information?