Amid growing UK health care crisis, nearly 8 million patients are waiting for care, data shows

Date:

Share post:


Experts are warning of a growing health care crisis in England, as millions of U.K. residents are waiting for medical attention.

As of July 2024, 7.62 million patients were on the waiting list for care, with 6.39 million in need of specific medical treatment, according to the latest Referral to Treatment (RTT) data from the National Health Service (NHS), England’s publicly funded health care system.

The average wait time for treatment is 14 weeks, but more than three million patients have been waiting for over 18 weeks — and it’s been more than a year for nearly 300,000 of them.

FATHER CREATED A DRUG TO SAVE HIS SON FROM A RARE DISEASE, NOW OTHER FAMILIES ARE DESPERATE TO GET IT

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, appeared on “Fox & Friends” to share his concerns about the situation.

“This is a huge warning for us,” he said. 

As of July 2024, 7.62 million U.K. patients were on the waiting list for care, with 6.39 million in need of specific medical treatment. (iStock)

“The National Health Service, which started in 1948 with the great idea to take care of everyone in England, is broken,” he went on.

MOTHER FRANTIC TO SAVE CLINICAL TRIAL THAT COULD CURE HER DAUGHTER: ‘THE TREATMENT IS SITTING IN A FRIDGE’

“We’re talking about nearly eight million people there who are waiting for health care … many more than 18 weeks. How could you wait 18 weeks if you’re having a heart problem or you have an infection?”

Although the problem is not as extreme in the U.S., Siegel warned that it can be a struggle to get timely care stateside.

“Even here … 26% of the people in the U.S. are waiting more than two months for their health care already,” he told Fox News. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP      

“Even people who are getting it from their employers are waiting.”

As far as what is causing the delay in care, Siegel said, “The first problem is that Kamala Harris and others are talking about coverage all the time — but coverage doesn’t mean care.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“You’ve got your coverage, you’ve got your insurance, maybe you’ve got public insurance — almost 50% of the U.S. already has Medicare or Medicaid — but do you have a doctor? Do you have access to the care you need? That’s the question, and that’s [being] obscured.”

Screenshot 2024 09 23 at 8.01.48 PM

“The National Health Service, which started in 1948 with the great idea to take care of everyone in England, is broken,” said Dr. Marc Siegel. (Fox News)

Siegel added, “We’re heading toward a time of personalized solutions, which are very exciting, but they’re expensive.”

The doctor also discussed the potential problem of illegal immigrants using medical services, which could delay American citizens from seeing their doctors.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

“Illegal migrants homeless on the streets, with illnesses that are spreading, flooding the emergency rooms — that’s going to be a greater and greater problem, whether you give them health insurance or not,” Siegel said. 

“But if you give them health insurance, that breaks the bank.”



Source link

Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams is a writer and editor. Angeles. She writes about politics, art, and culture for LinkDaddy News.

Recent posts

Related articles

'I'm a pharmacist, and I wouldn't take these 3 vitamin supplements'

There is a variety of guidance about which vitamins and supplements people should take for better...

Dementia risk could be linked to walking speed, study suggests

Join Fox News for access to this content Plus special access to select articles and other premium...

How to live longer, plus bird flu outbreaks and kids' health warnings

Fox News' Health newsletter brings you stories on the latest developments in health care, wellness, diseases,...

'I'm a doctor — here's the wellness routine I follow for a longer, healthier life'

Humans may have reached their max life expectancy, according to a recent Harvard study — but...

Bird flu surges in several US states with reports of new outbreaks: 'Getting worse'

Avian influenza A (H5N1), commonly known as bird flu, continues to make its way through the...

Catholic school collecting kids pajama donations; clean PJs can promote better sleep, expert says

Faculty, parents and students at a private Catholic school in New York are working strategically to...

COVID-19 virus could attack cancer cells and shrink tumors, new study suggests

Join Fox News for access to this content Plus special access to select articles and other premium...

RFK Jr. says kids 'swimming' in 'poisonous' foods as Dr. Marc Siegel calls out ‘sick care system’

Since President-elect Donald Trump tapped Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to lead the U.S. Department of Health...