Some of the most common acute conditions we suffer benefit immensely from rapid treatment. The NHS has been working hard to reduce waiting lists and has come a long way but can they provide the treatment when it is required for some of our most common ailments or is private health cover still paying dividends?
Following a three month investigation by health insurance magazine into waiting times for the treatment of musculoskeletal and mental health conditions shows that in some parts of the country individuals have to wait many weeks for treatment on the NHS, despite evidence that early intervention is crucial to a successful recovery.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request carried out shows that patients with musculoskeletal problems are waiting over six weeks for physiotherapy in more than half of England’s primary care trusts, despite evidence that the propensity for back pain patients to return to work falls rapidly after four to six weeks. Freedom of Information requests responded to by 123 out of 152 PCTs uncovered that nine have waits of over 18 weeks for physiotherapy to treat back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions. Over a quarter (36) reported waits of over three months. The survey highlights the extent of variation in the provision of services across the country, with over 40% (54) of PCTs offering physiotherapy in less than six weeks and five reporting waits of less than two weeks.
People affected by mental health problems can face waits of over six months for treatment on the NHS. Of the 90 PCTs who supplied data to a Freedom Of Information request on the issue, 12 reported waits of over six months for counselling for patients suffering from mild to moderate depression. One reported a wait of over a year and almost a third (29) listed a wait of over three months. Over a quarter (25) of the 85 PCTs who responded to a question about waiting times for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) reported that patients waited over three months, with one listing a waiting time of three years.
According to research carried out by the Chartered Institute for Personnel & Development, employers rate acute medical conditions, back pain, musculoskeletal conditions and stress as the top four causes of long-term absence among manual employees. Stress is the number one cause of long-term absence among non-manual employees, followed by acute medical conditions, mental ill health, such as clinical depression and anxiety, and musculoskeletal conditions.
Experts say that early intervention to treat both mental health and musculoskeletal conditions is key to maximising the likelihood of an individual’s safe and speedy return to being fit for work.
Once again it shows why many employers provide affordable health insurance to their employees because of the impact it has on the business having staff with acute conditions being able to receive treatment quickly when they need it. Although the NHS have come along way in reducing waiting lists there is still alot to do.
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