Mum desperate for NHS help 'told to go private'

A mum struggling with complications after giving birth says she begged to see a specialist - but was told to pay for private care.

Elizabeth Andrews, 28, from Taunton, Somerset, had a baby in February and said she is still suffering physically and mentally.

A report by Healthwatch England suggests her experience of being advised to pay for private care is becoming more common, with Louise Ansari, CEO, warning of a 'two-tier' health system.

A spokesperson for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said there are some specialties where patients have a longer wait for treatment.

Mrs Andrews said she waited seven months to see a gynaecologist, but was then told she needed to join another waiting list for a different department.

The nature photographer said the effects of a postnatal prolapse meant she cannot pick up her son, run after him or do much exercise.

She reported her issues to a GP soon after the birth 10 months ago and was told the problem would heal on its own, she claims. When it did not, she repeatedly "begged" to see a specialist but was advised by NHS staff to pay for private care, something she cannot afford, she said.

Mrs Andrews said she "begged and begged to see a gynaecologist" and was referred by GP, only to find out the waiting list was a "ridiculous" six months and that the referral had not been logged.

"Every time I talk to the specialist nurse, she just basically keeps telling me the waiting list is too long - you might as well go private," she said.

She was seen by a NHS gynaecologist this week due to a cancellation, only to be told she would need to go on another waiting list for a different department.

"It's a very difficult thing to deal with," she said. "I can't be the mum I want to be.

"It's a really frustrating situation - there's no way that young individuals could even think of affording to go private."

A report by Healthwatch England suggests her experience is becoming more common for patients, with Louise Ansari, CEO, warning it could lead to a two-tier health system.

One in seven (14%) of the respondents to a HealthWatch poll reported that an NHS professional had advised them to consider paying for a private health service in the past year, with under 30s the most impacted.

Dr Simon Opher, a GP as well as the Labour MP for Stroud, Gloucestershire, said he had experienced long waiting lists on the NHS himself.

"These sort of things are taking an inordinate amount of time," he said. "I got into politics because I got really fed up of telling patients this sort of thing."

Dr Opher said the government is working to drive down waiting lists but going private is sometimes "the only option".

"We're starting to turn the ship but it's going to be a really hard job," he said.

Dr Febin Basheer, a GP from Swindon, Wiltshire, said she is aware those with non-life threatening conditions are having their lives "impacted" by long waiting lists.

"This is a population [under 30s] that are used to getting things quickly," she said. "People are waiting for care and they're not prepared to wait that long."

She said she would like to see people with NHS experience helping to design "recovery work" to get waiting lists down.

A spokesperson from the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust added: “We are working hard to reduce our waiting times.

"Where possible for gynaecology patients, we may be able to offer some treatment at another of our hospitals in Somerset, which has a shorter wait time.

"Where a patient asks about the possibility of having treatment privately, our colleagues should provide information that is accurate, up-to-date and in line with local NHS guidelines."

A spokesperson from NHS England said there were "record numbers of patients" and "record demand".

They said: "We are working with government on the 10 Year Health Plan to better address the needs of patients and make use of the latest innovations to bring down waits and continue to deliver more appointments, tests and treatments.”

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