LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new report from Medscape UK on physicians’ opinions on current social issues revealed that more than 9 in 10 (91%) doctors surveyed have seen an increase in patients struggling to access medical healthcare services in the last five years. Most doctors (57%) also reported to have seen an increase in patients turning to private healthcare in the last 5 years, likely due to long waiting lists.
The report is based on a survey of 467 UK physicians which aimed to get an independent temperature check of current attitudes across the healthcare sector. Access to healthcare was ranked as the top concern of doctors as 9 in 10 (90%) are seeing an increase in waiting lists.
“The UK healthcare system is under incredible pressure at the moment and there is worry it could get worse this winter,” commented Vanessa Sibbald, Managing Editor at Medscape UK. “It is unsurprising yet worrying that amid rising waiting lists the number one concern of doctors is access to healthcare. Our report underlines the urgency to tackle the current healthcare access crisis in the UK.”
One survey respondent noted, “Access to healthcare is a perennial problem globally irrespective of the added burden of COVID-19.” Another respondent went so far to say, “Healthcare access has been severely compromised through the non-evidence-based policies driven by public health authorities and the government.”
A post COVID-19 era
The same report found that 9 in 10 (92%) doctors felt COVID-19 had impacted the overall quality of care, with a further 8 in 10 (79%) believing the state of healthcare will deteriorate in a post-pandemic world.
“Healthcare staff are increasingly burnt-out, cutting hours back, retiring or just leaving healthcare. The work force is tired and overworked, with no prospect of improving working conditions or a pay-rise,” commented one of the survey respondents.
A previous report published by Medscape UK in August found that 1 in 2 junior doctors (45%) are considering leaving their profession altogether.
For more findings, view the full report on Medscape: https://www.medscape.com/uk-social-issues-report-2022
About Medscape UK doctors’ social issues report 2022
Medscape UK conducted a report based on a survey of 467 practising UK Medscape member physicians or residents. The demographics of the respondents can be broken down as follows:
- Male: 53%
- Female: 40%
- Prefer to self-describe: 1%
- Prefer not to say: 6%
The recruitment period for conducting this survey was from 25th May 2022 to 15th August 2022.
About Medscape
Medscape is the leading source of clinical news, health information, and point-of-care tools for healthcare professionals. Medscape offers specialists, primary care doctors, and other health professionals the most robust and integrated medical information and educational tools. Medscape Education (medscape.org) is the leading destination for continuous professional development, consisting of more than 30 specialty-focused destinations offering thousands of free C.M.E. and C.E. courses and other educational programs for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
