S69 · E33

NHS: Wait or Pay?

The number of people waiting for hospital treatment in England has hit a record high of 5.61 million, as the NHS struggles to clear the growing backlog of cases caused by Covid-19. Victoria Derbyshire meets some of those on the waiting list and hears about the profound effects it is having on their lives. She discovers that a growing number of people see no alternative but to pay for their own treatments using savings, bank loans and even crowdfunding sites. And she reveals exclusive research showing just how many people are now considering turning their backs on the NHS and going private instead.