People are increasingly avoiding NHS appointments and prescriptions due to cost of living, Healthwatch warns
Over a third (39%) of people say the changes they have made to their lives due to the cost of living crisis have affected their mental health.
- Women are disproportionately affected by spiralling costs, with 35% saying their mental health has got worse over the last two months, compared to 26% of men.
With spiralling costs of living, Healthwatch is warning people are making changes to how they use health and social care services, which can have an adverse impact on their health and wellbeing.
The impact the cost-of-living crisis is having on many people’s ability to heat their homes and eat well has been widely reported. However, new Healthwatch data suggests people are increasingly avoiding prescriptions, out-of-pocket costs for carers and attending NHS appointments due to the costs involved.
National body Healthwatch England conducted a tracker poll with 2,000 adults in England between October and December to assess the impact of the cost of living on their health and wellbeing and whether it has affected how they use health and social care services.
Consistent with similar recent findings from Healthwatch Halton, it found that more people avoided getting prescription medicines, and booking NHS appointments, including dental treatment, due to the fear of extra costs in December than in October.
The number of people who avoided an NHS appointment due to the cost of travel doubled to almost one in 10, 11%, in December, from 6% in October.
The poll found that in December:
Over one in seven, 15 %, of respondents avoided going to a dentist because of the cost of checks ups or treatment, an increase of 3% since October;
- Nearly 11% of respondents have made tough decisions to change, cut down on or stop support from paid carers, 4% higher than October;
- Over one in ten (11%) have avoided booking an NHS appointment because they couldn’t afford the associated costs, such as accessing the Internet or the cost of a phone call; up from 4% in October;
- One in ten, 10%, avoided buying over the counter medication they normally rely on, up 3% from October;
- And one in ten, 10%, of people have also avoided taking up one or more NHS prescriptions because of the cost, which is 4% higher.
More than a third of the respondents, 39%, said that the changes they have made to keep up with the rising cost of living have negatively affected their mental health, while 35% said their physical health had got worse in the last two months.
- heating, which 42% of women have not turned on when they usually would, compared to 33% of men;
- food, which 27% of women say they have bought less of, because of the increased cost, compared to 20% of men; and
- energy costs in general, with 33% of women saying they have turned off or avoided using essential appliances to save energy costs, compared to 25% of men.
The findings also suggest women are disproportionally affected by spiralling costs compared to men and more have taken action to cut back on:
Louise Ansari, National Director of Healthwatch England said: “It is clear that the impact of the cost of living crisis on people’s health and wellbeing is beginning to hit home.
“We are very worried that people are increasingly avoiding getting prescription medicines, booking NHS appointments and travelling to their appointments because of the extra costs. The steps people are taking to cope with the cost of living can have serious implications on their physical and mental health. This is likely to place a further burden on the already stretched NHS.”
Healthwatch England set out immediate actions the government working with health and care services can take to support people in the cost-of-living crisis and save money:
Prescriptions
- GP should offer people over the counter medications on prescription where they consider patients’ ability to pay is affected by significant social vulnerability; (although this has always been an option, NHS policy since 2018 has discouraged this to save money, but this approach should be reconsidered in the context of cost of living challenges);
- Primary care staff should make sure patients on lots of medication, as well as repeat or long-term prescriptions, are aware of the annual prescription option.
Travel:
- NHS England should ensure people are aware of access to patient transport services or travel reimbursement schemes.
- NHS trusts should follow current car parking guidance and actively promote the offer of free parking for Blue Badge holders, people who attend hospitals at least three times a month and parents of sick children staying overnight.
- NHS England should support NHS trusts to further consider reducing the costs of parking charges and provide concessions to visitors and carers of people who are gravely ill or have extended stays in hospital.
Dental care:
- NHS dentists should follow NICE guidance to offer dental check-ups based on patient’s individual risk factors. This will help free up NHS slots for more people who currently can’t find an NHS dentist and are forced to go private.
Remote bookings and appointments:
- NHS England should work with Ofcom and telecommunications companies to ensure that hospital and GP phone numbers are part of freephone service, so cost is never a barrier to phoning a health service.
Benefits
- The Institute for Fiscal Studies has estimated that even with inflation uprating, working-age benefits will be 6% below pre-pandemic levels in real terms next year. The government should ensure benefits, including Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), keep pace with inflation in real terms, and senior health leaders should advocate for the importance of this to ensure that cost is never a barrier to managing health.
- The government should consider extending the amount of time statutory sick pay can be paid to people who can’t work. It should take into account the impact that longer waiting lists for elective care will have on some people’s ability to work, and ensuring these people aren’t left without pay despite contributing throughout their lives to the NHS through taxation.
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We have previously recommended the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England should commission a national helpline to improve access to health and care benefits, including Statutory Sick Pay, Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme, Carer’s Allowance, and Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Health and care workers could signpost people to this helpline when someone mentions concerns about costs. Signposting can also be done proactively, with NHS teams using data from across integrated care systems to target, for example, people with caring responsibilities to ensure they are aware of the benefits they are entitled to.
I'm worried about rising prices - Lynda's story
Lynda, 60, from Cheshire is very worried about how rising prices are affecting her health and wellbeing. Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis means she has to keep her home warm, otherwise her pain and mobility is even more restricted, including flare ups of her long-term health condition. Lynda said: “Heating costs are a big concern as my joints stiffen up in the cold. I often switch the heating on or have a bath to ease the pain and stiffness in my joints, so this increases my energy bills. The energy crisis is really bad. I don’t remember it ever being as bad as this.”
It’s not just Lynda’s physical health that’s affected by rising costs. The uncertainty over future energy bill increases is impacting her mental health too. She’s finding it harder to pay for her travel to attend the frequent hospital appointments, and experiences anxiety about what the future holds.
On top of energy prices, her social care providers have asked whether she would be willing to consider making financial contributions towards her care. This is an added expense she can’t afford. Lynda said: “All of this is very stressful and extremely worrying so much so it regularly impacts my sleep. I don’t feel up to all these challenges and they are contributing to the worsening of my condition.”
