Anyone in the U.K. who has tried to book an NHS medical appointment of late will know just how much of an ordeal it can be, with median waiting times for consultant-led elective care (i.e. pre-planned clinical treatment) currently sitting at around 14.6 weeks in England. This has led to a spike in people turning to the private medical sector, a trend some argue heralds the start of a two-tier healthcare system where those with financial means effectively pay to fast-track their treatment.
In tandem, a floundering public healthcare system has created fertile ground ...