Hidden cost of COVID-19: BBC Panorama: NHS Wait or Pay?

New research commissioned by Versus Arthritis has been featured in a newBBC全景剧集“ NHS：等待还是付款？”that aired Monday 27 September at 7.30pm on BBC One.

研究结果表明，目前正在等待的关节炎的一半surgeryare facing a significant average cost of £1739 a year to keep their pain at bay, through things like private healthcare, physio appointments and over-the-counter止痛药.

在计划中，主持人维多利亚·德比郡（Victoria Derbyshire）遇到了创建众筹活动或借贷贷款来支付私人医疗服务的人，因为他们在NHS等待名单上的时间太长了。

And she revealed exclusive research showing just how many people are now considering turning their backs on the NHS and going private instead.

健康不平等不是新现象

与关节炎beplay体育怎么下载的研究表明，大流行使健康不平等加剧了，许多人负担不起付款费用的临时治疗费用。

We found that nearly two thirds (62%) of people with arthritis or a musculoskeletal condition, whose surgery had been delayed or cancelled due to COVID-19, said they are living in pain because they can’t afford the treatments they need.

Worse still, those on the lowest incomes are more likely to be forced to live in pain because they are unable to cover the financial burden of the condition, with many forced to cut back on essential spending to fund their care.

One in five (21%) whose surgery had been delayed or cancelled due to COVID-19 said they often go without basic needs including food or heating to pay for treatments needed to manage their pain.

特蕾西·洛夫蒂斯（Tracey Loftis），与关节炎的政策和公共事务主管评论：beplay体育怎么下载

“People with arthritis are being left to wait in agonising pain for months and years because of delays to treatment. Over the last year waiting times for people with arthritis have gone from poor to incredibly difficult, and it’s people with arthritis who are paying the price both physically and financially."

“We need to see UK Governments tackle the surgery backlog and that means protected funding to bring the numbers down waiting for joint replacements. But people still won't get treatment overnight, so we must also see a commitment to provide immediate support for the hundreds of thousands of people with arthritis awaiting surgery.”

The ‘delay or pay’ phenomenon

自从2020年3月开始大流行以来，对关节置换手术的等待时间产生了巨大影响，等待手术的人中有一半（54％）表示，他们面临的成本增加以保持疼痛。

研究发现，去年平均花费1739英镑的关节炎患者等待手术的人包括：

• £695.43 on physio treatments
• 非处方药的£96.98
• £89.61 for private healthcare (consultations and procedures)
• 和£32.56 on prescriptions.

Spiralling costs have led to two in five (43%) of those whose costs have increased while waiting for surgery, concerned they won’t be able to foot the bill over the next 6 months, while a third (33%) are worried about how they will pay for Christmas.

ph值ysical pain of waiting for surgery, combined with the stress and emotional pressure of spiralling costs is also having a detrimental impact on the health and mental wellbeing of those waiting. Half (49%) of those whose surgery has been delayed or cancelled due to COVID-19, said the cost of treatments is having a negative impact on their mental health, while two in five (43%) said they regularly worry about not being able to pay for treatments they need.

“除了去医院约会外，我已经一年没有离开家了。”

来自彼得斯菲尔德（Petersfield）的61岁的布伦达（Brenda）在英国广播公司（BBC Panorama）情节中刊登。她正在等待双重hip replacementafter developing severeosteoarthritisat the end of 2019, which has left her housebound, unable to walk and out-of-work.

“就像站在锯齿状的玻璃上。”

我曾经喜欢游泳，跑步和walking狗，但是在不到六个月的时间里，由于臀部的疼痛，我变得不动。

由于疼痛和疼痛药物而变得令人难以置信的疲劳，这不仅仅是感到有些疲倦。然后，由于缺乏流动性，肌肉质量以及整体健康和福祉会大大丧失。我的膝盖现在也开始恶化。

Before arthritis I worked a busy job in a London law firm, but now I can’t work, walk or drive. I've had to sell my house so I could move into a ground floor flat without stairs. I would love to go back to my career, not just because of the financial pressures, but to regain my normal life. This is simply impossible while I’m waiting for surgery.

“It's not just medical bills, arthritis adds a cost to your daily life."

I initially thought this was a temporary situation, as did my daughter, so she was initially able to help me with normal day to day activities like cooking, shopping, cleaning and dog walking. But because I've been waiting for so long, I can't rely on my daughter anymore.

So along with my loss of income comes the expense of a cleaner, a dog walker, someone to paint my fence, put pictures up on my wall… the list goes on.

我感到非常无助。去年夏天，我每天早上醒来哭泣，对痛苦感到非常沮丧。没有手术日期，你只是悬挂，想：“我要对自己的生活做什么？”

我们正在推动变革

Brenda’s story is a reminder that we have to keep fighting for the change that people with arthritis need, wherever they are in their joint replacement journey.

Whilst the government has recently announced major funding to tackle the essential surgery backlog, experts have warned it’s going to take time to bring waiting lists down. That’s why we’re campaigning to make sure everyone waiting has access to support from their local health service now to help manage their pain, look after their mental health and stay well for their operation.

We’re also pushing for promises from the government that the funding to bring down waiting times prioritises joint replacement operations. Read more aboutour Impossible to Ignore campaign.

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如果您经历了与计划中提到的经历相似的经历，或者想分享与延迟或取消治疗有关的故事，请发送电子邮件mystory@versusuarthritis.org