People avoiding appointments and prescriptions due to cost of living crisis, Healthwatch warns

New Healthwatch England data suggests people are increasingly avoiding prescriptions and travelling to NHS appointments due to spiralling costs.

Healthwatch England conducted a tracker poll with 2,000 adults in England between October and December 2022 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.

People are avoiding vital care due to the fear of extra costs

Healthwatch England 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 poll found that in December:

• The number of people who avoided an NHS appointment due to the cost of travel almost doubled to more than one in 10 (11%, in December, up from 6% in October).

• Over one in 10 (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 7% in October.

• 15% of respondents avoided going to a dentist because of the cost of checks-ups or treatment, up from 12% in October.

• One in 10 (10%) people have also avoided taking up one or more NHS prescriptions because of the cost, up from 6% in October.

• And one in 10 (10%) avoided buying over the counter medication they normally rely on, up from 7% in October.

Cost of living affects people's health

More than a third of the respondents (39%) said 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.

Woman are disproportionately affected

The findings also suggest women are more affected by spiralling costs compared to men and have taken more action to cut back on:

• 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.

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.

“Steps such as offering over the counter medication on prescription based on ability to pay, raising awareness of travel reimbursement schemes and patient transport services, and ensuring people who need them take up social tariffs for phone and broadband could all make a huge difference for people who are struggling financially.”

Sarah Sweeney, Interim Chief Executive of National Voices:

“People living with ill health and disability are much more likely than others to be pulled into poverty because of the cost of living crisis.

"Healthwatch England’s research echoes with insights we hear from our members – that many people are being forced to make impossible decisions between heating, eating, medications and keeping medical devices running.

"We support Healthwatch England’s recommendations and urge the government and health and care services to ensure people with ill health can stay afloat during these challenging times."

Read more on Healthwatch England's findings