Adrian Norris, Buck & Willis Healthcare There is rarely a week that goes by when the N...
Adrian Norris,
Buck & Willis Healthcare
There is rarely a week that goes by when the NHS is not hitting the headlines, whether it is for the latest waiting list figures, the newest treatments available, or the continuing focus on funding. It is for this reason that we have a thriving PMI industry.
While some of the reporting is sensationalist, the increased exposure ensures that more and more people are aware of several important issues. The reality is that perfect health for all does not exist, and the NHS is under enormous pressure.
PMI providers have an important role to play in this environment that is always keen for the latest information and comparable statistics. By researching and supplying data, which has admittedly become far more accurate in recent years, PMI providers can be an informed voice offering opinion on the state of healthcare provision in the UK.
However, having an industry wide campaign is both unlikely and unwise. Over the last few years, the industry has worked hard to avoid creating barriers between the state and public sectors, working together to provide the most effective healthcare solutions for employers and individuals.
An industry wide initiative would be viewed as a cynical hard sell by those outside and could jeopardise the partnership approach that is proving so effective. There is a danger that it would create a 'them and us' environment ' a situation that nobody wants.
Charlie MacEwan,
Western Provident Association
The PMI industry is already running industry- wide activity to promote itself. On a macro level we are attempting to persuade customers of the benefits of paying for insurance to cover acute illness. The alternative is to be treated on the NHS for free. This campaign is putting some providers in the spotlight and boosting sales.
However, both the NHS and private medical insurers are facing challenges.
The NHS needs vision and leadership rather than being permanently in the workshop under repair. PMI has a different problem; it is too expensive and premiums are spiralling upwards. In order to be successful, both insurers and the NHS must evolve their products. There is a need for everyone to promote the debate in order to assist the political agenda, control short-termist ideas and make PMI a household must have.
Alison Platt,
BUPA UK Membership
The Government's public relations campaign for the NHS certainly raises the profile of healthcare generally across the UK. The current media interest also helps people understand the cost of healthcare delivery and the medical inflation issue.
These issues are the same for the private sector and, in light of supply-side costs, average PMI premiums do not seem so unreasonable. Also, people are developing a better understanding of the importance of making sure money earmarked for healthcare gets spent on healthcare.
The PMI industry has some responsibility to help people understand the role the private health sector, specifically the funding industry, plays in the total healthcare system in the UK. So, I think it is important to let people know the scale of our contribution to the nation's health.
