Private healthcare admissions increased to 247,495 in Q1 2026, rising by nearly 1,000 from 246,550 the year prior and by around 4,000 from 243,000 in Q1 2024, according to the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN).
Of this total, there was a slight decline in insured admissions to 171,000 compared to Q1 2025, which marked a record quarter of 175,000, although it remains up by 1,000 from Q1 2024 when 170,000 admissions were recorded. Meanwhile, self-pay admissions hit its highest level of 77,000 in Q1 2026, rising by 6,000 from 71,000 in Q1 2025. Self-pay admissions have remained at a "fairly consistent level" for the past few years, PHIN said, and the increase demonstrates continued demand for private healthcare as more people move away from the NHS. The NHS waiting list fell to 7.27m patient...
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