Private healthcare providers are reporting a surge in demand as a survey shows rising numbers of Britons paying twice to overcome wait times.

The United Kingdom’s £180-billion a year National Health Service (NHS) is so struggling to keep up with demand, a full 13 per cent of British households have used private healthcare in the past year. A further 27 per cent have considered using it but didn’t because they couldn’t afford it, with those who can effectively paying twice, once through taxes for a system that fails to deliver and again for direct private provision.