At The Medical Skin Clinic, we often hear from patients who feel frustrated or disheartened by delays or limitations in accessing care through the NHS. While the NHS provides invaluable healthcare services to millions, certain constraints—both systemic and procedural—can affect how and when you receive care. Understanding why this happens might help you make informed decisions about your treatment options.
How the NHS Makes Clinical Decisions
The NHS relies on NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) Guidelines to guide treatment decisions. These guidelines are evidence-based recommendations designed to ensure consistent, safe, and effective care for the population. However, they also outline strict criteria for who can access specific treatments and under what circumstances.
Additionally, each NHS Trust has local guidelines that determine which products are available on their formulary (a list of approved medications) and how funding is allocated for certain treatments. This means that even if NICE Guidelines suggest a treatment is appropriate, local funding constraints may delay or restrict its availability.
The “Fail First” Approach
For many conditions, patients must “fail” certain treatments before they can access others. For example, you may need to try over-the-counter or first-line prescription treatments and prove they haven’t worked before you are eligible for a more advanced option. This stepwise approach is designed to ensure cost-effectiveness but can feel like a barrier for patients in need of faster solutions.
In other cases, some treatment can only be initiated by a Specialist or in Secondary care. A GP may not be able to initiate this treatment but once it's been prescribed by a Specialist, they can often continue to re-prescribe it moving forward.
Some drugs require pateints to meet certain criteria such as a PASI score of 10 in patients with psoriasis. A patient may score 9 and miss out on life-changing treatment due to this barrier.
At The Medical Skin Clinic, we understand how disheartening it can be to try multiple treatments without success. While the NHS must balance resources to serve the population, private clinics like ours offer personalised care that may bypass some of these restrictions.
Why You Might Struggle to Get a GP Appointment
GP surgeries are currently under immense pressure due to a combination of high demand, workforce shortages, and post-pandemic backlogs. This can make it difficult to secure a timely appointment, particularly for non-urgent concerns such as skin conditions.
For many patients, delays at this stage can create a ripple effect, postponing access to specialist care. A GP referral is often required to see a dermatologist through the NHS, meaning you may be stuck in a queue before your journey to specialist treatment can even begin.
The Long Wait for Dermatology Referrals
Even after a referral to dermatology, NHS waiting lists can stretch for many months, even years. Demand for dermatological services has grown significantly in recent years, partly due to increasing awareness of skin conditions and skin cancer prevention. However, the number of dermatologists hasn’t risen at the same pace, leading to bottlenecks in care.
In some cases, patients with less urgent concerns may face extended waits as priority is given to those with suspected malignancies or severe conditions. While this is necessary to allocate resources where they are most needed, it can leave patients with moderate or chronic skin conditions feeling overlooked.
The NHS no longer funds certain treatments
The NHS constantly reviews the treatments it is able to offer. In recent years they have stopped funding treatments deemed to be for cosmetic purposes. This may include minor surgery for unsightly warts or benign skin lesions, which you'd really rather have removed. Treatments such as injections for hyperhidrosis may no longer be offered or require funding requests to be agreed. Treatments for hypertropic scars or hair loss may be unavailable to you on the NHS.
How The Medical Skin Clinic Can Help
At The Medical Skin Clinic, we offer a range of personalised, evidence-based treatments for skin concerns, without the need for GP referrals or long waiting times. Our clinicians take the time to understand your condition, explore your treatment history, and develop a tailored plan to help you achieve the best outcomes.
While we deeply respect and value the NHS, we recognise that its limitations may mean that private care is a better option for certain patients seeking timely, effective, and personalised solutions.
If you’re tired of waiting or feel stuck in the system, why not explore what we can do for you? Contact us today to book your consultation and take the first step towards healthier, happier skin.
Call: 01638 476423
Book online: https://www.medicalskinclinic.co.uk
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