Fall in GP visits and insurance premiums

A drop in visits to GPs and private clinics and a return to almost pre-boom take-up of private health insurance are among the stark findings of a new report looking at the nation’s health.

The Pfizer Health Index 2012, in which 1,000 people took part, also found a “profound” falloff in the numbers attending medical screening to check for cancer, cholesterol or high/low blood pressure. In 2011, half the population participated; In 2012, that fell to a third.

The study found the proportion of the general population with private health insurance now stands at 35%, from a high of 52% in 2005 — with the decline most noticeable among the middle classes.