Over a third of Britons are risking their health by putting off essential medical checks, according to the results of a new survey commissioned by HSF Health Plan and conducted by YouGov.
The survey found that 38% of UK residents are putting off medical checks, such as the dentist or optician, because of the cost. Many more women than men are delaying finding out if they need treatment or not (43% of women compared to 32% of men).
Stephen Duff, deputy chief executive of HSF Health Plan, says that this is a false economy, and that delaying essential treatment usually means more cost, pain and damage in the long run. "Putting off visits to the dentist or optician increases your chances of preventable diseases, like mouth cancer and glaucoma, not being discovered until it's too late. Many conditions unrelated to your mouth and eyes are detected by dentists and opticians in routine checks. Discovered early, these illnesses are usually simply treated, but, if left undetected too long, they can become life-threatening problems. For example, NHS Choices says that two out of every 100 people over 40 are affected by glaucoma, and Mouth Cancer UK says that mouth cancer kills one person every three hours in the UK because of its late detection."
David Wright, chief executive of the International Glaucoma Association, says, "It is not just sight and eye conditions, such as glaucoma and defective vision, that can be picked up by the optometrist; other health issues can also be detected, such as high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, brain tumours, blood clots and diabetes, so it is extremely important to not put checks off."
Putting off dental checks, says HSF Health Plan, can delay the detection of serious conditions like osteoporosis, oral cancer, acromegaly (pituitary gland tumour), leukaemia, Hodgkin's Disease and diabetes.
HSF Health Plan provides a special combined optical and dental option, providing contributors with an annual pot of money that can be used flexibly, depending on their needs, on either optical or dental care, privately or paying costs that the NHS does not cover.
Visit hsf.co.uk for more information.
