Cleanliness in NHS hospitals is the reason two thirds of people buy private medical insurance.

A new study published by BUPA this week says that cleanliness of NHS hospitals is a major concern for the British public, along with the reputation of individual facilities and lengthy waiting times. People are more likely to want to receive their treatment in a private hospital where the rates of superbugs like MRSA and C Difficile are much smaller, mainly because they care for a reduced number of patients. The research also found that the reputation of the hospital is just as important to the 1,001 people who took part in the survey as the reputation of the consultant carrying out the medical procedure.

Dr Paula Franklin, deputy medical director at BUPA UK Health Insurance, told The Press Association: "Clean hospitals have become so important to the British public that they now represent the biggest reason why people buy health insurance, with two out of three people taking out medical cover because they want to make sure they are treated in a clean hospital.

The survey, which was carried out by research agency TNS by interviewing the public online at the end of March, reported that 80% of people think hospital managers are to blame for the spread of infections, a rate of ten times higher than cleaners. It comes as the government has completed its ‘deep clean’ of NHS hospitals in an attempt to half the number of MRSA cases. Also this week, Patient Choice, an attempt to allow patients to choose where they receive their treatment including private hospitals receiving NHS funding, is launched across the country. But despite this, the research says that people will be unwilling to travel more than 20 miles for medical care. Many more people may decide to get a private medical insurance quote to ensure cleanliness and the choice that is already promised to them.