Strategy
To help address rising NHS wait times and growing private healthcare demand, Curzon Consulting partnered with Nuffield Health to unlock new self-pay growth opportunities.
Unlocking Self-Pay Growth to Reduce NHS Wait Times
Curzon Consulting partnered with Nuffield Health to develop an innovative self-pay strategy, expanding access to private healthcare while easing NHS pressures. By identifying untapped patient segments and forging a pioneering partnership with a leading UK insurance intermediary, Curzon transformed lost opportunities into a sustainable growth model.
The Challenge: NHS Waiting Lists and Limited Private Access
With NHS waiting times at record highs, more patients are seeking private healthcare options for faster treatment. However, many prospective patients are unaware of self-pay alternatives, and private providers were not fully capitalising on this demand. A lack of patient education meant that many who could afford private treatment were either delaying care or remaining in the NHS system, further adding to the backlog.
At the same time, private hospitals were limited in their ability to reinvest in infrastructure and expand services. Nuffield Health needed a scalable, low-cost approach to grow self-pay revenue while improving patient access to timely care.
Curzon’s Innovative Approach
Curzon Consulting developed a data-driven self-pay strategy, identifying new ways for Nuffield Health to reach previously overlooked patient groups. Instead of relying on traditional approaches, Curzon:
- Segmented the market – Analysed NHS waiting list data and financial demographics to identify self-pay customers who had the means but lacked awareness of private healthcare options
- Designed a new patient pathway – Developed a seamless referral model to guide more patients toward private treatment
- Forged a pioneering partnership – Introduced a strategic collaboration between Nuffield Health and a leading UK private medical insurance (PMI) intermediary
Partnership Approach: A Game-Changer
Many of the PMI intermediary customers were being rejected for health insurance due to pre-existing conditions, leaving them with no clear path to private healthcare. Instead of turning these customers away, Curzon created a referral model where the insurance intermediary redirected these individuals to Nuffield Health’s self-pay services.
This win-win model created:
- A new revenue channel for Nuffield Health and the UK insurance intermediary
- A better experience for patients, providing a faster route to private treatment
- A scalable, low-cost growth model that replaced traditional push marketing
Real Impact: A Model for Nationwide Growth
Nuffield piloted the approach via the intermediary’s contact centre, refining the strategy before scaling nationwide. The results included:
- Faster treatment for patients, reducing NHS pressures
- A simplified self-pay process, making private healthcare more accessible
- Increased patient conversations for Nuffield and the insurance intermediary
A Blueprint for Healthcare Innovation
Curzon Consulting’s strategy has reshaped self-pay healthcare, demonstrating how private hospitals can grow sustainably while supporting the NHS. This model is now being expanded nationwide and serves as a repeatable blueprint for the wider healthcare sector.
View the Curzon Consulting profile in the MCA Members Directory.