Insured outpatient activity up nearly 10% as physio and dermatology grow
Insured private outpatient activity rose 9.8% in Q3. Physio was up 8%, dermatology up 14% and radiology up 27%.
Insurance-funded private healthcare has had another strong quarter. Healthcode, which processes bills between private providers and insurers, handled 3.16 million invoices for insured treatment between July and September 2026. That is 9.1% more than a year earlier.
The value of those invoices rose faster, by 12.2%, to £1.5bn. Outpatient care drove most of the growth, with 2.88 million invoices, up 9.8%. Healthcode published the figures on 29 October.
Background
Outpatient growth has sped up through the year: 7.3% in the first quarter, 8.5% in the second, and now 9.8%. Admitted care grew much more slowly. Around 275,000 inpatient and day-case invoices were issued, up 2.6%.
Outside hospitals, physiotherapy was the largest specialty recorded, up 8%. Dermatology and obstetrics and gynaecology each grew by about 14%. Inside hospitals, radiology rose 27%, the fastest of the leading specialties.
Healthcode's Richard Aris said outpatient services are becoming more important, and pointed to radiology as a sign of rising diagnostic activity. He also noted that growth is uneven across specialties.
The bigger picture
Across the first nine months of 2026, insured invoices reached 9.49 million, about 8% higher, worth £4.53bn. Healthcode says 2026 could be the strongest year yet for insured private care. Full-year figures are due in early 2027.
Analysis: what it means for your clinic
These figures cover insured patients only. They say nothing direct about self-pay demand, which makes up most of the business for many independent clinics. Still, they show where insurers are paying for more care.
For physio clinics, an 8% rise in insured activity strengthens the case for insurer recognition, if you do not have it yet. Dermatology and women's health are among the fastest-growing areas. Diagnostics operators should note the radiology surge, though these figures relate to hospital settings.
Value is growing faster than volume. That points to higher prices or more complex care per invoice, but the data does not say which.
What to watch next
- Healthcode's full-year 2026 figures, due early 2027.
- Whether insurers respond to rising volumes with pressure on fees or networks.
- Any self-pay figures to set against the insured trend.
Sources
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