Consultants role needs to evolve

NEWS:
Consultants’ involvement in private treatment delivery needs to change if private healthcare is to become more affordable, an industry commentator claims.

Private Healthcare UK managing editor Keith Pollard pointed to some NHS services which are moving to delivery by nurse practitioners – at lower cost – under the guidance of a supervising consultant.

He said: ‘‘Old school’ consultants may see these changes as a major threat to their autonomy, but the newer consultants coming into private practice may be more open minded and view such changes as an opportunity to grow their private practice income quickly.’

Mr Pollard said affordable private healthcare options will be essential for future private healthcare sector growth,

He was speaking at the launch of The Affordable Private Healthcare Guide, which aims to help patients understand the complex private healthcare market, find information about price and quality, and make an informed decision about any medical treatment or cosmetic procedure.

The Guide looks at the pros and cons of going private, how to choose a hospital or doctor and how to get a better deal.

Mr Pollard backed Bupa’s call for a 15% cut in charges in the private healthcare sector (Independent Practitioner Today, May 2014) saying the cut was needed.

He said: ‘People are living longer, creating greater demand for healthcare and making more use of private medical insurance. More use means higher premiums but personal and corporate purchasers baulk at the steep increase in premiums, so we’re seeing a fall in the number of people covered by private medical insurance, which is now at its lowest level in 20 years.’

Another challenge was healthcare costs. ‘New and effective treatments often cost more than existing ones. Thus the ‘cost per case’ often goes up, although new minimally invasive surgical procedures have helped to reduce costs, reducing the length of stay and associated care costs.’

Mr Pollard said the guide was needed now more than ever: ‘The options for private healthcare are enormous, from the treatments available to the sheer number of hospitals and doctors offering them.

‘While treatment choices should never be based purely on price, it’s essential that patients have an independent guide telling them how to do their research and make the decision that’s right for them – without paying over the odds.’

The Guide can be found at https://issuu.com/johnnyfdesigns/docs/aphg_digital?e=13000637/8877996