Complaints about private care are going up
Patients’ official complaints about aspects of the service they receive in the private healthcare sector are on the rise, according to new figures. Data compiled by investigators working for the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS) for the year ending last April show a total of 112 complainants used the organisation – compared to 90 […]...
Costs of investigating gripes rise sharply
Clinical experts’ fees are being examined following a sharp rise in what they are charging to look into Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS) cases. The charges have typically increased by over £900 an inquiry, according to the service’s annual report. Total costs associated with expert clinical advice more than doubled, going up from £21,000 […]...
Doctors’ regulatory reform must be a priority, says MDU
Reform of the GMC’s fitness-to-practise processes are top of a list of Medical Defence Union (MDU) priorities for the Government. The union’s An Agenda For Change report, published to coincide with the Labour party conference, calls for a reform of doctors’ regulation to tackle the massive costs of clinical negligence claims and to do more […]...
Health Secretary’s commitment to patient choice welcomed
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting has reaffirmed a commitment to patient choice and the use of the independent sector to deliver NHS services. Speaking at the Labour party conference, he said the Government’s ten-year plan for the NHS would give all patients – rich and poor alike – the same choice, information and […]...
Our report on PPU growth makes national news
Independent Practitioner Today’s disclosure of strong growth in NHS private patient units (PPUs) has made front-page news in the national daily press with The Telegraph taking up the story. Its publication last Saturday reported NHS hospitals are increasingly charging patients for treatment, with income going up by a quarter in just a year. And it […]...
London trust reports record private patient income
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust has again reported record private patient income levels, both for the trust and the NHS. Its newly published 2023-24 Annual Report and Accounts shows Royal Marsden Private Care continued to grow last year with revenues up 12.0% to £181.6m. However, this growth was below the average for other central […]...
Private docs’ view of CQC: ‘Requires improvement’
New and seasoned independent doctors are counting the cost of being stuck on a costly waiting list to get the official nod to set up and grow their private practices. Problems with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have led to a stream of complaints brought to the attention of the Independent Doctors […]...
Doctors face threat of tax trap after pay rise
Salary increase could push doctors into high taxation rates Some independent practitioners who work as NHS doctors will be hit by various tax traps following the 6% pay rise declared at the end of July. The new Government announced it would accept the recommendations of the independent Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body […]...
Nuffield brings in warning system
The UK’s largest healthcare charity, Nuffield Health, is implementing a standardised national paediatric early-warning system in its hospitals to help clinicians spot and treat a deteriorating child patient quickly and act on concerns. NHS England announced last November that its hospitals were rolling out a new early warning system for doctors […]...
Promote yourself to win self-payers
Individual consultants, groups, chambers and clinics offering a range of services are being advised to take a proactive approach to developing the self-pay side of the business. Self-pay expert Liz Heath warns that while promotion to GPs by consultants, clinics and larger providers is still important, the developing digital world means engaging […]...
Doctors cut NHS commitment due to stress
Doctors are not just reducing their NHS commitments to take up private practice – there is an increasing trend to step back to ease workload and capacity pressures. Years of worsening levels of satisfaction plus burnout are leading doctors to ‘take matters into their own hands’ to improve their well-being and reduce potential risk to […]...
Clinic acquisition part of Bupa’s growth plans
Bupa Health Services has announced a new partnership and the acquisition of specialist outpatient clinic London Medical in Marylebone High Street. The companies say the latter’s specialist services from 96 consultants working at the centre will complement Bupa Health Services’ existing portfolio and, most importantly, create a seamless and speedy pathway for […]...