Millions more NHS patients will receive free treatment in private hospitals under the government’s plans to reduce waiting lists.
Sir Keir Starmer yesterday pledged to make “better use” of the private sector so that sick Britons can be treated more quickly for a wider range of problems.
GPs will be forced to actively inform patients when they can have their scans, tests or operations in a private clinic.
And appointments will be booked through an updated NHS app or website, which will tell users their expected waiting times at each NHS and private provider, the distance from their home and their care quality ratings.
Patients can then choose between them, and taxpayers foot the bill regardless of which option is selected.
Last night, patient groups welcomed the announcement, but critics questioned how additional appointments will be made given the country’s shortage of healthcare staff.
The policy is expected to increase the number of appointments made by the private sector by at least a fifth, from 5 million to more than 6 million, each year.
This means private providers are likely to pocket an extra £2.5bn a year in government funding, taking their annual revenue from the Department of Health and Social Care to almost £16bn.
Sir Keir Starmer yesterday pledged to make better use of the private sector to treat NHS patients for free, so people can be seen more quickly for a wider range of problems.
GPs will be forced to actively inform patients when they can have their scans, tests or operations in a private clinic (file photo)
While patient groups welcomed the announcement, critics questioned how the plans would be executed given the shortage of healthcare staff (file photo)
If the plan is successful, companies could invest £1bn in opening clinics in underserved areas, allowing for 1.5 million more appointments a year.
Patients already have the right to receive NHS care in the private sector, but less than a quarter of patients remember being offered it. Some GPs or health chiefs have been reluctant to promote the option, and companies have strict exclusion criteria that allow them to select the easiest cases.
The Prime Minister revealed his plans during a speech at Epsom Hospital, Surrey, where he outlined how he intends to reform NHS elective care.
He acknowledged that some on the left will oppose expanded use of the private sector, but insisted that he is “not interested in putting ideology before patients” and is determined to ensure that everyone can have access to timely medical care when they need it.
Under the “landmark” new deal between the NHS and the independent sector, women on gynecological waiting lists and orthopedic patients will be among those offered free treatment in the private sector.
In gynecology, there is currently a backlog of 260,000 women waiting longer than the 18-week target for treatment, while in orthopaedics more than 40 per cent of patients are waiting longer.
The independent sector has agreed to review its “clinical exclusion criteria” to ensure that “as wide a cohort of patients as possible” can be treated in private hospitals. Providers will be paid the same rate as NHS hospitals for the treatments they provide.
The independent sector has agreed to review its “clinical exclusion criteria” to ensure that “as wide a cohort of patients as possible” can be treated in private hospitals (file photo)
There were an estimated 6.34 million people on NHS waiting lists for 7.54 million treatments at the end of October, figures show.
Sir Keir promised to diagnose and treat 92 per cent of patients within 18 weeks of receiving a GP referral by the end of this Parliament, up from 35 per cent currently and a target that has not been met. fulfilled for almost a decade.
The Government hopes to reduce waiting times by creating a larger network of community diagnostic centres, which will provide tests, scans and endoscopies 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
GPs will be able to refer patients to these centers without prior consultation with a consultant.
Sir Keir said rebuilding the NHS is the “cornerstone” of rebuilding Britain and that “no institution” is more important to the country’s security.
But he stressed it cannot become a “national money pit”, adding: “To catapult the service into the future, we need an NHS that is reformed from top to bottom – millions of extra appointments signed, sealed and delivered with the plan we They are launched here today.”
Deborah Alsina, chief executive of charity Versus Arthritis, said: “We are pleased to see today’s Elective Recovery Plan to reduce NHS waiting times – a crucial step to help ensure people with arthritis can access treatment. that they need.”
A wider network of community diagnostic centers will provide 24/7 testing and scanning to reduce waiting times, the Government said (file photo)
But Dr Tony O’Sullivan, of the campaign group Keep Our NHS Public, said: ‘Private “spare capacity” relies on NHS staff and funding to fund its expansion.
“Feeding the parasite undermines the health of the NHS host.” Writing in today’s Mail, Health Secretary Wes Streeting says the plan will put an end to “Dickensian” horror stories of people falling into debt or organizing fundraisers to pay for their operations.
He adds: ‘Whether you are the richest person in this country or the poorest, you should be able to get quality healthcare when you need it.
“That is why we have signed a new agreement with the independent sector, the first of its kind in 25 years.”