Private hospitals feather bedded by Government’s NHS ‘choice’ reforms

UNISON has consistently opposed the extension of private health care provision as inefficient, leading to higher costs and undermining the principle of equal access for all in need. Now analysts say private hospitals "can turn the tap on and off at will for NHS patients"
http://www.unison.co.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=912

However in April 2008, despite opposition from health unions, the Government introduced reforms which enabled patients to choose private hospitals for their health treatment.

The FT reports that close on 100,000 individuals have since opted for private sector provision – an accelerating trend in the past 12 months.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/eed26d40-c19e-11de-b86b-00144feab49a.html

This amounts to a cynical public subsidy of the private sector during a period of economic recession when inevitably private demand for its elitist services is falling.

The right to ‘choose’ private sector provision is conditional – the private hospital must be prepared to carry out the treatment at NHS rates. Over £200m worth of business has been secured in the past 18 months (20% of private hospital income in some cases).

This gives the private sector the right to hold the NHS hostage in future years – pay more or else the plug is pulled. A point made in blunt terms by William Laing of the ‘health care industry’ analysts Laing and Buisson who said upon hearing a DoH eport of the private sector’s growing market share:

“This is great news for the private hospital groups because they can turn the tap on and off at will for NHS patients. If and when self-pay revives, they can run down their NHS work.”