Oh, for the wonders of private health care! The Guardian has just reported:
The country's largest private hospital groups will have to sell up to 20 hospitals and end incentive schemes that encourage doctors to choose particular private providers for patient treatment in return for cash, a landmark investigation by the competition watchdog has recommended.
The Competition Commission, which began its investigation of the private healthcare sector in April last year, found significant instances of anti-competitive behaviour in the market, and criticised four of the five biggest operators for generating excessive profits.
So much for the efficiency the market can supply. It's actually a tale of backhanders and excessive profits.
Now there's a surprise.
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How much continuity of care can there be when hositals are shuffled from owner to owner, all with different policies?
One of the criticisms of the report stated that often private hospitals would charge for unnecessary diagnostic tests. I have first-hand experience of this practice. A couple of years ago I wanted a wart removed from my back. It was itchy at times and a minor irritation but I knew there was nothing sinister about it. Believing I would not bother the NHS with my problem, I contacted a local private hospital to ask if they offered a service to remove it. I was told yes, there was indeed a service available and that it would cost £300 for the removal and £500 to lab test what they removed. I told them I wouldn’t want it tested as there was nothing to suggest it was malignant. I was told firmly that the consultant would insist on it being tested and the matter was non-negotiable, I would have to pay. I ended the call and phoned my local surgery instead. They removed it a few weeks later and told me it didn’t need testing as it was quite clearly benign.
Multiply this example a thousand times and you can see how private healthcare wastes resources on unnecessary treatments purely to bump up the cost and enrich themselves. It also illustrates how the NHS is by nature efficient as it has to work with a limited budget whereas private healthcare actively encourages waste to increase its profits.
On a related point, I find it astonishing that private healthcare companies can use the phrase ‘jump the NHS queues’ in their advertising especially when the NHS is a large user of their services.
I shall refrain from commenting on the woes of SERCO…..other than to note that they administer four NHS hospitals, as well as a HOST of other gov services…..and through the intertwined machinations of subcontracts, an incredible amount of minor/major other services.