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For decades NHS patients have benefited from being able to access health and care services delivered by independent sector providers

In response to the BMA report on the independent sector’s role in delivering NHS Care, Dr Howard Freeman, Clinical Director, NHS Partners Network said:

“For decades NHS patients have benefited from being able to access health and care services delivered by independent sector providers. As the BMA report itself acknowledges, there is no direct effect from increased independent sector provision on the principle of a health service that is free at the point of use, with the NHS having always been a rich blend of public, private and voluntary sector providers.

“The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the ultimate arbiter of clinical safety in the NHS and evidence from its own inspections shows that the independent sector continues to deliver an extremely high standard of care to NHS patients. The CQC’s State of Care report has shown the independent sector has lower major and moderate safety and safeguarding breaches than the NHS average and compliance rates which are better than average. Figures also suggest that patient satisfaction and, where measured, patient outcomes in the independent sector are also higher than the NHS average and that waiting times for NHS outpatient appointments are 10 days shorter than the national NHS average.

“79 per cent of people agree that it is fine for the NHS to use private companies to provide services to patients as long as they meet NHS standards, the cost to the NHS is the same or lower, and services remain free at the point of use. This shows that the public’s overriding concern is ensuring excellent NHS care rather than obsessing about provider ownership.”

View related information:

http://www.bma.org.uk/news-views-analysis/news/2016/april/rescue-bid-for-quality-of-care

http://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/20151221_cqc_state_of_care_report_web_accessible.pdf