Monday 9 May 2022 10:59 PM Why isn't the NHS using private hospitals to clear the surgery backlog? trends now

Monday 9 May 2022 10:59 PM Why isn't the NHS using private hospitals to clear the surgery backlog? trends now
Monday 9 May 2022 10:59 PM Why isn't the NHS using private hospitals to clear the surgery backlog? trends now

Monday 9 May 2022 10:59 PM Why isn't the NHS using private hospitals to clear the surgery backlog? trends now

For two years, Joseph Togher had been unable to walk for more than a few minutes without searing pain in his legs — ‘like electricity running down them’ — which left the 72-year-old from Blackpool virtually housebound.

After an MRI scan last March, it was clear he needed surgery to free a pinched nerve in his spine.

This was when the NHS was in the midst of dealing with the Covid pandemic and millions of patients were facing long delays for treatment. 

But Joseph was told that rather than the year-long wait he faced in an NHS hospital, he could have the operation within weeks — thanks to an arrangement with a local private hospital.

Just ten weeks after seeing an NHS consultant in July 2021, he had the two-hour procedure which was not only a success but was carried out in ‘five-star’ surroundings, says Joseph, a retired acupuncturist and ice cream van owner.

Joseph was told that rather than the year-long wait he faced in an NHS hospital, he could have the operation within weeks ¿ thanks to an arrangement with a local private hospital. A file photo is used above

Joseph was told that rather than the year-long wait he faced in an NHS hospital, he could have the operation within weeks — thanks to an arrangement with a local private hospital. A file photo is used above

‘I was so lucky to have the opportunity to go to the private hospital — I can’t praise them enough.’

More than six million people — the equivalent of 10 per cent of the population of England — are currently awaiting NHS treatment, thanks to the knock-on effects of the pandemic.

Many thousands have endured a two-year delay in operations for hip or knee replacements, or cataract surgery. Yet there seems to be a simple solution.

Good Health has been told that private hospitals in the UK have the capacity to do ‘at least 30 per cent more than they did pre-pandemic’ — equivalent to about 30,000 more procedures a month, giving tens of thousands of patients the treatment they need.

The 30,000 figure is based on an analysis of NHS performance by the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), which represents private hospitals and clinics in the UK. One network of private cancer clinics even says that it could almost triple the number of NHS cancer treatments it provides ‘overnight’, if given the go-ahead.

‘The NHS currently uses about 30 per cent of our capability, but we could boost the number of treatment sessions for NHS patients to above 80 per cent, offering many thousands of treatments for NHS patients,’ says Sean Sullivan, CEO of Rutherford Health, which has five private cancer centres across the UK.

Latest figures show that more than 99,000 treatments were carried out on NHS patients in private hospitals in February 2022 ¿ still below pre-pandemic levels of roughly 105,000 procedures every month. A file photo is used above

Latest figures show that more than 99,000 treatments were carried out on NHS patients in private hospitals in February 2022 — still below pre-pandemic levels of roughly 105,000 procedures every month. A file photo is used above

Crucially, the cost would be no greater than treating the patients on the NHS. NHS pricing rules state that independent providers are paid the NHS price for NHS work, which is invariably lower than private clinics would normally charge. These private sector offers seem like a no-brainer.

They also mirror the NHS ambition, set out in the Delivery Plan for Tackling the Covid-19 Backlog of Elective Care, published in February, to be delivering about 30 per cent more routine procedures by 2024/25. According to private hospitals, there is plenty of spare capacity for the NHS to use.

Latest figures show that more than 99,000 treatments were carried out on NHS patients in private hospitals in February 2022 — still below pre-pandemic levels of roughly 105,000 procedures every month. Increasing this pre-pandemic level by 30 per cent would mean an extra 30,000 could be done a month.

David Hare, chief executive of the IHPN, says: ‘Given the scale of the backlog, it’s vital an “all shoulders to the wheel” approach is taken to tackle NHS waiting lists.

‘The independent health sector is a vital tool in the NHS’ armoury to bring down waiting times.’

Last December, Rutherford Health offered NHS England a ‘three-year not-for-profit deal’ to use more than 80 per cent of its capacity to help tackle the NHS cancer backlog. Currently, the NHS uses about 30 per cent.

As it explained in a letter seen by Good Health, the increase to 80 per cent would amount to 13,500 chemotherapy sessions, 18,072 radiotherapy sessions, more than 6,000 proton beam sessions (a new more precise type of radiotherapy), 20,000 MRI, 18,000 CT and 24,000 ultrasound scans a year.

‘We have fully staffed new units which could take patients from the NHS waiting list straight away,’ says

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