Public-private ventures would mean better deal for cancer patients
A leading cancer expert has hit out at the NHS over its provision of cancer care, claiming parts of the private sector are offering superior treatment.
'Parts of the private sector are offering a brave new future for cancer medicine. This is in contrast to the fact that hospitals, such as the NHS Mount Vernon in London, are making breast cancer patients wait 17 weeks for radiotherapy. This could make a major difference to the outcome,' said Professor Karol Sikora.
Sikora acts as strategic adviser to HCA International, a chain of private hospitals and the largest provider of oncology in the private sector in the UK. He said the NHS was being outstripped.
'There are expansion plans for the Harley Street Hospital which will create a centre as good as the finest in the world, such as in the US,' he said.
There are also plans by HCA International to buy the King Edward VIIth Hospital in Midhurst, Sussex, which will also focus on cancer treatment.
According to Dr Sikora, the UK's overall mortality rates for cancer are considerably worse than other European countries, such as France and Germany.
Although the Government has said it wants to make cancer a priority, he claimed there was still too much antipathy towards the private sector and this was harming patients.
'There should be scope for joint ventures and for the NHS to allow the private sector to take on some cases.'
HCA International funds a number of research projects and also has access to drugs not available through the NHS. He added feedback from private medical insurers to the level of investment by the group was positive: 'We speak regularly to insurers and it makes sense for them if we can treat patients quickly and more effectively.'
Neil Hubrand, spokesman for HCA International, said while claiming private sector cancer treatment was better than that available on the NHS, it was a contentious issue and the facts had to be faced.
'We are investing a lot in state-of-the-art equipment such as linear accelerators. In terms of care, I think we also offer an approach that is less of a production line.'
