Department of Health discussions suggest that more public/private sector partnerships are on the cards
The recent contract between the NHS and BUPA's Redwood Hospital in Surrey, could pave the way for further partnerships with the private sector.
The deal with BUPA, announced at the beginning of December, means that NHS patients will have access to fast-track surgery and aims to provide an extra 5,000 operations a year. The Government announced that it plans to deliver a total of 20 diagnostic treatment centres by 2004, meaning that more private hospitals are likely to be in line for similar deals.
Health secretary Alan Milburn said further partnerships with the private sector would be positive for the NHS.
'If we can reach agreement with BUPA, or other private providers from at home or abroad, we can bring new capacity into the NHS to treat more NHS patients, more quickly for free,' he said.
Peter Fermoy, communications manager at the Independent Hospitals Association, said discussions were already in progress and anticipated further deals in the near future. 'This is a basic extension of the Government's concordat. Further involvement would make sense to the Government, the tax payer and NHS patients. A number of organisations are making it no secret that they are currently in discussions with the Department of Health, so it would come as no surprise if it decides to use further independent facilities,' he said.
Nuffield Hospitals, which owns 43 UK medical surgery hospitals and has access to 1,697 beds, confirmed that it was one of the companies in discussions with the Government about possible future contracts.
