Bupa knee op reviews get GMC green light

The private medical insurance (PMI) provider confirmed to COVER that the independent doctors' regulator saw no problem with the guidance within the process.

As COVER has previously reported, its decision to review all patients referred for arthroscopic knee surgery angered surgeons representatives, including the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) and British Association for Surgery of the Knee (BASK).

This has lead to a lengthy spat between the parties, which recently saw the BOA and BASK issue a three page letter calling for Bupa's policyholders to be informed and advising their fellows to not take part in the process.

Last week the BOA's patients group also made its views known on the subject.

However, Bupa is now claiming the backing of the doctors' regulator.

In response to the recent statements by the BOA and BASK, Dr Annabel Bentley, medical director of Bupa Health and Wellbeing, said: "We disagree with the British Orthopaedic Association.

"Our medical review process for knee arthroscopy is specifically designed to support clinical best practice.

"The General Medical Council, which is the independent regulator for doctors in the UK, has reviewed our medical review process for knee arthroscopy and can see no conflict with any of its guidance for doctors," she added.

Bupa has maintained throughout the clash that it introduced the review process to address the very high rate of knee arthroscopy amongst its members and that is was acting to ensure they were not exposed unnecessarily to the risks of surgery without patient benefit.

Dr Bentley continued: "Our medical review process involves consultants spending less than five minutes completing a simple form which will enable us to establish eligibility for funding based on published evidence-based guidelines for knee arthroscopy.

"Bupa has no shareholders and has a responsibility to its members to only pay for treatment that is in line with evidence-based best practice."