Health secretary Alan Milburn has precipitated one of the biggest shake-ups in the NHS since its inc...
Health secretary Alan Milburn has precipitated one of the biggest shake-ups in the NHS since its inception over 50 years ago, with the confirmation that patients will be able to bypass waiting lists and get treatment abroad.
The move will mean that patients waiting for operations such as heart surgery, prosthetic hips and knees, or cataract operations will be able to be treated in mainland Europe at the expense of the NHS. The change in policy follows an EU ruling in July, which stated that people of all EU nations had the right to seek medical treatment anywhere in the union. At present the NHS is only allowed to contract hospitals abroad for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB).
Bob Abberley, head of health at UNISON, said: 'We cannot believe the Government would seriously consider breaking up the NHS in this way. The problems of the NHS can only be solved inside the NHS, not by looking for quick fix solutions elsewhere. What is needed is long-term planning and investment in hospitals and staff.'
Suzanne Kelly, spokesperson for BUPA, said: 'Anything benefiting the patient can only be a good thing, but I am not sure how big the market will be as there are problems of language, culture and continuity of care if patients go abroad.'
There are also calls for the Government to go further and allow overseas medical teams and companies to enter the UK to help cut NHS waiting lists. This would provide increased competition for the UK private sector, which currently benefits from taking on more waiting list operations from the NHS.
