Going.

Going

Going

Gone…..

This is a short series of Blogs on privatisation in the NHS and it’s based on some really useful research by The Observer, and written by Daniel Boffey their Policy Editor. It was published on 7^th April 2013, I don’t have the link, I’m afraid.

I’ve written a lot about the obvious threat to the NHS – closing hospitals down and selling off the land. This is worse, more subtle, more insidious. It’s not just the financial consequences, it nibbles away at the ideals of the NHS and divides patients against patients and staff against staff.

There are now 146 Foundation Trusts, soon all trusts will have that status. They have been given freedom from Government control or, another way of looking at it is they have been taken out of our democratically elected control.

The Boards are now business people, running an independent business. Except we are still paying for it all.

The regulations have been changed – ‘Trusts’ can now earn up to 49% of their income from treating private patients. And boy, are they going to take advantage of that. Here are a few choice examples from the article;

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.

 

A much loved charity as well as ‘GOSH’, featured in the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

+34% or  +£11 million from private patients for year ending 2013 compared to 2010.

 

Imperial College Healthcare

+ 42% or + £9Million

 

Royal Marsden

+ 28% or + £12.7 million

 

 

NHS Overall +8%

 

40 trusts plan new Private patient units.

 

Then it gets really frightening – Moorfields Eye Hospital is opening a unit in Dubai, to gain work from the Middle and Far East. Want to see your Doctor? – he’s in Dubai.

Why does this matter?

I’ll have a closer look, tomorrow.

 

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

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