The independent sector is carrying out one in every five NHS operations, according to new analysis, as private healthcare providers cross the one million patient threshold for 2024.
The data comes from the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), which represents independent healthcare bodies throughout the UK.
This calendar year has seen over one million patients removed from NHS waiting lists via the private route – at a rate of around 15,000 a week.
Growing influence
Since 2021 when the IHPN established this dataset, the amount of patient care episodes delivered per week has increased by a third, with numbers standing at approximately 101,000 per week.
In total, private providers are consistently delivering around 10% of all NHS planned care – when doing so, the care is priced at NHS rates and free at the point of use for patients.
Independent providers are having the largest impact within trauma and orthopaedic surgery as well as ophthalmology services. Data from the summer indicates that independent providers deliver:
- 26.3% of NHS planned trauma and orthopaedic activity – 26,000 patient episodes per week
- 24.4% of NHS ophthalmology activity – 22,000 patient episodes per week
High standard
The IHPN highlights that 92% of all independent acute hospitals are rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
NHS patients seen by independent providers had an average wait of 11 weeks – this was closer to 18 weeks in the public sector.
The IHPN is now calling on the government to make greater use of the private sector to tackle the backlog.
This would include ensuring all appointments made available in the private sector are used by the NHS – around one million slots a year are not taken up by the NHS.
“This latest data shows the independent sector has reached an important milestone in supporting the NHS recovery – removing more than one million patients from the waiting list so far in 2024 and enabling them to live the active and productive lives they deserve,” said the IHPN’s CEO, David Hare.
“This is a fantastic achievement and one that independent providers are keen to build on even further – including through investing in much needed new healthcare facilities so that NHS patients can get the care they need at a time when public resources are hugely stretched, as well as ensuring that existing capacity in the sector is fully utilised by the NHS.”
The IHPN has also proposed an investment of £1bn in new facilities like surgical and diagnostic hubs to help further beat waiting lists.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced more than £1bn of investment for things like new surgical hubs this week, ahead of today’s budget.
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