NHS cashes in on private payers as waiting lists soar

NHS cashes in on private payers as waiting lists soar Hospitals’ income from ‘queue jumpers’ rises while 360,000 non-payers face delays beyond 18 weeks

Income received by NHS hospital trusts from private patients has risen by 23% in the last four years, as waiting lists for non-paying patients have soared.

Under the government’s reforms, hospitals have been given the right to raise 49% of their funds through non-NHS work, often from patients seeking to avoid waiting for surgery. Prior to this, there had been a 2% cap on income that could be raised from private patients. Continue reading... The Guardian