NHS use of private sector increasing:Number of routine NHS-funded operations carried out by private sector climbs by more than 10% in a year, figures show
The number of routine NHS-funded operations carried out by the private sector has risen by more than 10% in a year, official figures show.
The data from the NHS Information Centre shows that private providers treated 345,200 non-emergency NHS patients in 2011-12, a rise of almost 33,000 on the previous 12 months.
These were for planned care, such as knee and cataract operations, and the figure represents 4.3% of the routine NHS treatments – up from 4% the previous year.
The jump in usage is partly explained by a rise in the number of people needing non-emergency treatments. The Department of Health also says patients are increasingly choosing to use private providers.
The figures show that last year the NHS in Southampton's primary care trust (PCT) commissioned the biggest proportion of work from private providers. Almost a third of elective admissions involving a procedure were undertaken in private hospitals but funded by the NHS. The 10 PCTs with the lowest proportions were all in London.
The data shows the number of non-emergency procedures carried out by the NHS rose from 7.7m to 8m over the past year.
The health minister, Lord Howe, said: "The crucial thing here is that patients have access to the highest quality services possible. Letting patients choose how and where they are treated is not new. We want to give patients more choice about where, when and how they can access their health services, and these figures show that patients are making decisions about services that meet their needs.
"Private hospitals have to comply with exactly the same quality and safety regulation and contractual standards as any NHS provider."
These figures are for PCTs commissioning elective procedures on the NHS from private providers, rather than the number of independent treatment centres. These are increasingly competing with NHS hospitals for patients.
This year it emerged that the private healthcare company Circle had taken 30% of the market share for hip, ankle and knee operations in the Bath area from March 2010 to June 2011. At the same time the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust's share fell from 71 to 41%.
It also does not include the amount of cash spent by hospitals outsourcing millions of pounds of surgical work to ensure patients get treated 18 weeks after being referred.
Jamie Reed MP, the Labour health spokesman, said: "This government is hell-bent on opening up the NHS to private companies. NHS services are fragmenting as the private sector picks off thousands of contracts. Patients are paying the price for David Cameron's eagerness to turn the NHS into a 'great business opportunity'."
The information centre also released figures showing that since 2007 there has been a 16% increase in total admissions to hospitals in England. The data shows that last year there were 15m admissions, covering emergency and elective admissions with or without a procedure.
Of some concern was the effect of alcohol. In 2011-12 there were 304,200 admissions wholly attributable to alcohol, nearly 6% up on 2010-11, and a 28% rise on 2008-09, when this measure was introduced. The Guardian
The number of routine NHS-funded operations carried out by the private sector has risen by more than 10% in a year, official figures show.
The data from the NHS Information Centre shows that private providers treated 345,200 non-emergency NHS patients in 2011-12, a rise of almost 33,000 on the previous 12 months.
These were for planned care, such as knee and cataract operations, and the figure represents 4.3% of the routine NHS treatments – up from 4% the previous year.
The jump in usage is partly explained by a rise in the number of people needing non-emergency treatments. The Department of Health also says patients are increasingly choosing to use private providers.
The figures show that last year the NHS in Southampton's primary care trust (PCT) commissioned the biggest proportion of work from private providers. Almost a third of elective admissions involving a procedure were undertaken in private hospitals but funded by the NHS. The 10 PCTs with the lowest proportions were all in London.
The data shows the number of non-emergency procedures carried out by the NHS rose from 7.7m to 8m over the past year.
The health minister, Lord Howe, said: "The crucial thing here is that patients have access to the highest quality services possible. Letting patients choose how and where they are treated is not new. We want to give patients more choice about where, when and how they can access their health services, and these figures show that patients are making decisions about services that meet their needs.
"Private hospitals have to comply with exactly the same quality and safety regulation and contractual standards as any NHS provider."
These figures are for PCTs commissioning elective procedures on the NHS from private providers, rather than the number of independent treatment centres. These are increasingly competing with NHS hospitals for patients.
This year it emerged that the private healthcare company Circle had taken 30% of the market share for hip, ankle and knee operations in the Bath area from March 2010 to June 2011. At the same time the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust's share fell from 71 to 41%.
It also does not include the amount of cash spent by hospitals outsourcing millions of pounds of surgical work to ensure patients get treated 18 weeks after being referred.
Jamie Reed MP, the Labour health spokesman, said: "This government is hell-bent on opening up the NHS to private companies. NHS services are fragmenting as the private sector picks off thousands of contracts. Patients are paying the price for David Cameron's eagerness to turn the NHS into a 'great business opportunity'."
The information centre also released figures showing that since 2007 there has been a 16% increase in total admissions to hospitals in England. The data shows that last year there were 15m admissions, covering emergency and elective admissions with or without a procedure.
Of some concern was the effect of alcohol. In 2011-12 there were 304,200 admissions wholly attributable to alcohol, nearly 6% up on 2010-11, and a 28% rise on 2008-09, when this measure was introduced. The Guardian
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