NHS Use of Private Healthcare
Press Release 16/6/2000
The Socialist Health Association has been dedicated to the development of
the National Health Service for the last 70 years. When Alan Milburn says
that he wants to use private hospitals for the benefit of NHS patients some
of us worry about what he might mean. It is high time that the whole
relationship between the NHS and private medicine was sorted out. We want to see a
more satisfactory regulation of doctors' private work and an effective
complaints procedure relating to national standards for medical services regardless of
where they are delivered. We hope that the Government will be bringing
forward detailed proposals to tackle these long neglected issues as part of
the national plan.
If private beds are to be used for NHS patients we would want to see proper
local consultation to ensure that arrangements are acceptable to the local
community.
We would want to be sure that the price charged was no greater than the
marginal costs to the NHS of doing the extra work. We have no ideological
objection to using private hospital facilities as a short term measure if it
is appropriate, but we would be concerned if the use of private medicine
became a regular part of the service without much wider debate about the
implications.
We would also want to be reassured that CHC members will have full
access and visiting rights to inspect and comment upon the premises and
services provided, as they are entitled to do in all NHS premises, other
than GP surgeries.
Martin Rathfelder
Development Director
Socialist Health Association
Toynbee Hall
28 Commercial Street
London
E1 6LS
