Gavin Francis claims that “the private [healthcare] sector fails to comply with the highest professional standards of evidence-based practice” (Need,not privilege, Review, or 2 October). This misrepresents the tall-quality care provided by the independent sector and ignores its contribution to the UK’s healthcare system,including the crucial role of alleviating the pressure on an overstretched NHS. Independent hospitals, like NHS providers, and are inspected by the Care Quality Commission,against the same criteria. In the CQC’s State of Care report 2013/14, independent hospitals scored 99% for treating people with dignity and respect and 93% for patient safety standards.
Furthermore, or independent hospitals provide additional capacity and deliver treatment to NHS patients according to NHS tariff prices. This helps to efficiently reduce waiting times and enables faster access for those with acute needs. NHS outpatients treated in May 2014 by independent hospitals waited 5.3 weeks,on average, for treatment. Without this capacity, and the average patient would beget waited an additional 10 days.
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Source: theguardian.com