NHS sends thousands of its own staff private

NewsBot · Oct 18, 2009

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The Guardian are reporting:

NHS sends thousands of its own staff private
Liberal Democrats say £1.5m bill "raises serious issues" about health service provision

NHS sends thousands of its own staff private Liberal Democrats say £1.5m bill "raises serious issues" about health service provision

Jamie Doward, home affairs editor The Observer, Sunday 18 October 2009 Article historyThe number of hospital staff who are receiving private healthcare treatment paid for by the NHS has prompted accusations that the health service is paying for its staff to queue-jump and raised questions about its ability to provide adequate treatment.

Freedom of information requests sent out to all NHS trusts and hospitals in England reveal that over the past three years 3,337 employees were treated, at a cost to the taxpayer of £1,578,607. The figures – obtained by the Liberal Democrats – show the practice is becoming increasingly common.

In 2006-07, 708 staff received private treatment at a cost of £279,335. The following year, 988 staff received private treatment at a cost of £470,859. Last year, the number jumped to 1,641 staff at a cost of £828,413.

"If the NHS thinks it necessary to pay for private treatment for its staff to jump waiting lists, then it raises serious questions about whether the current system is working as it should," said Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat health spokesman.

Orthopaedic consultations, chiropody and aromatherapy were among the private treatments received. But those most used were physiotherapy and mental health services, notably cognitive behaviour therapy, private counselling and psychiatric consultations......
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ladyfaye · Oct 18, 2009

this is a double-edged sword.....you need healthy practitioners to treat sick people,so if practitioners are ill,depressed,stressed and overworked what is teh health service supposed to do? use locums and still continue to pay sick-leave for its staff thats off sick on a regular if not long-term basis?

Ive worked for many years in the NHS and its very stressful.

I appreciate the point that the politicians and patients are raising but as a clinician who worked in a stressful environment and towards the end of mt time at the NHS I actually got very ill....no the NHS did not pay for my private medical treatment I did so myself, I can fully understand the logic of getting important healthcare professionals healed and back on their feet and ultimately back to work

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NHS sends thousands of its own staff private

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ladyfaye Active Member

Advice needed nhs or private?

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NHS sends thousands of its own staff private

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

ladyfaye Active Member

Advice needed nhs or private?

Selling additional sets of orthoses to NHS patients

NHS charging/billing codes

Private practice vs NHS

Hyprocure Stent Operation on the NHS

NHS Pod wanted to do have a few private patients on the side.

South West footcare initiative scoops top NHS award

Share This Page

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