Private sector deal scaled back by NHS England

NHS England has announced it is to end the deal that gave it access to more than 90 per cent of private hospitals' beds, staff and equipment.

The health service struck a deal shortly after the coronavirus pandemic hit in March giving it access to the majority of England's private sector capacity at cost price.

NHS England acknowledged it would need to keep using private hospitals' beds and staff in its efforts to get the health service back to normal, but now plans  to move towards local agreements with the private sector in what it describes as the ‘next phase of the response’. This means that local areas will instead pay for extra beds when they need them.

The decision will involve local commissioning groups paying for the number of extra beds and staff they think they'll need, rather than having access to a block of beds on standby. NHS England said it would still fund local spending on private hospitals.

Although the numbers hospitalised were lower than expected and the NHS was able to just about cope, the issue of backlogs is now overwhelming. Some of the private sector capacity available to the NHS was used for cancer and non-urgent operations between May and July.

However, waiting lists are now predicted to reach 10 million by the end of the year, though NHS England aims to have non-urgent services back to 90 per cent of pre-virus levels by December.

Neil Mortensen, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: "The litmus test of these new targeted, local arrangements will be whether the NHS hospitals affected can continue to work with local private hospitals as necessary to ensure patients get the care they need.

"Those who are languishing on waiting lists are in need and often in pain. Many experience reducing mobility and diminishing independence while they wait, and this has knock-on effects on their families, their employment and the economy. Neither the country nor the individuals can afford longer waits than they do already."