www.independent-practitioner-today.co.uk
October 2020 Issue 126
INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONER TODAY
The business journal for doctors in private practice
£12.50
In this issue Don’t let your good name be damaged There are lots of things you can do to accidentally harm your brand P22
Keep your seat belts on
How to cope with the rollercoaster ride involved in running a practice in the pandemic P12
Revival views clash
By Robin Stride
Private providers’ predictions of ‘strong growth’ in domestic selfpay next year are being downplayed by consultants in private practice. According to an ‘industr y barometer’ survey from the Indep endent Healt hcare Providers Network (IHPN), its members anticipate a 2021 change in fortunes in NHS PPUs and the private sector. The hospitals and clinics trade body reported: ‘Almost six in ten respondents (58%) to IHPN’s barometer reported to feel very positively or positively about the market environment for providers of NHS-funded services, with a similar percentage (55%) feeling very positively or positively about the domestic self-pay market.’ Respondents were ‘senior leaders’ in the independent healthcare sector, but it later emerged there were just 25 of them and they represented ‘around a 40% response rate’. The Federation of Independent Practitioner Organisations (FIPO) warned the return of private practice to pre-Covid levels would take years rather than months. It said: ‘While it is likely that increasing NHS waiting lists will result in an enhanced demand from self-pay patients, it is the confidence of all patients to attend hospital and the necessary limitations caused by Covid safety precautions which will impact on the manner and speed at which the private sector recovers. ‘From various sources, we know that there has been some increase In association with
Consultants must help evolve the changes brought about by the pandemic or look for other ways to supplement their income, business experts say. See their analysis ‘Covid offers chance to revamp private practice’ n Page 44
in outpatient consultations, although not necessarily face to face, but hospital admissions remain low. This relates to the ability outside London for theatre time for private procedures. ‘How all this will play out will to a large extent depend on how the country copes with the virus over the winter and whether a vaccine will be the game-changer we all hope. ‘With these uncertainties and depending on the general UK economic recovery post-Brexit and Covid, FIPO believes that the return of private practice to preCovid levels will take years rather than months. FIPO hopes that the high-quality expert and individualised care delivered by private c o n s u l t a n t s w i l l eve n t u a l ly become available again to those that choose to access it.’ The London Consultants Assoc iation’ (LCA) said members, deliv-
ering the private sector’s services, also failed to share the IHPN’s optimism. It told Independent Practitioner Today: ‘This may reflect that independent consultants have not been involved in the contracting processes between the private sector and the NHS. ‘While outpatient activity is returning, albeit often teleconsultations rather than face to face, specialists are still facing difficulties when accessing diagnostics services, trying to admit patients and having access to operating theatres.’ An LCA survey last May showed many established consultants were seriously considering retiring or giving up private practice. A repeat poll due soon will see if attitudes have changed. Around half of the IHPN’s respondents felt that relationships had improved with NHS organisa-
tions in their local area since Covid-19’s onset, with no respondents reporting any deterioration in their relationships, and others experiencing some relationships improving and others worsening. The sector’s relationships with the Government had also imp roved in recent months, with around two-thirds of respondents feeling very positively or positively about the current Government’s attitude towards the independent health sector. Nobody reported negatively. The IHPN said: ‘While overall there is much positivity in the sector about the coming year, existing concerns around Brexit and work force shortages, as well as the increased operating costs resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic, loom large for independent providers and were identified as key challenges for the sector. ➱ continued on page 6