www.independent-practitioner-today.co.uk
February 2024 Issue 159
INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONER TODAY
The business journal for doctors in private practice
In this issue
Be patient-focused and also save money
Adopting value-based health care brings advantages P14
Keeping children safe is a top priority
What you need to know when dealing with a child protection case P22
£12.50
Solo agent or team player?
n See page 16
Stick with your investing plan
Don’t check your portfolio too often, warns financial expert George Uglow P32
London PPUs combine
A new initiative just launched to attract thousands of patients for treatment at five of the capital’s NHS private patient units (PPUs) has raised questions over the future of Healthcare London, a similar scheme announced last year. The new London Specialist Hospitals (LSH) partnership brings together Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, Royal Marsden Private Care, Moorfields Private Eye Hospital, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and Great Or mond Street Hospit al for Children. They aim to be ‘the gateway for international patients looking for the latest cutting-edge care in a world-leading city’ and will market their first-rate treatments for orthopaedics, spinal neurosurgery, nerve injuries, cardiology and respiratory conditions, cancer, ophthalmology and paediatrics. Independent Practitioner Today's PPU Watch columnist, Philip Housden, called the LSH project ‘the engine of future growth’ for the NHS PPU sector. He said: ‘Although initially five specialist hospitals, future membership could be extended to others not in the first group; for example, Queen Square’s National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, part of University College London Hospital’s NHS Trust.
Our sponsors
© Dominick Tyler 2023
By Robin Stride
The London Specialist Hospitals partnership unites five of London's leading private patient units (PPUs) ‘The group is understood to be already contributing to a central budget to build a new brand and share marketing costs, but also now has the opportunity to consider the future sharing of backoffice functions and costs.’ Ted Townsend, author of annual London private healthcare status reports, told this journal that the NHS PPU-only LSH consortium launch called into question the wider-based Healthcare London group, which includes both private and NHS hospitals. He said: ‘It appears that the inherent conflict of interests might be too great – not the ownership of the hospitals per se, but the overlapping of specialties within the grouping. For example, if a cardiac patient is identified, which hospital do they go to?
‘This problem is solved with the NHS-only initiative, where the hospital specialties do not overlap. Although each hospital is strong in their specialty, they may collectively benefit from some NHS branding, and perhaps some favourable treatment from the Department of Health.’ Mr Townsend said questions remained about how the latest consortium would be staffed and paid for, and how it could attract patients. ‘Whether HCA and the Cleveland Clinic, plus the Cromwell and London Clinic, will continue to work together without the PPUs must be in doubt. And the question of whether the Home Office chooses to support either consortium with access to healthcare visitor visas remains.’ Healthcare London however gave a thumbs-up to LSH. Spokes man Michael Barker said his group was ‘excited’ about it. ‘There is space for everyone and every effort to promote London as a centre of excellence, and create a larger medical tourism economy for London, is welcomed.’ Colleague Elizabeth Boultbee, a healthcare consultant, responded: ‘Anything that expands London and its reach is a good thing… there’s room for us all. ‘If we can take work from Germany, US and the Far East, that’s all for the good – it’s good for
doctors as well. Anything that will increase work is good for everyone.’ An LSH spokesperson said private care services supported the financial stability of hospitals and generated invaluable income that enabled any surplus to be reinvested back into the NHS for patients’ benefit. ‘The partnership members will collectively leverage their expertise and reputations to further drive international referrals, making LSH the healthcare providers of choice in London.’ Partnership benefits included sharing knowledge and best practice, pooling resources, being able to offer more comprehensive services to international patients and support a drive to attract patients from different countries. ‘This partnership should benefit all involved by providing the chance to share best practice and give the best possible support to patients and their families.’ LSH said that with each of its hospitals housing some of the world’s leading researchers, it could ensure patients were offered the latest drug treatments, surgical techniques and care supported with state-of-the-art equipment. Bosses of the five NHS private providers expressed excitement at the development and its expected opportunities. ➱ See page three