NHS competition extended to community care
Choice is being extended to neck pain care under the latest plans Patients are getting greater choice over a host of community services as part of the government push to increase competition in the NHS in England.
Choice is already available over the full range of hospital operations.
But ministers now want that extended to treatments such as podiatry, hearing services and counselling from 2012.
It will lead to greater opportunities for charities, social enterprises and private firms to get NHS work - prompting accusations of privatisation.
Non-NHS groups are already involved in some community services, but patients are often given little say over whether they can use them or not as it is largely dependent on what contracts the local health service has in place.
By September 2012, patients should be given choice over at least three community services which could also include back and neck care, diagnostic testing, wheelchair services and wound healing under the Department of Health directive.
In time, this could be extended to other areas such as home chemotherapy, the Department of Health said.
“Start Quote
End Quote Dr Jacky Davis Keep Our NHS PublicThis is the final step in outsourcing NHS care to the private sector”
However, officials played down the opportunity for the private sector to greatly expand its role, pointing out that just 200,000 of the 4.6 million hospital operations done each year are performed by the private sector - five years after that policy started being rolled out.
Instead, they hope it will incentivise those already doing NHS work to improve performance.
Private sector involvement has been a controversial area of the NHS in recent months.
Last month the government was forced to water down its reform plans amid criticism they would lead to the privatisation of the health service.
While ministers agreed some of the policies needed amending, they insisted competition still had a role to play and this latest announcement sets out how they are planning to proceed.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "This is a big day for patients - real choice over how and where they are treated is becoming a reality."
But Dr Jacky Davis, of the Keep Our NHS Public campaign group, accused the government of trying to "bury bad news" during the hacking scandal.
She added: "This is the final step in outsourcing NHS care to the private sector."
NHS shake-up
Analysis and comment
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Analysis: Why the NHS wants to move on The pause in the overhaul of the NHS has ended. For the health service it is time to get going.
-
Step-by-step guide to NHS changes
-
Q&A: The NHS shake-up
-
How the NHS works in rest of UK
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites
Health correspondent, BBC News
Choice is being extended to neck pain care under the latest plans Continue reading the main story
NHS shake-upAnalysis: Why the NHS wants to move on
Step-by-step guide to NHS changes
Q&A: The NHS shake-up
How the NHS works in rest of UK
Patients are getting greater choice over a host of community services as part of the government push to increase competition in the NHS in England.
Choice is already available over the full range of hospital operations.
But ministers now want that extended to treatments such as podiatry, hearing services and counselling from 2012.
It will lead to greater opportunities for charities, social enterprises and private firms to get NHS work - prompting accusations of privatisation.
Non-NHS groups are already involved in some community services, but patients are often given little say over whether they can use them or not as it is largely dependent on what contracts the local health service has in place.
By September 2012, patients should be given choice over at least three community services which could also include back and neck care, diagnostic testing, wheelchair services and wound healing under the Department of Health directive.
In time, this could be extended to other areas such as home chemotherapy, the Department of Health said.
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
This is the final step in outsourcing NHS care to the private sector”
End Quote
Dr Jacky Davis
Keep Our NHS Public
Analysis: The NHS and the private sector
However, officials played down the opportunity for the private sector to greatly expand its role, pointing out that just 200,000 of the 4.6 million hospital operations done each year are performed by the private sector - five years after that policy started being rolled out.
Instead, they hope it will incentivise those already doing NHS work to improve performance.
Private sector involvement has been a controversial area of the NHS in recent months.
Last month the government was forced to water down its reform plans amid criticism they would lead to the privatisation of the health service.
While ministers agreed some of the policies needed amending, they insisted competition still had a role to play and this latest announcement sets out how they are planning to proceed.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "This is a big day for patients - real choice over how and where they are treated is becoming a reality."
But Dr Jacky Davis, of the Keep Our NHS Public campaign group, accused the government of trying to "bury bad news" during the hacking scandal.
She added: "This is the final step in outsourcing NHS care to the private sector."
NHS shake-up Analysis and comment
Analysis: Why the NHS wants to move on
The pause in the overhaul of the NHS has ended. For the health service it is time to get going.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step-by-step guide to NHS changes Q&A: The NHS shake-up How the NHS works in rest of UK News
PM agrees major NHS concessions No party politics over NHS - PM GPs want 'more NHS concessions' Cameron unveils NHS rethink NHS reforms may change - Lansley NHS 'listening exercise' to close
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