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BMA: Use of private sector to clear COVID backlog does not address workforce crisis

BMA council chair, Professor Philip Banfield, has criticised the Government’s plans to “unlock capacity in the independent health sector” to tackle the COVID backlog. He claims that placing further reliance on the private sector is “an admission by this Government that the NHS is not adequately funded or resourced”.

Responding to the announcement, he commented: “If the Government paid doctors and other healthcare staff properly for the work they do in the NHS, we would have a more sustainable workforce and would not be in this position. Given that many private doctors work across both sectors, this solution is likely to stretch an already exhausted NHS workforce even further as the independent sector financial incentive will be all the more appealing in the context of years of NHS pay cuts and perverse pension taxation driving doctors away from NHS work.

“It is vital that there is effective engagement with doctors in private practice too, both in terms of the delivery of these plans and hospital support for private patients. For private patients also waiting for care, it is important that this is not disrupted as the Government shifts the backlog burden from the NHS onto the private sector.

“As we have seen with costly failings of outsourcing during the COVID pandemic, it is crucial that we have absolute transparency with any independent sector provider contracts to enable scrutiny of value for money and to ensure public resource is not wasted.

“While diagnostic hubs can be beneficial in clearing the backlog and getting patients seen earlier, it is imperative that this does not create additional or unfunded work for general practices who are already delivering more appointments with fewer GPs than pre-pandemic.”

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Upcoming Events

Central Sterilising Club Annual Scientific Meeting

Crowne Plaza, Newcastle Upon Tyne
3rd - 4th April 2023

DECON UK 2023

Hilton Birmingham Metropole
18th April 2023

Infection Prevention and Control 2023

National Conference Centre, Birmingham
25th - 26th April 2023

Oncology Professional Care

ExCeL London E16 1XL
23-24 May 2023

EBME Expo 2023

Judds Lane, Coventry, England, GB, CV6 6
28th - 29th June 2023

AfPP Annual Conference 2023

University of York
10- 13 August 2023

Access the latest issue of Clinical Services Journal on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Clinical Services Journal app from your device's App store

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