NHS to expand use of private sector to tackle waits

The use of the private sector to tackle the NHS backlog in England is to be expanded, the government says.

Ministers say they want to unlock spare capacity to get more people the treatment and operations they need.

This includes opening eight privately-run diagnostic centres and using new rules to make it easier for the NHS to purchase care in the private sector.

It comes as a record 7.5 million people are waiting for treatment - three million more than before the pandemic.

The private sector already carries out hundreds of thousands of treatments and appointments for the NHS every year. But it has said it has the capacity to carry out about 30% more than it is.

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Source: BBC News, 4 August 2023