Wandsworth News
St George's Hospital Trust accused of cashing-in ahead of NHS reforms
4:10pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012
St George's Hospital Trust has been accused of jumping on the bandwagon ahead of proposed NHS reforms by spending tens of thousands in a bid to expand its private healthcare.
Trust board members decided to hire a private patients' manager, and although the hospital has refused to reveal how much he will be paid, it is believed the post will cost around £100,000 a year.
The move has been condemned by a protest group which believes it will lead to worse services for local NHS patients but has been strongly defended by the trust.
A spokesperson for St George's said: "St George’s Healthcare, like many other trusts in London, has been providing private patient care for a number of years with the income generated used to support our NHS work.
"The planned treatment of private patients is done outside of normal NHS hours, after 5pm on weekdays and on weekends, and does not impact on the care received by NHS patients.
"In December 2011 a private and overseas patient development manager was recruited to manage and develop the service." The trust has been criticised by Keep NHS Public for cashing-in ahead of the government's proposed NHS reforms.
Hospitals will be able to earn up to 49 per cent of their income from private patients if Health Secretary Andrew Lansley's Health and Social Bill is passed.
Under current legislation NHS hospitals are limited to getting two per cent of their income from private patients.
A spokesperson for Keep NHS Public said: "It will be NHS nurses and staff that will be asked to treat private patients. NHS patients will inevitably suffer with longer waiting times as private patients jump the queue.
"All patients should be treated equally. People should be treated according to their medical need not according to their bank balance.
"If taxpayers are paying for a new facility in an NHS hospital, they expect that facility to be available to all - not just to a wealthy few."
Dr Mike Squires, a member of Keep NHS Public, said expanding private healthcare in St George's Hospital will have a detrimental impact on local people.
He said: "It is an unfair system. People will be waiting longer, if you are a private patient you will be able to jump the queue."
A demonstration against the move is taking place outside St George's Hospital, Effort Street entrance on March 1, 12.30pm-2pm.