NHS patients receiving private treatment doubles

Published on Tuesday 17 March 2009 21:04

THE number of NHS patients treated by the private sector has more than doubled in a decade, figures revealed yesterday.

A record 4,409 patients were treated through independent or private sectors last year, compared with 1,700 in 1999. The health secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, released the figures following a parliamentary question from the Conservative Party.

She said improved data collection and the opening of a new treatment centre in Angus and contributed to the rise.

NHS boards can use the private sector if there is a temporary increase in demand or if patients need specialist treatment, such as in a hospice.

The data showed large variations from year to year across NHS boards, including a jump from two to 168 over one year at NHS Forth Valley.

A rise from one to 426 in Tayside coincided with the opening of the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre at Stracathro. In Highland, the numbers dropped from 185 to 26, and in the Borders the numbers fell to a low of 39.

Jackson Carlaw, the Conservatives' health spokesman, said: "Surely the time has now come for the SNP to stop painting the private sector as a threat to the NHS and focus on being up-front about the need to build a more flexible health care system?"