OFT to probe private health

A PROBE is being launched into whether the market in private healthcare is "fully competitive" following complaints from within the sector.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) will launch a study in the spring to examine the nature - and limitations - of competition in the market, which is worth more than 5.5 billion.

Some private providers work under NHS contracts to provide NHS services. The NHS accounts for almost a quarter of the money paid to private healthcare providers. The OFT study is likely to review whether companies are being prevented from entering the market.