It's cheaper to go private (From The Argus)

It's cheaper to go private

10:40pm Tuesday 24th February 2009 in Search By Siobhan Ryan, Health Reporter

Patients are being sent to a private hospital for operations costing up to £1,200 a time - because health bosses say it is cheaper than treating them on the NHS.

It has so far cost up to £70,000 to send people to have procedures such as hernia or gall bladder operations privately.

A flu outbreak and bad weather has left staff at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton struggling in recent weeks.

The demand for extra beds has had a knock on effect in other areas, leading to dozens of pre-arranged operations being cancelled.

This has led to some patients being offered the chance to go to the Nuffield Hospital in Woodingdean, Brighton, for operations costing between £800 and £1,200.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust has defended the scheme, saying it is cheaper than doing operations on the NHS at weekends.

They say opening theatres on a Saturday or Sunday would cost between £1,200 and £1,800 per operation.

This is because of bringing in surgeons and other medical staff as well as specially opening up theatres and paying for lighting and heating costs.

Patient groups branded the move “strange” and said it should not be repeated in the future.

Paul Evans from the Brighton-based NHS Federation, an independent organisation that works to protect and promote a comprehensive national health service, said: “If this is a one-off project that helps patients get timely treatment then I suppose it is understandable but it seems very strange that the NHS could not do the treatment itself more cheaply in-house.

“We need to make sure that in the long term the NHS is capable of providing the care needed for all of its patients.”

Between 50 and 60 patients have been referred to the Nuffield as part of the scheme.

The hospital’s website states: “Our patient accommodation is modern and all rooms have en suite facilities to provide you with the comfort you need for your stay with us.”

The Government says at least 90% of patients should not wait more than 18 weeks from the date of referral by their GP to the start of hospital treatment.

As well as the winter pressures, the Royal Sussex's department for digestive diseases has also had a sharp increase in emergency cases leading to more surgery being postponed.

This has meant some patients are coming close to breaching the 18-week limit.

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “"A relatively small number of patients who are waiting for simple procedures, which are normally done as a day-case or with one overnight stay, are being given the option of having this done at the Nuffield which they are free to decline.

"This short-term arrangement ultimately means these patients will be treated quicker and their wait for surgery will not have been unduly delayed by the huge increase in emergency admissions this winter, or the need to cancel some planned procedures during the days of heavy snow earlier this month.

"The cost to the NHS is significantly lower than putting on additional weekend operating lists at the Royal Sussex and means we can see more patients with complex needs who need to be treated in an acute hospital."

The Argus reported earlier this year how some patients recovering from surgery at the Royal Sussex are being transferred to the Nuffield Hospital to free up space for new admissions.

At a meeting of Brighton and Sussex University hospitals NHS Trust board, members were told the Royal Sussex and the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath were still dealing with exceptionally high numbers of patients, with 448 visits to both accident and emergency departments on Monday alone.

On average between November and January, the Royal Sussex was dealing with 300 more attendances a month compared to the year before while at the Princess Royal it ranged from 80 to 120.

The trust also spent almost £2 million in January on temporary staff to provide sickness and holiday cover.

It is not alone in dealing with winter pressures as Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust spent almost £600,000 on agency staff in December.

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