The private healthcare company, Care UK, has sent letters to hundreds of GPs setting out a price list of operations they could offer their patients to beat NHS delays and restrictions.
The company runs nine centres offering treatment on the NHS and says it intends to use spare theatre time to provide “self pay” procedures ranging from earwax removal to hip replacements. The company said it was trialling the scheme at two treatment centres in the west of England but insisted core work at the sites would remain NHS referrals.
However, the move by Care UK has alarmed some GPs and health campaigners who fear it is another example of creeping privatisation in the NHS.
