Saturday, July 21, 2012

profits before health

A private hospital which accepts NHS work has instructed its doctors to artificially delay operations on non-paying patients to encourage them to pay fees. Make patients wait months for operations – even if there was no waiting list - to boost profits.

Bernie Creaven, executive director of the private BMI Meriden Hospital, Coventry, had ordered an immediate four-week postponement of operations on NHS patients referred to the hospital, which will be extended to a minimum of eight weeks by September. Creaven said the imposed delays were to discourage patients thinking of going private from opting for treatment on the NHS.

No comments: