NHS pays over the odds for private operations

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NHS sources have revealed they are asked to perform a significant numbers of operations at the last minute to meet the 18-week target. These cost more than the standard NHS rate as the private hospitals are less able to plan and schedule their work.

One senior NHS manager said: "I know of examples where the NHS has recently paid the private sector 140 per cent, and even 160 per cent, of the NHS price to try to hit the waiting time target."

A few months ago the Department of Health reduced its programme of using independent sector centres to treat NHS patients at close to NHS prices.

The practice of spot purchasing largely disappeared after the first independent centres came in and the NHS introduced more structured contracts with the private sector.

Latest Department of Health figures show that 90 per cent of outpatients are treated within the 18-week limit but some hospitals still fail to meet the targets.