Is the golden age of NHS hospitals over? According to the head of a private healthcare body the answer is yes and that although some NHS hospitals may close, this could be good for patients.

Matt James, chief executive of the H5 Private Hospital Alliance, said, “That improved drugs and new technology mean that more people can be treated at home or at the scene of accidents rather than on wards.”

Furthermore, Mr James claimed, “That the extension of choice in the health service will mean that high-quality trusts will prosper, while changes will be taken out of the hands of politicians and bureaucrats.”

“There will be controversy and creaks and moans as the state-run service adjusts to patients having more power, but insisted the principles of the NHS would remain intact.”

Under the Government’s proposed reforms fewer patients should be treated in hospital where necessary, while GPs will have incentives to refer fewer people for outpatient treatment with minor procedures taking place in doctors surgeries.

A senior NHS figure said, “That the closure of wards may reflect underlying improvements in care and is better for patients as well.”

However, despite the Government’s attempts to clearly outline the benefits of reform and what the reforms will mean for the future of the NHS and patients alike, many MPs are opposing the reforms on fear of not being re-elected, as voters are concerned about loosing their services. 

Even some cabinet ministers are now backing down on supporting the reform, especially where closures of hospitals and wards may happen in their constituencies. They too are concerned of the implications of the reform and the effect it may have on their job come the next election. 

Currently opposition MPs are fighting to save children’s heart surgery units, despite fears that small centres do not always deliver the best care for the patients. 

The key concerns some MPs and the public have is that NHS managers are simply shutting wards to save money just to meet efficiency targets, without providing new services to the community. Some trusts in the UK have already cut 10% of their beds in an effort to save money.

Matt James, whose organisation represents General Healthcare Group, HCA International, Nuffield Health, Ramsay Health Care UK and Spire Healthcare, wrote, “The 20th century was the golden age of hospitals as bigger and better buildings were opened containing ever more sophisticated machinery.”

“This century will see things change. As drugs continue to develop and technology makes equipment smaller, cheaper and more portable, more planned healthcare will happen in our homes and more emergency care will be delivered on scene without a trip to hospital. The age of the huge hospital building which delivers any service from one location is coming to an end.”

“If we could design our health system from scratch today, there would be much less emphasis on bricks and mortar, and much more focus in people’s choices, providing information, and communicating with patients.” “

“While successful hospitals will adapt, some will close.”

“This is usually a source of protest and worry but if it’s done for the right reasons and in the right way, it doesn’t have to be. History has seen hundreds of hospitals open and close, but our health system keeps getting stronger.”

“The difference now is that patients, who will be able to choose their GPs to be treated by any qualified provider under the reformed NHS, will have the fate of hospitals in their hands rather than in closures being driven by bureaucratic and sometimes political decisions.”

“Popular hospitals that deliver high-quality services will succeed. Hospitals which put other concerns ahead of patients will come under real pressure and may close.”

“The important thing is that their success or failure will be down to the people who use them.”

“This would make the NHS trusts more like private healthcare providers, which have always had to live with the threat of failure if they let patients down.”

“This new system will be stronger and better for patients.”

With the NHS reform bill on hold, there are those within the profession, in particular those from private healthcare providers such as Matt James who are keen to see the NHS reform and allow private healthcare providers to compete for services that have been previously been supplied by NHS Trusts. 

With a more open healthcare services competing to provide better patient care could see the rise of more private healthcare providers and a diminishing NHS. Although this could give rise to greater financial efficiency, allowing more money to be ploughed back into the NHS, there is growing concern that redundancies within the NHS is likely to continue. 

However, the counter arguments for this are, that although doctor jobs within the NHS may go, it is likely that their skills and services will still be needed and they would migrate over to the private sector. 

Furthermore, with more GP consortia being formed to handled previously held NHS Trust budgets, the demand for GP doctor jobs and GP Locum doctor jobs could increase. Although there is still some uncertainty over the future of the NHS until the revised bill is announced in Parliament, MPP Locums provides first class medical personnel across the UK. 

With years of expertise within the industry, MPP Locums understands what are clients’ needs are and we are able to provide the personnel needed as budgets and demands change. 

MPP Locums is an approved supplier of locum doctor jobs, doctor jobs to the NHS under the National Locum contract starting 1st July for the next three and we are regulated by the care Quality Commission and The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA).

As one of the largest and fastest growing specialist recruitment agencies in the UK, MPP Locums provides first class medical professionals to both the NHS and private health care providers. 

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