Almost 8,000 patients referred to private firms

Almost 8,000 inpatients were referred to the independent sector by WHSCT over the past two years - 2,660 in 2007/8 and 5,086 in 2008/9. There was a similarly high level of referrals from the Belfast Trust - 3,379 in 2007/8 and 4,037 in 2008/9.

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey advised: “The requirement placed on Trusts to deliver against waiting times targets remains as does the option of engaging with the independent sector to help address any shortfalls in health service capacity which are identified.

“Supplementing health service capacity through use of the independent sector is an appropriate short-term measure which will help reduce waiting times to a level at which they can be stabilised and maintained.

“I expect that, when that position is achieved, independent sector capacity will be sought only in exceptional circumstances.”

The Sentinel reported recently how private and independent health providers were paid 9.2million to undertake health service work WHSCT in 2008/9 - higher than any trust outside Belfast.

And over the past two years thousands of patients treated at the private North West Independent Clinic (NWIC) in Ballykelly resulted in the Western Trust running up a bill of 16million.

The Sentinel has also reported how other independent sector providers used by the Western Trust during the 2008/09 financial year were: Medinet 352 Group, All Clear, Belfast Clinic, Ulster Independent Clinic, Mater Dublin, Spire Healthcare and McIndoe.

Mr McGimpsey also revealed the number of patients that attended a first outpatient appointment following a private referral from WHSCT over the past two years.

In 2007/8 there were 4,761 referrals (third highest) and in 2008/9 there were 8,509 referrals (fourth highest) of outpatient from the Western Trust. Mr McGimpsey outlined the details in response to a query tabled at the Stormont Assembly.