The English healthcare system is pretty complicated to explain. We have a National Health System, but we also have private healthcare. Confusingly, after the 2012 "Lansley Reforms" we have NHS...
The English healthcare system is pretty complicated to explain. We have a National Health System, but we also have private healthcare.
Confusingly, after the 2012 "Lansley Reforms" we have NHS services provided by private, for-profit, companies. So if I need elective surgery and I'm an NHS patient that might be provided in an NHS hospital by NHS staff, or it might be paid for by the NHS but provided in a privately run hospital.
During covid-19 pandemic lots of these hospitals were not being used effectively. This move means all these staff and beds can now be used when needed.
There are some complications though. Many staff in private hospitals are also NHS staff, so we're not sure what the WTE (whole-time-equivalent) numbers of staff actually are. They talk about extra ventilators, but these are mostly theatre, not ITU, ventilators.
The English healthcare system is pretty complicated to explain. We have a National Health System, but we also have private healthcare.
Confusingly, after the 2012 "Lansley Reforms" we have NHS services provided by private, for-profit, companies. So if I need elective surgery and I'm an NHS patient that might be provided in an NHS hospital by NHS staff, or it might be paid for by the NHS but provided in a privately run hospital.
During covid-19 pandemic lots of these hospitals were not being used effectively. This move means all these staff and beds can now be used when needed.
There are some complications though. Many staff in private hospitals are also NHS staff, so we're not sure what the WTE (whole-time-equivalent) numbers of staff actually are. They talk about extra ventilators, but these are mostly theatre, not ITU, ventilators.