The first online league table of performance statistics for consultants working in the private sector has been published by the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN).
Since the drive towards greater choice for patients began in the 1990s, the quality of available data about NHS services has increased hugely. The private sector has, until now, lagged behind, according to the Competition and Markets Authority, which led calls for the new public database.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen, chair of PHIN, said: “Over the past few years there has been a noticeable, positive shift from the medical profession towards embracing transparency.
“We hope that this will provide strong encouragement for other senior doctors to also review and approve their data, working with the hospitals at which they practise, to improve the quality of data where necessary.”
At launch, the database includes information on only a few of the 11 aspects of care it will eventually cover, including the number of patients treated and the average length of their stays in hospital. From next year, it will publish the fees consultants charge for common procedures.
Take our survey for your chance to win £100 John Lewis vouchers
-
August 14 editorial cartoonsCartoons Thursday’s political cartoons include Donald Trump and JD Vance at a summit, Putin's 'peace' plan, and Jeffrey Epstein haunting the White House
-
Weapons: Julia Garner stars in 'hyper-eerie' psychological thrillerThe Week Recommends Zach Cregger's 'top notch' new film opens with 17 children disappearing at exactly the same time
-
Freakier Friday: Lohan and Curtis reunite for 'uneven' but 'endearing' sequelThe Week Recommends Mother-and-daughter comedy returns with four characters switching bodies
-
Labour shortages: the ‘most urgent problem’ facing the UK economy right nowSpeed Read Britain is currently in the grip of an ‘employment crisis’
-
Will the energy war hurt Europe more than Russia?Speed Read European Commission proposes a total ban on Russian oil
-
Will Elon Musk manage to take over Twitter?Speed Read The world’s richest man has launched a hostile takeover bid worth $43bn
-
Shoppers urged not to buy into dodgy Black Friday dealsSpeed Read Consumer watchdog says better prices can be had on most of the so-called bargain offers
-
Ryanair: readying for departure from LondonSpeed Read Plans to delist Ryanair from the London Stock Exchange could spell ‘another blow’ to the ‘dwindling’ London market
-
Out of fashion: Asos ‘curse’ has struck againSpeed Read Share price tumbles following the departure of CEO Nick Beighton
-
Universal Music’s blockbuster listing: don’t stop me now…Speed Read Investors are betting heavily that the ‘boom in music streaming’, which has transformed Universal’s fortunes, ‘still has a long way to go’
-
EasyJet/Wizz: battle for air supremacySpeed Read ‘Wizz’s cheeky takeover bid will have come as a blow to the corporate ego’
