New health data for private patients

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).

According to Digital Health, 5,000 consultants – about half the number working in private healthcare in the UK – have been working with PHIN to provide data. Of those, 1,000 have now completed the process and published their information.

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.

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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.

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