NHS Confederation praises Ramsay Health Care
An NHS Confederation report has highlighted the many benefits
that independent healthcare providers have brought to NHS patients
across the country.
Ramsay Health Care features in the report as the very first case
study – for an innovative training programme for junior doctors at
Clifton Park NHS Treatment Centre, in York. The report explains
that Clifton Park has “exceeded expectations, treating even more
NHS patients than anticipated and achieving a consistently high
level of patient satisfaction.”
Debbie Craven, General Manager for Clifton Park, said: “Having
trainees at a hospital helps to facilitate a learning environment.
The team really enjoys working with the junior doctors, student
nurses and student physios. Importantly, the agreement enables NHS
trainees to experience working within the independent sector.”
The report mentions the “exceptionally low levels of hospital
acquired infections” and “exceptionally high levels of patient
satisfaction” that the independent sector provides, stating that
NHS patients “appreciate the reduced waiting times, new facilities,
extra time with staff, and personalised touches that independent
providers are able to deliver.” Independent hospitals are
increasingly available to NHS patients, through the Government’s
Patient Choice initiative.
Jill Watts, Chief Executive Officer of Ramsay Health Care UK,
commented: “Ramsay is very proud to be providing additional Choice
as a partner of the NHS. We pride ourselves on the high level of
quality we provide to all of our patients, and are pleased that
this has been highlighted in the report.”
Steve Barnett, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, says in
the report: “We applaud the significant and wide-ranging
contribution the [independent] sector is making to the progressive
improvement of public healthcare.”
The report, ‘New providers: new solutions’, is published by the
NHS Confederation, which represents over 95% of NHS organisations.
The full report can be downloaded at www.nhsconfed.org/newsolutions.