Another ? over private involvement in the NHS

Yet more evidence that the private sector is maybe no better at doing the job, either in terms of clinical excellence or financial management, than the NHS. The 'Observer' reports [5th June 2011] that Circle Health, the first private Company selected last November to run an NHS hospital reported losses of over £27m in its accounts filed last year - before the NHS Hospital deal. They did have NHS contracts during this period of loss. Circle Health has a large number of clinicians in its ownership but it is just one company in a complex corporate structure involving the British Virgin Islands and Jersey. Its financial backers include generous donors to the Tories. The Observer quotes a City health analyst as saying:"I can't get my head round the model and how it will make any real money. It seems to require more revenue to cover operating costs". Nothing illegal or improper but surely worth thinking about a bit more deeply before piling headlong into private sector involvement in the NHS.