Private Patient Services

Introduction

This is the policy for the management of private service delivery at Ashford and St Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

In producing this policy we aim to consolidate existing guidance and regulation in a format that is straightforward for hospital staff to understand.

Private medical practice by medical and dental staff in NHS hospitals generates valuable income for improving services for all patients by using resources which, from time to time, are not needed for treating patients receiving free NHS treatment.

The main principle is that private practice must not, to a significant extent, interfere with the performance of the Trust to their obligations under any NHS contract and that these obligations remain the priority of the organisation.

Entitlement - Individual patients are entitled to access NHS care and/or to pay for their own healthcare through a private arrangement.

A private patient is defined as one who gives an undertaking to pay such charges as the Trust may determine and who receives the advantages of choosing both a practitioner and their time for their private treatment. This may include, but is not specific to, overseas patients liable to charges for hospital treatment. Private patient activity is frequently shortened to PP within this document.

All private patient activity is supported by the Overseas Visitor and Private Patients Manager hereafter referred to as the ‘OVM’) or nominated deputy.

Policy Details